Baripada: Life in Mayurbanj was adversely hit on Saturday in view of the 12-hour strike observed by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).

The strike call was given by the outfit in protest of apathy towards the district by the state as well as the Centre in fulfilling its demands.

Their demands included mainly establishment of a permanent Orissa High Court bench in Baripada for north Odisha, expansion of rail network and revival of a sick co-operative bank and at the same time refund of its investors' money.

The JMM's state general secretary Kalinga Kesari Jena said: "Mayurbhanj, a tribal-dominated district, is bearing the brunt of the Centre and the state government's apathy. A permanent bench of high court should be established in Baripada. This is our long-standing demand. But, the state is not paying any heed towards our genuine demand although during merger of the Mayurbhanj independent state in 1948 with the Indian union, there was an agreement for establishment of a high court bench here. But it is not adhered to."

"Despite having rich mineral resources and tourism potential, the rail network in Mayurbhanj is very poor. There have been demands to expand the network. But, they fell on deaf ears. Further, we demand the co-operative bank - the licence of which was impounded after it had become sick - should be revived, and the investors' money should be returned," he said.

On Saturday, the strike observers picketed on the national highway at several places.

As a result, vehicular movement on the NH-18 and the NH-49 was paralysed.

Several trucks and lorries were seen stranded on the road.

School, colleges, banks, financial institutions, shops and business establishments were closed. The roads in the town wore a deserted look. Buses could not ply while other vehicles were off the road.

The advocate bar association also supported the strike.

Bar association president (Baripada) Prabir Basha said: "The 1948 agreement between Mayurbhanj and Indian union should be honoured. According to it, a permanent high court bench for north Odisha should be established in Baripada."

"Chief minister Naveen Patnaik recently wrote to the Centre for establishment of high court benches in west and south Odisha. But, he skipped the same demand for north Odisha. We would intensify our demand for a bench and won't relent till it is fulfilled," he said.