Posco looks for providential intervention to see its project through

By Ratikant Mohanty

Bhubaneswar, June 22: Exactly half a decade past, South Korean steel major Posco that promised the country the highest ever foreign direct investment of Rs 52,000 crore, literarily looks for some providential intervention as the memorandum of understanding (MoU) it had signed with the Orissa government expires on Tuesday after a period of five years.The MoU was signed on June 22, 2005.It now depends upon the state government to renew the MoU so as to legally enable the company to continue its current activities relating to land acquisition and construction at the project site.Posco has not been able to acquire a single inch of land at the project site near Paradip due to the opposition by the local people. The ruling BJD’s alleged “mishandling” of the local agitation has delayed the execution of the project.Although a ray of hope had emerged after the CPI-backed Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti’s recent “compromise deal” with the chief minister Naveen Patnaik, it plunged into further uncertainty with the BJP on Monday announcing to oppose the project.

“We are opposed to the renewal of the Posco project since it is not going to do any good to the people of Orissa. If this project happens, the country would roughly lose Rs 1.20 lakh crore because of the concessions offered by the Naveen Patnaik government in the MoU,” senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra told reporters here.Alleging that the state government was desperate to renew the MoU for some “obvious reasons,” Mr Mohapatra said his party would not allow the project to happen unless the concessions, including the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) status, - given to it were withdrawn.

He also sought for abandonment of the decisions to permit Posco to source iron ore from Kandadhar mines and water from the Mahanadi barrage at Cuttack“The BJP will not allow a drop of water to be lifted from the Mahanadi barrage as it would adversely affect the farmers. We will also oppose handing over of the bio-diversity rich Kandadhar mines to Posco,” Mr Mohapatra said.Questioning the state government’s authority to hand over 3000 acres of forest land to Posco at its project site, the BJP leader said the move exposed how the government was eager to sell out its forest resources for “short-term” gains.

Asking the state government to learn from Bhopal gas tragedy in which the main accused of the US firm escaped, he said it should not allow Posco where American investors have around 26 per cent equity.Reacting to Mr Mohapatra’s statement, chief minister Naveen Patnaik said: “Renewal of the MoU is being processed and whatever will be done will be according to rules and regulations.”Industry minister Raghunath Mohanty said the MoU would be renewed shortly in accordance with the law.“Renewal of the MoU is a mere formality. It will be done in accordance with the law,” Mr Mohanty said.Meanwhile, Posco general manager (external affairs) Simant Mohanty said, “We are hopeful the government would renew the MoU soon.”

Orissa BJD wins three Rajya Sabha seats as Congress, BJP MLAs desert

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, June 18: The Biju Janata Dal in Orissa on Thursday bagged all the three Rajya Sabha seats, depriving the opposition of Congress and BJP’s desperate bid to grab at least one seat.BJD nominee Pyarimohan Mohapatra, Sashi Bhusan Behera and Baishnab Parida were declared elected.The united opposition of Congress and BJP, despite having the required strength, had to bite the dust as the BJD poll managers successfully effected divisions in the two parties.Two Congress MLAs,– Mr Shivaji Majhi of Lanjigarh and Gregory Minz of Rajgangpur; - and BJP legislator from Bonai Mr Bhimsen Choudhury, - abstained from voting, making it easy for the BJD’s third candidate Baishnab Parida to sail through the polls.Each candidate needed at least 37 first preference votes. The BJD’s third candidate was just one short of the magic number. However, the abstention by three opposition MLAs cleared his way to victory.

First candidate Mr Mohapatra and the second nominee Mr Behera got 37 votes each while Mr Parida got 33.Two votes by Congress MLA Basudev Majhi and NCP member Nabin Nanda were rejected because of technical reasons.

The BJP spokesperson Ashok Sahoo, meanwhile, announced that stringent actions would be taken against Bonai MLA Bhimsen Choudhury.

“Mr Choudhury had assured us to vote for the united opposition candidate. But he did not turn up for voting. The party will certainly take stringent actions. If required, he will be expelled,” Mr Sahoo said.Congress Legislature Party leader Bhupinder Singh said the party would seek explanation from the two legislators – Shivaji Majhi and Gregory Majhi –for their non-participation in the polls despite a party whip directing them to remain present in the Assembly and vote for the independent candidate Tara Ranjan Patnaik.

Interestingly, both the dissident Congress legislators remained untraced till Thursday evening.

After five years of resistance, survey teams allowed to enter Posco site

By Sudhir Ranjan Dash

Paradip, June 18: Almost after five years of fierce opposition by the local people, the state government officials were on Thursday allowed to carry out socio-economic survey work at the Posco steel project site at Kujang near Paradip in Orissa’s Jagatsinghpur district.

At least four teams conducted survey at Dhinkia and Nuagaon gram panchayat till the evening without any opposition from the local residents.The survey work could happen as the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS), the major anti-displacement organisation that had been spearheading the agitation against the South Korean steel major, softened its stand and agreed to cooperate with the government for and “amicable solution” of the Posco problems.PPSS chairman Abhaya Sahoo and his aides were present during the survey work.Despite its cooperation in the survey work, the PPSS on Thursday made it clear that it was firm on its demand for shifting of the project site and announced that it would observe June 22, the fifth anniversary of Posco-India company, as black-day to register its protest against the said project.On June 22, 2005, Posco had signed its memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Orissa government to establish a 12-million-tonne integrated steel plant with an investment of Rs 52,000 crore. However, the project could not make much headway due to stiff resistance by the local people who contended they would be thrown out of their means of livelihood by the proposed industry.

In another significant development, the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC), a pro-Posco forum, is scheduled to meet chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday. Senior JCC leaders like Anandi Rout, Tamil Pradhan, Nakul Sahoo and Nirbhaya Samantaray will discuss the prevailing situation at the project site.

Orissa govt. clears investment proposal worth Rs 5000 crore

By Ratikant Mohanty

Bhubaneswar, June 11: Orissa government’s single-window clearance committee headed by chief secretary T.K. Mishra on Thursday gave its approval to at eight industrial project proposals which promised a total investment of about Rs 5000 crore.The proposals include four cement projects, three down stream industries, a maize processing unit and captive power plants.

Giving details about the project, state-owned Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation Limited (IPICOL) managing director Mr Suresh Kumar Patnaik said Seashore Group proposal to set of mega maize processing unit at Nowrangpur with an investment of Rs 160 crore was cleared by the committee. The company will set up the plant over an area of 123 acres. At least six thousand people will get direct and indirect employment in the project.The other projects which were cleared by the committee include Sterlite Technology Limited’s downstream aluminium alloy industry at Jharsuguda (Rs 51 crore), petroleum coke plant by Kalinga Calciners Limited at Paradip (Rs 80 crore), a downstream alumunium cable and conductor unit by Hindusthan Bidyut Products Limited at Jharsuguda (Rs 389 crore), two cement plants proposals by Madras Cement Limited’s cement at Sundergah (Rs 700 crore) and Malkangiri (750 crore), Sri Cement Limited’s plant at Malkangiri (Rs 700 crore) and Emami Paper Mills fly ash plant at Somanathpur in Balasore district (Rs 179 crore).The committee referred the Rs1850-crore ACC Cement Limited’s 3-million-tonne plant proposal at Malkangiri to the high-level clearance committee headed by chief minister for its approval.

14-year-old princess coroneted as king of Dharkote

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, June 10: Fourteen-year-old Sulakshyana Deepanjali has been coroneted as the king of that Dharakote, an erstwhile princely state in Ganjam district.A student of Class IX, Sulakshyana happens to be the only child of Kishore Chandra Singhdeo who passed away recently.
“I’m happy that my daughter has assumed the responsibility to look after the people of Dharakote. I hope she will perform up to the expectation of her people and prove herself as able administrator like Rani Laxmi Bai,” Nandi Devi, mother of Sulakshyana told reporters during the coronation ceremony on Tuesday evening.The princess, while taking the royal oath, assured the delegates gathering fulfill the unfinished development works launched her father and grand father.

With her coronation, Sulakshyana became the first member ruler of Dharakote kingdom in its 842 years of history.Over five thousand people participated in the coronation ceremony that continued for the whole night.Former minister and Patnagarh king Kanak Vardhan Singhdeo and senior BJP leader Jayanarayan Mishra also attended the function.

Miss India Universe participant alleges discrimination, torture by organisers

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, June 10: I AM She 2010 Miss India Universe finalist Ipsita Pati on Wednesday filed a complaint with Mahila Police Station here alleging physical and mental torture by the event organizers.
In the complaint, Ms Pati alleged that she was not given proper food and subjected to physical torture which led to her failure in the final.
The 18-year-old girl, who hails from Ganjam district, also said that some of the judges in the event were parochial and put much emphasis on participants from metro cities.Before filing the first information report, Ms Pati met chief minister Naveen Patnaik at his secretariat chamber and apprised him “details” about the discrimination meted out to her in the event.Sources said Ms Pati has specifically mentioned a few high profile persons and Bollywood celebrities in her complaint “tormentors.”

A former Miss South India, Ms Pati mentioned in the FIR that although a few girls in the pageant were regularly smoking, no action was taken against them. On the other hand, disciplined participants were targeted.Though the Bhubaneswar police was tight-lipped on Ms Pati’s complaint, sources said it was contemplating to transfer the case to Mumbai as the pageant took place there.

“We cannot do anything on Ipsita’s complaint since it pertains to Mumbai police jurisdiction. We will refer the case to Mumbai police,” a senior police officer said.

Trouble at Posco project site
Police conducts flag march, locals vow to lay down lives

By Sudhir Ranjan Dash
Bhubaneswar, June 9: Tension prevailed on Tuesday at the proposed Posco project site near port town Paradip as eight platoons of armed police conducted flag march apparently to create a fear psychosis among the local people ahead of the survey work at Dhinkia and Nuagoan panchyats. Dhinkia and Nuagaon are two of the three panchayats where the
12-million-tonne plant is proposed to come up with an investment of Rs 52,000 crore.
Meanwhile, six political parties – CPI, CPM, Forward Block, Samajwadi Party, Forward Bloc and Rashtriya Janata Dal – on Tuesday made a representation to the chief minister Naveen Patnaik urging him not to use force against the local people to evict them.
“Posco issue is completely a political one. The state government should find a political solution to it. Instead of suppressing the voice of the local people, it must pay patient listening to their grievances,” the memorandum submitted to the chief minister said.The chief minister, while responding the six-party memorandum, said “the government will examine their suggestions.” Reports from the project site said the situation was extremely
volatile in the evening as the local people led by Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti leader Abhaya Sahoo vowed not to give an inch of land to the South Korean steel major.“We have decided not allow the surveyors to enter the project site.This is our native land. No government or any company has got any right to evict us from here,” Mr Sahoo said.
He announced that – “if required, the local people would lay down their lives to save their birthplace.”Sources added that the government was likely to enter the project site
within a day or two.“The local people not allowing the survey teams and police forces into
their territory could mean a violent confrontation is in the offing,”said Sudhir Ranjan Das, a local teacher.Though Posco signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Orissa
government way back in June, 2005 for setting up a steel plant, not an inch of land could be acquired for the purpose due to stiff resistance
from locals.

Thee members of family burnt alive
By Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, June 9: The Orissa police on Tuesday recovered charred remains three members of family of Kotagada village in Phulbani district, nearly 350 km from here, who were suspected to have been killed by their relatives.The police suspects the victims were killed by some of their “close relatives.”“Initial investigation reveals that the victims died under mysterious circumstances. The victims – Sangita Tripathy (29), her daughter
Simran (4) and mother Janaki Panda (45) – were burnt alive when they were sleeping in their thatched house on Monday night,” the police
said. The charred bodies have been sent to Phulbani for post-mortem.Sangria’s husband and father-in-law were detained by the police forinterrogation

Education for all campaign launched in Orissa
By Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, June 9: Over five hundred eminent activists,educationists and students of Orissa on Tuesday joined hands withinternational football community at Ekamra Haat, Bhubaneswar on Mondayevening to play towards a new goal – 1 Goal - Education for All.Participating in a signature campaign kicked off by internationalfootball player and former captain of Indian women football team, Ms Sradhanjali Samantaray, - the participants signed up on an appeal thatasks the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and chief minister NaveenPatnaik to increase budgetary allocations for elementary education.
The campaign, coinciding with the FIFA Football World Cup 2010, is backed by FIFA and some of the biggest names in football for putting pressure on governments around the world to deliver the additional money that is needed to pay for every child to attend school.
1 GOAL is setting out to be the biggest campaign around a sporting event. It has already 100 ambassadors, 25 of the biggest mobile phone companies backing it. The campaign aims to get 72 million people signing up to the campaign. This support will then be used to
encourage new commitments from governments attending the high level summit that which will be hosted by the South African Government
during the World Cup. In Orissa, the signature campaign will continue till June 22, the day
Orissa finance minister will place a full-fledged budget in the stateAssembly.At the end of the campaign, the signatures collected will be presentedto the chief minister. Around 100 organisations have come forward tocollect signatures from across the state, stating formvillages to premier educational institutes.

ArcelorMittal keen on its Orissa project: Minister

By Ratikant Mohanty

Bhubaneswar, June 7: ArcelorMittal is keen about its Orissa investment proposal. There should not be any apprehension over grounding of its 12-million green-field steel plant at Patna in Keonhar district, steel and mines minister Raghuanth Mohanty told here on Sunday.

“ArcelorMittal has given us a written assurance expressing its commitment to implement the Rs 40,000- crore project in Orissa. Though the company might be planning the Karnataka project on priority basis, there was no word from it regarding scrapping its Orissa project,” the minister said.

The minister’s statement came after the steel major signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Karnataka government for setting up a steel plant project with an investment of Rs 30,000 crore.

Although the state government claims that steel majors like Posco and ArcelorMittal are firm on their commitments, - bureaucratic bottlenecks and lack of political will to get people’s support have come as discouragement to the two leading corporate houses. Neither Posco nor ArcelorMittal has been able to acquire land.

ArcelorMittal chairman and CEO L.N. Mittal had earlier expressed his concern over the slow progress about his projects in Orissa and Jharkhand and hoped faster progress of Karnataka project.

ArcelorMittal will set up 6-million-tonne steel plant in Karnataka’s iron ore rich Bellary district.

State steel and mines secretary Manoj Ahuja, who recently reviewed the progress of steel projects in the state, informed that although ArcelorMittal, which signed an MoU with the state government on December 21, 2006, the company was yet to submit its detailed project report. He also stated that the global steel major had made satisfactory investment in land acquisition for its Orissa project and applied for forest land clearance and raw material linkage.

Orissa releases draft climate change action plan, Rs 17,000 crore to be spent in 5 years

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, June 6: In apparent move to create awareness about rising level of pollution caused due to release of huge quantum of carbon and industrial wastes to atmosphere, the Orissa government on Saturday released the draft Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) for its review by the public.

The release of the draft that marked celebration of the World Environment Day saw Orissa becoming the first state in the country to come out with a concrete vision document to ensure pollution-free climate to its citizens,

“The release of the draft Climate Change Action Plan reflects the great importance the state attaches to this important environmental issue. The suggestions from the people will be very useful in finalising the Action Plan,” chief minister Naveen Patnaik said on the occasion of the launching of the draft in the state government website.

The CCAP will lead Orissa to move towards a carbon-conscious and climate resilient state. The move will be ushered with an estimated budget of about Rs17,000 crore over a period of five years. The money will be spent in eleven key sectors over the next five years for achieving the clean, green climate objectives.

A Climate Change Agency is proposed to be put in place to oversee the progress and liaise with Government of India, external funding agencies and different sectors for smooth implementation of the action plan.

“While celebrating World Environment Day, let us pledge to preserve our rich heritage of biodiversity. Needless to say that it is obligatory on our part to preserve the biodiversity and maintain the ecological balance,” Mr Patnaik said.

Meanwhile, a “Save Niyamgiri” convention was organised at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district where speakers urged Union environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh not to grant environmental clearance for mining of bauxite in Niyamgiri hills.

The meeting that strongly opposed Vedanta Aluminum Limited's plans to mine Niyamgiri was jointly organised by Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti and Green Kalahandi.

Those who addressed the meeting include environmental activist Vandana Shiva, social activist Prafulla Samantara, and Congress Lok Sabha member from Kalahandi Bhakta Charan Das.

Orissa to create 600 new doctor posts

By Ratikanta Mohanty

Bhubaneswar, June 4 : The Orissa government on Thursday announced to create 600 new doctor posts to reach out to the masses, especially those who are living in rural areas.

State health minister Prasanna Acharya, after a departmental review at his secretariat chamber, told reporters here that the recruitment drive would enable the government to send doctors to remote areas, including the Naxal infested pockets where people do not have access to minimum healthcare facilities.

The minister also announced that more number of assistant nursing matrons would be deployed in all health centres to help the doctors discharge their responsibilities properly.

The state has a sanctioned strength of 4258 doctor posts. However, nearly 650 posts are lying vacant, mainly in rural areas, as physicians refuse to go beyond the urban centres.

The state government has requested the Orissa Public Service Commission to select eligible candidates to fill the vacant posts.

“We have urged the OPSC to select doctors to fill up the vacant posts. Besides, the government is examining the proposal to reintroduce the ad-hoc recruitment system,” the minister said.

On the 14 vigilance squads formed recently by the health department, the minister informed that they were doing a commendable job by enforcing 100 per cent staff attendance in hospitals by surprise visits.

“Things have improved significantly. The constitution of vigilance squads has ensured greater attendance of staff members and made them accountable for each act of commission and omission. Patients are now getting better service,” the minister said.

Meanwhile, sources in the government said the health and family welfare department is taking a special initiative to maintain a database to monitor the vacancies in various posts of doctors in different districts on a regular basis.

Of the posts lying vacant in backward districts many are the posts of specialist doctors in different branches of medicine that was crucial for proper healthcare delivery, the source added.

12 elephants killed in Similipal tiger reserve, wilidlife forum demands CBI probe

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, June 1: Wildlife Society of Orissa (WSO), a leading forum working for protection wildlife resources, on Tuesday demanded CBI probe into the recent mass killings of 12 elephants in Orissa’s Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR).

In a letter to Union minister for environment and forests Jairam Ramesh, WSO said CBI investigation was required to uncover the role of field forest officers as to whether they connived with the poachers.

“In at least four cases, there was an effort to destroy evidence by burning or burying the bones. The elephants could have been trapped or killed by poachers in the absence of adequate protection,” the letter said.

The elephant census was being carried out in April when the news first came about the mass poaching of elephants. An attempt by independent persons to enter the Park to verify the reports was allegedly frustrated by the range officer of the local Pithabata Range. He refused entry to the honorary wildlife warden of Mayurbhanj district when she wanted to visit the core area on April 30 though she had an official order issued by higher authorities.The local forest staff had reported the death of one elephant only. Two poaching cases were discovered by the department after information about their locations was provided by the honorary wildlife warden.Simlipal has been recently classified by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) as a tiger reserve in a poor condition with low density of tigers. Elephants are also gradually disappearing from this park. The number of tuskers is declining fast.After the honorary wildlife warden was finally allowed entry in May, she located four other carcasses out of which two were burnt down in an apparent bid to destroy evidence of poaching. Two remains were buried in order to avoid detection.

In the past, Simlipal suffered from a determined onslaught by poachers when some tribal poachers from Arunachal Pradesh killed at least five elephants in 2007 and smuggled out their tusks without being caught. Though they stayed for two months in Baripada town, the department did not have any clue about their poaching activities,” WSO secretary Biswajit Mohanty said..

The fact finding team found remains of burnt bones of one elephants at Dudhurchampa. Similarly, remains of two carcasses including bones were found buried at Mondama hills under Kandadhanu section. Another burnt elephant carcass was discovered at Jodapal Chhak.

“There is information about another five cases of elephant poaching which need to be verified in the field but the forest authorities have not permitted further visits by the independent fact finding team,” the letter said.

Congress caught in confusion, KP feels alienated in the party

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, June1: Nothing appears to be going on well in the Orissa state Congress unit. Despite being in the opposition since 2000 because of “wrong doings” of some of its top leaders and quarrels among factional heads, the grand old party still does not find rhythm to work as a united force against the BJD.

Brigadier K.P. Singhdeo, who was sent to the state as OPCC chief by Congress President Sonia Gandhi on January 27, 2009 before the general elections to discipline the factional leaders and set the party on the winning track, has found himself caught on the wrong foot.

The factional elements, most of whom enjoyed enormous power during the regime of three-time chief minister J.B. Patnaik, seem to be in no mood to cooperate in the party affairs. Many of these leaders stayed away from the extended executive committee meeting convened by Mr Singdeo at Jharsuguda on April 18, thus posing a challenge to his authority.The helpless of the OPCC chief was evident on Sunday when he told a television channel. “The sooner I am given a reprieve by the party from the job the better.”

Mr Singhdeo's statement has created a flutter in party circles here.Observers, however, see Mr Singdeo’s statement as a strategy to silence his critics in the party and establish his sagging authority before the organizational election process starts in the state after two months. Sources in the party said most of the 27 legislators and senior leaders want to see “total changes” in the OPCC as they find “Mr Singhdeo’s team has inadequate knowledge about the party affairs at the grassroots.”

The OPCC working president, Mr Bhakta Das, however, said the “brigadier has a military spirit and he will never say quit.”

In New Delhi, Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natrajan on Monday said she had no knowledge about the OPCC president’s remark.

“I’m not aware of Mr Singdeo remark,” Ms Natrajan told while replying to queries by journalists.

