Bhubaneswar: In view of the Odisha bandh call given by the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on February 15, all schools across the state will remain closed on the day, informed School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash today.
The decision has been taken to ensure the safety of the students, he said. This apart, all schools will also remain closed on Saraswati Puja (February 16), the minister said.
Notably, the bandh call has been given by OPCC against the rising fuel prices. The bandh will be observed from 7 am to 1 pm. The Congress workers are likely to stage road blockade at various junctions during the bandh.
Emergency services including ambulance, vehicles carrying milk, media and examinees will be exempted from the purview of the bandh.
All Odisha government employees working in Bhubaneswar have been advised by the Home Department to reach their respective offices by 9.30 am on February 15 in view of the state-wide bandh.
“Officers and employees of Lok Seva Bhawan, Kharavela Bhawan, Rajiv Bhawan and Heads of Department Building etc. may be advised to reach office latest by 9.30 am to facilitate their smooth entry,” the Home Department said in a notification.
The front gates of the Lok Seva Bhawan will be closed at 10.15 am on 15.02.2021 and all the passage will be regulated through the rear gate. The connecting gate between the Red Building and Main Lok Seva Bhawan building will remain open, it said.