Rourkela, Dec. 4: A five-hour shutdown of business establishments greeted chief minister Naveen Patnaik today as he made a whirlwind tour of the district.
Natakishor Mishra, convenor of the Sundargarh Sachetana Nagarika Manch, which had called the shutdown, said: "We demand the immediate removal and departmental action against district collector B.S. Punia."
He alleged that the collector was negligent towards the plight of tribal communities.
All business establishments in the district downed shutters in support of the bandh. However, the organisers did not stop the movement of private vehicles to prevent harassment of the general public.
Apprehending trouble, police had already taken top BJP leaders into preventive custody on the eve of Naveen's visit. The cops also arrested members of the party's women's wing, which had taken out a protest rally at Sector-15 Chowk.
At Sector-17 Square, Congress workers tried to show black flags at the chief minister but were quickly whisked away in a police van. Sources said the timely action avoided a direct confrontation between BJD and Congress workers.
Rourkela superintendent of police Anirudh Singh said 20 platoons were deployed in the city to maintain law and order.
During his visit, Naveen addressed three public meetings and inaugurated and laid foundation stones of several projects.
He first visited the Biju Patnaik University of Technology where he inaugurated the Biju Patnaik Yoga and Fitness Park and a women's hostel. He also laid the foundation stone of a seven-storey "convergence" building, which will be constructed for an estimated Rs 160 crore.
Varsity vice-chancellor Shyam Sunder Pattnaik said: "We have earmarked each floor for different activities - the first floor for skill development, the second for undergraduate studies, followed by postgraduate studies, PhD, corporate programmes, and the top floor will have provisions for start-ups, entrepreneurship and marketing."
"Work on a three-storey library and a multi-activity centre is on. The library will cost Rs 6 crore, while the 25,000sqft activity centre will cost Rs 40 crore. The faculty housing project, estimated to cost Rs 9 crore, is also under construction," Pattnaik added.
Later, the chief minister addressed the annual conference of the state's revenue inspectors, during which he lauded their efforts in generating revenue.
"The state is proud of their service in generating revenue and keeping land records intact," Naveen said. He also described them as "the first face of the administration who reach the public".
He flew to Teterkela by chopper thereafter and laid foundation stones and inaugurated 24 projects. He also laid the foundation stones for several projects at Bimalagarh in Bonai and Tangarpali. He addressed a public meeting there as well.