First round of talks with anti-Posco representatives remain inconclusive

By Tapan Swain

Cuttack, May 30: The first round of official level talks with the representatives of anti-Posco forums held at Cuttack on Saturday remained inconclusive as both the sides stuck to their earlier stands.

As the meeting started, the representatives of Posco Pratirodh Sangaram Samati (PPSS), the leading organisation which has been spearheading the movement against the 12-million-steel project, - reiterated their stand to shift the proposed plant to some other location.

They also demanded withdrawal of all cases filed against their members.The administration, on its part, put forth a set of conditions before the delegates “for creating an atmosphere of trust and harmony for amicable solution of all problems relating to the grounding of the Rs 52,000-crore project.”

Revenue divisional commissioner (central range) Mr P.K. Mohapatra, who presided over the meeting, suggested the PPSS to remove the barricades it has raised in Kujang area to prevent entry of government officials into the project site and allow the ongoing survey work in the area to continue.

Neither party did come out with any promise on each other’s demand and suggestions.

During the meeting, Jagatsinghpur district collector Narayan Chandra Jena read out the special Posco resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R) package for the local people and called upon the representatives to accept it saying it was one of the best offers made by the South Korean steel major.

The R&R package, copies of which were distributed to the participating representatives, promised monetary compensations to people engaged in farming, fishing activities and other livelihood practices.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the RDC Mr Mohapatra said the talks had opened an opportunity for further discussions.

“Today’s talks have opened an opportunity for further discussions. I hope all problems will henceforward sorted out amicably,” the RDC observed.

CPI Lok Sabha member from Jagatsinghpur, Mr Bibhu Prasad Taradi, said who facilitated the Saturday’s talk as mediator, informed that the next round of talk would take place on June 5.

CPI state general secretary Abani Boral was present in the meeting.

Orissa to spend Rs 1200 crore on road projects

By Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, May 28: The Orissa government on Friday decided to undertake massive construction, renovation and widening of roads across the state with an outlay of Rs 1200 crore.
As per the decision taken at high level meeting chaired by chief minister Naveen Patnaik, 250-km of different national highways in western Orissa and 400 km of cluster roads in the Maoist affected districts of Rayagada, Gajapati, Sambalpur and Malkangiri will be widened.
Besides, it was decided in the meeting that construction of Ranchi-Vijayawada road will be expedited. The Union government has already sanctioned Rs 100 crore for the project as against the state’s demand of Rs 300 crore.
The Central government has also provided Rs 250 crore for widening the national highways 200, 201 and 43 in western Orissa. These highways will be converted into two-lane roads.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, works secretary Mr S.K. Ray said in order to improve communication network in the Maoist infested western and southern districts, cluster roads in those regions would be broadened.

Tata Steel foundation led, fresh trouble resurfaces for Posco project

By Ratikant Mohanty
Bhubaneswar, May 28: Tata Steel, which has been literarily battling for five years now to set up its proposed six-million-tonne project at Orissa’s Kalinga Nagar with an investment of Rs 15,000-crore, on Friday successfully laid the foundation stone for the plant at Ambagadia. There was no opposition or whatsoever from the Bisthapan Virodhi Jana Manch (BVJM), a tribal dominated local organisation that has been spearheading the movement against displacement in the region.
On the other hand, the Posco Pratirodh Sangaram Samiti (PPSS)
led by its president Abhaya Sahoo and Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha member Bibhu Prasad Tarai organized a massive rally at Gobindpur near Paradip and gave a fresh call for opposing the South Korean steel major to establish its 12-million-tonne project.
Unlike other days, no police personnel were seen at the Kalinga Nagar area on Friday. The surprising element of the low-key foundation stone laying ceremony was that the rituals were performed by local tribal priest Laxman Jamuda.
Chakradhar Haibru, who recently quit BVJM and received compensation for his land acquired by Tata Steel, attended the function as karta (chief guest).
Reacting to the development, BVJM chief Rabindra Jarika said his organization would continue to oppose the project and never allow the local people to be displaced by “vested interests.”
At Gobindpur which is a part of the Posco project site, CPI leader Mr Tarai said chief minister Naveen Patnaik had betrayed him by launching the survey work in the area without consulting him.
“In a meeting with the local legislators, the chief minister had assured us to take all the stakeholders, including the local residents, into confidence before beginning the survey. But, he has launched the work without consulting us,” he alleged.
PPSS leader Mr Sahoo said Posco would never be allowed to enter the proposed project site and there would be a round-the-clock watch on the movement of the government and company officials in the area.
“From Friday next, local people will keep a round-the-clock watch on the movement of government and company officials. A gate will be constructed at the entry point. No police or administrative officials will be allowed to make an entry into our land,” Mr Sahoo announced.

Noble Group’s withdrawal will not affect Gopalpur port project

By Chittaranjan Beura

Bhubaneswar, May 28: The exit of Hong Kong-based Noble Group from the Gopalpur port project in Orissa will have no impact on the project. The port will be fully operational by 2012, Gopalpur Port Limited (GPL) managing director Mahimananda Mishra told this newspaper on Friday.A consortium of three leading business houses – Orissa Stevedores Ltd (OSL) and Sara International Limited (SIL) and Noble Group Limited (NGL) – had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Orissa government in 2006 to build Gopalpur port on build-own-operate-share-transfer (BOOST) basis with an investment of Rs 861 crore.“The exit of NGL does not affect the financial position of the project. It will not be an impediment in the way of successful completion of the project in time,” Mr Mishra said.

Ruling out a new partner in place of NGL, the managing director said OSL and SIL firmly believed that development of the all-weather port would continue as per the set timeline, as the financial position of the company was “very strong.”

The port handled 500,000 tonnes of cargo, including coal, iron ore, ilemnite and fertilisers, during the last shipping season, registering an increase of 90 per cent over the previous year, the GPL MD said.

SIL director, Mr D.P. Singh, said the NGL stopped being a part of the board since 2007 “because of its global commitments.”

“Our partner NGL parted ways gracefully because of its global engagements and wished the project all success,” Mr Singh observed.He added the GPL had already informed the state government the decision of NGL to leave the consortium.

“As per the concession agreement (CA) signed between GPL and the Orissa government, any change in shareholding is only to be done with the prior approval of the latter. The GPL has already applied to the state government for withdrawal of NGL. Since the exit of NGL does not violate any of the provisions of the CA, the state government’s permission is expected shortly,” remarked Mr Singh.

To a query, Mr Singh said the empowered committee of the Union ministry of environment and forests had granted environmental clearance for the project. Final approval of the ministry was expected in the next few weeks.GPL aims at constructing at least three berths to handle more cargo at the port in the next phase of expansion.

Experts call for integrated development, conservation of water resources

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, May 25: ‘Water, water, everywhere, not a drop to drink.” This adage could become true for India in less than two decades largely due to dwindling fresh water reserves, inefficient use of water for irrigation, defective water transportation system, growing pollution of water bodies due to reckless release of the sewage of human settlements, effluents of industrial and agricultural activities.

With increasing population, urbanization and industrialization, India has emerged as one of the worst water stress region of the world. Expressing their anxieties over growing conflicts over water use, scientists and experts have urged the union and state governments to chalk out a comprehensive plan for integrated development and conservation of water resources.

Participating at a three day national Symposium on “Water Resource Management for sustainable Development” (WRMSD – 2010) organized by Institute of Advance Technology & Environmental Studies (IATES), here the participants unanimously recommended for rain water harvesting on surface as well as charging of aquifers in a scientific manner without any contamination, adoption of efficient irrigation system like sprinkle and drip irrigation and encouraging farmers for producing crops, which consume less water, improved technology to minimize loss in transporting water etc.

The experts also urged the authorities to ensure proper treatment of sewage, industrial effluents etc. before discharging the treated water to the main water bodies, planned development of wet lands. Besides, the Symposium recommended that industries should have captive rain water harvesting programmes to meet their water requirements and also should recycle the waste water.

IATES chairman and former director general, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research [CSIR], Dr P K Jena on Monday told “The ET”, “India is in a water stress region of the world. In the major sectors of water use, we have been very careless in utilizing the water resources. We are also responsible for polluting a major part of the surface as well as the ground. In order to have a sustainable socio economic development, we have to plan and implement urgently an integrated water management programme involving the concerned technical persons and the public. The government has the responsibility to provide fresh water to all as per their requirements”.

At present, India uses nearly 70% of the total surface and ground water for irrigation purpose, about 10% for domestic sector and the remaining 20% for industries. By 2050, the country would have to double its food grain production by the year 2050, is going to to about 420 million tons and its projected water requirement would also go up to 1180 km3 compared to the present requirement of around 800 km3.

“The most daunting challenge before all of us is to plug the loopholes in our water management policies and technological intervention is highly required, For instance inefficient water management is reflected in poor patterns of water delivery and water losses through seepage, leaks and evaporations. In India, nearly 47% of the water being supplied is lost in the distribution system before it reaches the consumers. This is too much and the Government needs to redraft its water management strategy”, Mr Jena said.

Orissa govt. finally agrees to hold talks with anti-Posco activists

By Ratikant Mohanty

Bhubaneswar, May 20: The Orissa government on Thursday softened its stand against the anti-Posco activists and agreed to hold talks with their leaders, thus raising a hope of fruition of the Rs 52,000-crore project.
Despite signing memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Orissa government in June 2005, the Posco has not been able to acquire land at Kujanga near Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district because of protests by the local residents.
In a crucial meeting convened by the chief minister Naveen Patnaik at his chamber at thestate secretariat here, Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabhamember and four MLAs of the districts suggested the government toadopt a conciliatory approach instead of confrontation which thegovernment immediately agreed.Emerging out of the meeting, Paradip MLA and stateagriculture minister Dr Damodar Rout said the legislators suggested the governmenttoask Posco not to insist for 300 acres of land at Dhinkia, a villageunder the project site, and take into confidence the leaders of theanti-Poscoorganizations.“The government agreed to the proposal. It was decided thattheRevenue Divisional Commissioner (central range) along with districtcollector and superintendent of police will hold talks with the PoscoPratirodh Sangaram Samiti (PPSS) and a few other forums and sort outproblem in three months,” Mr Rout informed.The minister said if no outcome emerged from the RDC level meeting,Jagatisinghpur MP Mr Bibhu Prasad Tarai would bring fiverepresentatives of the anti-Posco activists to hold directs talks with
the chief minister.The RDC, Mr Pradipta Mohapatra, who was present in the meeting said,all the legislators suggested that the government must hold talks withthe local people and ensure proper rehabilitation of the displaced people.

Laila hits Orissa, Spells of rains lash southern
By Padman Patra
Bhubaneswar, May 20: Orissa on Thursday sounded high alert in coastal districts as heavy rain accompanied by high velocity wind triggered bycyclone Laila formed over the Bay of Bengal advanced towardsnorth-west parts of the state.Heavy spells of rain occurred at several places, including capitalBhubaneswar, in the evening.Danger Signal II was hoisted at Paradip and Gopalpur ports.The government advised the fishermen not to venture into the sea as the sea condition remained rough.Reports from southern Orissa said heavy rain accompanied by gale lashed many parts of Ganjam, Rayagada, Gajapati, Koraput and
Malkangiri districts.Mr Sarat Sahoo, director of local met-office, the Laila lay centred
about 570 km southwest of Gopalpur and it was likely to hit someplaces over south Orissa by the late evening.“Many parts of the state, especially southern Orissa and westernOrissa, will experience heavy rains or thundershower accompanied bywind speed ranging 60 to 70 km per hour,” Mr Sahoo said.He added that a few places over northern region of the state mightalso endure heavy down pour.No reports of human casualty or crop damage were received from any parts of the state.Revenue minister S.N. Patra said Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force personnel have been sent to Ganjam, Paradip and a few other places to
evacuate people living safer areas.“The state government is fully alert to meet any eventuality. We have asked collectors of the coastal Orissa districts to remain alert. Rs 1 crore has been released to buy and store food material and otheressential items to provide immediate relief to the affected people,”
Mr Patra said.

A spiritual sojourn at Thotlakonda

By Ranita Ray

A place with trails of rich Buddhist history, their monastic life, ways of prayers and beliefs, is known as Thotlakonda, one among the four Buddhist monasteries in the city of Visakhapatnam and among the 53 in Andhra Pradesh. Located in a picturesque place, on a hilltop of Mangamaripeta with breathtaking view of the surrounding high hills, the mesmerizing appearance of the crashing waves in the Bay of Bengal, greenery throughout and a crisscross winding path, it will sail you to this beautiful site with a great history behind just 16 km away from the Visakhapatnam city towards Bhemunipatnam. The name Thotlakonda itself describes the significance of this site which consists of two words ‘Thotalu’ which means tanks and ‘Konda’ which means hill in Telugu. And so the name refers to the existence numerous stone water tanks or reservoirs on the hill top. It’s a place with the remnants of thousand years old stupas, viharas (shelter for monks) and chaityas (prayer hall).

History

Built under Emperor Asoka’s reign to spread Buddhism, it’s believed that this place was being used as Buddhist monastery in 2nd century BC. However, it might be because of mere negligence or coincidence that such a historic site was not known to the local government till the early 1980s. As a blessing for the survival and fortification of this place came the aerial survey by the Indian Navy to locate a suitable site to establish a naval base along the coast. This surfaced the existence of such a rich history. This triggered massive excavations by the Department of Archeology and Museums between 1988 and 1992, which brought forth the presence of a well established Buddhist settlement.

Present Scenario
The entire place is ruled with a tranquil atmosphere. Perhaps its wide stretch over an area of 316 acres (monument’s site is 20 acres) adds to the inimitable calmness. It is believed that this monastery used to provide shelter to around 150 Buddhist monks. Presently this complex includes remnants of seven structures built with bricks and stones. Among them, there is a 17-meter tall Maha Stupa which used to be a meditation place, a 64-pillared congregation hall, 16 votive stupas, 11 rock-cut cisterns, one apsidal and three circular Chaitya Griha or prayer hall, two votive platforms, 10 viharas consisting of 72 cells, a kitchen complex with three halls and one dining hall and well paved stone pathways.There are also traces of as many as 11 Thotalus or reservoirs as well among which all the 10 reservoirs have dried up but only one is still hydrated with fresh water. However the spread of innumerable derelict statues of animals and human figures throughout the premises catches the attention to be bestowed with proper restoration. It is said that many other articles like inscribed Chhatra (auspicious symbol) pieces with early Brahmi letters, nine Satavahana and five Roman coins, terracotta tiles, early historic pottery dated from 3rd century BC to 3rd century AD were also unearthed. These are now in the State Museum.

The magnitude of high historic value though evident from these vestiges, however their downfall factors spell various stories. While some hold the rise of Mahayana Buddhism as the cause, others say it’s the revival of Brahmanism or the lack of royal patronage.

Whatever be the reasons the fact remain the same, i.e. such place require proper official patronage as well as more and more concern from the common public.

So as you plan for a trip to the city of Visakhapatnam do include this spot on your places to see list. This will not only give you a chance to observe some of the most mesmerizing view of the city but will also enrich your knowledge about Buddhist way of life.

How to reach:
Distance- 16km from the city of Visakhapatnam
Direction- Towards Bhemunipatnam
Transport- One can hire a cab from the city
Time- Morning 10.30 am to evening 5.30 pm

Cricketer Pragyan Ojha enters new phase of life - +gets married to Karabi Biswal

By Saibalini Samal

Bhubaneswar: After playing test matches, one-day internationals and T20 cricket, Indian cricketer Pragyan Ojha has just jumped into another game. Sponsored by family, this game called marriage is set to bring new experiences of life to the leading IPL wicket taker.

The ace cricketer married to her lady love Karavi Biswal – a master degree holder in microbiology - at a glittering function held here at Hote Mayfair Lagoon on May 16.

"I’m happy to get Karabi as my wife. We are marrying in complete Oriya tradition,” Pragyan told reporters.

Karabi, daughter of Kailash Boral and Chanchala Baral of Jagatsinghpur, is quite ecstatic about the marriage.

“I’m extremely delighted to get married to Pragyan. I will try to prove myself as an ideal Indian wife. I hope, Pragyan will shine more in the coming days and earn many more laurels for the state and the country as well,” Karabi said.

Praygyan parents – Maheswar Ojha and Bidyutlata Ojha – appeared elated.

“We thank God for giving us a bahu (daughter-in-law) like Karabi. You people have always loved Pragyan. Now, it’s time to bless them,” Maheswar told reporters while offering sweets.

Earlier in the day, Ojha went through several rituals including bathing in turmeric mixed water, putting up vermilion and sandal paste on his fore head and offering puja before the deity at his residence amidst chanting of "hula huli" (a tradional swaying of the tongue creating sound by womenfolk).

Over five hundred friends and relatives accompanied the "barat" on the sprawling roads leading upto the hotel, the venue of the marriage.

Indian, Chinese and Continental food were served by the bride's family in the hotel for the members of the "barat," a chef of the hotel said.

Karavi Biswal	Pragyan Ojha

OPGC to begin work on 1320 MW power plant, cost pegged at Rs 10,000 cr

By Jyotismita Panda

Bhubaneswar, May 14: Ending a long-drawn battle, Orissa government and US Power utility, AES Corporation have decided to go ahead with third and fourth units at Ib Valley near Banaharpal in Angul district.

In September last year, the Cabinet headed by chief minister Naveen Patnaik accorded its approval to the revised expansion proposal of Orissa Power Generation Corporation (OPGC) for setting up third and fourth units.

The OPGC, a joint venture company Orissa government and US power utility, AES Corporation, – has a power plant of 2X210 MW power plant at IB Valley.

In a review meeting held here, both the energy department and AES agreed to finalise the EPC tender in the earliest. “Construction will start by the end of first quarter of next fiscal. We are committed to the project. Everything is going smoothly,” OPGC managing director, Bibek Biswal told this newspaper on Friday.

The expansion will see capacity increase of the OPGC’s third and fourth units by 1320 MW (660X 2).

Mr Biswal said that the Rs 10,000- crore expansion project and coal mining projects will be completed by 2014.

According to the agreement, the OPGC will offload 50 per cent of power generated from these units to the state grid at the rate fixed by Orissa Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC).

However, from the third unit of 660 mw, the state will get 264 MW till the fourth unit is commissioned, considering that the plant load factor is expected to be at around 80 per cent.

The fourth unit is expected to be commissioned within six months of the commissioning of third unit failing which the OPGC will share 360 MW of power at 80 per cent PLF load with the state grid.

Orissa to open Kalarangi chromite mines

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, May 14: The Orissa government has decided to take steps to clear procedural hurdles to operationalise Sukinda chromite mines.The decision follows discussions at a high level meeting held in the state secretariat under the chairmanship of finance minister Prafulla Ghadei.In 1998, all operations at Kalarangi mines were stopped by the state government on the ground that it was a wildlife habitat.At least 620 workers in the mines were rendered jobless. Some of the family members of the jobless workers allegedly starved and their children were compelled to leave schools as they could afford for education.Some of the jobless workers even reportedly died under stress.The state government’s decision was challenged in the high court by Sukinda Upatyaka Mines Workers Union.The high court, which heard the writ petition on November 11, 2001, disposed of the case with a clear-cut direction to the Union government to dispose the proposal for diversion of land within a period of three months from the receipt of the order.Following the court order, the Central government issued in principle approval to the state government with a condition that the latter would conduct of environment impact assessment (EIA) and preparation of the wildlife Management plan (WMP) for this mine.“Steps would be taken for early conduct of environment impact assessment (EIA) and preparation of the wildlife Management plan (WMP) for this mine,” minister Mr Ghadei said.Sukinda Chromite mines is an old mine owned by the state-owned Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC).The Mining lease (ML) was granted over 936 .22 hectares to the corporation in 1996.

Maoists slain two village guards
CRPF jawans engaged in exchange fire with Naxals in Serenda forest

By Sibananda Dash

Bhubaneswar, May 13: Suspected Maoists on Wednesday killed two village guards (chowkidars) at Katma village in Gajapati district, nearly 300 km from here, even as a group CRPF jawans was engaged in a fierce gun-battle with the rebels in the Serenda forest in Sundergarh district.

According to police, armed militants numbering around 40-50 came to the Katma village and asked village guards Sadananda Singh and Dinabandhu Matri to come out of their home. As the two men obliged, they took them to an end of the village where the slit their throats.

A letter recovered from the spot said the two were given death punishment as they acted as police informers.

Written by Bansadhara Committee leader Azad alias Dona Keshava Rao, the letter warned similar punishment to others “who are working for the police.”

"The victims were taken to an end of the village where the rebels slit their throats. The two bled to death,” Gajapati superintendent of police Sanjiv Arora said.

In the letter, the rebels also asked other village guards and Special Police Officers (SPOs) operating in the area to resign form their jobs.

In yet another development, reports from Sundergarh district said a group of CRPF jawans conducting combing operation in the Serenda forest were engaged in fierce gun-battle with the ultras.

The reports suggested that the security personnel were caught in a well-laid out trap of the ultras and finding it tough to contain the rebels who were firing shots from different corners.

Kalinga Nagar plunges into violence again, tribal killed in police firing
Tension prevails in Posco project area over police presence

By our correspondent

Bhubaneswar, May 13: Kalinga Nagar Industrial Estate, India’s upcoming steel hub, on Wednesday plunged into turmoil with the death of a tribal man allegedly due to police firing.

Tension gripped Chandia, Gadpur. Bamiagotha and other adjoining villages as Laxman Jamunda, a 65-year-old tribal, fell to the police bullet. The locals informed that Laxman, a resident of Chandia, was fired from behind while he was trying to flee the village carrying his grand-daughter on his shoulder to escape the “police atrocity.”

