The ongoing cease work by lawyers of Orissa High Court has badly affected the lives of several people in other professions who depend on the court for their livelihood.

“Things had worsened since filing of cases was stopped and litigants were also prevented from appearing in person before the court to plead their cases in the absence of lawyers,” Krushna Chandra Mishra, president of High Court Mohari Association that has nearly 600 members.

The lawyers had launched the indefinite strike since the day following the alleged assault on a colleague near the fish market at Nuabazar on August 28. They have been demanding arrest of the police personnel involved in the assault.

The lawyers intensified their strike on September 14 by stopping filing of cases and not allowing their clients to appear in person to plead their case in their absence.

“Earning even a penny has since been difficult,” Mishra said, adding, “So is the case with the six stamp vendors and notaries”.

Sarat Kumar Das, who travels 30km from Salipur everyday, has not taken out his type machine from the cupboard for over a week now like most of the dozen other of his ilk.

He said: “In my 22 years here I have never been hit so hard. I have not earned even a rupee for over a fortnight now.”

Kabi Chandra Sahoo, another typist who travels nearly 15km from Kakhadi on the other side of the Mahanadi, said: “Even during strikes work never stops coming to us as clients who file cases come to us. But we have been left with no work since the filing of cases was stopped by the lawyers as part of the agitation”.

A photocopy and lamination shop near the northern gate of the court receives 1,800 to 2,000 copies for making photocopies in a day whenever the court functions. But for over a fortnight now, the shop struggles to get even a single court related copy.

Krushna Chandra Sahu, who runs the shop, said: “If things continue like this, there I will be left with no other option but keep the shutters down in another day or two”. The nearly 30 such photocopy shops in and around the court are down with the same plight.

The eateries on the high court premises, except for the official cafeteria, have been shut for more than a fortnight now. “With no lawyers and clients coming, I am left only to cater to the high court staff and officials. As a result, business has been reduced to less than 30 per cent,” said K. Bhaskar Rao, the owner of the cafeteria.

Suryakanta Das and Loknath Kalia, who sell tea at the high court, have been opening their shops on working days. “With lawyers and clients around, I used to buy around 15 litres of milk and earn Rs 300 everyday. But my earnings have dipped to not more than Rs 50 since the filing of cases was stopped over a fortnight ago,” Suryakanta said.