Normal life was hit in several western Odisha districts on Thursday, the first day of the 48-hour-long strike called by lawyers demanding setting up of a permanent High Court Bench in the region.
Although emergency services such as hospitals, ambulances, fire tenders and water supply were kept out of the purview of the bandh, the general public had a difficult time as passenger buses remained off the roads and train services were disrupted with agitating lawyers squatting on tracks at several locations. Several trains were cancelled and a few were diverted due to the bandh, said East Coast Railway officials. Educational institutions and business establishments remaining closed in Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Deogarh, Bargarh, and Subarnapur districts.
The Central Action Committee of All Western Odisha Bar Association claimed that the bandh was supported by three major political parties – Biju Janata Dal, Congress and BJP — and several other organisations.
The lawyers of western Odisha districts have been demanding a permanent High Court bench in their region for the past several years.