“Laxman was fired when he was trying to escape the police action during the forcible eviction of tribals by the district administration. The police administration claims that he died of sunstroke, but his blood stained shirt speaks it all,” Rabindra Jarika, leader of the Bisthapan Birodhi Jana Manch (BBJM) told reporters at Jajpur.

However, the district administration, in a statement, clarified that Laxman died of heatstroke.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, after his return from New Delhi, said, “I’m informed that nobody was killed in police firing. My government does not believe in violence. However, the matter will be looked into.”

The Congress, meanwhile, accused the ruling BJD of unleashing bloodshed in Kalinga Nagar to protect the interest of private companies.

“Chief minister Naveen Patnaik seems to not content with so many tribal lives lost in Kalinga Nagar. His administration wants to eliminate everyone opposing eviction from their ancestral land. Laxman was systematically eliminated as he was member of the BBJM, the forum that has been spearheading the anti-displacement movement,” Orissa Pradesh Congress vice president Sibananda Ray told while addressing a crowded press conference following the incident.

The OPCC president, while demanding resignation of the chief minister, said his party would send fact-finding delegation to Kalinga Nagar to find out the truth.

On January 2, 2006, at least 13 tribals and police man were killed during an eviction drive carried out by the police. Later, another tribal injured in the clash, had also succumbed to his injuries.

Meanwhile, tension also prevailed in Posco project area at Paradip, nearly 120 km from here, as the 23 platoons of armed police arrived at Kujang to make an entry into the site to facilitate construction of the Rs 52,000-crore steel project.

Sources informed that although the police was all set to enter the site at around noon, it went on the back foot after the news of Kalinga Nagar incident reached the district administration.

Orissa Women Commission plans sensitization campaign for college-going girls

By our correspondent

Bhubaneswar, May 13: The Orissa Women Commission is contemplating to start a novel campaign in the state to sensitise the college-going girls not to fall prey to the designs of the flesh-trade rackets.

The campaign, according to the Commission, will focus on dissuading the girls establish physical relationship with the “so-called” boyfriends “who often film the activity with secret camera or mobile and then sell in market to earn easy money.”

“On almost every day basis, we notice that many college and school-going girls are falling prey to the well-calculated designs of flesh-trade rackets. They allure girls on false promises and showering on them costly gifts. Besides, the racketeers are also seen adopting some novel methods to trap the girls. The girls need to be sensitized to protect themselves,” Dr Jyoti Panigrahi, chairperson of the Commission, told this newspaper on Tuesday.

The Commission’s move comes in the wake of two college girls attempting to commit suicide after their “boyfriends” released video CDs containing their intimate relationship in markets.

“In the two cases, investigation found, the accused boys flaunt wealth such as luxury cars and gold ornaments to make their victims believe that they hailed from good family background. Once they wooed them, they forced them to have physical relationship which they filmed through secret video camera. Then they released the CD in the market and earned huge sums of money,” the chairperson said.

Orissa announces end to power-cuts

By Pradipta Udgata

Bhubaneswar, May 11: The Orissa government on Monday announced an end to regular power-cuts as production in hydro power plants improved following a few spells of rains in the last one week.

State for energy minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak on Monday said the government has decided to put an end to power cuts to relieve the consumers from the ongoing heat wave that has reportedly claimed 37 lives.

“Despite a lot of constraints, we decided to put an end to the unpleasant power cuts by buying power from captivate power plants of private companies. The Grid Corporation of Orissa (Gridco) is shouldering a huge a financial burden to buy power from the captive units,” Mr Nayak said.

According to sources, the Orissa Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC) will now provide 800 megawatt of power to the state grid.

The state was facing shortfall by 400-500 MW.

At present, the state is drawing 700 MW from central grids and 400 MW from different captive power plants.

The state has resorted to power cuts since April 5 due to shortage of electricity, which had affected both domestic consumers and commercial users. It had arranged for 2725 MW against its average requirement of 2650 MW, Mr Nayak informed.

Power generation from the hydro sector has increased to 800 MW. At present, the state is drawing 400 MW from captive power plants and 725 MW as its share from the central pool.

Ruling BJD feels the heat of mining scam, SC seeks report on illegal mining

By Ratikant Mohanty

Bhubaneswar, May 9: The ruling Biju Janata Dal headed by chief minister Naveen Patnaik has just begun to feel the heat of the multi-crore mining scam that took place during its tenure.

Top senior officers of the state mining department, who apparently overlooked to the alleged loot of thousands of tonnes of iron ore, manganese and other minerals by innumerable groups of mines mafia under the direct patronage of influential politicians, have failed to furnish the Supreme Court replies within the stipulated time regarding the steps taken by the state government to check illegal mining.

The Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) had made several recommendations with regards to exploitation of mineral wealth within the parameters of existing laws.

The apex court, which heard the matter on Friday, asked the state government to file within six weeks its response to the recommendations of the CEC to check illegal mining in the state.

The Orissa mining scam, according to industry circles, is bigger than that of Karnataka.

“We are happy with the development. The SC has given six weeks time to the state government to comply with the recommendations,” Jana Manch president Rabi Das, who filed the petition, said.

Senior lawyer Harish Salve appeared on behalf of the CEC, while K Venugopal represented the state government and Jayant Das argued for the petitioner.

The Supreme Court appointed CEC, which has given a series of recommendations to check illegal mining in the state, has said that its recommendations, if accepted and implemented, will ensure that mining is done in compliance with the statutory provisions and result in recovery of amount running into hundreds of crores.

The CEC had submitted its report to the apex court on April 26.

Hearing the case, the three-judge bench headed by the chief justice K.G. Balakrishnan, directed the state government to start implementing the recommendations of CEC that are acceptable to it. The other two members of the bench include Justice S.H. Kapadia and Justice Aftab Alam.

The CEC had recommended that in case of deemed renewal of the leases, the Net Present Value (NPV) with respect to forest land may be deposited by the lessee. In that case the lessee may be allowed to continue their mining operations in the non-forest land within their lease area if they have other statutory clearances such as environment clearance, clearance of Orissa State Pollution Control Board under the Water and Air Act and the mining plan approved by the Indian Bureau of Mines or the competent authority.

The Opposition Congress and BJP have been demanding a CBI probe into the Orissa mining scam. However, the BJD has rejected the demand saying that the state vigilance which is investigating into the case, was capable enough to unearth the
irregularities.

10 Naxals killed in joint raid by Andhra Pradesh, Orissa police

By Ratikant Mohanty

Bhubaneswar, May 9: At least 10 Maoists were on Sunday suspected to have been killed and several others injured in a fierce gun battle with the security personnel at Narayanpatna in Orissa’s Koraput district, nearly 500 km from here.
The battle that began on Saturday evening continued till the Sunday evening.
No concrete figure on the casualty was available even as chief minister Naveen Patnaik claimed that initial report indicated heavy losses from the side of Naxalites.
“I’m told that the Maoists have been affected. But details are not available as of now,” CM Mr Patnaik told reporters here.
Sources said that – acting on “concrete” intelligence inputs – a joint-team of security personnel consisting of Greyhound force from Andhra Pradesh and Special Operation Group jawans from Orissa raided the training camp at a dense forest near Narayanpata.
The ultras immediately retaliated by opening fire on the security personnel. However, the well-prepared security personnel managed to repulse the retaliation by adopting “superior guerrilla war techniques.”
Though the security personnel claimed they saw the rebels getting hit, there was no confirmation report.
Many of the ultras managed escape from the spot carrying their injured colleagues.
The police suspects presence of a top Maoist leader in the camp. “They way the Maoist tried to retaliate pointed to presence of a top Maoist leader,” a senior police official said.
A high alert has been sounded in the state following the exchange of fire between the security forces and Naxals. Combing operation has been intensified to frisk out the ultras from the area.

Sugarcane farmers battle against bitter reality

By A.K. Sahu

Bhubaneswar: Do the farmers in India, especially those who are engaged in cash crop like sugarcane, - get adequate price for their produce? Is the Union government serious enough to protect and patronise the country’s sugarcane growers and sugar millers who contribute a sizable amount to the national exchequer and protect the environment?
Over seven crore farmers and 6.5 lakh direct employees and 25 lakh indirect workers engaged in 651 sugar mills of the country are caught with these puzzling questions. They apprehend that the present policies and approaches of the Union government towards the sugarcane farming and sugar producers might make the current situation worse and their future may get dragged into uncertainty once the sugar millers stop cane crushing because of non-viability.
The present problem, according to informed industry sources, emanates from some “impractical” approaches and “faulty” policy adopted by the Centre. Import of duty-free sugar in the name of addressing food scarcity flooded the entire country, thus making the Indian sugar producers face a tough time to sell their produce in the market.
The imported sugar is now available in the Indian market at Rs 2,400 per quintal. This has forced the Indian mill owners to sell their sugar at Rs 25 per kg, Rs 7 less than the production cost.
Until this duty-free import was allowed, of the total sugar produced in India, more 60 per cent used to be lifted by multinational soft-drink makers and confectionaries. Now that these bulk buyers have shifted to imported sugar, the domestic sugar millers are battling a disastrous distress sale. This could be known from the fact that the sugar price which stood at Rs 37 per kg three months ago, has come down to Rs 24 this month. Of the rest 40 per cent, 20 per cent was levy sugar meant to be provided to the poor through Public Distribution System (PDS) and another 20 per cent was left for the common consumer.
The 20 per cent levy sugar often do not reach to the poor as the dealers sell them in open market for immediate and high profits.
Secondly, the weekly sugar release policy of the Centre has left the domestic sugar producers in the lurch. They are forced to organise in war-footing a lot of activities, including transport arrangement, to sell their commodity at least get back their input costs. Any failure in meeting the timeline results in their release quota getting converted to levy sugar.
Senior functionaries of the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) and National Federation of Cooperative Sugar (NFCS) told this newspaper that ever since the Union government allowed import of duty-free sugar, the national exchequer has suffered huge losses.
“In 2009-10 fiscal, the Centre imported 25 lakh tonnes of sugar. This year, 36 lakh tonne has already landed and more than 15 lakh is set to reach within a month. Earlier, the government used to levy 60 per cent duty on import of sugar. Thus, a rough calculation says the Union government stand to lose Rs 3,000 crore revenue,” the functionaries maintained.
They added, “Had this Rs 3,000 crore given as subsidy to farmers, the peasants could have produced more cane to keep the sugar mills rolling, making rural India grow at a faster pace.
As the sugar millers battle for getting a level-playing field, the farmers sense “not-so-good” time ahead.
“When the millers are themselves, our chance of survival looks remote,” says Saroj Nayak, a sugarcane grower.
Though the Cabinet Committee on Prices (CCP) decided allow duty free import of white sugar up to December 31, 2010 “to counter the spiraling food prices in the country,” the sugar producers contend that no such step was needed as sugar price contributes only 3.62 per cent to the price index.
The Union food and agriculture minister, Mr Sharad Pawar, while realising the gravity the situation, has recently announced that import duty on sugar may be restored as production of sugar increases and fall of sugar prices. Industry observers observe that delay in restoration of the import duty will most likely spell catastrophe for the entire sugar sector of India.
“The Central government’s policy and approach have made the foreign sugarcane growers richer and Indian farmers poorer. This is high time the Indian government came out with some pragmatic steps to protect the sugarcane growers and sugar sector,” the functionaries observed.
The Indian sugar producers are demanding that the domestic industry should be given preference vis-à-vis imports.
“The industry has paid to farmers a record remunerative price of Rs 250 per quintal of cane, besides supplying 20 per cent of its production as levy at a nominal price of Rs 1,360 per quintal. This small return does not even cover the cost of cane, resulting in incurring cash losses, squeezing of credit limits leading to arrears of cane price payments perpetuating cyclicality in sugarcane and sugar output,” a senior ISMA functionary said on the condition of anonymity.

Pragyan Ojha to marry on May 16

By Jyotismita Panda

Bhubaneswar, May 2: India's upcoming left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who recently hit the headlines by emerging as the leading wicket-taker in the IPL 3, is all set to tie the nuptial knot. The new spin sensation of the country will marry Karabee, the daughter of academician Professor Kailash Chandra Baral and Professor Chanchala Baral of Central University, Hyderbad.

Family sources said, "It's a love cum arranged marriage."

The marriage ceremony will take place at Hotel Mayfair Lagoon in Bhubaneswar on May 16.Born on September 5, 1986 in Khurda district of Orissa, Pragyan started playing cricket at Saheed Sporting Club, in Bhubaneswar.

Subsequently, Pragyan played for the Andhra Pradesh Ranji team before he was selected as a member of the Deccan Chargers team in the IPL.

Pragyan won the ‘Purple Cap' in IPL 3 by claiming 21 victims from 16 games.

Despite his envious feat, he did not find the T20 World Cup that began on Friday in West Indies.

Vedanta bails out power-crisis hit Orissa govt.

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, April 30: The ruling Biju Janata Dal has just managed to escape the hot summer criticism from its opponent political forces. It has successfully managed its power shortage, although through corporate route.

The London based Vedanta Group has supplied the state grid 200 MW power to meet the power scarcity, thus enabling chief minister Naveen Patnaik government to have a sound sleep this season without politicking over power crisis.

Vedanta is supplying power at an average rate of Rs.3.60 per unit as against the open market average cost of Rs.4.34 per unit and over Rs 9 per unit at spot market due to current demand- supply mismatch.

The contribution of Vedanta’s power plant at Jharsuguda to the state grid accounts for 14 per cent of the state’s demand. The arrangement has facilitated direct procurement of power by the state and reduced structured power cuts, providing relief to the common consumer.

The Company has commissioned nine units of 135 MW each totaling about 1215 MW captive power plant while it targets to commission one of the four units of 600 MW Independent Power Plant (IPP) each by September end, a senior company official told this newspaper.

He added that the state had already started reaping the benefits from partial power generation.

“By supplying electricity at a reduced rate, Vedanta has stood firmly behind the state government as a responsible corporate partner to supplement its efforts to minimize power cuts in the state,” the official remarked.

The Opposition had launched a tirade against the state government for regular power cuts.

At present, the actual peak demand of the state is 2700 MW against the installed capacity of 4081 MW from all sources. Because of the scanty rainfall and low levels in reservoirs, the state is getting hydro power of only 650 MW against the generation capacity of 2142 MW. Similarly, Orissa gets about 1000 MW from central allocation against committed 1059 MW and 750 MW thermal power from the state against 880 MW, according to Grid Corporation of Orissa chairman cum managing director, Mr C J Venugopal.

Interestingly, the state has created a record of sort by signing up MoUs with 23 Independent Power Producers [IPPs] with an installed capacity of a whopping 50,000 MW. But not a single power plant has seen the light of the day.

The State Government, on April 8 signed memoranda of understanding with five private firms for setting up independent thermal power projects (IPPs) to produce 4,800 megawatts power at an estimated cost of Rs 23,203.52 crore.

What is worse is the fact that the number of consumers have increased from 16.94 lakh in FY 2000 to 25.89 lakh in FY08, resulting in an increase of almost 53%, whereas supply side expansions since the decade has been almost nonexistent. With further addition of consumers under the Biju Gram Jyoti Yojna (BGJY) and Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) in the next 2 to 3 years, the demand supply balance is expected to be grossly affected and rendered unsustainable

The state is not tapping hydro-power keeping the farmer’s requirement in mind. “We have not been uitlising hydro sources as the mercury goes up and farmers would require water for irrigation purpose for Rabi crop”, Mr Venugopal told “The ET”. Gridco, however, struck a deal with other states by evacuating power as it is a win-win situation for all states. “Once we have surplus power in post monsoon period, we will give them back,” he added.

PLGA rebels kill forester in western Orissa

By Pabitra Senapaty

Bhubaneswar, April 30 : Maoist guerrillas –who claimed themselves belonging to the People’s Liberation of Guerrilla Army (PLGA) of the CPI (Maoist) party - killed a forest guard in Orissa’s Nuapara district, police said on Thursday.
According to local people, a group of about 40 guerrillas on Wednesday arrived at Katingpani, a village inside the Sunabeda reserve forest, - and asked the two watchmen deployed there to call for the forester Sangram Swain on the plea of some urgent work.
When the forester arrived, the Naxals took hold him and left the two watchmen go.
They kept Swain in confinement till the evening.
At around 7.30 pm, the ultras took the victim to Bharuamunda check-gate and shot him dead. Later, the destroyed the local forest office by setting fire on it.
Before leaving the place, the Maoists left two posters that warned corrupt government officials to face death penalty if “they do not stop exploiting people.”
Although the incident occurred just 22 km from the district headquarters Khariar, the district police did not have any information about it till the Thursday morning.
Three months ago, the ultras had killed a watchman in the same Bharumunda check-gate area.
A team of senior police officials led by district superintendent of police, Mr Bibak Ratha, visited the spot to take stock of the situation.
In yet another incident, the Maoists blew up a culvert near Laxmipur in Orissa's Koraput district Wednesday, hitting vehicular traffic.
The rebels have called a week-long shutdown in the southern parts of Orissa to protest the joint offensive against it by the state and the central forces.

Man gets life term in Orissa HC lawyer rape and murder case

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, April 30: A fast-track court on Thursday awarded life term to a man for raping and murdering a woman advocate of Orissa High Court.
Chitta Ranjan Sahu alias Chinu of Rebana village under Jajpur district was found guilty by Bhadrak fast-track court-2 judge P.K. Patra on charges of raping and murdering lawyer Tapaswani Panda on April 28 night, 2009.
The victim was the lawyer of the convict. Chitta Ranjan, a motor-mechanic- had approached her to fight a family dispute case on his behalf.
“Chitta Ranjan had developed one-sided love for Tapaswini. On the pretext of consultation, he took her to Bhadrak on the fateful day and tried to outrage her modesty there. When she objected, he killed her,” the case diary said.
At least 22 witnesses were examined during the trial.
The police arrested Sahu after the last call to the victim's mobile phone was traced to him. The accused confessed to committing the crime.

Mafia elements rule the roost during bandh in Orissa

By Ratikant Mohaty

Bhubaneswar, April 27: Mafia and anti-social elements on Tuesday unleashed a reign of terror in Bhubaneswar and other urban centres in the state during the bandh hours, even as the political leaders claimed that the agitation against the Union government passed off peacefully with “total and spontaneous” of people.

In the state capital here, the lathi-wielding youths blockaded the road by putting up stones and burning motor tyres. People going to drop their children at schools and attend their relatives in hospitals were not spared by the unruly youths.

“Although I desperately pleaded with the agitators to let me go to Capital Hospital to attend my cousin who is seriously sick, they did not oblige. Instead, they pulled me out of my car and damaged it,” Santosh Kumar Nayak, a city based business man, alleged.

The anti-socials – who found the bandh call an opportunity to make money – snatched wallets and other valuables from people traveling in auto-rickshaw and bikes. They also drained out fuel from vehicles and punctured their tyres.

Meanwhile, senior CPI (ML) leader Judhistir Mohanty accused the BJD of trying to get political mileage out of the bandh call.

“The bandh call in Orissa was given both against the UPA government and the ruling BJD for their failures to check price rise of essential commodities and on other fronts. But the BJD leaders very cunningly tried to escape the criticism by getting themselves associated with the agitation,” Mr Mohanty said.

The bandh exposed lack of ideological differences between the Left parties and BJD. They did not show up together at many places – they held protests separately.

The red flag bearers stopped trains and picketed before the Central government offices while the BJD leaders mainly focused on forcing business establishments down their shutters.

“There was total and spontaneous support from the people to the bandh,” claimed senior BJD leader Pyarimohan Mohapatra.

The BJP, erstwhile ally of the BJD, criticized the latter for its participation in the bandh. “The state suffers from the misrule of the BJP. However, shamelessly, the party associated itself with the band only to cover up its lapses,” senior BJP leader Biswa Bhusan Harichandan said.

What kind of bandh is this? A lathi-wielding man trying attack a biker (Photo-Piusha Mohanty)

Govt. keen to improve living standards of slum dwellers: H&UD minister Badrinarayan Patra

Bhubaneswar, April 25: Orissa housing and urban development minister Badrinaryan Patra on Saturday said the government was seriously contemplating to improve the living standards of people dwelling in the slums of the capital city by facilitating pipe-water supply and sewerage facilities to them.

Laying the foundation stone for the water supply and sanitation project at Bada Bhoi Sahi in Kapileswar in the city, Mr Patra said

successful implementation of the Gyana Nagar project in the old town area had inspired the government to undertake similar initiative in other slums.

US ambassador to India Mr Timothy J. Roemer had recently visited Gyana Nagar project executed by social organization Bharat Integrated Social Welfare Agency (BISWA). He highly appreciated the projects where Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, USAID and state public health department are also joint partners.

USAID team leader, Mr Lee E. Baker, said Badagada slum would recently get pipe water connection followed by four others slums in the city.

The four other slums – where water supply and sanitation work would be taken up - will be identified soon, Mr Lee informed.

BISWA director Mr K.C. Mallick said the organization was committed to better the living atmosphere in the slums by ensuring good health through interventions like pipe water supply and construction of toilets.

Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha member Prasanna Patsani, local Ekamra MLA Ashok Panda, BMC mayor Ananta Narayan Jena, BISWA director Prafulla Kumar Dhal were also present during the foundation laying ceremony.

Through the new project, the slum dwellers can get pipe water connection by paying a nominal fee of Rs 500. Besides, they would be extended micro credits to construct toilets.

