A dawn to dusk bandh call given by ruling BJD to protest against Polavaram project in Andhra Pradesh affected normal life in seven south Odisha districts on Saturday.
The bandh call had been given by the BJD in Malkangiri, Koraput, Raygada, Nabarangpur, Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts of south Odisha. It is feared that after inception Polavaram project may lead to submergence of forest and agricultural land as well as displacement of tribals in Motu tehsil of Malkangiri district.
Through a declaration on Friday, BJD had exempted educational institutions conducting examinations and other essential services like trains from the bandh. At almost all major places of the seven south Odisha district BJD activists led by local leaders including MLAs took part in picketing and demonstration. But no untoward incidents were reported from any place. The bandh stopped passenger bus service in these districts and other vehicular movement also came to a grinding halt. Shops and other business establishments remained closed during this protest demonstration of the BJD. But in several places like Berhampur they started to open up in the afternoon. At Berhampur railway station BJD activists also stopped a goods train for some time.
It may be noted that a day back Supreme Court has accepted an amended application of Odisha government challenging a section of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act under which Polavaram project was declared to be a national project. The apex court has asked Andhra Pradesh government and Central government to furnish reply regarding the matter in four weeks.
