Bandh, protests over ‘NAC exclusion’ mar daily life in Odisha’s Bolangir and Balasore

A 12-hour shutdown in Belpada of Bolangir district on Thursday brought the town to a standstill as residents enforced a bandh demanding Notified Area Council (NAC) recognition. Shops and markets remained closed, and protesters blocked the Bolangir-Kantabanji road near the Tarini temple, said sources.

Reports also added that the protesters staged pickets and physically obstructed traffic on the Bolangir-Kantabanji route close to the Tarini temple, halting movement on a key artery road.

Local reports indicate broad participation across the town, with traders, residents and community groups joining the bandh. The closures affected daily commerce and public movement for the duration of the 12-hour action, which was enforced this morning at 6 am.

“Belpada has long been waiting for NAC status. In the first phase of NAC finalisation, Belpada was in the first or second place in terms of priority. However, in the final list, it was excluded,” claimed Janardhan Singh, a protesting local.

NAC Protests In Balasore Too

In Balasore district, Baliapal also observed an eight-hour bandh starting this morning. It was called by the Swabhimani Baliapalia Mancha after the block was excluded from the state’s latest NAC notification.

Shops, markets, government and private offices remained closed due to the bandh, but essential services were exempted. The Mancha alleged that Baliapal met the necessary infrastructural criteria; still, it was excluded from the NAC list.

Earlier this week, Salepur in Cuttack district experienced a dawn-to-afternoon bandh after the town was left out of the new NAC announcements.

Notably, the Housing and Urban Development Department has announced 12 new NACs as part of a planned expansion to 21 NACs statewide. 

The 12 notified locations span seven districts and include: Pallahara (Angul), Simulia and Basta (Balasore), Betnoti and Bangiriposi (Mayurbhanj), Bissam Cuttack (Rayagada), Bamra and Rengali (Sambalpur), and Tihidi and Dhusuri (Bhadrak).