Normal life in Dhankuta district has been affected following a general strike on Thursday demanding the district be announced as the capital of Province No 1.

General public have been facing the brunt of the ongoing protests. The locals have been organising various forms of protests since the past one month including a six-day bandh which was carried out until two days ago. The protesters on Tuesday and Wednesday had opted other means of protest apart from bandh.

Vehicular movement along the Dharan –Dhankuta road section has been obstructed following the strike. Likewise, local markets, shops, industries, schools among others have also remained shut.

In a bid to intensify their demand for state capitalhood Dhankuta locals have been staging protests at Zero Point, Atmara Dhat, Debrebas, Kagate among other places in the district since early today morning.

Protest coordinator Sundar Babu Shrestha said that they resorted back to calling a general strike after getting hint that a Cabinet meeting scheduled to be held today would decide on provincial meet among other issues.

Likewise, campaign coordinator and Dhankuta Province- A member Niran Rai claimed that Dhankuta cannot be left out as a potential prospect for provincial capital as the district being adequately equipped with physical infrastructure and the district has been a major administrative hub in the east since the Rana regime.