Locals in Dhankuta today called a general strike in the district again demanding that it be the declared the capital of Province 1. The district dwellers have been protesting for the past four weeks with this demand. They called off the general strike last Monday and decided to launch a peaceful pressure programme. However, today, they called a closure of the district saying that the government has been preparing to announce temporary capital of the province. The protesters said they have again called the district closure to pressure the government to make Dhankuta the capital of Province 1. Following the agitation in the district, transportation along the Koshi Highway was also shut. All the bazaars including the district headquarters, education institutions and factories were closed. Protest Movement Mobilisation Committee Coordinator Sundar Babu Shrestha said they did not obstruct ambulances, vehicles used to carry milk and vegetables. Passengers could not reach their destination and were stranded after bandh enforcers obstructed vehicular movement along the Koshi Highway road section. Locals in Tehrathum, Shankuwashabha and Bhojpur said they had run out of materials needed for daily use due to the frequent closure. Meanwhile, people, on behalf of Dhankuta residets took a round of the city to pressure the government. प्रादेशिक राजधानीको माग राख्दै आन्दोलनमा उत्रिएका धनकुटाबासीले आज पनि धनकुटा बन्द आव्हान गरेका छन् । धनकुटालाई प्रदेश नं.१ को राजधानी हुनु पर्ने माग राख्दै आन्दोलनरत स्थानीयले एक महिना अघिदेखि चरणबद्ध आन्दोलनका गतिविधि गर्दै आएका छन्। लगातार ६ दिनसम्म आमहड्ताल गरिएको धनकुटामा विगत २ दिन अघिदेखि आन्दोलनको स्वरुप बदल्दै अन्य गतिविधि गरिएको थियो। तर आज पुन: बन्द आव्हान गरिएपछि जनजीवन प्रभावित बनेको छ। बन्दका कारण धरान धनकुटा सडक खण्डमा बिहानैदेखि यातायात चलेका छैनन्। बजार, पसल, उद्योग कारखाना समेत बन्द छन्। बिहानैदेखि बन्दकर्ताले धनकुटाको जीरो प्वाइन्ट, आत्मारा ढाट, देब्रेबास लगायतका स्थानमा सडकमा सवारी साधन रोकेका छन्। आज बस्ने मन्त्रिपरिषद बैठकले प्रदेश बैठक लगायतबारे निर्णय गर्ने संकेत मिलेपछि दवाव स्वरुप पुन: बन्द आव्हान गरिएको आन्दोलन परिचालन समितिका संयोजक सुन्दरबाबु श्रेष्ठले बताए।पर्याप्त भौतिक पुर्वाधार र राणाकालदेखि हालसम्मको प्रशासनिक थलो धनकुटामा प्रदेश नं १ को राजधानी घोषणा गरिनुपर्ने प्रादेशिक राजधानी बनाउ‘ अभियानका संयोजक तथा धनकुटा प्रदेश नं १ का सदस्य निरन राईले दावी गरे।