UMERKOTE: The BJD on Tuesday observed a bandh in seven blocks of Nabarangpur to protest alleged irregularities in paddy procurement at mandis across the district.
The shutdown was enforced in Chandahandi, Dabugaon, Papdahandi, Kosagumuda, Nandahandi, Tentulikhunti and Nabarangpur blocks. However, Umerkote, Raighar and Jharigaon blocks were excluded.
Due to the bandh, normal life was severely disrupted in the seven blocks from 7 am to 7 pm. Vehicular movement came to a standstill, business establishments remained closed, and government offices in some blocks were shut down by the agitators.
The protesters alleged slow procurement of paddy, delays in issuance of tokens, forcing farmers to bring paddy in gunny bags, and the continuation of the practice of deduction in mandis.
As part of the bandh, hundreds of BJD workers led by former MP Pradeep Majhi and Dabugaon MLA Manohar Randhari blocked NH-26 and gheraoed the district collector’s office. The agitators reached the collectorate in a rally and burnt the chief minister’s effigy.
Later in the day, Majhi submitted a memorandum to Nabarangpur collector Maheswar Swain. He warned that if the issues were not resolved within seven days, the BJD would call for a district-wide bandh.
District civil supplies officer Debasish Mohanty said efforts were being made to resolve the issues raised by the agitators.