Birmaharajpur (Sonepur): A 12-hour bandh in Birmaharajpur town over non-fulfillment of several demands of farmers affected normal life Monday.
The bandh was observed by the Birmaharajpur Krushak Parishad. The members of the outfit were seen picketing in front of several offices since morning to press for their demands.
Markets, business establishments, and government offices remained closed in view of the bandh. Vehicular movement was also affected.
However, emergency services were exempted from the purview of the bandh, while educational institutions remained open.
Police picked up 10 activists of the farmers’ outfit for staging road blockades. However, there was no report of any untoward incident. The district administration had beefed up security to maintain law and order during the bandh.
The outfit has given the bandh call over its four longstanding demands, including a judicial probe into gross financial irregularities in the renovation of the main canal of Harihar nullah, repair and renovation of the left canal of Harihar nullah, waiving of water cess the state government has imposed on the farmers without providing water and compensation towards crop loss due to drought and pest attacks on crops.
The farmers have threatened to intensify their protest if their demands are not fulfilled at the earliest.
PNN