Bandh partially disrupts normal life in Odisha

Bus services were suspended, petrol pumps and businesses remained shuttered in parts of Odisha while blockades were also reported during a six-hour bandh called by the Left parties in the state until afternoon on Thursday

Published on: Jul 15, 2021, 13:37:06 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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Bus services were suspended, petrol pumps and businesses remained shuttered in parts of Odisha while blockades were also reported during a six-hour bandh called by the Left parties in the state until afternoon on Thursday. The Congress is also supporting the bandh against the increasing fuel prices.

Indian Home Guard personnel stand in an empty street of Sadar Bazar wholesale market which is partially closed for violating COVID-19 guidelines in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, July 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri) (AP)

Members of the Left parties resorted to road and rail blockades in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. They blocked a railway track at Bhubaneswar station and disrupted train services. Led by lawmaker Suresh Routray, Congress workers also staged a rail blockade at the Bhubaneswar Railway Station.

Congress in Odisha has also called for state-wide protests from July 7 to 17 against the rising fuel prices and other issues. The party has requested people in the state not to purchase fuel.

In view of the bandh call, special secretary (home) Santosh Bala on Wednesday asked all collectors to take preventive measures to maintain law and order and ensure essential services.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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