Bhanjanagar: A 12-hour bandh Tuesday has thrown normal life out of gear here in Ganjam district Tuesday. The bandh has been jointly called by the OSRTC Contractual Employees Association and Action Committee. They are protesting against the decision to shift buses from the OSRTC depot here to another zone. Among their other demands are release of outstanding salaries and proper cleaning of garbage from the bus terminus.
The two bodies took out a rally Monday evening through this town. They asked the localites to support the strike. OSRTC Contractual Employees Association president Batakrushna Panda said that they were forced to call a bandh as the administration was taking no steps to solve their problems.
Owing to the bandh the business establishments have downed their shutters Tuesday while offices and educational institutions remained closed. Vehicular movement has come to a grinding halt.
OSRTC general manager Rudra Prasanna however, said Monday through a press release that because of several reasons including staff strike, this zone’s loss has already crossed the rupees one crore mark.
In the release it has been said that the decision to shift buses to other zones has been taken keeping in mind the betterment of the employees and to make the zone a profit-making one. Rudra also informed that OSTRC has no intentions to close down the Bhanjanagar zone.
Rudra blamed a section of the employees for the current imbroglio. He said that their inactivity was delaying the payment of salaries. Currently, 67 contractual drivers and conductors are working in this zone.
Notified Area Council (NAC) sources meanwhile said Tuesday that steps have been taken to streamline the sanitation problem. After the model code of conduct period ends, the problem will be solved, they added.
PNN
