Odisha: Bandh over poor health services hits life in Angul

ANGUL: Normal life came to a standstill in Angul as the bandh over deteriorating health services evoked total response on Thursday. The bandh call given by Angul Zilla Janjiban Surakhya Committee was also supported by various other organisations, including the local bar association.The shutdown was total in the city and other parts of the district except at Talcher where some organisations opposed the bandh call.

The bandh call evoked total response in Pallahara, Athamallick, Banarpal, Badakera, Thakurgardh, Boinda, Chhendipada and several other places in the district.While banks and business establishments downed their shutters, educational institutions as well as Government and private ones remained closed on the day. Agitators blocked National highway (NH) 55, which links Cuttack with Sambalpur, bringing traffic to a grinding halt. Two Intercity trains were also stopped by protestors at the local railway station here for two hours. Apart from seeking improvement of health services in the district, the agitators also demanded that the State Government should take over Talcher Medical College and start it soon.

Other demands included upgradation of the district headquarters hospital (DHH) into a super speciality hospital, removal of a poultry farm adjacent to the DHH and filling up vacant doctor posts in hospitals across the district. Committee leader Pramod Pradhan said while healthcare services in the district are in a disarray, the Government is yet to take a decision on the future of Talcher Medical College. Moreover, the DHH is ailing with shortage of doctors as many posts are lying vacant since long.

“Locals came out spontaneously in support of the bandh which was total. Our next course of action will be decided if the Government fails to meet the demands,” Pradhan said. Among others, bar association president Dilip Kumar Das, Rabindra Pattanaik, Parsuram Dash and Tirthabasi Bhoi participated in the bandh call. Angul SP Mitrabhanu Mahapatra said the bandh was observed peacefully and no untoward incident was reported on the day.