Balasore, Nov. 3: Courts were paralysed in the district today as lawyers boycotted legal proceedings supporting the demand for the establishment of a government medical college here.

The Government Medical College and Hospital Action Committee has launched an indefinite hunger strike here since Monday pressing for their longstanding demand.

“Their cause is genuine. Hence, we have decided to extend support to the agitation as well as express solidarity with the persons on hunger strike,” said president of Balasore Bar Association Niranjan Panda.

“There is no medical college in the region. A government medical college and hospital is one the most urgent infrastructural requirements here,” said bar association secretary Raghunath Pradhan.

Eight members of the Government Medical College and Hospital Action Committee have been on an indefinite hunger strike here since Monday morning.

“We have resorted to the indefinite hunger strike as even after seven years of agitation, we have not received any assurance from the government. Our agitation will continue till we get an assurance from the government,” said head of the womens’ wing of the committee Basantalata Patnaik.

“The northern part of the state urgently needs a government medical college and hospital. Balasore is the most suitable place for the hospital because we have adequate surplus litigation-free government land here,” said Baidyanath Sarangi, a protester.

“All our agitations in the past had been peaceful. We will continue our agitation without any violence till the fulfillment of our demands. Our objective is to convince the state government that Balasore is the most appropriate and suitable place in north Orissa in terms of locational advantage and connectivity for establishing a hospital,” he said.