Padampur, Jan 16: Normal life in the Padampur area of Odisha’s Bargarh was crippled as Zilla Gathan Kriyanusthan Committee called for a 12-hour bandh demanding district status for the area today.
Owing to the dawn-to-dusk bandh, shops, business establishments, offices, banks and educational institutions in the area remained closed.
However, emergency services have been exempted from the purview of the bandh.
The commuters faced a lot of difficulties as vehicular movement was also affected due to the bandh.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had promised to grant district status to Padampur by December 2023. He had made the promise before the Padampur bypoll. But it is yet to happen, said an agitator.
It is worth mentioning that the Orissa High Court has restricted the state government to form new districts without the court’s permission.