A fuel filling station closed in Rourkela due to the bandh on Wednesday. (Photo | EPS)
A fuel filling station closed in Rourkela due to the bandh on Wednesday. (Photo | EPS)

Bandh brings normal life to a grinding halt in Odisha

Roads wore a deserted look and markets remained closed at most places but Government offices and colleges remained open on the day.

BHUBANESWAR: The nationwide bandh called by 10 central trade unions against the ‘anti-people’ policies of Centre and other issues evoked mixed response from people throughout the State on Wednesday. 

Roads wore a deserted look and markets remained closed at most places but Government offices and colleges remained open on the day.

Coal mining hit
In Sundargarh district, bandh had an impact on mining in Koida mining circle (KMC) under Bonai sub- division where CPM and its trade union CITU hold sway.

Iron ore mining and dispatch were paralysed along with closure of State Government offices. At the  Bonai sub-divisional headquarter, the Government offices were forced to close, while most of the shops remained open and private vehicles plied normally. CPM and CITU activists staged blockade of NH-143 and 520 at various places of Bonai sub-division.

In Hemgir block, there was no impact on mining at MCL coal mines under Basundhara and Mahalaxmi areas. Coal mining and dispatch through railway rakes were unaffected, but coal dispatch through road was affected to an extent due to the shutdown.

In Rourkela, the Left and Congress supported unions enforced closure of shops, commercial  establishments, fuel filling stations, banks, postal and insurance offices, while commercial vehicles  stayed off the roads. Rourkela Steel Plant remained opened.   

Fertiliser production affected
Production was hit in Paradeep Phosphate Ltd (PPL), IFFCO, Essar Steel Plant and Paradip Refinery project of IOCL in Paradip. While IFFCO and PPL stalled production, transportation of fertilisers was paralysed as trucks and trains were not allowed  to ply by the agitators. Workers of Essar could not enter the plant due to protest by trade union leaders.

The MCL mines and two NTPC units functioned normally in Angul. Although agitators blocked coal transport from MCL through rail route for some hours, production in the mines was normal. Nalco gates were closed but agitators staged demo in front of its CPP and smelter plant.

The bandh affected life in Jajpur town, Chandikhol, Panikoili and Kalinga Nagar but had little impact in rural pockets of Jajpur district. Train services were also hit as agitators squatted on railway tracks at different places.

Markets closed
In Bhawanipatna, Government offices functioned as usual but trade union members picketed in  front of business establishments, banks and LIC office as a result of which, they had to be closed.

Owing to the bandh, Governor’s visit to Dadpur High School to attend annual day celebration was postponed. However, the bandh had no impact on block level celebration of  Kalahandi Utsav at Golamunda, Narla and Koksara blocks. Similarly, Budhadangar Mahotsav was inaugurated at Kesinga.
The bandh was peaceful in Ganjam, Mayurbhanj and Balangir districts and buses remained off the roads.

The shutdown was total and peaceful in Kendrapara. There was no movement of passenger and  transport vehicles and due to picketing by agitators and thousands of vehicles were stranded on NHs and State Highways. Healthcare was kept outside the ambit of the bandh. In Nayagarh, people resented closure of an Aahaar centre.

In Sambalpur and Nuapada, the bandh paralysed life and affected public transport. Trucks and buses were stranded on NH-53 for hours and only two-wheelers were seen moving on the road in Sambalpur.
In Nuapada, the bandh was supported by members of Congress in presence of district president Ghasiram Majhi. While the NH-353 passing through Nuapada was blocked by the bandh supporters, offices and business establishments remained closed. Schools, however, remained open.

Passengers bear the brunt
With plying of vehicles suspended due to the bandh in Koraput, Rayagada and Malkangiri districts, it was the passengers who were affected the most. Visitors from AP and Chhattisgarh were stranded at bus stands and railway stations. Even the state-run inter-district buses did not ply from Malkangiri.

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