Talcher: Normal life was affected in Talcher of Angul district Wednesday due to a 12-hour bandh called by Talcher Surakshya Samiti over their four-point charter of demands.
As per reports, members of the outfit staged a rail roko agitation from early morning today, disrupting rail services.
Markets, business establishments, educational institutions and government offices have remained closed in the town. Moreover, the bandh also affected the mining operations in the town. Besides, vehicular movement came to a grinding halt as activists blocked roads and staged picketing at Bypass Chhak and several important places of the town.
However, emergency services including ambulance and healthcare services have been exempted from the purview of the bandh.
Their demands include filling up adequate doctors’ posts in Talcher government hospitals, steps to ensure a pollution-free environment and safe drinking water for residents. The agitators also demanded that the administration should take necessary steps to reduce water pollution in river Brahmani and air pollution level in the area.
Several other associations have also extended their support towards the bandh. The agitators threatened to intensify their protest if their demands are not met at the earliest.
Meanwhile, police personnel have been deployed in the town to thwart any untoward incident during the protest.
PNN