Sambalpur, Dec. 14: Life came to a halt in the industrial town of Jharsuguda today during a 12-hour bandh called by the students of Laxminarayana College over their demand for a permanent building for the institute.

Educational institutions, courts, banks and other financial institutions, shops and business establishments, state and central government offices remained closed. Public transport services were badly affected. Roads remained empty except for a few two-wheelers.

"Though the college was established in 1969, the college does not have its own building. It has been operating from the hostel building of the government-run Jharsuguda Engineering School, which is under the department of industries, since its inception," said president of the college students' union Lal Mohan Ramdas.

"Now the department of industries has asked the college authorities to vacate the building over the issue of unpaid rent. If we vacate the place, where will we go? We want the the government to transfer the land over which the present building stands in the name of our college," he said.

"The bandh was spontaneous. Local residents and all social and political organisations have supported the cause of the students," said Ramdas.

The students and the bandh supporters were seen picketing at several places in the town. The college students had also blocked the highways at Beheramal chhak, Station chhak, BTM bypass, Sarbahal, Badmal and several other areas.

The students of the institution have been on a sit-in protest since December 9. Two students, including Ramdas, have been on hunger strike since Saturday.

Many residents, however, were inconvenienced by the strike.

"I was supposed to go to Jharsuguda for some work at the tehsil office. But I had to cancel my plan because of the bandh," said Sambalpur resident Nirakar Sahu.