First Day of Garhwa bandh affects bauxite supply

The first day of indefinite bandh called by Garhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Gover issues like acute power crisis, dilapidated condition of NH-75 and water woes evoked good response from its residents on Monday, as the entire business establishment remained shut and traffic came to a standstill. All vehicular traffic remained off the road. The bandh was backed by almost all political parties and various social organizations.

Even petrol pumps, hotels and eateries remained closed during the bandh. Government offices and courts wore a deserted look as very few people turned up. Transportation of bauxite from Chhattisgarh to Garhwa was completely paralyzed as trucks carrying bauxite did not ply. The GCCI members led by the president Bablu Patwa and former president Santosh Kumar Kesri marched on Garhwa main road since Monday morning to urge businessmen to shut their establishments. Thereafter the GCCI members sat on dharna on Garhwa main road at Garhdevi Mor. They wanted Garhwa DC Rajendra Pratap Sinha to personally visit the dharna site to talk to the agitators.

The DC sent Garhwa SDM A Muthu Kumar to talk to the agitators on behalf of district administration. But the agitators did not agree to talk to the SDM. Palamu MP Kameshwar Baitha while supporting the bandh termed the GCCI demands legal.