Sambalpur: The state government has lost over Rs 20 crore as revenue in the last 15 days due to a cease work agitation in courts and tehsil offices by lawyers over establishment of a high court bench in western Odisha.
The district bar association in Sambalpur is on strike since September 5 demanding permanent a bench of Orissa High Court in western region.
The lawyers as part of their agitation have enforced closure of all judicial courts, revenue courts and tehsil offices on account of which the state government is losing crores as revenue every day.
However, the state government and Centre seem to be apathetic towards the demand and are not showing enough interest to resolve the impasse arising out of the closure of courts and tehsil offices due to the lawyers’ agitation. The situation is becoming critical day by day.
Meanwhile, the agitation by the lawyers has gained momentum with residents and members of various social and voluntary outfits coming out in their support.
Observers claimed that whatever may be the outcome of the strike, the state government has lost over Rs 20 crore during last 19 days.
The state government also shares an additional burden over Rs 1 crore as salary to the employees of the revenue department and courts who are not able to attend their offices and on leave due to the strike.
Moreover, the state government has alone lost over Rs 12 crore from the sub-registrar office in the town which daily transacts business worth Rs 1 crore from sale and purchase of land. Its daily revenue is estimated to be Rs 7-8 lakh.
Similarly, the state government has also incurred a loss over Rs 1 crore due to non-hearing of cases in labour court, civil court, consolidation court, RDC court and the district magistrate and collector’s court.
Similarly, an additional revenue of Rs 5 crore which the state government earns from the tehsil offices has stopped since the launch of the strike. The tehsil office earns the revenue from sand quarries, stone quarries, soil quarries and other sources, sources said.
PNN