Maoists destroy government quarters in Orissa

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, Apr 24: Normal life in south Orissa came to a grinding halt on the first day of the seven-day bandh call given by the Maoists.
Road transport services in Koraput and Malkangiri districts were completely paralysed as passenger carriers and lorries remained off the road.
Business establishments remained closed while educational institutes had thin attendance.
In the neigbouring Gajapti and Rayagada districts, the bandh call evoked partial response.
All long-route bus services were cancelled by the operators because of security concerns. Government buses to Jeypore, Nowrangpur and Muniguda via Adaba were cancelled.
In Koraput district, the ultras razed newly constructed quarters for government employees. At Podapadar and Narayanpatna, suspected Maoists blew up the buildings by triggering explosions.
The rebels fled the spot after security personnel engaged combing operation in the area arrived at spots.
Traffic on Jeypore-Malkangiri road and Narayanpatna- Bandhugaon, Adaba-Rayagada, Gunupur-Rayagada road was completely disrupted as Maoists had felled trees at several places. Road blockades were also reported from Tanginiguda and Gobindpalli areas on Malkangiri-Koraput border.
The police said the red rebels put up posters and banners at several places opposing Operation Green Hunt launched in southern Orissa districts. In some banners found in Sundergarh area, the Maoists asked the liquor traders to leave the area.

Maoists call for week-long bandh in South Orissa, high alerts sounded

By Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, April 21: The Orissa government on Wednesday sounded high alert in southern Orissa districts as the Maoists called for a week-long bandh in the region starting from Saturday.
The bandh call comes as protest against the Operation Green Hunt launched on Andhra Pradesh- Orissa the borders by the Central security forces.
In posters widely pasted on walls in Koraput, Rayagada and Malkangiri districts, the Maoists have reportedly warned business establishments to keep their shutters down.
They have also asked government officials not to attend their work places during the week.
Alleging that the security personnel were indulging in torture of local tribals, the red rebels have sought immediate withdrawal of forces from the region.
The state government, meanwhile, on Wednesday sealed its borders with Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to avoid entry of ultras from the neighbouring states.
“All vehicles entering into the region are thoroughly frisked. Security personnel conducted flag marches at Gunupur, Lamataput, Bisam-Katak, Narayanpatna, Bandhugaon, Baipariguda and several places to repel fears and apprehensions set in the minds of the local people following the Maoists threats,” said a senior home department official.
In posters seized in Komna block of Nuapara district in western Orissa, the Maoists warned country liquor shops to close their businesses or face “serious consequences.”
The Orissa government has apparently lost its grip over Malkangiri district bordering Chhattisgarh. No senior political leader or top police official has visited the district headquarters by road in the last couple of years. Malkangiri comes under the Dandakaranya liberated zone of the rebels.
Major parts of the adjoining Koraput and Rayagada districts have also strong presence of the rebels. Indian Bank Executive Director Mr Ram Gopal

Indian Bank bullish about its growth in 2010-11 fiscal

By A.K. Sahu
Bhubaneswar, April 21: Indian Bank is exploring options to add insurance products to its portfolio. For this, the Bank may partner with foreign players, if need be, - Mr V. Ram Gopal, executive director of Indian Bank, said here on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters here, Mr Gopal said the Indian Bank was bullish about its growth and he hoped that the inclusion of insurance products would further boost the bank’s business prospects.
“We are quite bullish about our growth. For the 2010-11 fiscal, we are eyeing a 22 per cent growth in our business. We have set a target of Rs 2, 10,000 crore turnover for the year and 16 per cent increase in our net profit,” Mr Gopal said.
Claiming that the national credit-deposit (CD) ratio of the Bank was 71 per cent in the last fiscal, the ED said the Indian Bank always focused on winning the trust of its clientele, especially in priority sectors, by increasing the volume of lending.
He informed that the total lending of the Bank by March 31 was Rs 61,000 crore as against a total deposit of Rs 88,000 crore.
“Our priority sector lending is much above the stipulated 40 per cent. In micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) sector together with retails, the total lending by March 31 was Rs 8,360 crore. In agriculture sector, our lending is much above the stipulated 18 per cent,” he informed.
Focusing on Orissa circle’s performance, Mr Gopal said the CD ratio in the last fisal was recorded at 76.10 per cent, highest by any bank.
The Bhubaneswar circle includes Orissa and Chhattisgarh. The total business recorded by the circle stood at Rs 2178.33 crore.
The deposit figures of Orissa and Chhattisgarh were Rs 1122.1 crore and and Rs 136.02 crore, respectively.
Mr Gopal said 15 new branches will be opened in Bhubaneswar circle during the current fiscal - 14 in Orissa and one in Chhattisgarh.

Orissa hires Luminous Infoways to standardize its portals

By Smaranika Nanda

Bhubaneswar, April 19: Luminous Infoways, a premier IT firm in eastern India, is all set to expand its activities in other states. The company has been has been engaged by the Orissa government to standardize contents of all the 30 districts portals.

As Content Service Provider (CSP) in IT sector, Luminous Infoways has been managing highly prestigious National Portal of India for three states like Orissa, Jharkhand and Arunachal Pradesh.

Speaking on the occasion of celebration of the Company’s 10th foundation day held here on Sunday, the Company CEO and managing director, Tanmay Mohanty said, “Luminous is credited with implementing agency for RTI Central Monitoring Mechanism in Orissa, as authorized by Information and Public Relations Department. This system has acclaimed high appreciation from the World Bank and we would be focusing on this citizen centric project to help common man to utilize RTI more effectively.”

The premier IT agency has successfully carved out niche for itself in the areas like E-governance, RTI, health domain, expansion of CSP activities, content development, web designing and development, e-business Solutions and consulting to draw out Business Solution on the complex issues.

The Company bagged prestigious IT Award as the Best IT Service Provider for the year 2009 and 2010 consecutively by Orissa government and CII. Recently one of its web applications on Hydrology Project has won National Award to the State for “Excellent Web site” from Government of India and World Bank.

The company, which has presence in USA and Middle East with sizable customers in Australasia & Europe, also had bagged contracts from the world’s 3rd largest winery Gray cliff.

Celebrating sweet success: Chief Information Commissioner D.N. Padhi inaugurating the 10th Foundation Day of Luminous Infoways at IDCOL Auditorium on April 18. Also seen in the pictures are (from left) project officer, JAPIT, Jharkhand Dipak Kumar Sinha, Luminous Infoways director Jayashree Mohanty and CEO Tanmay Mohanty.

Vedanta University project gets Central environment clearance

By Pabitra Senapaty

Bhubaneswar, April 18: Setting all speculations at rest, the Union forest and environment ministry has given its nod for the “world class” Vedanta University at Puri in Orissa.

Proposed to be built with a massive investment of Rs 15,000 crore by the London based Anil Agarwal Foundation, the project has also got Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance.

The new development has come as a victory for the Naveen Patnaik government which is bent upon to make the venture a success, even as the BJP strongly opposes it alleging that gross irregularities were committed in land allotment to the foundation.

In fact a team of BJP leaders led by former MLA Uma Ballav Rath are now camping in New Delhi to put pressure on the Union government to cancel the Vedanta University project.

“With this environment nod, Anil Agarwal Foundation has fulfilled yet another major legal requirement for establishing the university. This approval is likely to facilitate the project to move further,” a senior official of the university project told this newspaper on Sunday.

The multi-disciplinary not-for-profit university will offer courses in 95 disciplines accommodating at least one lakh students in the campus.

Having provision for quality higher education and cutting-edge research facility, the project envisages construction of 2,73, 68, 959 sq. meters spread out over 6, 892 acres in Puri. The complex will have academic block on 1,500 acres, research and development centre and research park on 1,200 acres, Olympic Class, athletic complex on 300 acres, water treatment plant on 100 acres, green belt and open spaces on 1,092 acres, township for faculty and staff on 2,100 acres, sports complex on 100 acres and exhibition centre on 100 acres of land.

According to official sources, the state government is in the final stages of transferring about 4,000 acres of land, acquired by it for the project.

Orissa doctors call off strike following CM’s assurance

By Pabitra Senapaty

Bhubaneswar, April 18: Much to the relief of the state government, the Orissa Medical Services Association (OMSA) on Sunday called off its indefinite strike.

The decision to call off the strike followed a meeting of the OMSA office-bearers with the health minister Prasanna Acharya and senior government officials in the evening.

A ray of hope to end the OMSA-state government standoff came in the morning after chief minister told media that the government was actively considering the doctors’ demand for implementation of Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) scheme.

“The government is sympathetic to the DACP demand of the doctors. The ministerial committee will take a final decision in this regards,” the chief minister Patnaik said before leaving for New Delhi on a six-day official trip.

After the meeting with the heath minister, the OMSA president Dr Madhusudan Mishra called upon his colleagues to join on duty.

Health services across the state were seriously affected because of the doctors’ agitation.

Naveen Patnaik govt. attempting to denigrate Lok Pal office: BJP

By Pabitra Senapaty

Bhubaneswar, April 15: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday criticized the state government for not taking any action on the findings of the Lok Pal, Orissa, - with regard to Vedanta University Project (VUP) and trying to “shield” political leaders and bureaucrats who facilitated “illegal transfer” of lands in favour of the said venture.
“The Lok Pal report says in no uncertain terms about the gross irregularities committed to favour the Vedanta Group with regard to their university project at Puri. But the chief minister’s office, in stead of taking any action, has come out a press release that says the report could not be made public and published in media unless it is tabled in the state Assembly. This is just a plea to avoid responsibility,” senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra said.
He added that there was no law that prescribed that a Lok Pal could not be published in media.
He alleged that the chief minister was himself trying to suppress the irregularities in Vedanta University project as “it was born in his office.”
BJP Legislature Party Leader, Mr K.V. Singhdeo, said that the reports which the government does not agree and sends it back to the Lok Pal are referred to governor for his perusal.
“Such reports of disagreement are called special reports and these documents are tabled in the House,” Mr Singhdeo said.

SC, ST confederation demand job reservation in private firms

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, April 15: President of All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations, Mr Udit Raj, on Thursday sought formulation of a piece of legislation providing mandatory reservation of jobs for scheduled caste and scheduled tribe candidates in private firms.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of addressing the state chapter of the confederation, Mr Raj said although a bill seeking reservation in private was table in the Rajya Sabha in 2004, it could not be debated for years. In 2009, the same bill was tabled in Lok Sabha, but the UPA government withdrew it assuring that a revised version of the document will be placed in House.
“It’s surprising that nothing has been done in this respect so far,” Mr Raj observed.
Talking on the Right to Information Act, Mr Raj said the legislation could not bring desired results “since it does not make it mandatory for the government servants to send their children to private schools.”
“Political leaders, bureaucrats and industrialists are sending their children to private English medium schools since the government-run schools are not properly managed. The Right to Education Act should have made it mandatory for all government employees to send their children to government schools that the standard of such institutes would have improved,” he said.
Criticising Uttar Pradesh chief minister and BSP supremo Mayawati for not agreeing to implement the RTI Act on the ground that it would require huge fund, Mr Raj said, “As she claims to represent the Ambedkar legacy, she should have told like this.”
“B.R. Ambedkar stood for education for all. But Maywati does not seem sincere to follow this guiding principle of the great soul,” he said.
Stating that the present state government was not properly implementing the Orissa Reservation of Vacancies in Posts & Services (for SCs & STs) Act (ORV Act), Mr Raj said the confederation would soon launch agitations in the state to put pressure on the government for strict adherence of the law.
“We would not tolerate any attempt at dereservation of the jobs for SC and STs in government establishments. We would protest it tooth and knell,” he said.

Oil spillage reported in Orissa coast, Govt. alerts wildlife wing

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, April 13: A huge and thick layer of oil on Tuesday morning washed up the Rushikulya river mouth, threatening the local marine flora and fauna.

The oil was found floating near the beach and some of it had washed ashore on the sands on the Olive Ridley sea turtle nesting grounds at Gokharkuda and Kantigada. More than 1,00,000 turtles had nested on the beach last month.

Fishermen who had gone fishing in the early hours of today first reported the oil clogging their nets. They had to return without fishing.

The oil is reported to be leaking from the oil tanks of “Malavika” a ship which was coming to Gopalpur port. The oil has entered the Rushikulya river and could be a threat to Chilika lake as well since Palur canal connects the river with the lake.

“There could be irreversible damage to the eggs and the sea turtle population which are still present at the offshore waters. Marine fauna which are food for the turtles will be severely affected,” eminent turtle activist Biswajit Mohanty told this newspaper.

He added that oil can also be ingested by the turtles which are present now in the offshore waters leading to their death.

“Even dolphins can also be affected by the oil spills,” he added.

The chief wildlife warden of Orissa and the Orissa State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) have been alerted about this marine disaster and urged to take immediate mitigation measures.

“The oil has to be recovered and collected from the place so that there is no adverse effect on the turtle eggs or the marine fauna,” Mr Mohanty said.

Health services paralysed as agitating doctors refuse to admit patients

ByOur Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, April 13: Health services in government hospitals across the state were seriously affected as agitating members of the Orissa Medical Services Association (OMSA) on Monday refused to admit fresh patients and conduct surgeries.
The OMSA members are demanding timely promotions as per the provisions of the Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) and cancellation of a mass transfer order.
The sudden move by the OMSA, which comes six days ahead of its call for an indefinite strike, took the government by surprise.
The worried state government immediately called an emergency meeting of the DACP committee to discuss the demand of the doctors. However, the committee could not take any decision and decided to discuss the issue after April 18.
Finance minister Prafulla Chandra Ghadei, who is heading an inter-ministerial committee to consider the demand of the doctors for strict implementation of DACP, said the government was sympathetic towards the claim of the OMSA members.
“The state government is examining the DACP norms followed in other states. We are quite sympathetic about the OMSA’s demand and I hope the impasse will be over soon,” Mr Ghadei said.
The OMSA and the state government are locked in a bitter battle as the latter transferred 288 doctors in two phases allegedly to break the unity of OMSA.
Meanwhile, the OMSA doctors on Monday approached State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) challenging the mass transfer order. The SAT, while admitting the petition of the doctors, said it cannot interfere in the state government’s action since the latter had issued relieved orders for the transferred medicos.
The SAT, however, issued a notice to the state government seeking an explanation as to under what circumstances the government went for mass transfers.
OMSA president Madhusudan Mishra, who has been transferred to Sundergarh, said the organization would not bend before the arm-twisting method followed by the state government.
“We are asking for our legitimate rights and claims. If the state government does not take a positive view of our demands, we have no other option left than resigning en masse,” Mr Mishra told reporters.

BJP demands water policy, snubs Naveen on Kalinga Nagar issue

By Pabitra Senapaty

Bhubaneswar, April 10: The BJP on Saturday slammed the ruling BJD in Orissa saying that the party was busy in stealing the state’s water resources to feed industrial houses that have been funding the state government.

“The present chief minister Naveen Patnaik – who came to power on the promise of protecting state’s jal, jamin and jungle (water, land and forest) – has in fact turned out to be the major predator. It promised to achieve 100 per irrigation capacity. But, unfortunately it has not been able to go beyond the 2003’s figure of 35 per cent,” the BJP president told reporters after the party’s two-day executive committee meeting.

In one of the 19 resolutions adopted by the state executive, the BJP called the state government for making a water policy so as to ensure adequate supply of the natural resource for irrigation and drinking purposes.

Accusing the chief minister Mr Patnaik of giving away land and forests to private companies for setting up industries and mineral explorations, the BJP president said the CM – who should have acted like a protector – has in fact turned out to be a “predator.”

The alleged 3-lakh crore mining scam was discussed in the executive committee meeting and a separate resolution was adopted demanding a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

“Since top leaders of the ruling party, bureaucrats and mining mafia are involved in the multi-crore minerals scam, only a CBI investigation can bring the truth to light,” the resolution said.

In yet another resolution, the party criticised the state government for the recent hike in electricity tariff.

“The government ridiculously claims that Orissa is a power surplus state even as it is subjecting people to hours of power-cuts day and night,” the resolution said.

A censure motion was adopted in the executive committee meeting condemning the police atrocities on tribals and assault on BJP leaders and journalists at Kalinga Nagar Industrial Estate. The motion called for halt in the construction of common corridor in the area.

Stating that the BJD was hand-in-glove with the Maoists, the BJP state president said with active support and patronization of the state government the rebels had spread their tentacles from two to 30 districts in the 10 years of rule of Naveen Patnaik.

Orissa gets investment worth Rs 23,203.52 crore in power sector

By Pabitra Senapaty

Bhubaneswar, April 9: The Orissa government on Friday signed memoranda of understanding with five private firms for setting up independent thermal power projects (IPPs) to produce 4,800 megawatts power.

The five companies which entered into MoUs include BGR Energy System Limited, JR Power Gen Private Limited, Adhunik Power and Natural Resources Limited, Maa Durga Thermal Power Company Limited and Vijaya Ferro and Power Limited.

All firms put together, will invest Rs 23,203.52 crore in the projects.

BGR Energy Limited will establish its 1320-MW (2x660) power plant at Bhapur district while JR Powergen Private Limited has shown interest to 1980 MW (3x660) project at Kukudabahal, Jhinkiadar in Sambalpur district. Adhunik power and Natural Resources has agreed to set up its 1320-MW project at Birmaharajpur in Sonepur district while Maa Durga Thermal Power Company Limited will set up its 60-MW power plant at Tangi in Cuttack district.

Vijaya Ferro and Power Private Limited will put up its 120-MW at Tulakhamar Kalahandi.

While the first three companies will source water from Mahanadi river the fourth and fifth ones will draw it from Birupa and Tel rivers, respectively.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, while welcoming the investment proposals, said the projects shall be critical enablers for sustaining a 20 per cent growth in agriculture sector and 10 per cent growth in other core economic sectors of Orissa.

“The progress in this regard is heartening since we have already added 1982 megawatts of capacity through captive power plants. Another 600 megawatts of capacity will be added during the year 2010 by the IPPS,” the chief minister said.

Energy minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, who was present on the occasion, said the state would get at least 600 megawatts of power from the five new IPPs.

The state government had earlier signed MoUs with 21 other companies to generate 2700 MW power. The earlier project proposals entail an investment of Rs 1.40 lakh crore

US-Orissa to work jointly on mining, power and port sector

By Pabitra Senapaty
Bhubaneswar, April 8: The US ambassador to India, Mr Timothy J Roemer, - on Thursday met Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik at the state secretariat here and discussed on possibilities of joint-development cooperation in mining, power and port sectors.
“I had very good discussions with the chief minister Naveen Patnaik. He is a very talented person. We talked on how Orissa and the United States can jointly work in areas like mining, port, power and other business development sectors. The US hopes it would have good business development relationship with this beautiful land,” Mr Roemer said.
Chief minister Mr Patnaik said the state would explore possibilities of cooperation with the US in education, health, mining, port, power and other allied sectors.
“We talked on areas of mutual cooperation in socio-economic sectors,” the chief minister informed.
The diplomat said he was highly impressed at the success of the USAID-assisted water and sanitation project executed by voluntary organization Bharat Integrated Social Welfare Agency and Bhubaneswar Muncipal Organisation at the Gyana Nagar slum in the city and assured that the programme would be replicated in other parts of the city and other towns in the state.
To a query, the diplomat said the US president Barack Obama and India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will meet on the sidelines the coming nuclear summit in Washington and discuss how to keep dangerous weapon (nuclear arsenal) from the dangerous people.
“India and the US share common concern on nuclear proliferation and security of the people. The US president Mr Obama and Indian Prime Minister Singh will meet ahead of the meeting and discuss this issue,” he said.
Stating that the US and India had been subjected to horrible terrorists attacks, the ambassador said the two countries were committed to eliminate terrorism by mutual cooperation.

Recession fails to wreck Paradip Port growth ship, registers record traffic

By Smaranika Nanda

Bhubaneswar, April 8: Undaunted by global economic meltdown and sluggish export-import business, Paradip Port Trust (PPT) has handled a record traffic 57.01 million tonnes in 2009-10 fiscal, registering a 22.84 per cent growth compared to the previous year.

“The 57.01 million tonnes traffic, handled during 2009-10, is a record surpassing previous year's record of 46.41 million tones,” PPT chairman, Mr K. Raghuramaiah, told reporters here on Wednesday evening.

The PPT also recorded substantial improvement in financial performance in 2009-10. The port made an operating income of Rs 786.41 crore against Rs 696.71 crore in 2008-09, the chairman informed.

The operating expenditure of the port during the current financial year, Mr Raghuramaiah said, came to Rs 409.17 crore as against Rs 358.17 crore last year.

“Paradip Port achieved the highest growth rate amongst all the major ports in handling of traffic during 2009-10. Its position improved to fifth from earlier eighth among major ports in terms of volume of traffic handled,” he said.

The port plans to raise its capacity to 135 MTPA by 2012 from 76 MTPA at present by adding 59 MTPA. As regards the future plans, the chairman said the port had initiated a project for construction of western dock system for building six berths at an estimated cost of Rs 2,000 crore for which preparation of a detailed project report and detailed engineering work were under progress.

The PPT has also initiated a project for construction of an island breakwater with berthing facilities on the lee side of the breakwater at an estimated cost of Rs 800 crore.

