Bolangir: A 12-hour dawn-to-dusk bandh was called by the Zilla Sangha Samiti in Turekela town demanding district status to Kantabanji here in this district Wednesday.
Normal life was badly affected in the area following the bandh disrupting vehicular movement. The members of the outfit staged a protest and picketed at different places to press the authorities for their demand.
Markets, business establishments, educational institutions and government offices remained closed in the town while the vehicular movement was severely affected due to the bandh.
However, emergency services including ambulance and healthcare services have been exempted from the purview of the bandh.
The agitators threatened to intensify their protest if their demand is not taken into consideration at the earliest.
On the other hand, the Joint Action Committee and the District Bar Association intensified the ongoing agitation for establishment of a permanent bench of Odisha High Court in Bolangir. The lawyers’ association has called for a bandh here from Monday to December 30 and warned of intensified agitation until their demands were looked into.
PNN