Bhubaneswar: In the wake of flooding in several districts and Rath Yatra festival being underway, revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari on Wednesday urged OAS and ORS officers, on ‘ceasework' strike across the state protesting against the attack on BMC officer Ratnakar Sahu, to resume their duties.

Administrative work has been severely affected in districts due to the protests by officers since Tuesday.Urging officers to rejoin work, Pujari said, "The incident shocked everyone, and it is highly condemnable. So far, five persons have been arrested while other accused will be arrested and produced before court. We are ready for further discussions and to resolve the issue if they want.""With floodwaters receding, assessing the damage is very important.

There is a forecast for heavy rain in the coming days. Moreover, three devotees died during Rath Yatra, and there is a need to ensure the smooth conduct of the rest of events. So, I request the officers to resume work for the greater interest of the public," Pujari added.OAS Association demanded the arrest of BJP's Jagannath Pradhan for his alleged involvement in the attack. "Police are investigating the incident from all angles, and the law will take its course," Pujari added.

The association members met the chief minister and chief secretary and submitted a memorandum. "We have full faith that the govt will give justice to our demands. After watching the attack video, most of the officers are shocked and not ready to join work unless the govt ensures their safety. Once the govt fulfils our demands, we will resume work," said Bijay Kumar Swain, secretary of the sssociation.OAS and ORS officers in the majority of the districts, including Cuttack, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Sambalpur, Bolangir, Sonepur, Rayagada, Dhenkanal, and Mayurbhanj, have gone on cease work, affecting various govt services.