Tribal stir paralyses train services in Rourkela section of Odisha

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Rourkela, Jan 20:

Rail services remained completely paralyzed in Odisha’s Sundargarh district in response to the call for an indefinite economic blockade beginning today by the ‘Adivasi Mulabasi Bachao Manch’, an organization of original tribal inhabitants of the area which is opposing the move to give corporation status to the Rourkela municipality.

Trains remained stranded at five different places in Rourkela and its outskirts paralyzing rail services on the Mumbai-Howrah route. Five trains including Jammu Tawi Express, Ispat Express and South Bihar Express remained stranded at different points while long distance passengers had a harrowing time as pantry cars went dry without any food stuff left.

“We are stranded; we have no food to eat and this place is far from the station. We are stranded midway. See, we are long distance passengers , we are helpless, the police has come but it’s doing nothing to remove these agitators from the tracks. They are just mute spectators,” said an exasperated passenger of South Bihar Express, which remained stranded six kilometers away from Rourkela station.

“Police had gone there to remove the agitators. But they are in large numbers. Any coercive action by the police can lead to a law and order situation of bigger dimension. What can they do in such situations?” asked A K Patnaik, Station Master, Rourkela.

While police was successful in removing agitators from different places on the NH 143, they failed to evict protestors from rail tracks till reports last came in. Agitators have blocked railway tracks at Bondamunda Kukuda Gate and TCI chhak and other places.

The blockade by the protesters has forced Railway authorities to cancel or short terminate several trains on the route.

Police arrested 242 protestors and lodged them in the Special Jail in Rourkela, reports said.

Manch members are rigid on their stand to continue with their agitation till the government withdraws its notification according corporation status to Rourkela municipality.

“For the last one year, we have been opposing it at different forums starting from panchayat level meetings. This government has completely ignored the demands of the original tribal inhabitants of this district. We request Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to withdraw the notification or we will continue with our agitation till it’s withdrawn,” said George Tirkey, Biramitrapur MLA.

“We oppose it since it has not been done in legally and in an appropriate manner. Legally, it requires adopting of resolutions at panchayat level under the PESA Act. Our consent has not been taken, it has been done arbitrarily,” said Halu Mundari, former MLA.

“We are totally opposed to it. Sundargarh district is a tribal district. It comes under PESA Act. We have written to the Union Tribal Affairs minister, Human Rights Commission, but no one has done anything to stop it.  We are going to oppose it tooth and nail come what may. Today we have stopped movement of trains; tomorrow we are going to intensify it further. We will continue with our agitation till the government withdraws its notification,” said Luthar Tirkey, Convenor, Adivasi Mulabasi Bachao Manch.

The district administration said it is taking all possible steps to restore normalcy in train services. “We have deployed magistrates and are appealing to the people to desist from adopting this illegal way to accomplish their demands,” said Bhupinder Singh Punia, Collector Sundargarh.

“We are taking all possible steps that are available under the law. We are doing everything to bring the situation under control,” he said.