The year 2016 in Sundargarh was eventful. The district saw six bandh calls in the year. Besides, a longest ever anti-liquor agitation has been continuing in the district for the last nine months.
The tribals of Bileimunda of Garjanjor panchayat under Hemgiri tehsil are holding an agitation demanding shifting of a local country liquor shop and a beer parlor but so far the administration has remained nonchalant.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) had called a 12- hour dawn- to- dusk Rourkela bandh on July 16 over the return Car Festival of lord Jagannath. Similarly, On August 11, the district Congress called for a 12- hour bandh in protest against the barrage proposed to be constructed by the Chhattisgarh Government on the Ib river and demanding distribution of ration cards to eligible beneficiaries. Just after four days of the bandh, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee called for an Odisha bandh on August 16 demanding the Centre’s intervention for halting construction of barrages and dams over the Mahanadi in neighbouring Chhattisgarh.
The Kosal State Co-Ordination Committee called for a 12-hour bandh in western Odisha on August 26 demanding a separate State status for Kosal region. The Central trade unions called for 24-hour nationwide strike on September 2 in protest against the Government’s failure to fulfil their 12- point charter of demands. Sundargarh district Congress and Rourkela Organisational district Congress called for a 12 hour bandh on December 14 protesting the forcible removal of black cloths from girls and women in Sundargarh at a Chief Minister’s meeting on December 4.
After the much publicized Sum Hospital tragedy in which 26 persons lost their lives due to an accidental blaze, medical authorities of Sundargarh district had served notices to as many as 19 private hospitals of the district to complete the formalities in respect of fire prevention measures in their establishment. None of the hospitals had fire safety certificates.
Man-animal conflict continued in Sundargarh district throughout the year. A number of persons lost their lives in elephant attacks and several houses were also damaged. The Forest department is yet to find a concrete solution to man-animal conflict due to straying of pachyderms which has become a regular affair here.
Many industries in Sundargarh district were closed due to a slump in market throwing hundreds of persons unemployed in district, which also triggered workers’ protests.
Biju Patnaik Rural Hockey championship, a hockey tournament with participation of as many as 1,458 teams from Odisha, Jharkhand and Chatishgarh, kicked off at Biju Patnaik Hockey stadium at Rourkela on December 10, amid presence of dignitaries like Vice President of India Hamid Ansari, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram, State Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Sudam Marandi, Rajya Sabha MP and chairman of the organising committee Dilip Tirkey, among others. The tournament was the biggest sports event in the State so far. About 22,000 players from Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand have participated in the event which will be played at different venues and will conclude in second week of March.
The long standing demand of second bridge on river Brahmani at Panposh looks to be fulfilled as the Centre has approved of repair of damaged Brahmani bridge at Rourkela and lane expansion of NH-143. Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari approved of the repair of the project. Union Minister Jual Oram and Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan discussed with Transport Minister Gadkari over second bridge on Brahmani in Rourkela. It was decided to make the bridge of six lane and float tender within a month. Rourkela BJP MlA Dilip Ray had shown his displeasure with inordinate delay in construction of second Brahmani bridge and had dared to say he might go against his party to protect the interest of the city.
Two hardcore PlFI cadres were killed in an encounter at Sirigihra forest on September 3 under Gurundia police station under Bonei sub division. Police had come to know from an intelligence input about movement of 10-12 PlFI cadres in Sirigihra, Barakhudar and Jhara area under Gurundia police station, following which an operation plan was launched. The two deceased PlFI cadres were identified as Shankar Munda and Bhim Munda. It was a big breakthrough for the security forces.