NUAPADA: Irked over Komna not getting notified area council (NAC) status, locals under the banner of Pratistha Kriyanusthan Committee, observed a five-hour bandh on Monday, obstructing vehicular movement on national highway-353.
During the bandh, financial institutions, government and private offices, businesses, educational institutions and courts remained closed.
Agitators were seen picketing at several key points of the town and staging demonstration at Komna chowk.
Convenor of Kriyanusthan Committee, Gangadhar Panigrahi said, “When the state government announced formation of 34 new NACs, we were surprised that neighbouring Sinapali block was upgraded to NAC status and Komna was ignored. We had also conveyed the matter to 5T chairman VK Pandian during his visit to Nuapada but to no avail.”
As per 2011 census, while Komna village alone had a population of 5,550, the total population including the 10 nearby villages within a radius of 3 km has currently increased from 12,000 to 17,000. In terms of connectivity and other infrastructure, Komna fulfils the criteria to become an NAC, locals said.