A deserted road in Sambalpur on Tuesday. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur/Balangir, Aug. 26: A dawn-to-dusk strike, called by the Koshal State Central Co-ordination Committee demanding a separate state, today paralysed life in several districts of west Odisha.

The strike brought life to a standstill in Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Sonepur, Kantabanjhi, Titilagarh, Patnagarh, Bhawanipatna, Nuapada and Balangir.

Educational institutions, district courts, banks and financial institutions, shops and business establishments remained closed. Public transport and the railway services were also affected.

“My office is in Jharsuguda. I could not go to work today because the buses did not run,” said one Siba Pattnaik.

“I could not catch Rourkela-Puri Intercity Express, because I couldn’t reach the railway station with no public transport on roads,” said Rudra Dehury.

At the end of the day, Sambalpur district president of the Koshal Kranti Dal Upendra Mohapatra said: “The bandh was peaceful and spontaneous. West Odisha has been lying neglected for long. The support of common people to the agitation reflects the popular mood in favour of a separate state.”

The co-ordination committee has been demanding a separate state status for 10 districts of west Odsiha besides the Athmallick sub-division of Angul district. The committee had called a strike on the same day last year as well.

The activists today stopped Ispat Express (Titilagarh- Howrah) for around half an hour at Sambalpur railway station.

Life was hit in Balangir as well. All government and private offices, banks and insurance offices remained closed. Schools and colleges declared a holiday.

Commuters faced a lot of problems with public transport remaining off roads. Business establishments also remained closed.

While the strike fully observed in the urban areas of Balangir and Kalahandi districts, it was a mix bag in the rural areas.

Chairman of the central advisory committee of the dal Pramod Mishra said: “We are not free. We were forcibly attached to the Odisha though our language and culture is completely different. Moreover, we are a victim of regional imbalance. Formation of the Koshal state is the only solution to all these issues.”