K'handi, B'ngir unaffected as lawyers skip stir
The dawn-to-dusk bandh call, given by the Central Action Committee (CAC) of the association of lawyers of western Odisha demanding establishment of High Court Bench, passed off without any untoward incidents though it paralysed normal life across the region.
The lawyers are demanding that the State Government send a complete and comprehensive proposal to the Union Government, regarding establishment of permanent HC bench in western Odisha.
All major roads across Sambalpur town wore a deserted look. Similarly, shops, banks, business establishments and even the educational institutions remained closed for the whole day.
Even if the educational institutions were exempted from the bandh due to the on-going examination season, but most of them were seen closed. The vehicular movement was also disrupted because of the bandh. Only two wheelers were seen moving on the roads of the city. Adequate police arrangement was made to control mob violence.
The movement of train was also affected. The agitators staged 'rail roko' in Sambalpur station that resulted in delay of Sambalpur- Puri intercity express, Samalpur -Rayagada express, Sambalpur- Rourkela DMU, Rourkela- Bhubaneswar intercity express and Jaswantpur- Hatia express. Similar condition prevailed in many parts of the western Odisha also. The bandh hit the normal life in Deogarh, Bargarh, Jharsuguda and Sundergah districts. But life was totally normal at Kalahandi and Balangir as advocates there didn't support the bandh call of the CAC.
It needs to be mentioned here that normal functioning of the offices of the State and Central Governments in the western part of the State has been totally paralysed due to the agitation by the CAC from February 3.
Activities in all courts have also been totally affected due to the same reason. Notably, pressurized by the long continuing stir of the lawyers backed by political parties, the State Government had written to the Union Government and urged for establishment of HC bench in western Odisha in September 2013. However, the Centre sought a complete and comprehensive proposal regarding the establishment of the bench from the State Government. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on February 13 had written to the Centre regarding establishment of the HC bench in western Odisha for the second time. However, the CAC rejected the letter calling it 'incomplete' and continued the agitation. A meeting of the CAC will be convened on the premises of the Jharsuguda Bar Association on Thursday to decide the future course of action of the agitation, said sources.