BALANGIR: Normal life was hit in Balangir town due to the 12-hour bandh called by Balangir Action Committee (BAC) demanding establishment of a High Court bench in the district. The bandh was supported by the district Bar association and a number of local organisations. Due to the shutdown, functioning of both Central and State government offices, financial institutions and the post office was affected. However, business houses, educational institutions and public transport services were exempted from the bandh.
In the morning, supporters of the bandh picketed in front of different government offices. They also staged dharna in front of the Collector’s office. “Before its merger with Odisha, Balangir was a princely State and had a full-fledged High Court.
So our demand for establishment of a High Court bench in the district is genuine and justified,” said president of Balangir Bar association Amaresh Tripathy. Convenor of Balangir Action Committee Gopalji Panigrahi alleged that the State government was adopting an indifferent attitude towards the people of Balangir. People have to stage demonstration to get projects, be it a simple drain or dam like Lower Suktel, he added.