Kolkota fire mishap alerts Orissa, builders asked to comply safety norms

By Pabitra Senapaty
Bhubaneswar, April 7: Apparently alarmed by the recent fire mishap at Stephen Court building in Kolkota that claimed as many as 36 lives, Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) on Thursday asked builders and real estate developers to obtain No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the fire services department.
While asking the occupants to insist for NOC from the developers, the BDA warned that builders who have not supplied NOC to the occupants must inform it so as to avoid the structures being declared as unsafe.
“It has come to our notice that a number of multistoried buildings constructed by different builders/developers have been occupied without obtaining necessary occupancy certificate from the BDA. Obtaining the occupancy certificate before possession of a building is a mandatory statutory requirement,” BDA secretary Mr K. C. Sahu told this newspaper.
He added that the occupants of such multistoried building were also advised to adopt all the required fire safety measures in their building by contacting the local fire officers.
“Occupying buildings without issue of occupancy certificate by the BDA may entail serious fire and other natural hazard. General public is therefore advised not to occupy any such buildings,” he suggested.
Asked how many developers had flouted the norms, BDA planning member K.C. Satpathy said, “We are compiling data about the law-breakers and they will be asked to comply all the requirements.”

Tribal students, temple, slum dwellers find place in USA ambassador itinerary

By Jyotismita Panda
Bhubaneswar, April 6: USA ambassador to India, Mr Timothy J. Roemer, who is arriving here on Wednesday on a two-day visit to the state, will visit residents of Gyana Nagar slum in Bhubaneswar to see implementation of a pilot initiative on water and sanitation.
In the afternoon, the ambassador is scheduled to spend time with a large crowd of tribal students at Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), Asia’s largest residential tribal educational establishment managed by KITT University.
The multi-stake holders water and sanitation project executed by leading social organization Bharat Integrated Social Welfare Agency (BISWA) in partnership with USAID, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, state housing and urban development department, MSDF (USA)-PHEO, has been an overwhelmingly successful experiment as the slum dwellers now get good water and sanitation facilities at their houses paying a nominal charge of pipe water connection, thus enabling them to keep good health and contribute to the economic development of the society.
Under the project, 100 per cent households were given pipe water supply and city sanitation.
Through this project, the BMC intends to prepare a Citywide Slum Upgrading Strategy (CSS) with an implementation and financial investment plan.
Besides, it is also pursuing its vision to transform Bhubaneswar into an ‘open defecation free’ (ODF) city through a City Sanitation Strategy (CSS).
The Government of Orissa also has a vision to make Bhubaneswar a slum less city by 2030.
Key outcomes of pilot project will provide the basis for the citywide slum upgrading and poverty reduction strategy to meet the goals set out in the Bhubaneswar City Development Plan under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
At present Bhubaneswar has at least 377 slums.
It is noteworthy to say that based on pilots learning, recently, government of Orissa has reduced the connections fees for urban poor from Rs 4,620 to Rs 800, for both water supply and sewerage connections.
On Thursday morning, Mr Roemer will visit Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar. The 11th Century temple is the abode Lord Shiv.

Congress criticizes Naveen on Jagannath land transfer deal

Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, April 5: The Congress on Monday demanded an “impartial probe” into the handing over Jagannath temple trust land to the London-based Vedanta Resources which is setting up a university project at Puri.Addressing a press conference here, senior Congress leaders – Mr Narasingha Mishra, Mr Nalini Kanta Mohanty, Mr L.B. Mohapatra, Niranjan Patnaik and Sibananda Ray said although an Assembly committee constituted by former Speaker Kishore Mohanty had estimated the 1200 acres land given to Vedanta at Rs 80 crore, the same was given to the company at Rs 8 crore only.

“The handing over of the Jaganath temple trust land to Vedanta smacks of a huge scam. The state law department had give nadverse note on the transfer of land. But the chief minister’s office overlooked this for some obvious reasons,” they said, adding, an impartial probe could unearth the scam.

They added that the state government should step down so as to ensure that the probe was not affected.

“The governor of Orissa is well aware of the irregularities that have taken place in Vedanta deal. He sent four memoranda submitted to him to the state government on the flagrant violation of laws and colourful exercise of power to favour the company. What steps the chief minister Naveen Patnaik has taken on the matter?” they asked.

IFFCO-Paradeep achieves record production

By Jyotismita Panda

Bhubaneswar, Aril 5: The Paradeep unit of Indian Farmers Fertilisers Cooperative Limited (IFFCO-Paradeep), the country’s largest cooperative fertilizer unit, has achieved highest ever production of 15,00,000 MT of fertiliser in 2009-10 fiscal, surpassing its previous record of 13,06,000 MT in 2008-09.

According Mr M.R. Patel, executive director of Paradip unit, the plant also registered highest yearly production of phosphoric acid of 4,62,000 MT in the last fiscal, besides achieving highest sulphuric acid production of 14,28,290 MT.

“IFFCO has scripted many successes in the last fiscal. It has generated generated of 3,12,420 megawatt-hours (Mwh) in the financial year 2009-10. The company has also exported 24,778 MWhs power to the state GRID of Orissa at its present hour of power crisis,” Mr Patel told this newspaper on Monday.

He added that IFFCO-Paradeep had taken up a number of energy conservations and green initiatives in recent years.

“Our efforts at energy conservation have been duly recognised. The organisation has bagged National Energy Conservation Award from the Union government for its commitment for over all development of the rural farmers,” Mr Patel added.

Orissa BJP president, scribes attacked by ruling BJD activists

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, April 5: Former Union minister and Orissa BJP president Jual Oram and a group of scribes were on Monday allegedly attacked by the ruling BJD activists when they tried to visit the troubled Kalinga Nagar Industrial Complex (KNIC) in Jajpur district, nearly 120 km from here.

The attackers – armed with lathis, swords and spears – stopped Mr Oram and his party leaders at Jakhapura near Kalinga Nagar and asked them not to venture into the area. As the leaders insisted to go to the tribal villages under the KNIC, the BJD activists pushed them back and asked to immediately quit the area, Mr Oram said.

“The BJD activists – who were sent by the local legislator and state finance minister Prafulla Chandra Ghadei – even did not spare our women delegates. They hurled abusive remarks at them,” the BJP president alleged.

He added that three local scribes, who were shooting in the incident, were brutally attacked by the mob.

Two separate first information reports (FIRs) – one by Mr Oram and the other by the New Indian Express local correspondent Amulya Pati – have been filed at Jakhapura police stations.

The district police said three persons were arrested in connection with the attack on Mr Oram and the scribes.

The injured New Indian Express reporter was brought to Bhubaneswar for treatment.

“In no civilized country, political representatives and journalists are debarred to visit a particular place in their own land. Here at Kalinga Nagar, the police has unleashed a reign of terror to suppress the local people. Since the state government does not want its atrocities on tribals to come out in the press, it has clamped prohibitory orders in the area under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in the area,” Mr Oram observed.

He informed that the BJP would announce its next course of action after the two-day state executive committee meeting beginning Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the finance minister denied the allegation that his supporters were involved in the incident.

“The BJP is making wild allegation against me. Why should I instigate people to stop and assault political representatives and journalists to visit Kalinga Nagar?” he shot back.

JSPL to spend Rs 20 crore to upskill 6000 youths as part of CSR initiatives

By Jyotismita Panda

Bhubaneswar, April 2: As part of confidence building exercise with land oustees and local villagers, Jindal Steel and Power Ltd on Thursday began an ambitious plan to upskilling some 6000 youths belonging to land losers and displaced families with a total investment of Rs 20 crore.

“We believe that there cannot be any growth in and around our plant site, if we do not address the fulfillment of basic needs of the nearby villagers.

We have initiated series of measures for peripheral development. Apart from the electrification of 18 peripheral villages, the company has introduced mobile hospital, drinking water and rural roads”, JSPL executive director Rajesh Jha said here on the sidelines of launching of a Book “Maitree” – Ama Angulra Pragati [Friendship – Progress of Our Angul] brought out by the Times of India Group.

To its credit, the Naveen Jindal owned Company has not invited the wrath of the locals while putting up its state-of-the art 6 million ton per annum integrated steel plant in Angul district. Besides, it is also setting up a captive power plant to produce 1080 MW of electricity. The total project cost is pegged at Rs 13,500 crore.

The Company is spending Rs 50 crores towards the resettlement and rehabilitation of around 900 displaced families and other persons by providing them with gainful employment and economically empower them as part of various Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.

Unveiling the Book, Biju Janata Dal leader and Rajya Sabha member, Pyari Mohan Mohapara underscored the need for ploughing back part of profit by corporate houses for local area development and carrying the stakeholders for overall development of the region where the industrial project is located.

JSPL first set up a vocational technical training institute (O.P. Jindal Institute of Technology & Skills) at Angul to impart appropriate skills to illiterate and unemployed youths by providing them stipend. This institute provides adequate and quality vocational training to at least one member of each displaced family. There are some 200 students in this institute. It also provides vocational training to additional 200 non-matriculate youths of periphery villages in a bid to make them skilled workers.

“We believe in participatory approach and we take the villagers into confidence while deciding about dwelling units for them or building schools or upskilling them. They need to lead a happy life”, Mr Jha, remarked adding that the company is building houses for land-oustees in consultation with the displaced persons.

The Company is also encouraging the villagers to take up making of fly ash brick by providing technical and financial support from the banks. The Company will buy back that the entire produce of the brick plants, according to Mr Jha.

Strong presence of Maoists found in Kalinga Nagar
By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, April 2: A strong presence of Maoists in Kalinga Nagar Industrial Complex, the country’s upcoming steel hub, is slowly becoming clearer with the police seizing literatures of the Left wing organization.

The police on Friday confirmed that several posters that were seized from Duburi were in fact circulated by the CPI (Maoist) organization. The posters were seized from near a private mobile tower which the ultras unsuccessfully tried to blow up on Wednesday night. The ultras could not execute their plan properly because of the 24-hour patrolling in the area, the police said

The police seized a few pieces of electric wires from the spot. The Maoists posters recovered from the Duburi warned pro-industry people serious of consequences for their support to the current eviction drive carried out by the district administration.

Jajpur superintendent of police, Mr D.S. Kuttey, said some of the top leaders of the Visthapan Virodhi Jana Manch, including its secretary Rabindra Jarika, had strong Maoists links.

“Investigations have revealed that hardcore Naxalite Anna Reddy had trained some of the Visthapan Virodhi Jana Mach leaders and activists how to wage an armed struggle against the administration. VVJM secretary Rabindra Jarika and its frontline activist Dabar Kalundia have contacts with Maoist cadres,” the SP said.

He added that the VVJM activists had undergone an eight-day training programme conducted by Anna Reddy three years ago.

In fact, the police had recently seized a luxury car from Rabindra Jarika and some documents that showed that Kalundia was working a labour contractor and earning around Rs 3 lakh per month.

The police has launched a combing operation in the neigbouring Gobarghati, Baligoth and Chandia villages as it suspects some radical elements and their supporters are holed up in the area.

Meanwhile, the Congress, BJP and Lok Shati Abhijan leaders on Friday alleged police excesses at Kalinga Nagar.

“The police has launched a reign of terror in the area. In order to suppress a popular uprising against displacement, it is branding the local people as Maoists and putting them behind the bars,” state BJP president, Mr Jual Oram, alleged.

Nalco registers record 4.3 tonnes lakh metal production

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, April 4: National Aluminium Company Limited (Nalco), a Navratna public sector unit under the Union ministry of mines and India’s leading manufacturer and exporter of alumina and aluminium, has achieved the highest-ever metal production of 4.31 lakh tonnes in 2009-10, against the previous best of 3.61 lakh tonnes in 2008-09, with 19.4 per cent increase.

Similarly, Nalco’s alumina refinery at Damanjodi has recorded the highest-ever production of 15.92 lakh tonnes of alumina hydrate against the previous best of 15.90 lakh tonnes in 2005-06, with capacity utilization of 101.05 per cent.

“Despite external hindrances at the beginning of the fiscal, the company’s bauxite mines at Panchpatmali Hills of Koraput, achieved the highest-ever production, with 48.79 lakh tonnes against the previous best of 48.54 lakh tonnes in 2005-06, with capacity utilization of 101.64 per cent,” an official release of Nalco said.

The release added that in spite of acute coal shortage and severe power fluctuations, the PSU's captive power plant, which feeds to the smelter plant at Angul, achieved the highest-ever power generation of 6295 million units against the previous year’s 5541 million units, up by 13.6 per cent. The previous best of 5968 million units was recorded in 2006-07.

Besides, Nalco has achieved the highest-ever domestic metal sale of 2.89 lakh tonnes, surpassing the previous highest of 2.71 lakh tonnes in 2008-09, with an increase of 6.5 per cent. The company also registered the highest-ever metal export of 1.47 lakh tonnes against the previous year’s export of 82,314 MT, recording an increase of 78.5 per cent. The the previous best of 1.33 lakh tonnes was recorded in 2004-05.

Operation Greenhunt is not solution to Naxal problem: D. Raja

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, Mar 28: The CPI on Sunday said it did not see the Union and state governments would achieve any tangible results from their much publicised Operation Greenhunt launched recently to “root out” the Maoist forces in the country.

“I don’t feel Operation Green hunt alone can solve the Naxalite problem. Some special plans and programmes must be prepared to tackle the menace, which involves socio-economic issues,” CPI national secretary, Mr D. Raja told reporters here.

The CPI leader – while stating that certain issues being raised by Maoists were justified – observed that methods adopted by the ultras were not appropriate.

“All problems cannot be solved by killing people. They need to be discussed and governments – both at the Centre and state - must try to address them in right earnest,” Mr Raja said, adding, a large number of tribals and weaker sections of the society were being neglected and exploited.

Criticising the UPA government, the Left leader said its faulty economic policies had resulted in hike of food and petroleum product prices.

Mr Raja informed that four Left parties – CPI, CPM, Forward Bloc and RSP – would stage demonstrations before the Parliament on April 8 to protest against the UPA government’s massive disinvestment of public sector undertakings and eviction of tribals and share-croppers from their land, besides demanding food security for all and protection of democratic rights of individuals.

Orissa set to get mega food, marine parks

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, March 28: Union food processing industries minister Subodhkant Sahay on Sunday said his ministry was actively considering the Orissa government’s proposals to set up a mega food park and a marine food park in the state.

Mr Sahay announced this while responding to a demand raised by chief minister Naveen Patnaik here at the Orissa Investors Meet 2010.

The mega food park has been proposed at Malipara near Khurda with an area of 282 acres.

The minister said although Orissa is a major agriculture producing state of India, it still miles behind the other states like Kerala, Gujrat, Maharastra in food processing sector. “This makes Orissa a natural contender for the mega food park,” he observed.

Making a call for agri-industrialisation and village-industrialisation, he said that, with suitable policy intervention, investment and use of latest technology the country can achieve its agri growth target.

Though more than 70 per cent of the population of India depends upon Agriculture it is way behind in preserving and processing its agriculture and food produce. The advised the state government to make its proposed food processing policy investor and farmer friendly.

“In western Orissa, there are more than 150 rice mills. Those mills can be encouraged to produce 10 more items other than rice and contribute to the economic development of the farmers,” Mr Sahay said, urging the state government to create more storage facility as well as construction cold storages to preservation of agriculture produce.

Union minister of state for fertilizers and chemicals Srikant Jena said the state government should come out with a policy on food processing sectors. He also emphasized the need for low-cost loans to the farmers.

Mr Jena suggested the Union and state agriculture ministers to supply soil health cards to the farmers so as to enable them to nourish their land and choose right crops to grow.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik – while highlighting steps taken by his government for value addition of agricultural and horticultural produce – said the state had identified food processing sector as a thrust area and was giving tax relaxation and other incentives to farmers and agro-based industries.

“Considering the vast potential of agro and food processing industries, the state government has taken various policy measures to catalyze such industries in the state. The new state agriculture policy, 2008 aims to bring in a shift from present level of subsistence agriculture to profitable commercial agriculture,” the chief said.

He added that the Industrial Policy Resolution IPR – 2007 recognises agro processing industries as a thrust sector and provides maximum incentives to such industries based on simple investment and employment criteria.

“The state has already prepared Food Processing Policy for the state and it is in the process of being finalized,” Mr Patnaik informed.

Among others who spoke at the investors meet include agriculture minister Dr Damodar Rout, industries minister Raghunath Mohanty, Rajya Sabha members Pyarimohan Mohapatra and Prasanna Patsani; Union food processing industries secretary Mr Ashok Sinha, state agriculture secretary U.P. Singh, ICC president Vishambar Saran, Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology (IICPT), Thanjavur, director Dr Alagusundaram.

Security tightened in Orissa following threat mail

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, March 28: Security was tightened in around Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, Angul and some other major towns of the state after suspected Maoists on Saturday sent an email to the chief minister’s office threatening to trigger blasts to protest against Operation Greenhunt launched against the Naxalites.

According to the Orissa police, the email sent from plga@orissa.gov.in threatens to blow up the residence of Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik, state secretariat, police commissionerate, some major state and central government establishments in the state such as Gridco, Nalco and Biju Patnaik University of Technology office.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the mail was sent at 11.34 am on Saturday from a server in Yugoslavia.

Reacting to the threat, chief minister Naveen Patnaik said, “The police are investigating into the matter. I hope they would come out with success.”

“It is not immediately known whether the email actually received from the Maoists and it was the handiwork of some mischievous elements. Security has been tightened in and around Bhubaneswar. The police are investigating the matter,” a senior police official said.

BJP opposes power tariff hike in Orissa

By Ratikant Mohanty

Bhubaneswar, March 27: In a late reaction which was apparently aimed more at flaunting a political stunt than raising the “concern” of the common people, the state unit of Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday held rally before the Raj Bhawan to protest against power tariff hike.

Organised by the Bhubaneswar unit of the BJP, the rally turned out to be a poor show as almost all top leaders kept away of it despite many of them being present in the capital. Senior leader Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, who was the only stalwart present in the meeting, left the venue soon after he finished his address.

The attendance was also very thin; – a maximum of five hundred people were seen present at the venue.

On March 20, Orissa Regulatory Commission, the apex quasi judicial body that supervises functioning of the state-owned Gridco and private distribution companies (distcoms), had announced new tariff orders for different categories of consumers. The hike was almost 30 per cent in all segments.

It was expected that the Opposition – mainly the BJP and Congress – would protest the hike. However, as nothing such happened, -social workers and intellectuals criticized the Opposition parties saying that “they are not playing their role.”

Addressing the rally, BJP leader Mr Harichandan said although the state government had signed 21 memoranda of understanding with private companies to set up power plants, not single had materialised as yet “as the state government followed failed to pursue those projects in right earnest.” He alleged that the government also did not take steps to utilize the water resources to produce hydro electricity and instead going for thermal projects.

“Orissa has adequate water resources which can be utilised to produce electricity to meet our increasing demand for power. Unfortunately, the Naveen Patnaik government is concentrating only on thermal power plants by handing over state’s coal resource to private firms. Thus, the state not only exhausts its coal wealth but also suffers from environment hazards,” Mr Harichandan said.

Boy rescued from kidnappers after a week

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, Mar 25: In a major breakthrough, police on Wednesday night rescued 10-year-old Rishav Agrawal from Chhattisgarh, a week after he was abducted from his residence at Sambalpur in western Orissa.
A joint team of policemen of Orissa and Chhattisgarh intercepted a bus at Lelunga in Chhattisgarh and rescued the boy from it. He was being transported from Raigarh to Raipur in the bus. The bus was being followed by the armed assailants in a car.

“When we spotted the boy in the bus, he initially refused to give his identity mistaking us as his kidnappers. Later, we arranged interaction between him and his father over mobile phone, which gave him confidence to identify himself before us,” Sambalpur district superintendent of police (SP) Asit Panigrahi, who led the Orissa police team, told this newspaper on Thursday.

The minor could be rescued following coordinated efforts of police of three states - Orissa, Chhattishgarh and Jharkhand, he added.

Police got the lead in the case following the arrest of two alleged criminals of Jharkhand- Amit Srivastav and Kaushal Kishore Agrawal- recently. They allegedly kidnapped the boy from his residence on March 18.

“The kidnappers were arrested when they went to meet the alleged notorious gangster of Jharkhand, Anil Singh, the mastermind behind the abduction, in Simdega jail in that state. Interrogation of the kidnappers led us to trace the boy,” he said.

The gangster’s other associates who were following the bus fled, when the police raided it.

The Sambalpur police brought the boy from Chhattisgarh and handed him over to his parents in Sambalpur on Thursday.

Naveen hardens stand against Maoists, declares joint operation

By Ratikant Mohanty

Bhubaneswar, Mar 23: Hardening his stand against the Maoists, Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday said the state government would not talk to the rebels until they laid down their arms and declared that the Centre and the state government had made full preparation to launch a joint combat operation for total “flush-out” of the radical elements.

The chief minister’s announcement came even as the Maoists called for a 12-hour month in south Orissa districts opposing the ongoing Operation Green Hunt.

“Central forces have been arrived in Orissa. The government ready is to launch its offensive against the ultras. It may begin anytime,” Mr Patnaik told reporters at the state secretariat here.

Sources said preparations are in full swing to launch the “decisive assault” against the Maoists.

Codenamed Operation Godavari, the assault is most likely to be launched next month.

Intelligence reports available with this newspaper said the battle against the Maoists would be fought in the jungles of Orissa’s Malkangiri district, which borders Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. This area is used as safe haven by the retreating rebels.

“Malkangiri is strategically located in the red corridor. It connects all the six Maoist-infested states of India. The dense forests and difficult hilly terrains in the district, inhabited by primitive tribes such as Bondas and Sauras, provide a safe shelter to the Maoists.

Nearly two-third area of the district has already been declared as a liberated zone by the ultras,” a senior police officer, involved in the prolonged battle against the Naxalites in Orissa, said, requesting anonymity.

Intelligence sources said the outlawed CPI (Maoist) cadres have raised “boat armies” recently to use the rivers, Sileru (linking Malkangiri to Andhra Pradesh) and Sagar (flowing from Chhattisgarh to Malkangiri) as escape routes and for transportation of cadres and arms.

