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/ India News / 2007 / September 2007 / September 10, 2007 Shutdown affects normal life in Orissa |
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Normal life came to a standstill in Orissa following a 12-hour shutdown call given by opposition parties to protest against pro-mining policies of the government and cholera outbreak in the state.
Bhubaneswar, Sept. 10 : Normal life came to a standstill in Orissa following a 12-hour shutdown call given by opposition parties to protest against pro-mining policies of the government and cholera outbreak in the state.
Protesters led by the Congress party hurled stones at financial institutions and forced buses and cars off the streets. They also burnt tyres on the streets.
Many educational institutions and shops were shut and the railway network was disrupted.
The 12-hour shutdown was called against the State Government policies.Thousands of tribal people are protesting against an aluminium plant being set up by Britain's Vedanta Resources in Orissa. According to locals, it will destroy their traditional way of life.
A planned $12-billion project by South Korean steelmaker POSCO in the state is also opposed by thousands of villagers, who say the project would rob them of their farmland.
According to government, it is determined that both projects will go ahead.
Protesters also criticised the government for failing to control cholera outbreak that has killed at least 160 people in Orissa since August. Aid agencies and opposition parties say the death toll was more than double.
"We are on the roads because the government has failed. More than 500 people have died due to cholera. People are still dying," said Jaydev Jena, President of state wing of Congress party.
At least 7,000 people infected with the bacterial disease in Orissa have been treated so far.
Tight security arrangements have been made to avoid any kind of untoward incident during the shutdown.
Additional security personnel have been pressed into service to maintain law and order situation in the state.
All Opposition parties, Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI), CPM, Orissa Gana Parishad (OGP) and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) are supporting the shutdown.
ANI
