Demand for separate Koshal state: 12-hr bandh in Bolangir, Sonepur tomorrow

Bolangir: The demand for formation of a separate Koshal state grew stronger again with the Koshal State Coordination Committee calling for a dawn-to-dusk bandh in Sonepur and Bolangir  districts tomorrow.

To create awareness about the demand at grassroots level, the body has decided to observed the bandh  at parliamentary constituency level in the first phase.

Committee chief coordinator Pramod Mishra said, "We have been demanding for a separate Koshal state for the last four years. To spread awareness about it among the people at grassroots level,  we have decided to observe bandh at parliamentary constituency level in the first phase followed by assembly constituency and block levels."

He further said 11 districts of the State have been divided into five zones. In the first phase, the bandh will be observed in Bolangir and Sonepur districts under the Bolangir parliamentary constituency, Mishra added.

During  the bandh, vehicles will stay off the roads while all government and private organizations, shops and other business establishments will remain closed. The body will later stage the strike in other zonal levels followed by a Maha Koshal Bandh, the committee chief coordinator said.