RAJGANGPUR (SUNDARGARH): After 16 hours, Sundargarh district administration heaved a sigh of relief as the tribal protestors, opposing cement maker OCL India Ltd’s mining expansion, lifted the blockade of Biju Expressway at Rajgangpur in Sundargarh district early on Thursday.
Commuters faced a harrowing time caught in the jam as hundreds of vehicles were stranded for several kilometres on both sides of the State Highway (SH) 10 (Biju Expressway).Normalcy was restored after Sundargarh ADM BC Turuk stated that the public hearing on mining expansion was stopped amid stiff opposition by the villagers. As scheduled, the administrative officials arrived at the public hearing venue at Dalmia Industrial Training Institute at Jhagarpur of Rajgangpur, but the gate was blocked by some protesters. The authorities then decided to hold the public hearing in front of the DITI gate on SH-10 and some people expressed their views and submitted memorandum. While discussion was going on, the affected villagers of five gram panchayats vehemently opposed it and the hearing was stopped, the ADM stated.The protestors, led by Birmitrapur MLA George Tirkey, then called off the stir.
Rajgangpur police station IIC PK Jena said normalcy was restored at about 4 am on Thursday, adding that senior administrative and police officers were camping at Rajgangpur till the impasse was over.
Opposing the holding of public hearing on the road, the tribal protestors had blocked the SH 10 on Wednesday demanding that the hearing be declared invalid. Sources said the traffic jam extended up to 7 km till Jampali-Jharbera and up to 8-9 km till Kansbahal. It took about four hours to clear the SH 10.