Lawyers start 72-hour blockade in 4 districts

SAMBALPUR: The 72-hour economic blockade by lawyers over demand of High Court bench in Western Odisha starting Monday left hundreds of heavy vehicles stranded on the national highways, affecting movement of goods and essential commodities in the State.

Trucks and goods carriers were seen lined up along the NH-6, NH-55 connecting Sambalpur with Cuttack and Sambalpur-Rourkela Biju Expressway due to the blockade. Movement of vehicles carrying raw materials and finished products from industries besides building materials were also curtailed by the agitators.

The Central Action Committee (CAC) of All-Western Odisha Bar Association (AWOBA) spokesperson Sureswar Mishra said the economic blockade has been launched in four districts of Western Odisha including Sambalpur, Deogarh, Jharsuguda and Sundargarh. He said the blockade began at 8 am on Monday and will continue till 8 am on Thursday.

The lawyers of the region are demanding that the State Government should send a comprehensive proposal to the Centre for establishment of High Court bench in Western Odisha. Besides, they have also demanded that the State Government should form a team of legal experts to pursue the matter with the Centre, he said.

The lawyers of District Bar Association (DBA), Sambalpur have been agitating since September last year paralysing functioning of judicial and revenue courts. Subsequently, the CAC decided to extend the agitation to whole of Western Odisha.

The CAC had also called 48-hour Mahabandh on November 29 and November 30 last year across the region. Apart from paralysing functioning of all State and Central Government offices, educational institutions, banks and business establishments for two days, vehicular movement and train services were paralysed during the Mahabandh.

On September 5, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had written to the Centre for establishment of High Court benches in Western and Southern Odisha. Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, replying to Naveen, had sought a comprehensive proposal with the consent of the Orissa High Court Chief Justice on the matter.