Bandh over TTPS closure hits normal life  

ANGUL:  Normal life came to a standstill in the industrial district of Angul on Wednesday due to the bandh called by the ruling BJD protesting closure of Talcher Thermal Power Station (TTPS). All government offices, banks, business establishments and educational institutions downed their shutters while vehicles stayed off roads. The traffic on NH-55 linking Cuttack to Sambalpur was also paralysed with hundreds of vehicles stranded on both sides of the road. 

Coal mining was also hit due to the bandh. Coal mines at Talcher were closed from morning till 1 pm. However, all the industries like NTPC, Nalco, JSPL and JITPL operated normally. District BJD president Mahendra Bastia said the bandh was successful as people wholeheartedly supported it. “The TTPS should be restarted immediately. Besides, the expansion project should also be executed soon,” demanded Bastia.

Police said the bandh passed off peacefully with no untoward incident. On Thursday, Talcher will witness another bandh which has been called by Thermal Bachao Action Committee led by  BJD MP Mahesh Sahoo over the same issue.