BALASORE/BHAWANIPATNA: Protesting non-declaration of Baliapal in Balasore and M Rampur in Kalahandi as Notified Area Councils (NACs), various outfits organised eight to 12-hour bandh across the districts affecting normal life.
Following non-fulfilment of their long-standing demand for NAC status by the government, Swaviman Manch, a local outfit, enforced an eight-hour bandh on Tuesday paralysing life in Baliapal block. Supported by residents across the 28 panchayats of the block, the bandh affected communication badly while business establishments, banks, judiciary, government, and non-government-run educational institutions and offices remained closed.
“The Baliapal block, despite being a hub for business and coastal activities in Odisha, has been neglected by the BJD government. It has not been granted NAC status despite repeated demands since 1985,” stated Satyakam Mohanty, the coordinator of the outfit, along with activists Debasish Patra and Subhadra Rout.
We urge the BJD government to heed our demand within a week. Failure to do so will compel not only outfit activists but residents across the 28 panchayats to boycott the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections,” warned the activists.
Similarly, a 12-hour bandh called by M Rampur Banik Sangh protesting non-fulfilment of their demand to include M Rampur as an NAC, affected traffic movement and day-to-day activities.
Prasanta Samantrai, secretary of the Banik Sangh, asserted the agitation would escalate with the support of all sections of the public. A memorandum addressed to the chief minister was handed over to the block development officer (BDO) in M Rampur. “The simmering discontent among people would reflect in the upcoming election and prove the BJD costly,” he added.
Even residents of Junagarh, a 54-year-old NAC with a rich historical and cultural heritage, have expressed their anger for not upgrading it to a municipality. Narla also finds itself embroiled in discontent, as it was not declared an NAC despite local expectations. In Dharamgarh and Junagarh, regular agitation has persisted for the establishment of a new district comprising six blocks of the Dharamgarh subdivision over the past two years.
Opposition parties like the BJP and Congress are capitalising on these grievances, making it a challenging time for the ruling BJD in these constituencies.