The Balimela reservoir in the district is also being used by the Maoist cadres for their operations.

The Central forces - Border Security Force (BSF) and CRPF- along with anti-Maoist forces such as COBRA and Grey Hounds will participate in the Operation Godavari, while the Orissa police is going to provide logistic supports and share intelligence with them during the operation, the sources informed.

The operation would be guided and led by a joint command centre, set up at Raipur in Chhattisgarh for the purpose.

“Senior police officers of six Maoist-affected states met at Visakhapatnam on March 12 to prepare the blue print for the operation,” he disclosed.

Two battalions of BSF have already arrived at Koraput and Rayagada districts. Another three battalions are expected in the region in two or three days, sources said. The security forces will sanitise all the strategic routes in Malkangiri before launching the final assault, sources revealed.

Orissa farmer faces social boycott for killing monkeys

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, Mar 23: A farmer in an Orissa village has been declared an outcast by the local panchayat (village court) for killing monkeys, which destroyed his vegetable farm, official reports reaching here said on Tuesday.

According to reports, one Hrushikesh Pradhan (38), a resident of Sahanikala village under Brahmagiri police station in Puri district, nearly 70 km from here, reportedly poisoned to death at least 60 monkeyes on Sunday after being upset over ruining of his vegetable crops by the simians.

He allegedly scattered breads mixed with pesticides around his agriculture farm to eliminate them. At least 60 monkeys have been killed in the last two days by consuming the poisoned food.

Panicked over the repercussion of his brutal act, he threw all the dead simians in the nearby Ratnachira river. The bodies, however, piled up at Gabardhan barrage, around 12 km away, producing foul smell in the area.

The barrage has been built to provide drinking water to the people in around half-a-dozen villages in the area.

Angry people of the affected villages convened a meeting of the local panchayat to take the erring farmer to the task. The panchayat called for social boycott of the farmer’s family.

The villagers were not only irked by the pollution of the barrage water by the dead monkeys, but also scared of the “curse” to befall on them due to the mass murder of the innocent animals.

The villagers believe that the killing of a simian will cast an evil spell on the region leading to dry spell for at least two years.

Meanwhile, animal activists raised a hue and cry over the incident demanding immediate arrest of the farmer.

“We promptly sent a team of officials to the village to probe the incident. The investigation has found that the monkeys were killed due to poisoning,” a senior forest official told this newspaper on Monday.

“We will take action against the farmer under appropriate law,” he added.

Amitabh, Jaya offer prayers at Jagannath temple

By Biswa Ranjan Mishra

Puri, March 22: For Dipanwita Roy and her husband Swapnanil Roy of Kolkota, it was like God’s providence. They could believe their eyes when they found Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan and his wife Jaya Bachchan praying along side them at Lord Jagannath temple in Puri on Sunday morning.

They thought perhaps it was “a coincidence authored by none other than Lord Jagannath himself.”

The Big B, who was on a one-day trip to Orissa to inaugurate flute maestro Hariprasad Choursia, drove straight to Puri, nearly 65 km from here. The couple was received by the temple priests at the horse gate and led to the sanctum sanctorum during the public darshan called Sahan Mela.

The couple, clad in Bengali attires, spent nearly half-an-hour in the temple and offered prayers to Lod Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, the presiding deities of the temple.

According to sources, Amitabh did not want special arrangements for his darshan and told the administration that the devotees visiting the temple should not be disturbed.

The couple entered the temple along with other devotees.

“We felt ecstatic when we saw Jaya and Amitabh Bachchan lighting the holy lamp in the temple. We didn’t have any prior information that they were visiting the temple. I thank God for giving me this opportunity to get the celebrity so near,” said Ipsita Jha, an engineering student from Ranchi in Jharkhand.

The district administration had made arrangement for the couple’s refreshments and brief stay at the local Governor House before the visit to the temple. Instead of going there, Amitabh, who wanted not to create trouble for the devotees, asked the accompanying deputy superintendent of police, Mr R. K Paikray, to lead him straight to the temple.

Though the local police had maintained silence over the Big B's visit, the news of his arrival in the city spread like a wildfire and hundreds of fans gathered to have a glimpse of him. The police had a tough time to handle the crowd.The temple sources said Jaya Bachchan had visited the temple along with her family way back in 1968, shortly after she got her first break in cine world while for Amitabh it was his maiden visit to the state and to Puri temple.

India successfully test fires BrahMos supersonic missile

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, March 22: The Indian Navy on Sunday successfully test fired BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from a vertical launcher fitted on board moving warship - INS Ranvir, off the Orissa coast near Paradip, said defence sources here.

The missile, carrying a 200 kilogrammes conventional warhead with a range of 280 kilometres, performed supersonic manoeuvring following the exact flight path.It moved straight towards the decommissioned target ship INS Meen, the sources informed, adding, - the mission met 100 per cent success.

The supersonic missile was fired at 11.30 hrs.With the successful test-firing of BrahMos, India become one of the few countries to possess manoeuvrable supersonic cruise missiles, the sources claimed.

BrahMos is produced by a joint venture between the Defence Research and Development Organisation of India and Military Industrial Consortium of Russia. The name represents the fury of the Brahmaputra in India and grace of Russia’s Moskva river. BrahMos variant of missile has been in use with the Indian military since 2007.

Section 144 clamped in Kandhamal to prevent Togadia’s entry
By Prasana Mohanty
Bhubaneswar, March 18: The Orissa government on Thursday clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in sensitive parts of the riot-hit Kandhamal district and said no religious group leader would be allowed to visit the area till normalcy was fully restored.
The prohibitory orders were issued apparently to stop Vishwa Hindu Parishad international general secretary Praveen Togadia to visit the district.
In fact, Mr Togadia was scheduled to visit Kandhamal on Thursday to participate in a few festivals relating to Hindu New Year.
“Section 144 of the CrPC has been clamped at certain sensitive pockets. Mr Togadia is a learned person and we hope he would not visit the district since his presence is apprehended to unsettle the peace initiative begun by the district administration,” Kandhamal additional superintendent of police C.R. Das said.
Meanwhile, Mr Togadia arrived at Nuapara in western Orissa on Thursday. During his three-day visit to the state, he will participate in a number of programmes organised by the VHP state unit at different places.
The state VHP leaders here, however, adopted both aggressive and conciliatory postures to force the government to reconsider its decision on banning their leader from Kandhamal.
While state VHP leader Gouri Prasad Rath met Orissa director general of police (DGP) Mr Manmohan Praharaj and sought his intervention to allow Mr Togadia to visit Kandhamal. However the DG expressed his inability saying he would not interfere in the district administration.
Frustrated, Mr Rath threatened to launch an agitation to protest against the “biased” decision to ban Mr Togadia’s entry into Kandhamal.
“The DGP refused to intervene in the decision taken by the Kandhamal administration to make Mr Togadia out of bounds of the district,” state VHP general secretary Gouri Prasad Rath told this newspaper after his meeting with the state police chief.

Top tribal leader declares ‘civil war’ against Orissa govt
By Ratikant Mohanty
Bhubaneswar, March 18: Top tribal leader and independent legislator George Tirkey on Thursday said he would lead a “civil war” against the ruling BJD if the latter did not stop arresting “innocent” tribals branding them as Maoists.
“The ruling BJD headed by chief minister Naveen Patnaik has been indulging in indiscriminate arrest of innocent tribals who are opposing government-sponsored eviction. What is quite shocking is that the government is branding these people as Naxalites or Naxal sympathiser and booking them on serious charges, including sedition. Such serious charges prolong the release of the victims and they languish in jail for years,” Mr Tirkey, while addressing a crowded press conference here, observed.
In the first phase, Mr Tirkey said, a massive Adivasi Adhikar Mahasamavesh (grand convention for tribal rights) would be held at Chandiposi in Sudergarh district. The convention will be attended by over ten thousand tribals from different parts of the state and leaders fighting against displacement at Lanjigarh, Kalinga Nagar, Paradip and Koraput.
Describing the state government as a patron of mines, jungle and liquor mafia, - the veteran tribal leader, who was arrested two years ago for leading a displacement agitation at Rourkela, alleged that leaders challenging corrupt practices of the government were being chastised.
Mr Tirkey’s announcement has come as a headache for the state government which is fighting hard to convince people at Posco project site in Paradip, Tata Steel project site at Kalinga Nagar, tribals in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts to part with their lands for setting up of mega mineral based industries.
“If the state government does not desist from its anti-tribal activity and coercive tactics to evict people from their ancestral lands, we would wage a civil war against it. This has put us behind the bars in the past and might send to jail again. But it cannot keep the deprived souls suppressed for long,” Mr Tirkey observed.

Fake CBI officer held by CBI sleuths
By Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, Mar 17: A CRPF jawan was on Wednesday arrested while allegedly extorting a businessman here impersonating as a CBI officer.
A team of CBI officials caught Hemant Kumar Barik, who is currently serving as signal operator at the CRPF base at Kolkata, redhanded while he was taking Rs 1lakh from a local businessman at a government guest house here.
He was allegedly blackmailing the businessman to book him on charges of tax evasion and demanded Rs 5 crore to bail him out. The trader reportedly tipped off the matter to the local CBI officials, who laid a trap for the impersonator.
Accordingly, the businessman offered the fake CBI officer to pay Rs 1 lakh as the first installment. Barik rose to the bait and fell in the CBI net.
“Preliminary investigation shows that the para-military trooper is a habitual extortionist. We are trying to find out his other victims,” assistant superintendent of police (ASP), CBI, Mr P.K. Panigrahi told this newspaper.
The accused is a resident of Remuna in coastal Orissa Balasore district.

Woman paraded naked in Orissa village
By Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, Mar 17: A widow was allegedly assaulted and paraded naked in an Orissa village on suspicion of practising sorcery, police said on Wednesday.
According to the police, Baidehi Patra (43), a resident of Jangala in western Orissa district of Sundergarh, was on Sunday night allegedly dragged out of her house, stripped and made to walk in the village by a group of local youths charging her of casting evil spells on children in the area.
“The youths dealt severe blows on me and then disrobed me in public view. Then, I was asked to walk around the village without a thread of cloth around me. Later, I was tied to a tree in the village,” the woman, mother of a grown-up daughter, said in her complaint filed with the local police station on Tuesday.
The victim has been admitted in the local hospital with a bruised face and a broken nose.
“We have arrested two youths- Pita Munda (25) and Dhiren Patra (28), in connection with the alleged torture of the woman. The third accused is absconding,” inspector-in-charge of Lahunipada police station Madan Mohan Patra told this newspaper.
“Several children in the village have fallen sick due to the evil spell thrown by the widow. We had earlier warned her several times to refrain from practising witchcraft. We wanted to teach her a lesson when she failed to heed to our repeated pleas,” police quoted the arrested youths as saying.

Bedlam in Orissa Assembly over mining scam
By Pabitra Senapaty
Bhubaneswar, March 17: The Congress on Wednesday reiterated its demand for CBI probe into the multi-crore mining scam in Orissa. The party legislators – bent on the demand – stalled the proceedings of the state Assembly for hours seeking an instant ruling on their demand from Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat.
During the Zero Hour, Congress member Santosh Singh Saluja alleged that despite the assurance by chief minister Naveen Patnaik, thousands of tonnes of iron ore and other minerals like manganese and bauxite were being smuggled out to other states and overseas. He named a few companies like Jindals, Rungtas and Serajjuddin as having involvement in illegal exploitation and export of minerals.
Supporting Mr Saluja’s allegation, his party colleague Nabakishore Das said although the state government was well aware of the fact that there were substantial evidences against some companies like Ram Bahadur Thakur, Rungtas and Jindals, no action was being taken against them.
Mr Das said the chief minister Mr Patnaik was deliberately ignoring the Opposition’s CBI probe demand as it would expose his government’s “patronization” to the “shady deals” going in the state’s mines department.
Launching counter attack on the Opposition, BJD legislator Pravat Ranjan Biswal said some senior Congress leaders of the state and their central bosses were involved in the multi-crore mines scam.
This infuriated the Opposition legislators. They rushed to the well of the Assembly and started shouting slogans against the chief minister and his government, thus causing pandemonium in the House.
The House returned to normalcy after the Speaker requested the agitated members to cooperate in the business of the House.

MLAs express concern over character assasination in TV seriel
By Ratikant Mohanty
Bhubaneswar, Mar 16: Members of Orissa Legislative Assembly – cutting across party lines - on Tuesday demanded actions against a local private television channel alleging that that latter was indulging in character assassination of legislators in the name of running a political caricature programme.

Tempers ran high in the House as the members from both the treasury and Opposition drew the attention of the Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat, during Zero Hour to the “Great Political Circus,” an entertainment serial telecast by Orissa TV channel- OTV-, alleging that they were shown in poor light in the programme.

“In the name of entertainment, the serial indulged in character assassination of the MPs, MLAs and ministers of Orissa. It is a deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of the legislators,” they said.

The serial is a highly popular programme in which the public figures are ridiculed in a subtle manner through mimicry and poems by the participants. There is a panel of judges, who choose the best critic among the participants.

Ruling Biju Janata Dal MLA, Mr Pradip Kumar Maharathy moved a privilege notice in the House against the producer of the programme and the owner of the channel for “degrading” the members in the serial. The motion also demanded the Speaker to summon them to the Assembly to face censure by the MLAs.

Chaos ruled the House as the members in one voice demanded an immediate ruling by the Speaker on the motion. They argued that the issue concerned the prestige of the House and should be looked into on priority basis.

The Speaker faced noisy protests by the members when he decided to switch over to the other business of the House. The pandemonium led to adjournment of the House twice in the pre-lunch session.

Missile fire postponed due to technical snag

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, Mar 14: The test-fire of India’s indigenously built Advanced Air Defence (AAD) interceptor missile, scheduled for launch from Interim Test Range (ITR) at Wheeler’s Islands off Orissa coast on Sunday, has been postponed due to technical snag, ITR sources said.

“The snag is detected in the sub-system at the ITR. But the missile shield is absolutely problem free. We have deferred the trial until the snag in the sub-system is rectified,” experts in ITR told this portal.

Backward journey: Orissa returns to power deficit stage

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, March 11: Orissa is no longer a power surplus state. The state, which boasted of having nearly 600 MW surplus power in 2004-05, is now facing a shortfall of 500 MW.The reasons of shortfall, as energy minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak told the Assembly on Thursday, are steep rise in the number of consumers and more demand for electricity; massive industrialisation and large-scale rural electrification.

In 2004-05, Orissa was producing 2024 MW power as against its demand of 1488 MW. In the next fiscal, i.e. 2005-06, - the state’s total power generation was 2261 MW while the demand was 1631 MW.

In 2006-07, power generation dipped down to 2154 MW even as the demand increased to 1792 MW.The situation somehow improved in 2007-08, the power generation increased to 2390 MW while the demand was recorded much lower at 2064 MW.

In fact, the deficit started in fiscal 2008-09 as the production declined to 2289 MW while the demand rose sharply to 2300 MW.Many parts of the state, including the state capital Bhubaneswar, are now experiencing two hours power cuts daily.

Members cutting across party lines expressed their concern over this development and wanted assurance from the minister to ensure that there was no power cut at least during the current month since students of various classes will be appearing their annual examinations.

The minister said the state government had decided to source power from the Power Banking system to meet its current energy requirement.Mr Nayak said the state faced power shortage as many of the hydro-power projects were running below their power capacity due to inadequate water levels in the reservoirs.

The total generation capacity and the state’s share from central power grids have been estimated at 4091 MW. Of this, hydro-power generation capacity is estimated at 2142 MW while thermal energy is calculated at 880 MW. The state is entitled to get 1069 MW from central sources.The state plunged into darkness as its estimation went haywire because of the scanty rainfall.

Barabati Stadium gears up to host IPL matches for first time

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, March 11: Orissa is no longer a power surplus state. The state, which boasted of having nearly 600 MW surplus power in 2004-05, is now facing a shortfall of 500 MW.The reasons of shortfall, as energy minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak told the Assembly on Thursday, are steep rise in the number of consumers and more demand for electricity; massive industrialisation and large-scale rural electrification.In 2004-05, Orissa was producing 2024 MW power as against its demand of 1488 MW. In the next fiscal, i.e. 2005-06, - the state’s total power generation was 2261 MW while the demand was 1631 MW.In 2006-07, power generation dipped down to 2154 MW even as the demand increased to 1792 MW.The situation somehow improved in 2007-08, the power generation increased to 2390 MW while the demand was recorded much lower at 2064 MW.In fact, the deficit started in fiscal 2008-09 as the production declined to 2289 MW while the demand rose sharply to 2300 MW.Many parts of the state, including the state capital Bhubaneswar, are now experiencing two hours power cuts daily.Members cutting across party lines expressed their concern over this development and wanted assurance from the minister to ensure that there was no power cut at least during the current month since students of various classes will be appearing their annual examinations.The minister said the state government had decided to source power from the Power Banking system to meet its current energy requirement.Mr Nayak said the state faced power shortage as many of the hydro-power projects were running below their power capacity due to inadequate water levels in the reservoirs.

The total generation capacity and the state’s share from central power grids have been estimated at 4091 MW. Of this, hydro-power generation capacity is estimated at 2142 MW while thermal energy is calculated at 880 MW. The state is entitled to get 1069 MW from central sources.

The state plunged into darkness as its estimation went haywire because of the scanty rainfa

Orissa mining scam runs to Rs 3 lakh crore, claims Congress

By Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, Mar 8: The Congress on Monday charged the Naveen Patnaik government of plundering mineral wealth of Orissa to the tune of Rs 3-lakh crore and demanded a CBI probe into it.
Releasing the report of the fact finding team constituted by the Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee to probe the alleged scandal, the OPCC general secretary Naba Kishore Das claimed, “It is the scam of the century.”
“The scam may cross Rs 3-lakh crore mark, if taken into account all the irregularities in mining and trading of the minerals, admitted none other than by various departments of the Orissa government in last ten years,” the 40-page booklet containing the details of the illegal mining and unauthorized trafficking of various minerals in the state, said.
“The vigilance department of the Orissa government, which is currently inquiring into it, is not in a position to unearth the scam because of its volume and involvement of highly placed people in the state government including ministers, bureaucrats and mines officials. Only a national investigating agency like CBI would be able to expose it”, Mr Das, who headed the fact finding team of his party, said.
The team, which made an extensive tour of the mineral belts of the state, said mine owners have been using fake transit passes on a large scale and transporting minerals worth thousands of crore rupees from Orissa.
“The state government has permitted traders to print their own transit passes, resulting into a loss of huge revenue to the government following unethical use of such passes,” he said.
The Orissa government has also failed to check violation of Mines and Minerals Development Regulation Act by some mine owners who extracted minerals beyond permitted quantities and even after the expiry of lease period, the report said.
“Out of total 621 mines in Orissa, the lease for around 200 mines is over. But these mines are still in operation despite expiry of their lease periods,” the report mentioned, adding the ruling BJD had leased out five thousand hectares of mines in the last eight years.

10-year-old son’s revelation leads to arrest of ‘killer’ mother

By Manoj Kar
Bhubaneswar, March 7: A 10-year-old boy’s revelation has led to the arrest of killer of his father. And the killer is no other than his mother.
According to police, the heinous crime was authored and executed by Gitanjali Swain, a resident of Janra-Barimul village under Kendrapara sadar police station, nearly 90 km from here.
On January 21 night, Gitanjali along with her paramour Prakash Swain, attacked her husband Khageswar when the latter was in deep sleep. She dealt a blow on her husband head with a hammer. As the victim fell unconscious, Prakash beat him to death with an iron rod.
Since the grisly murder occurred during midnight hours, the neighbours could not know about the incident.
The next day, the relatives and neighbours were told that Khageswar died of sudden illness.
The 10-year-old son Alok, who was sleeping in the adjacent room, however, - had woken up by sudden shrieks of his father. Frightened at seeing the ghastly act carried out by his mother, he kept mum.
A fortnight after Gitanjali left for his parental house at Achyutpur under the same police station with his two teenage sons.
Alok developed sings of hatred towards his mother. The disgust writ large on his face led the neighbours to smell something fishy in the matter. They took the boy into confidence and managed to get details that happened on the fateful night.
The villagers later informed the police who then arrested Gitanjali.
The other accused Prakash is absconding.
“The police searching for the second accused Prakash. We hope he will be caught soon,” the district police said on Sunday.
The couple was married since past eleven year and they were having strained marital relations.

BJD leader expelled for involvement in ganja smuggling

By Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, Mar 7: The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Damburu Bagh was on Sunday expelled from the primary membership of the party for his alleged involvement in ganja smuggling.
“BJD president and chief minister Naveen Patnaik removed the Malkangiri district unit president of Biju Yuva Janata Dal Damburu Bagh from the party for his alleged link with illegal hemp trade. Bagh ceases to be a member of the party,” a press statement issued by BJD headquarters here said.
The action came in the wake of a hue and cry raised by the Opposition political parties here demanding a probe by a Central investigating agency into the allegations of some ruling party leaders in south Orissa indulging in the illegal trade of the contraband.
The BJD’s youth leader was arrested at Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh recently while allegedly trafficking nearly 3000 kg of ganja worth Rs 10 crore in a truck.
The Malkangiri district police was informed about this by the Uttar Pradesh police recently.
The Opposition parties, Congress and BJP, mounted their attack on the ruling following the incident alleging that BJD has been patronizing anti-social elements and drug traffickers.
“Bagh’s arrest reflects the kind of the party chief minister Naveen Patnaik is leading,” state youth Congress president and MP Pradip Majhi said.
“It clearly shows the link between the BJD leadership with the drug traffickers and Maoists,” state BJP president Jual Oram said.
Allegations are in the air for long about involvement of some ruling party leaders in cultivation of Ganja which is rampant in southern Orissa districts of Malkangiri, Koraput and Rayagada.
These leaders allegedly share the sale proceeds of the contraband with the Maoists in the region.

