BARGARH : Normal life came to a standstill in Padampur sub-division including Paikmal and Jharbandh besides Gaisilet block on Tuesday, due to the 12-hour bandh called by Padampur Zilla Milita Kriyanusthan Committee demanding district status for Padampur and sub-division status for Gaisilet.
Due to the bandh, government and private offices besides banks and financial institutions, business establishments, educational institutions and courts remained closed. Vehicular movement was also affected as bandh supporters were seen picketing at various locations in the four places.
Convenor of Padampur Zilla Milita Kriyanusthan Committee for Gaisilet Block, Ranjan Kumar Panda said the district status of Padampur is a long standing demand of the public here.
However, the state government despite giving assurance has been deliberately deceiving the locals of Padampur.
“The agitation was called to warn the government on making Padampur a district at the earliest. We also demand upgradation of Gaisilet block into sub-division for the development of the area. If the government fails to take any step on this, we will further intensify our protest and our anger will reflect in the votes in the upcoming election.”
The bandh was supported by Rajbodasambar Krushak Sangathan, Youth Club, Nagarik Committee, lawyers association, journalists association besides several other social organisations.
Earlier, on January 1, in another protest, the locals under the banner Jay Kisan Andolan, defaced the sign board of the sub-collector’s office and erased ‘sub’ from the board in a bid to rename the building as collector’s office.
Though, the Chief Minister during his visit to Padampur ahead of the by-election in December 2022 had assured the people of Padampur to accord district status by the end of December 2023 and the state government made claims of progress in this direction on several occasions, last December, the Orissa High Court directed the Chief Minister to not issue any final order in this regard without permission of the court.