JAJPUR/JEYPORE/JAGATSINGHPUR/BARGARH/SAMBALPUR/ANGUL: The eight-hour Odisha bandh call given by Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan (NKS) over alleged mismanagement in paddy procurement and other issues evoked a mixed response across the state on Wednesday.
In Jajpur, the shutdown had a limited effect as shops and markets remained opened across the district on the day. Government offices also functioned with minor protests at entry points.
Though buses and trucks remained off the roads, two-wheelers and auto-rickshaws moved normally. Train services were partly disrupted due to the bandh which received support from Congress, Left parties, and several social organisations. Adequate security arrangement was made across the district in wake of the bandh call.
The bandh hit normal life in different areas of Koraput district. Vehicular traffic was disrupted on state and national highways. Hundreds of trucks were stranded near Jeypore, Koraput, Sunki and Kotpad. Farmers under the banner of Koraput Krushak Kalyan Manch resorted to picketing at several places in Jeypore, Koraput and Kotpad.
In Jagatsinghpur, NKS members staged demonstrations at the district headquarters town and several other areas, disrupting normal life from 6 am to 2 pm. Protesters blocked roads by burning tyres, causing inconvenience to commuters. Vehicular traffic was completely paralysed on Cuttack-Paradip state highway and Cuttack-Nuagaon national highway.
While the bandh had no impact in Sambalpur, it partially disrupted normal life in Bargarh district. In Sambalpur, shops and markets conducted business as usual and there was no impact on the traffic movement.
But in Bargarh, all government and private offices, educational institutions, banks and financial institutions, shops and markets remained closed during the bandh. Buses also remained off the roads. Similar situation prevailed in Attabira, Bheden, Bhatli, Ambabhona, Barpali, Sohela, Gaisilet, Paikmal, Jharbandh and other blocks of the district.
Normal life largely remained unaffected in Angul and Dhenkanal. In both the districts, industries operated normally without any interruption. The coal mines at Talcher was also not affected. However, Kaniha mine was closed for a brief period in the morning.
The bandh was called over alleged irregularities in paddy procurement, imposition of hefty fines for violation of pollution under control certificates (PUCC) and ‘unfair practices’ by Tata Power regarding electricity tariffs.