A bandh call by the Congress demanding immediate measures to guarantee uninterrupted drinking water and power supply disrupted day-to-day life in the tribal-dominated Malkangiri district of Odisha on Tuesday.
Vehicular traffic was affected in the district during the bandh, while shops and trading centres in various parts of the district remained closed. Passengers were stranded at bus stops. In the district headquarter town, Malkangiri, the Congress activists held demonstration led by former Nabarangpur MP Pradeep Majhi.
According to the Congress activists, despite repeated requests, the administration had failed to provide adequate drinking water and power to the district inhabitants. They alleged that although the State government had declared that there would be no load-shedding, most regions were suffering from regular and long power cuts. They threatened to snap drinking water and power connections to the quarters of government officials in Malkangiri town if their demands were not fulfilled soon.
It is alleged that on Tuesday some demonstrators cut down the drinking water supply pipeline to the official quarter of the District Collector.
PTI adds:
The bandh remained peaceful by and large with no violence being reported from any where, the police said adding elaborate security arrangements were made to prevent any untoward incident during the bandh.
