Agitators staging a road blockade at Aul in Kendrapara district on Sunday | Express
KENDRAPARA: A 12-hour bandh demanding sub-division status for Aul township of Kendrapara district, paralysed normal life in the block. Shops and business establishments remained closed and vehicles remained off the road due to the bandh, which was called by Aul Citizen Committee. Bus services too were affected due to the agitation.
Members of various political parties, bar association and youth organisations took out a rally in the main market shouting slogans in support of their demand of a full-fledged sub-division with its headquarters at Aul. Congress leader and Aul legislator Debendra Sharma claimed that Aul deserved sub-division status and it is a long-standing demand of the residents of the block.
“We have been demanding sub-division status for Aul for more than two decades. Our area has been deprived of the sub-division status due to administrative apathy. This time we have come forward to intensify the agitation and take up the demand with the State Government. We are confident that our call for establishment of Aul as a sub-division would become a reality as it has got ample public support. The Government needs around 30-acre land for the establishment of offices, quarters and other purposes for a sub-division. The Government has around 40-acre roadside land at Aul which makes the block ideal for the establishment of sub-division. Our demand for sub-division is genuine. We have full faith in our Chief Minister that he will consider it. Both geographically and demographically Pattamundai qualifies to be a sub-division”, said Sharma.
The legislator added that the bandh on Sunday was historic as traders and locals extended their support to it. “Today’s bandh showed that the people of Aul back the demand for the establishment of a sub-division. If the Government does not respond, we will intensify the agitation. People of Rajkanika, Olaver, Kantapada and Mahulia areas also supported our demand by joining in the bandh,” added Sharma.
Basant Das, a resident of Aul said senior Government officials and ruling party leaders have only given assurance that Aul will be given sub-division status. “The residents of Aul have been demanding sub-division status since 1993 after the formation of Kendrapara district”, he said. “The sub-division would pave the way for development. We fulfil all criteria for getting the sub-division status”, said Pramod Kumar Ray, president of lawyers’ association of Aul.
On May 29, people of Pattamundai had also organised a bandh demanding sub-division status. The residents of Aul and Pattamundai are at loggerheads over establishment of new sub-division. The State Government is yet to take a decision in this regard, sources said.
