The impact of the western Odisha bandh called by the Koshal State Coordination Committee, an outfit demanding a separate Koshal state, was felt in parts of Bolangir and Sambalpur districts while the response was lukewarm in other areas of Sundergarh, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi and Rourkela.
Vehicular traffic and businesses were affected in many parts of western Odisha on Wednesday. No untoward incident was reported.
A report from Bolangir said the charge of disparity and neglect seemed to have evoked response from people who believe that a separate state is the answer to tall their problems.
“We are no longer willing to beg for every basic necessity, we will fight for a separate state as it is the only option,” said Koshal activists today.
In entire day no business activity took place and even road side vendors had shut down in Bolangir. Vehicular traffic came to a halt and picketing on the railway tracks disrupted train movement for an hour.
Pramod Mishra leader of Koshal Kranti Dal said, “We will spread the movement to each and every house and force the government to carve out a separate state on the basis of its distinct culture and language”.
Sambalpur reports said the bandh was peaceful. In most parts of the regions shops and commercial organisations remained closed for whole of the day and vehicles remained of the road. But is Sambalpur some of the offices belonging to government of India were functioning as usual.
Even some schools were functioning normally during the first hour. But after picketing by the bandh activists, the school authorities closed their schools.
Train communication was also quite normal throughout the day. But the impact of bandh in Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Boudh district was negligible.
The bandh failed to evoke any response said a report from Rourkela and other parts of Sundergarh district.
Rourkela remained absolutely normal and movements of public remained unaffected. Business establishments, banks, offices and other institutions remained open.
A heavy downpour from morning till about 2 pm came as a blessing for the bandh activists as people remained indoors.
However, as precautionary measures most of the schools remained closed and students remained suspended in many colleges. Production in Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) remained normal as the workers and executives reported for duty as usual.
Sundergarh town did witness a response in the form of business establishments remaining closed. Meanwhile, life in Bonai and Rajgangpur two other important places of the district remained unaffected. Similarly the bandh was partial in Kalahandi district with shops remaining closed. Government offices, educational institutions were unaffected.
Prasanta Patnaik 
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