Orissa farmer achieves rare feat in catla captive breeding

By Manoj Kar
Bhubaneswar, March 7: Powered by the spirit of entrepreneurship, a fish farmer from a remote village in Kendrapara district has achieved a major breakthrough in the sphere of captive breeding.
While four months commencing from April are the normal season of spawning seeds, Kamalakanta Swain a progressive fish farmer from Bhagabanpur village could successfully breed Catla (bhakur) spawns on February 23 this year.
“This form of unseasoned spawning of fish seeds is a major breakthrough,” Padmanav Routray, a senior scientist of Bhubaneswar-based Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA), told this newspaper on Sunday.
Never before, captive breeding of carps in field condition has occurred in the country. Credit for it goes to enterprising farmer from Kendrapara district though CIFA scientists guided and provided him technical expertise, observed Mr Routray.
The farmer from Kendrapara, Mr Swain owns a hatchery in Bhagabanpur village. After he evinced considerable interest for higher yield of seeds, CIFA extended technical help for round-the-year spawning.
Mr Swain opted for Catla seeds which are always in short supply. Among the major Indian carps, Catla is unresponsive to intervention. However with the application of medication dose recently developed by CIFA, spawning could take place beyond the normal season. The medication acted as a catalyst and inducer that resulted in ovulation and spawning beyond the normal season, he added.
About one million catla spawns have emerged from the field experiment from captive breeding.
The technical intervention for round-the-year breeding would boost up production of fish larvae. It’s positive development for aquaculture industry in the state.
“I began the fish seeds breeding centre two years back. Financed by local state bank of India, my centre’s production has now reached 40 million per annum. Our yield would now go up manifold with the round-the-year spawning,” said Mr Swain.
“I am elated to know that unseasoned spawning has taken place for the first time. Without the assistance of CIFA, my experiment would not have tasted success,” remarked Mr Swain.
The fish farmer also runs successfully a milk chilling plant at his village.

Apollo keen to set up human resource centre in Orissa

By Jyotismita Panda
Bhubaneswar, March 7: Apollo Hospitals, India’s largest corporate healthcare group is contemplating to set up a state-of-the-art healthcare institute in Orissa for producing highly skilled human resources to support its long chain of hospitals, including the overseas ones.
Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of opening of a 350-bedded tertiary care hospital here, chairman of Apollo Hospitals, Dr Prathap C Reddy said the group had already intimated its interest to chief minister Naveen Patnaik and once the go-ahead signal was given, it would proceed for establishment of the project.
At present, Apollo operates 49 hospitals, 1000 pharmacies, 100 diagnostic clinics, 100 telemedicine units across seven countries.
Besides, it deals in medical business process outsourcing services, health insurance services and global projects consultancy and run 15 colleges of nursing and hospital management which require a vast stream of skilled human resources.
“Our Orissa project was completed in just two years because of the support of the state government. We are ready to set up a state-of-the art human resource institute here to produce highly skilled healthcare professionals,” Mr Reddy said.
The leading healthcare group spent Rs 120 crore in its Orissa project. Spread over 27 acres of land at Acharya Vihar Square, a prime location in the city, the hospital was formally inaugurated by chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday.
With over 50 specialties and super-specialties, Apollo Hospitals, Bhubaneswar, is well-equipped to offer comprehensive solutions across the healthcare spectrum, claimed the chairman.

Budget session of Orissa Assembly begins on Monday

By Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, Mar 6: The budget session of the Orissa Assembly, beginning on Monday is likely to be stormy with the Opposition parties gearing up to corner the Naveen Patnaik government on many issues particularly the much-publicised mining scam.

The Opposition parties- Congress and BJP- have already made their intentions clear by criticising the state government for calling a short-budget session instead of a full-fledged one, apparently to avoid debates on controversial issues on the floor of the House.

“The chief minister, Mr Naveen Patnaik appears to be scared of facing Opposition parties in the House to discuss the raging issues such as mining scam, farmers’ suicide, law and order problem and failure to implement the central-sponsored various anti-poverty schemes. That’s why he opted to convene a short-session of the Assembly to present a vote-on-account without any rhyme or reason”, Congress Legislature Party leader Bhupinder Singh told this newspaper on Saturday.

The state government’s contention that a full-fledged budget would be presented late after the Central allocation to Orissa would be known, has failed to satisfy the Opposition.

“The chief minister seems to be suffering from House phobia as he showed no hesitation earlier to curtail the sessions of the Assembly to escape Opposition attack”, BJP state president Jual Oram said.

The ensuing budget session would begin on Monday and continue till March 16. Among the official businesses, vote-on-account would be presented on March 15.

BJD to support Women’s Reservation Bill

By Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, Mar 6: The Orissa chief minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president, Mr Naveen Patnaik, on Saturday announced his party’s support for the much-delayed Women’s Reservation Bill, seeking 33 per cent quota for the fair sex in the Parliament and state legislatures.

“BJD will support the bill in the Parliament. My party has always stood up for the rights of the women,” Mr Patnaik told reporters here making his party’s stand over the contentious issue clear.The bill, if passed in the Parliament, will reserve at least 49 of the total 147 seats for women in the Orissa Assembly. The current state Assembly has only seven women members.Similarly, seven out of total 21 Lok Sabha seats in Orissa would be reserved for women.

There is no representation of women in Lok Sabha from Orissa. Renubala Pradhan is the only woman among the 10 Rajya Sabha MPs from Orissa.Mr Patnaik’s statement comes in the wake of his decision on Friday to enhance women’s quota in the three-tier panchayat bodies from 33 to 50 per cent.

This would mean that in future gram panchayats, panchayat samitis and zilla parishads in the state will have equal male and female representations and more than 50,000 village- level women will get the chance to function as elected panchayat raj institution representatives.

Noted mines mafia held, Rs 98.20 lakh cash seized

By Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, March 6: The Orissa police on Saturday arrested notorious mines mafia Jitendra Jha from his residence at Barbil in Keonjhar district, nearly 300 km from here, - and seized Rs 98.20 lakh from him.Besides, the police also seized 600 grams of gold, nine bank accounts, 25 mobile phone simcards and a revolver.

According to district superintendent of police, Jitendra, a resident of Jharkhand, came to Barbil seven years ago and indulged in illegal lifting of minerals. This apart, he also got involved in extortion activity.“After gathering information about Jitendra, we raided his house this morning. We have seized a lot of incrementing papers from his house that point to his involvement in illegal mineral trading and extortion activities,” the SP said.

The police action follows the recent disappearance of 36,000 tonnes of minerals from two railway sidings at Juruli and Joda. The approximate market price of the minerals that were lifted away by suspected mines mafia would be around Rs 150 crore.

Orissa to frame Act to prevent encroachment
By Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, Mar 4: The Orissa government on Thursday decided to bring an Act to prevent encroachment of government lands in Bhubaneswar. The proposed law, namely Prevention of Land Grabbing Act, to be framed in the line of the one enacted by the Andhra Pradesh government, would be moved in the Orissa Assembly soon. The decision was taken by the three- member cabinet sub-committee on land distribution here.
The committee comprised minister for revenue Surjya Narayan Patra, minister for urban and housing development Badri Narayan Patra and minister for law and rural development Bikram Keshari Arukh.
Briefing the reporters on the deliberations in the meeting, an official spokesman said of the total 20,000 acres of land of Bhubaneswar, around 18,700 acres has already been distributed. Of the remaining 1300 acres, nearly 900 acres has been encroached by 377 slums in the state capital and the rest is in the possession of the state government.
The committee decided to come out with a policy in the line of the one being implemented in metro-cities in the country, to rehabilitate the slum dwellers after evicting all the slums. 13 acres would be earmarked to build a number of multi-storied apartments for distribution to these slum dwellers free of cost.
The beneficiaries would, however, not be allowed to sell their flats.
A decision has been taken to identify lands under general administration department and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and sell the lands to people at affordable prices. No one will be allowed to hold more than one government plot in Bhubaneswar.
Similarly, a special squad headed by local block development officer would be set up to free all encroachments in the capital city. One platoon of police force led by an officer in the rank of superintendent of police would assist the squad.

2 teachers arrested for “raping” 4 girl students, sent to jail
By Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, Mar 3: Two teachers of a government-run boarding school for tribal girls at Baba Ambada in Orissa’s Nowarangpur district have been arrested on charges of “raping” four girl students. They accused teachers sent to jail after their bail applications were rejected by the local court on Thursday. They have been identified as Pradip Sahu and Ishwar Patra. A youth, Padman Bhatra- husband of a woman cook of the school, has also been arrested for aiding the “tainted teachers” in the heinous crime, Nowarangpur district superintendent of police, Prafulla Chandra Barik said.
The victims, students of Class VII and VIII, and aged 12-13 years, have been admitted in the local government hospital, official sources said. The shocking incident came to light after a lady teacher of the boarding school informed the local administration about the sexual harassment of the girls. Official sources said one of the victims was reportedly found to be pregnant, after medical examination of the girls.
Around 26 inmates of the school have fled their hostels following the incident. Upset over the incident, the state government on Thursday rushed the director of the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe department here to the school to probe the matter and submit a report within 48 hours.
Official sources said the department has so far received ten such complaints from some residential schools for tribal girls in the districts of Nawarangpur, Koraput and Kandhamal and directed the local administrations to probe all these cases and take stringent action against the culprits.

Star-struck MP forgoes privileges to get actor’s quarter

By Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar: Star-struck people usually cherish a dream of sharing a moment with their favourite actors. Some of them even consider themselves blessed if they get a chance to share a place, associated with their idols. Former speaker of Orissa Legislative Assembly and sitting Rajya Sabha member Kishore Chandra Mohanty boasts of his new address in New Delhi, for it was once the address of the famous citizen of India and yesteryear’s Dream Girl- Hema Malini.
No wonder all the visitors to this quarter- 502, North Avenue, New Delhi- are reminded of its importance as being the old address of the former Bollywood Queen, by Mr Mohanty.
The Biju Janata Dal heavyweight of western Orissa never forgets to mention this to his acquaintances when he visits the state. If talks going on in his close circles are to be believed, Mr Mohanty even sacrificed his privileges to take possession of the particular quarter.
As a former speaker of Orissa Assembly, he is entitled for a bunglow. But Mr Mohanty, a die-hard fan of the actor, reportedly opted for the three-bedroom house forgoing a spacious mansion, he could have occupied. He even waited for a few months for the quarter to be vacated by the film star, whose term in Rajya Sabha expired on August 26 last year. She was nominated to the Upper House as BJP member in 2003. Hero-worshipping, they say rightly, is a part of Indian culture.

Has Orissa CM Naveen Patnaik really delivered?

By A.K. Sahoo

Bhubaneswar, Mar 5: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday completed 10 years in office. Many still wonder, – ‘How this man – who never had any idea about politics, managed to rule the state for a decade?” Is it because of his much claimed good governance and fight against corruption he manages to continue in power or the people of the state do not have an effective alternative as yet?

Naveen came to power at time the people of Orissa needed a break, - break from conventional oligarchic family politics and restoration of the rule of law. He came to power when the hungry belly wanted a morsel of food and a common man longed for a earning a livelihood at his locality.

But, has he really delivered? Has his Orissa’s transformation from a revenue deficit to a revenue surplus state percolated down to the grassroots?

His home district Ganjam explains it all. It records the highest number of migration. A visit to the nearest railway stations will tell you the conditions of migrant labourers.

Pessimism, many say, is bad. Yes, certainly it is. But highlighting lapses and inability to deliver could not be bracketed as pessimism. Why the farmer is still languishing? Why is that are youths, mostly of rural background with language school education, do not get job in his home state and has to travel to Surat, Ahemedabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Andhra Pradesh to work as plumbers, daily wage earners in textile mills and brick kilns?

Migration is still a major concern in KBK region. Malnourishment, hunger, starvation, malaria and diarrhoea continue to be major killers. With some rich people earning windfalls and adding to a steep increase in per capita income is not inclusive growth. The CM, if he really understands the pulse of the people he rules and causes of actual problems preventing the state’s growth, must act earnestly, - keeping politics aside.

In more than half of the state, the Maoists are calling the shots. In coastal Orissa the notorious crime syndicates do not allow the people to live freely.

Corruption pervades everywhere starting from gram panchayat office secretariat level. Political masters can disown it to display their political stunt, but can never switch it off echoing deep inside their heart and conscience.

Indigenous fish species fast disappearing

By Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar: The release of toxic substances and effluents into the water bodies has apparently spelt doom for a number of indigenous fish species, according to researchers.
It’ a matter of deep concern because several indigenous freshwater species are now on the verge of extinction in the state, says Mr P. Routray, a senior scientist at Central Institute of Freshwate Aquaculture (CIFA), Bhubaneswar.
Fish species like Kala-bainsi, Mahanad-mahaseer, todi, thantia (xenetodon) were much sought after in the state. About a decade back, it’s availability was plenty in the state. Now these species are highly threatened and are also on the verge of getting extinct, informs Mr Routray.
The species are fast disappearing owing to discharge of toxic substances into the water bodies. These indigenous species are delicate and sensitive. They are exceedingly vulnerable to toxicity in water.
There are reports of discharge of industrial effluents into to river water. Of late a disturbing trend has lurked its head. Fishermen principally from coastal region are resorting to sprinkle poisonous substances into water bodies for easier and larger catch.
“Those fishermen communities who are resorting to such illegal practice are digging their own grave. Aquatic species are getting killed steadily. It does not augur well for their economy,” he feels.

Orissa farmer achieves rare aquaculture feat

By Manoj Kar
Kendrapara: Powered by entrepreneurship, a fish farmer from a remote village here has achieved a major breakthrough in the sphere of captive breeding.
While four months commencing from April are the normal season of spawning seeds, Kamalakanta Swain a progressive fish farmer from Bhagabanpur village could successfully breed Catla (bhakur) spawns on February 23 this year.
“This form of unseasoned spawning of fish seeds is a major breakthrough,” says Padmanav Routray, a senior scientist of Bhubaneswar-based Central Institute of Freshwate Aquaculture (CIFA).
Never before, captive breeding of carps in field condition has occurred in the country. Credit for it goes to enterprising farmer from Kendrapara district though CIFA scientists guided and provided him technical expertise, observes Mr Routray.
The farmer from Kendrapara, Mr Swain owns a hatchery in Bhagabanpur village. After he evinced considerable interest for higher yield of seeds, CIFA extended technical help for round-the-year spawning.
Mr Swain opted for Catla seeds which are always in short supply. Among the major Indian carps, Catla is unresponsive to intervention. However with the application of medication dose recently developed by CIFA, spawning could take place beyond the normal season. The medication acted as a catalyst and inducer that resulted in ovulation and spawning beyond the normal season, he adds.
About one million catla spawns have emerged from the field experiment from captive breeding.
The technical intervention for round-the-year breeding would boost up production of fish larvae. It’s positive development for aquaculture industry in the state.
“I began the fish seeds breeding centre two years back. Financed by local state bank of India, my centre’s production has now reached 40 million per annum. Our yield would now go up manifold with the round-the-year spawning,” says Mr. Swain.
“I am elated to know that unseasoned spawning has taken place for the first time. But for the assistance of CIFA, my experiment would not have tasted success,” remarks Swain.

The fish farmer also runs successfully a milk chilling plant in the village.

Jual-Bijoy cannon to catapult BJP in Orissa

By Ratikant Mohanty

Bhubaneswar: After suffering a severe drubbing in both the general elections and Assembly polls almost a year ago, the BJP is on a road to revival in the state, thanks to the combine of Jual Oram and Bijoy Mohapatra.Mr Oram, soon after assuming leadership of the beleaguered party in the state, chose Mr Mohapatra, a wily strategist, as his close confidant to devise a roadmap for the party for its recovery.

No wonder Mr Oram is seen in company with Mr Mohapatra in almost all the programmes of the party since then.Mr Oram’s aggressive leadership helped by Mr Mohapatra’s tactical skills has not only boosted the morale of the rank and file in the party but also appeared to have caught imagination of the people.

The duo has been campaigning tirelessly across the state to create awareness among the people on various omissions and commissions of the Naveen Patnaik government. Besides, they are putting forth the party’s policies and programmes before the people to win back their confidence.Chief minister Mr Naveen Patnaik has found himself on defensive for the first time in his ten years in power following thorough exposure of the mining scam--considered the mother of all scandals in Orissa--by the BJP leadership. The ghost of the mining scam has haunted him so much that he did not find courage to face the Assembly. He had to curtail the winter session of the Assembly abruptly inviting widespread criticism from all quarters including even from his own party.

Even as the principal Opposition party in the state, Congress has confounded the people for its muted response to the issue, the BJP took the issue to the people aggressively exposing one scandal after another in the mining sector in the last one decade almost every alternate day.The BJP’s relentless campaign has forced the Naveen Patnaik government to admit rampant illegal mining going on in the last few years under the very nose of the administration. It is now obvious that the plundering of precious mineral resources of the state has been going on with active patronage from power-that-be during the period.

The BJP has overshadowed the Congress to take the position of the main Opposition party in the state effectively by raising issues concerning the common people. The party has been organising rallies, public meetings and road shows across the state to highlight the pinching price rise of essential commodities, thus regaining its lose base in Orissa.

“The chief minister is being paid by his own coin by BJP. He had dealt a shocking blow to BJP by suddenly breaking his decade-old tie up with the party without any provocation on the eve of the last twin polls to Lok Sabha and Assembly. BJP has now bounced back to question his clean image by exposing the mining scam. Mr Patnaik might have understood by now how it is felt being hit under the belt,” a political observer here said.Mr Patnaik finds his crown studded with the thorn of power in his third term, thanks to the deadly combine of Jual and Bijay, which even a section of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders also admit.

Olive Ridleys keep their tryst with Orissa coast

By Manoj Kar Kendrapara: The endangered Olive Ridley turtles have commenced their annual rendezvous at the famous Gahirmatha marine sanctuary in Orissa's for mass nesting. Since February 26 evening, thousands of female turtles have arrived at the beach to lay eggs, forest officials in charge of the sanctuary told this newspaper on Saturday. The marine turtles have reappeared on the sandy beaches of south-eastern port of Nasi-2 Island, in close proximity to Defence Research Development Organization’s installation at Wheeler’s Island.

Under DRDO directions, visitors and outsiders are denied entry into the place. Only forest personnel on turtle protection duty have access to the nesting ground.
About 35,000 turtles have invaded the beach to lay eggs. Once the mass nesting picks up in coming days, the figure would go up. Last year, 1.70 lakh turtles had turned up while the species had skipped the annual visit during 2008 year.
About 35,000 female turtles were engrossed in en masse laying of eggs since Thursday evening on the sandy beaches of Nasi-2 Island off Gahirmatha coast.
The arribada (mass nesting) would continue for at least five days and the number of these visiting marine creatures would gradually increase, informed wildlife personnel of Bhitarkanika National Park.
“It's a virtual treat to watch as these species made their nocturnal visits. Emerging from the seawaters, they headed towards the sandy beaches generating some kind of noise. It is unfolding a soothing cacophony,” narrated an official on turtle protection duty.
The turtles loitered around the serene beach for quite a while before locating their preferred places to lay eggs. Digging out pits, they laid eggs. About 50 forest personnel have been deployed on the beach to keep vigil and to ensure the safe and undisturbed mass nesting of turtle species.
The presence of humans on the nesting ground did not bother the turtles. They moved past the forest guards at hand-shaking distance.
Round-the-cloak vigil is on to ensure the safe arribada and to keep the predators like wild dogs at bay, they said.
An Olive Ridley usually lays about 120 to 150 eggs from which hatchlings emerge after about 45 to 50 days. But not all eggs remain intact as predators devour it.
Besides, eggs are also washed away by sea waves during high tide. The eggs are incubated in the nest and grow, sans mother, to emerge as hatchlings.

Marriage ceremony unites factional state Congress leaders

By Pabitra Senapaty
Bhubaneswar, Feb. 28: The recent gathering of factional leaders of the state Congress unit, Orissa, - at the former Pradesh Congress Committee president Sarat Patnaik’s daughter’s marriage ceremony has fuelled speculations about the party leaders preparing to wage a “united battle” against the ruling BJD.
The ceremony – among others – was attended by two former chief ministers – Mr Hemananda Biswal and Mr Giridhar Gamang; PCC president Mr K. P. Singhdeo, ex-chief minister Mr J.B. Patnaik’s wife Mrs Jayanti Patnaik, Leader of the Opposition Mr Bhupinder Singh, former Union ministers Mr Ramachandra Rath and Mr Chandrasekhar Sahu, Lok Sabha member Amar Pradhan, Rajya Sabha members Ramachandra Khuntia and Ms Sushila Tiria.
Besides, several party legislators, ex-ministers and hundreds of party workers from every part of the state gathered at the ceremony, ringing the warning bell in the BJD.
The Congress leaders in Orissa have already paid heavy price for their factional politics. The party – which ruled the state for nearly 40 years – has been in the opposition since last 10 years. And this period is very likely to be extended by another four years since the BJD headed by chief minister Naveen Patnaik got the people’s mandate for the third term in 2009 Assembly polls.
“This is the for first time all the heavyweights of state Congress unit joined a single platform after the party lost the twin polls for the Assembly and Lok Sabha in 2009. It indicates that the party leaders have buried their hatchets to return to their position of strength again,” claimed a senior leader who attended the ceremony.
Rivalry among top leaders of the party has always been successfully exploited by the BJD leadership. During elections, the BJD poll managers have focused more on neutralising the opposition Congress by setting the factional leaders against each other instead of nourishing the party workers at the grassroots.

