Bhograi: Sealing of border points and restrictions on entries have led to tension between people of West Bengal and Odisha in Bhograi and Jaleswar areas of Balasore district Saturday.
According to reports, Covid’s third mutant is fast spreading in the neighbouring state. This has posed serious danger to people in Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts sharing borders with Bengal.
Keeping this danger in view, the district administration has sealed all roads and entry points leading to West Bengal. The Balasore district administration has taken a strong stance on the Covid management.
It has sealed 36 entry points in Bhograi and eight ones in Jaleswar and prevents people coming from Bengal side to Odisha. A 14-day quarantine has been made mandatory for the people from the neighboring state.
Scores of villagers in East Midinapur and West Midinapur districts have been sharing good rapport with people of fringe areas in Balasore in terms of local trade, commerce, communication and culture.
People of both sides are inter-dependent in the matter of healthcare, local markets, trade, tourism and even marriage ties.
On this backdrop, sealing the borders and restricting entry from Bengal side has caused difficulties in normal life and set the people on confrontational mode.
Report said, scores of people from Bengal have been coming to Laxmannath toll plaza in Jaleswar and Shabajipur-Chandanpur-Digha road, but the Odisha Police has been denying them entries. This has enraged people of Bengal.
Friday, some Bengal people had thrown ashes to Odisha police at Don Chhal on Sahabajipur-Udaypur Chhak. A group of people also halted trucks going to Bengal from Odisha side for hours Saturday. They shouted slogans against Odisha.
The local administration of Bengal supported its people, leading to tension on the borders. At some places, fights have broken out.
It is said that drivers and helpers of Odisha trucks have to face difficulties in the Bengal side. Some trucks were allowed to ply by Bengal people after their administration relented in its stand.
On the other hand, people of Bengal’s fringe areas warned that over 3000 people from Bhograi area working in Digha will be driven out unless entry restrictions on borders are removed.
Meanwhile, the Bengal administration is going to put up border check posts in their side from Sunday. Locals said, it will further stoke tension on borders at different places.
Friday, Odisha police had denied entry of five wedding parties of Bengal coming to Odisha.
PNN