Bandh hits western Orissa

The members of the Rourkela Bar Association resorted to ceasework agitation in support of the bandh call.

Sambalpur: Normal life was hit in western Orissa on Thursday due to disruption in train and bus services and closure of shops during a bandh demanding scrapping of Sindol hydro-power project and setting up of a permanent High Court bench in the region.

Shops, business establishments, schools, colleges, banks and offices remained closed in most parts of Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh and Sonepur districts during the 12-hour shut-down called by Western Orissa Lawyers Association and others, police said.

A number of trains including Sambalpur-Howrah Ispat Express, Sambalpur-Bhubaneswar Inter-city and Sambalpur- Rorkela DMU were running behind schedule as agitators blocked railway tracks at Sambalpur, they said.

Roads also wore a deserted look in most parts of the region with thin vehicular traffic as buses and private vehicles were off the roads.

In Sundargarh district, offices and courts remained closed at the district headquarter town of Sundargarh, while the business community responded to the bandh in Banei, Rajgangpur and Biramitrapur towns.

The members of the Rourkela Bar Association resorted to ceasework agitation in support of the bandh call.

However, life in the steel city Rourkela and civil township was normal with shops, vehicular traffic, offices functioning as usual.

Bandh supporters said, the proposed Sindol project would cause displacement of a large number of people due to submergence of vast areas, while establishment of a permanent bench of the high court would be of immense help to the people in the region.

PTI

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