Normal Life hit as Umerkote Sangram Manch calls 12-hour bandh

Normal life was disrupted across parts of Nabarangpur district on Tuesday as a 12-hour bandh was observed in Umerkote and surrounding areas. The shutdown was called by the Umerkote Sangram Manch to press for a set of long-standing regional demands.

The bandh had a visible impact on daily activities, with vehicular movement coming to a complete halt and commercial establishments remaining closed. The shutdown affected Umerkote as well as the neighbouring blocks of Raighar, Jharigaon and Chandahandi, where roads wore a deserted look throughout the day.

Transport and Markets Affected

As part of the bandh, public and private transport services were suspended, leading to inconvenience for commuters. Shops, business establishments and local markets remained closed in all the affected areas. However, no untoward incidents were reported during the shutdown at the filing of this report. However, emergency services were exempted from the bandh.

Three Key Demands Raised

The Umerkote Sangram Manch has placed three major demands before the authorities. The primary demand is the establishment of a medical college in Umerkote to improve healthcare access in the region. The forum has also sought proper land settlement arrangements to address long-pending land-related issues.

Babula Pattnaik, Member of the Sangram Manch said, “This bandh has been organised to draw the government’s attention to these demands, which are crucial for the overall development of the region."

In addition, the Sangram Manch has demanded the establishment of a maize processing unit in the region. The proposed unit is aimed at benefiting local maize farmers by providing better processing and value addition facilities.

The organisers stated that the shutdown was intended to highlight long-pending issues affecting the region and urged the government to take prompt steps to address the demands in the interest of local development.