The Nuapada Zilla Sachetana Nagarika Mancha observed a 24-hour bandh against movement of heavy vehicles in the district from 7 am Tuesday to 7 am Wednesday to protest the laxity of the Government in completion of NH-353. The condition of NH-353 from Khariar to Nuapada is very bad.
A number of protests by general public had been held in Khariar, Komna and Nuapada towns in the past demanding an early completion of the highway construction, but neither the GVR company which had taken the work nor the district administration took interest in completing the work.
District Collector Poma Tudu had told the media a few days back that the tender given to the company would be cancelled and a new company would be engaged in the work and the road quality in the meanwhile would be maintained by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). But contrary to the information given by the Collector, it is learnt that the tender of the GVR company has not been cancelled and NHAI is also not going to repair the potholes and damage of the road.
“Under these circumstances, the Nuapada Zilla Sachetana Nagarika Mancha is forced to call this bandh,” said the organisers.
The agitation was led by educationist Dr Fanindam Deo at Khariar and Prasanna Padhi at Nuapada. Fakira Jagat, Adhiraj Panigrahi, Sanjay Tiwari, Nimai Tandi, Gobardhan Suna, Kamal lochan Tandi, Santu Pattnaik were present.