lawyers observed bandh in protest against Sindhol project

Following the 12-hour ‘Bandh’ call given by the district Bar Association in protest against the proposed Sidhol hydro-electrical project, normal life remained out of gear in Sambalpur and various parts of the locality on Tuesday. The ‘Bandh’ was supported by various mass and political organizations including congress and BJP, hit both bus and rail services because of the picketing of the agitators at Railway and Bus stations of Sambalpur.
Baring with few small incidents ‘bandh’ was a big successful because there was spontaneous support of the common people in favour of the ‘bandh’. Offices of both central and state governments, courts, commercial establishment, markets, banking and financial institutions remained closed in view of the agitation.

“It was a big successful because of the spontaneous support of the common people. I appealed the people not to be content because this is only the beginning. We have to be ready for a bigger challenge in future, as government wants to go for the project despite people’s mandate’, President of the Bar Association Pramod Rath said in the evening reacting over the success of the Bandh.

On the other hand elaborate police arrangement was made in the town in view of the ‘bandh’. Sambalpur SP Nikhil Kanodia along with other senior police officers of the district was seen supervising the situation personally to check any untoward incidents during the bandh “There was no untoward incidents and Bandh passed in a quite peaceful manner” SP (Sambalpur) Nikhil Kanodia said.

Meanwhile, Bandh was also observed in Kuchinda, Redhakhol and other part of the district. In Redhakhol the scheduled programme of Health minister Prasanna Acharya was postponed in view of the Bandh. Acharya was scheduled to visit Redhakhol on Tuesday, but he cancelled his programme. In Dhama, the Sindhol Prakalp Birodhi Committee along with member of both congress and BJP burnt the effigies of the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Health Minister Prasanna Acharya and power minister Atanu Sabyasachi on Tuesday in protest against the proposed project.