Bandh demanding new Ghumusar district in Odisha, rally for separate block

BERHAMPUR/BHAWANIPATNA:  The dawn-to-dusk bandh called at Bhanjanagar in Ganjam district demanding district status for Ghumusar, was observed peacefully on Monday. The strike was called by Ghumusar Kriyanusthan Committee (GKC) and supported by as many as 40 organisations including political parties. 

While members of the GKC were seen picketing at strategic locations in the town holding placards and banners, shops, business establishments and vehicular movement were closed for the day.
However, educational institutions including schools and colleges were kept out of the purview of the bandh in view of the ongoing examinations. 

Sources said Bhanjanagar sub-division situated over 100 km away from the district headquarters at Chatrapur has around eight blocks. The GKC has since decades been demanding district status for Ghumusur comprising these eight blocks which have been deprived of development and proper infrastructural facilities.   

Meanwhile, a rally was taken out at Bhawanipatna on the day demanding a separate block for Madanpur taking 11 tribal-populated gram panchayats (GP) under it. Sources said the GPs including Madanpur, Gajbahal, Borpadar, Gochadengen, Alatara, Manikera, Dumkarlakhunta and Singhpur are currently under Madanpur-Rampur block.

Members of Madanpur Panchayat Samiti Sangram Samiti (MPSSS) across these 11 GPs took out the rally and further submitted a memorandum to the district administration for the purpose.  MPSSS convenor Suresh Pradhan said these tribal areas remain off the radar of development activities. “If Madanpur is declared a block, these areas too will have scope for development,” he added.