Bhubaneswar, Feb 24: The data on Ama Bus accidents in Odisha and its safety measures was one of the major points of debate at the Assembly on Tuesday.

Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, in a written reply, informed the House that seven people lost their lives in bus accidents across the state during the past year. “Of these, six deaths occurred in Bhubaneswar and one in Cuttack,” revealed Minister Mahapatra.

“In addition, eight passengers sustained serious injuries, with four cases reported from Bhubaneswar and one each from Puri, Rourkela, Sambalpur, and Berhampur,” he said further while presenting the data.

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The Odisha Urban Development Minister also highlighted the safety measures taken by the government to curb accidents. “The department conducted 28,700 inspections during the year,” Mahapatra informed the House. “Speed limits have been fixed for different categories of buses,” he revealed.

Notably, the electric Ama buses have been restricted to 35 kmph speed, while diesel buses must not exceed 40 kmph, and buses operating on highways must remain within 50 kmph speed.

The discussion soon turned political during Zero Hour, when BJP legislator Irasis Acharya strongly countered Congress criticism over farmers’ issues. “Congress had earlier moved a motion on paddy procurement, alleging mismanagement and farmer distress,” said Acharya, accusing the opposition of misleading farmers and disrupting proceedings without engaging in constructive debate.

Highlighting the previous government’s negligence in infrastructure development, Acharya said: “No new mandis were set up during the BJD-led government’s 24-year tenure, while the current administration has empowered district collectors to ensure smooth procurement.”

“Token lapses, common in earlier regimes, no longer occur, and farmers are now producing more paddy and earning higher returns,” claimed the BJP legislator.

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The BJP MLA charged that the opposition was deliberately avoiding discussions for the past seven days, staging protests instead of participating in debates. “The government is not escapist. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has made it clear that we are ready for discussions and remain sensitive to the needs of our farmers,” Acharya asserted.