SATURDAY, 15
DECEMBER 2012 19:42
SUDHIR MISHRA |
BALANGIR
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Normal life in the town was affected on
Friday as a result of a 48-hour Balangir Bandh call given by the Lower Suktel
Action Committee (LSAC) demanding execution of the Lower Suktel Irrigation
Project.
Government offices, including the
district Collectorate, banks and schools and colleges were closed due to
picketing by LSAC youth activists. The belated bandh call given on Thursday
evening was considered as a great inconvenience for shops and other business
establishments and bus operators. So, after discussions with LSAC members, the
opening of business establishments and plying of buses were kept out of the
purview of bandh. Vehicles plied on the roads normally on Friday.
“On Thursday, the district Collector had
talked with us. As nothing materialised, we gave the 48-hour bandh call. As
decided, we have included Government institutions and schools and colleges in
the purview of the bandh. The agitation will intensify further,” said Santosh
Singh Deo of the youth wing of the LSAC.
Meanwhile, four LSAC members, who were
participating in the indefinite hunger strike, have been shifted to hospital as
their health conditions deteriorated. On the other hand, Udaya Singh Thakur of
the Lower Suktel Budi Anchal Sangram Parishad told this correspondent, “Our
opposition to the proposed Lower Suktel dam will continue. The Chief Minister
had five years ago assured our delegation to send one of his Secretaries to us
to hold talks with us in this regard. But nobody has turned up so far. We
demand construction of small dams which would provide irrigation to agriculture
fields without displacement of local people.”
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