BHUBANESWAR: Normal life remained largely unaffected across Odisha even as Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan (NKSS) observed an eight-hour statewide bandh to protest over paddy procurement and other issues.
Though educational institutions remained closed, commercial establishments remained open.
Despite the bandh, emergency and healthcare services were unaffected. However, public transport was partially hit with private buses remaining off roads in different places, including Cuttack.
However, Ama Buses continued to operate in the twin city of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
The bandh was called over alleged irregularities in paddy procurement, imposition of hefty fines for violation of pollution under control certificates and arbitrary power tariff related actions by Tata Power.
NNKS activists took to the streets in Bhubaneswar and several other parts of the state from 6 am, blocking major roads, burning tyres at some places and staging picketing, which led to partial disruption of vehicular movement.
The Odisha Pradesh Congress Commiitee (OPCC) extended its support to the bandh. Meanwhile, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dismissed the bandh by calling it a fake farmers’ movement.