Amway targets 25 per cent growth in 2010

By Jyoti Panda
Bhubaneswar, Feb. 23: Amway India Enterprises Private Limited (AIEPL), India’s leading direct marketing consumer and home products giant, on Tuesday said it had set a 25 per cent growth target for the year 2010.
Speaking to reporters here, Mr Diptarag Bhattacharjee, vice president, AIEPL, eastern region, - said the company was bullish this year because of the wide acceptance of its newly launched slew of products in deodorants, nutrition and wellness categories by the consumers.
Stating that the company had recorded a turnover of Rs 1407 crore in 2009, registering a growth of 25 per cent over previous fiscal year 2008 when it clocked Rs 1128 crores turnover, Mr Bhattacharjee said by 2012 the company aimed to reach a turnover of Rs 2,500 crore.
“Despite economic recession in 2009, we have grown from 1128 crores to 1407 crores in 2009 and registered 25 per cent growth in turnover. We owe this success to the extremely high quality products, a pan-India presence in over 130 locations as well as strong entrepreneurial spirit of Amway distributors in India,” the vice president said.
Mr William S Pinckney, managing director and chief executive officer (MD & CEO), Amway India, said Amway’s focus in the past 2-3 years was to improve consumer access and awareness which had paid off handsomely.
“We have grown from Rs 799 to 1128 to 1407 crores over the past three years, essentially as the quality of the Amway pick-up centres has undergone a sea change. The ability to place orders on the web has also led to higher productivity from distributors and our TV ad campaigns have definitely enhanced the brand Amway on a national scale,” he added. Mr Bhattacharjee said the advertisement budget of Amway for the current year was pegged at Rs 25 crore.

Two leopard cubs born in Nandankanan zoo

By Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, Feb 23: Two leopard cubs took birth at Nandankanan zoo here late on Monday evening, official sources said on Tuesday.
With the arrival of the two newborn guests, the number of leopards in the zoo rose to six.
According to zoo officials, Barsa, a young leopard gave birth to the cubs. Both the mother and the cubs are in good health.
“This is the first time after a gap of 15 years, Nandankanan witnessed birth of leopard cubs,” the zoo officials said.
The gender of the cubs could not be ascertained yet, since they are now with their mother in a separate enclosure to avoid human contact.
“However, the cubs are under observation and after two smooth days pass by, we can say the cubs are out of danger”, the officials said.
Earlier, there were two male and two female leopards in the park.
The zoo houses nearly 1200 animals of 238 species, including 107 reptiles, 574 birds, and 437 mammals.
“When the number of tigers, both captive and wild, is on a decline, it is definitely good news for conservationists and animals lovers across the state. The cubs will certainly be a major attraction for the visitors to this zoo,” an official said.

They save others' lives, none to save them

By Sanjay Jena
Bhubaneswar, Feb. 21: They quench the thirst of people. During the summer when the heat wave is at its peak, they are the most sought after tribe. They are always made to toil from dawn to dusk--sometimes they are called to work even at night. Unfortunately, this tribe called Self-Employed Mechanics (SEMs) or swabalambi karigar is an exploited community. They are not even paid the minimum wages as announced by the state government.
One SEM is paid only Rs 1,090 per month. It means he earns only Rs 36 a day, which is far below Rs 116 given to a skilled worker.
But as per investigation carried out by this newspaper, for the last few months the SEMs in several blocks in the state have not been paid their remuneration yet. The delay, as they allege, is at the block level.
The SEMs were inducted into rural water supply network in 1993 under a Denmark government-sponsored project. They were later placed under the Rural Water Supply Scheme (RWSS) and finally shifted to the Panchayati Raj department. But none cares to look after their interest although every agency leaves no stone unturned to fix accountability on them.
If an SEM fails to repair a defunct tube well on time, he is taken into task. But sample this: After getting a complaint from villagers, the SEM has to run to the house of the local Sarpanch to inform him about the problem. Then he covers miles to reach the block office to inform the block development officer (BDO) who sends him to Bada Babu (head clerk) to register the complaint. The Bada Babu, in turn, asks the SEM to consult the junior engineer. The junior engineer then again sends him to Bada Babu to get the spare parts. Thus in the process, he wastes four to five days, spending money from his own pockets to make telephone calls to officials and sweating out while running from pillar to post.
The pitiable conditions of the SEMs not only hamper the interests of the particular community, but also cause huge damage to the state exchequer. Many water taps are running day and night due to lack of maintenance consuming huge volume of electricity and leading to wastage of precious water.
“We do not ask for five-digit remuneration. We just want the government to treat us like skilled workers. We should be placed under direct control of the Gram Panchayat so that we will not have to rush to block office and waste time. This will help us to immediately repair the defunct tube wells,” says Brajakishore Acharaya, an SEM working in Kendrapara district.
The SEMs recently approached senior BJD leader and president of Orissa State Cooperative Bank, Jagneswar to take up their cause.
When contacted Mr Jagneswar said: “Yes, I know the invaluable contribution of the SEMs to the society. They are facing a lot of hardships and I’m going to take up their cause with the chief minister Naveen Patnaik and concerned ministers. I hope they would soon get their due remuneration.”

Congress dubs Naveen government as ‘incapable’

By Ratikanta Mohanty
Bhubaneswar, Feb. 21: The Congress on Sunday lambasted the Naveen Patnaik government dubbing it as an “incapable establishment” to undertake development activities and implement welfare programmes for weaker sections, including the women community.
All India Congress Committee general secretary, Ms Nusrat Rizvi,- while addressing a press conference here, - said the number of women migration from Orissa was on the rise since the state government had failed to generate adequate employment opportunities for them.
“In metro and semi-metro cities, one finds large number of Oriya women migrants. This is quite shocking. This government has been in power for ten years now. But nothing has been done on the ground to uplift the women folks,” she said.
Ms Rizvi alleged that the ruling BJD had utterly failed to utilise the Central funds given from time to time for carrying out welfare programmes.
Stating that the Congress was preparing to “expose” the failures of the Naveen Patnaik government, the AICC leader said a three-day women convention would be organized in the state from February 26 to 29 to train the volunteers to explain the people how they were “cheated” in the last ten years.
“Besides, the trained volunteers would also act as agents to disseminate the success stories of the UPA government among the masses,” she informed.

Equipments for Tata Steel’s project arrive in Orissa

By our correspondent
Bhubaneswar, Feb. 22: The first consignment of equipments for Tata Steel’s Kalinga Nagar integrated steel project in Orissa arrived at the project site on Monday.
The equipments, which were received here by senior authorities of the company, are meant for steel melting shop of the proposed 6-million-tonne facility.
Supplied by SMS Demag, Germany, - the equipments includes blast furnace, sinter plant and electricals.
Till date, Tata Steel has received 11 consignments of equipments worth Rs 200 crore from different countries. The equipments were shipped mainly from European countries and arrived in the country via different ports.
The arrival of the equipments at Kalinga Nagar reinforces the company’s commitment to the Rs 20,000-crore Orissa project.
The company has far placed orders worth Rs 6000 crore for procurement of equipments.
Of the 3500 acres of land sought by Tata Steel, the company has already been given 3040 acres through the state-run Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IIDCO).
Similarly, of the 1195 families identified to be displaced, nearly 800 have been suitably compensated and rehabilitated.
The company has applied for iron ore mines for captive use of the project.
According to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the state government on November 17, 2004, the steel plant was scheduled to be commissioned in a period of four years.
However, the project was delayed because of protests by the a section of the local people
The steel plant will be set up in two modules of three million tonnes each.

Drunk teacher beats students

By Debasmita Biswal
Bhubaneswar, Feb 22: At least two Class VI students were on Monday injured, one of them seriously, when a teacher, allegedly in an inebriated condition, thrashed them in their classroom in a local high school at Kadamdihi in Orissa’s Jharsuguda district, nearly 500 km from here, official sources said.
A district official said the students - Akshaya Seth and Surath Pardhia, both aged 11 years- suffered bleeding injuries in their faces and hands when the assistant teacher of the school Purshottam Mirdha allegedly mercilessly beat them for failing to answer a question.
While both of them were admitted in the nearby government hospital, Surath was found to have suffered multiple cracks in his right hand.
The parents of the students brought the matter to the notice of the local sarpanch, who approached the Lakhanpur block development officer Purno Chandra Bhoi for action against the erring teacher.
When contacted, Mr Bhoi said, “I have received complaints from the victims’ parents. I have asked the Jharsuguda district school inspector to get the matter inquired and submit a report within 48 hours. I have also forwarded the complaints to the local police station for necessary action against the culprit.”
The incident comes barely a week after a similar corporal punishment to a Class VII student by a teacher in a school at Bargarh in western Orissa leading to his death.

Naveen out on image salvation campaign

By Prasanna Mohanty
Bhubaneswar, Feb. 22: Faced with rising number of mining scams and smouldering discontentment in the party, the beleaguered Orissa chief minister is now out on an image salvation move.
Mr Patnaik has chalked out a series of yatras across the length and breadth of the state ostensibly to show his strength to the opposition forces as well as some of the party leaders who have off late dared to challenge his authorities, albeit indirectly.
In the last four days, Mr Patnaik has addressed two such yatras and planning to address a few more in the current month in north Orissa, party sources here said.
In the first two yatras held at Nowrangpur and Jajpur districts, Naveen outlined his government’s steps taken for progress of the state through industrilisation.
“Clean governance by my government has helped us win trust of investors who are making a beeline to set up their projects in the state. The state has so far received projects worth over Rs 5 lakh crore and we are expecting more in the coming days,” Mr Patnaik said in the meetings.
He also underlined his government’s efforts for economic empowerment of women groups and weaker sections of the society.
The Opposition, however, sees the yatras as face-saving strategy by the chief minister.
“Time and again, it has been proved that Naveen has been patronising loot of the state’s mineral resources for some obvious reasons. He can organise one yatra everyday out of the black money he receives from his mining deals,” his bete noir and senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra said.
The state Congress vice president Sibananda Ray also echoed in similar line.
“Naveen is spending huge sums of ill-got money in organising yatras to befool the voters. However, he would not succeed any more since the Orissa mining scam – which is the number mining scam in the country – is going to be exposed shortly,” Mr Ray said.

Illegally lifted iron ore disappears from railway sidings

By Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, Feb. 20: At least 3,600 metric tonnes of iron ore illegally raised from forest areas and stockpiled at two railway sidings – Banspani in Keonjhar district and Juruli in Sundergarh district – has mysteriously disappeared.
The precious mineral – roughly estimated to be worth Rs 150 crore – is suspected to have been lifted by a big racket allegedly having political patronisation.
Although Joda deputy director mines (DDM) has written separate letters to inspector-in-charge of General Railway Police station Rourkela and Bhandhamuda police station, no one action has been taken against to identify the culprits.
What raises doubt about the state government’s seriousness to apprehend the criminals is its complete silence over the issue. Although on January 21, the DDM, Joda, stumbled upon the illegally lifted mineral stocked at Bansapani and Jurui, he did not seize it. Instead, he kept mum on the issue and informed the police nine days after on January 30, allowing the plunders to transport iron ore to the targeted destinations.
Sources said the illegally dispatched iron ore was lifted from forest areas and some mines which were recently shut down after much hue and cry by the opposition.
“I think no amount of expose can awaken the Naveen Patnaik government to check the ongoing indiscriminate loot of the state’s mineral resources. Despite the Opposition coming out evidences against him for extending patronisation to such heinous act, he does not care to act. This exposes the real man in Naveen,” senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra told reporters at a crowded press conference here.
He reiterated his demand for a probe into the multi-crore mining scam by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Bank of India to open specialized corporate branches

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 19: Bank of India (BOI) is contemplating to open specilised corporate branches to meet to the “specific requirements” of its corporate clients. It has already applied to the Reserve Bank of India for license for the purpose.
“We have applied to the RBI for the license. As soon as we receive it, we would immediately open specialized corporate braches across the country,” BOI chairman and managing director, Mr Alok Mishra, told reporters after the board meeting.
Mr Mishra informed that the selected persons – who would handle the branches – were undergoing training.
In the first phase, at least 15 such banks would be opened in certain “potential” states, including Orissa.
The CM said at least 100 specialised branches of the bank were already catering to the needs of small and medium scale entriprises (SEMs).
Stating that the BOI’s global business is presently Rs 369, 000 crore consisting deposits of Rs 211,000 crore and advances of Rs 158,000 crore, Mr Mishra said the operating profit of the bank stood at Rs 3429 crore for nine months period ended December 31 while net profit was Rs 1313 crore.

Dolphin tribe grows in Chilka lake

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 19: It’s good news for dolphin ((Orcaella brevirostris) lovers. The number of the tribe in Chilika lake, - the world’s largest brackish water lagoon, is going. According to the census carried out on Wednesday, at least 158 dolphins are living in the lake, 12 more than the last year’s figure.

Of the total population, 55 per cent were recorded in the outer channel and 45 were in the lake proper.

Last year, 146 dolphins were counted from the lake, out of which 76 were recorded from the outer channel and 70 from the lake proper.

“There is an increase of 12 dolphins over the last year. Thus, there is an increase in the population of Irrawaddy dolphin by per cent over the last year’s population in the lake. Dolphin being at the top of the food chain is a good indicator of the health of the lake ecosystem. The rise in the population of Irrawaddy dolphin in Chilika Lake is thus a healthy sign,” Dr A.K. Patnaik, chief executive officer of the CDA, told this newspaper on Friday.

In northern sector the population was recorded to be only 2 last year whereas per the current survey it touched 6.“The increase in the number can be attributed to the conservation initiative taken by the CDA and the wildlife department for protection and conservation of the Irrawaddy dolphin in the lake,” Dr Patnaik claimed.

The CDA is also running a research project to study the distribution, population dynamics, habitat utilisation, biology and the threat to the Irrawaddy dolphin population of Chilika lake.

“Based on the output of the study a conservation management plan of Irrawaddy dolphin would be developed. The CDA is also carrying out an advanced underwater acoustic study of the Irrawaddy dolphin by use of hydrophones in collaboration with the Tokyo University. A two-day international workshop would be held at Chilika from March 23 to 24 on use of hydrophone for study of underwater behaviour of Irrawaddy dolphin in collaboration with the Tokyo University. This would provide useful clue for developing the conservation plan of the Irrawaddy dolphin,” the executive director informed.

When dreams shatter just for Rs 50

By Our Coorespondent

Bhubaneswar, Feb 18: Just imagine a scene. Two kids are crying inconsolably at the entrance of their school. They are pleading their parents to persuade the headmaster to allow them sit in the examination. Both their father and mother are too shocked to react. The parents just stand near their kids with eyes downcast. They remain mute spectators as their kids’ dreams lie shattered.

The unfortunate parents could not arrange just Rs 50 to pay examination fees of the two children, following which the latter were barred from appearing the Class VII Board Examination, 2010, currently in progress.

The scene is not taken out of any fiction. The heart rending sight was witnessed at the local school in the village of Kantapada in Orissa’s Cuttack district, nearly 45 km from here on Wednesday. The passers-by were so moved by the plight of the children that they tried to intervene in the matter. But the headmaster expressed his helplessness to help the kids saying it was too late to act.

Anusuya Pradhan (12) and her brother Somnath Pradhan (11), students of government-run Kantapada high school, could not appear their Class VII Board examination this year because of their parents’ failure to pay the examination fees of Rs 50 (Rs 25 each) in time. Their father Jagabandhu Pradhan, a daily wage earner, arranged the money with much difficulty. But the date for depositing the fees had expired by then.

“My daughter was doing extremely well in her study. Even my son always secured first position in the class examinations. Both of them wanted to be doctors. Fate played a cruel joke on them. They will never dare to dream again in their life”, Jagabandhu said in a choked voice with tears rolling down his cheeks.

The headmaster of the school, Bichitrananda Patra, seemed least affected by the plight of the students.

“They are brilliant students. But what can I do? I sent the peon to their parents to remind them that they should deposit the fees by February 5. But Jagabandhu turned up with the money on February 14. It was too late by then”, he told reporters on Thursday.The kids have lost an academic year and have to be readmitted in Class VII.

Tantrik sacrifices child to gain supernatural power

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, Feb 18: A tantrik was on Thursday arrested at Ichhapur in Orissa’s Jajpur district, nearly 170 km from here on charges of killing an eight-year-old boy allegedly to gain superpower.

The reported human sacrifice came to light when torso of the kid was on found in a deserted hut on the outskirt of Ichhapur village, police said.

The victim, Srikant Bagi had been missing from his home in the neighbouring village of Kubal since February 11. His mother had filed a missing case in the local police station on February 12.

“We have arrested Pitambar Gosasai (25), a tribal of Ichhapur village in this connection. The accused confessed that he sacrificed the child to offer his blood to the Goddess Kali to get supernatural power,” Jajpur district superintendent of police D. S. Kuttey told this newspaper.

“The hut from where the headless body was found has tell-tale evidences of the accused practicising black magic. A framed picture of Goddess Kali was found hanging on the wall. All puja materials like vermillion and flowers lay scattered on the floor. We have also recovered an axe and a sharp weapon, possibly used in the crime, from the place,” he added.

Besides, two other skulls were also recovered from the hut.Police said investigations were on to ascertain the identities of the skulls.The chilling incident has sent shock waves in the area.Police quoting the local villagers said the accused, a school dropout, was practicising tantrism to be blessed with supernatural powers to cure diseases like AIDS and cancer.

Sourav keeps tryst with cherished dream

By Srikant Panda
Cuttack: It was like a tryst with a long cherished dream. Since long he longed to visit Netaji Birth Place Trust (NBPT) at Oriya Bazar in Cuttack. But his earlier busy schedules with Team India for one-day internationals at Barbati stadium never offered him an opportunity.

However on Sunday, after a grueling day on the field in a crucial Ranji encounter with Assam, former India captain Sourav Ganguly – without changing his sports uniforms – on Sunday drove straight to NBTP, the birth place of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

“Since long, I dreamt to visit the birth place of Netaji. Today, I’m glad that I got my long desired opportunity to come here and offer my respect to this great son of the country,” Sourav told reporters after visiting the museum.

The ace cricketer – who contributed to Bengal’s emphatic seven-wicket victory over Assam by scoring a brilliant 64 runs off 63 balls that included eight fours and two sixes – enthusiastically inspected the place where Netaji was born on January 23, 1897, innumerable articles used by the soldiers of Subhas Bose-led Indian National Army and letters written by Netaji from prison cells to freedom fighters.

He thanked museum in-charge Jyoti Prakash Das, Cuttack mayor mayor Soumendra Ghosh and local corporator Kalpana Bose for inviting him to visit the museum.

“The visit to Netaji’s birth place will remain etched in my memory for all time to come. I don’t find words to describe how I felt here. All I can say that the heroic deeds of this great son will be inspiring our young generations for ages,” he wrote in the visitors’ notebook.

Though it was an unscheduled visit to the museum, hundreds of people gathered outside the place to have glimpse of the legendary cricketer.

ESIC plans insurance cover for BPL category people

By A.K. Sahoo
Bhubaneswar: Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) plans to bring under its fold all the below poverty line (BPL) category people so to enable them to avail medical and sickness benefits as enjoyed by other registered employees and industrial workers.

ESIC commissioner B.K. Sahu told this newspaper on Sunday that the surplus manpower sitting idle in various branches of the organisation will be utilised for the purpose.

“The ESIC is contemplating to bring maximum of number of people, including the BPL beneficiaries, under insurance coverage. Efforts are being made in this respect and I hope it will materialise shortly,” Mr Sahu said.

The commissioner said the ESIC was going to set up a medical college in Orissa with an investment of Rs 600 crore. For this, the Orissa government has allotted 125 acres of land at Jagannathprasad near here.

“We have got the land by depositing the required government fee of Rs 2.5 crore. Foundation stone for the project will be laid soon,” he said.

Mr Sahu added that the ESIC was planning to set up at least one medical college in each state where the organization its operations.

Mr A.S. Meeran, ESIC regional director, Orissa, - said at least 1,89,892 persons were insured in Orissa by the Corporation and focus would be made in the coming fiscal to increase the figure to at least 2. 5 lakh.

Orissa dismisses speculation over shifting of Posco project to West Bengal

By Akshaya Kumar Sahoo
Bhubaneswar, Feb. 11: Orissa government on Thursday dismissed the speculation in a section of media that the South Korean steel major Posco was planning to shift its proposed 12-million-tonne steel project to Kulti in West Bengal.
“I’m confident that they (Posco) are not shifting their Orissa project anywhere. We have talked to them and they have assured us to set up the project very much here,” state steel and mines secretary Dr Ashok Dalwai told this newspaper.
Mr Dalwai added that the state government had already facilitated mining lease in favour of the steel behemoth.
“We have been taking every possible step to see through the Posco project here. As far as I know they are exploring possibility of setting up a downstream facility at Kulti in West Bengal,” secretary said.
Senior official of Posco affirmed that they were committed to the Rs 52,000-crore project. “Orissa project is extremely important to us. We remain committed to it. Things in Orissa are moving on the ground and we are hopeful of significant progress,” Mr Simant Mohanty, general manager (external affairs), Posco, said.
He added that the Kulti project was at preliminary stage.
“As regards the Kulti project, things are on a preliminary stage,” Mr Mohanty said.
It may be mentioned here that Posco has offered to set up a joint venture plant with Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) in the industrial town of Kulti under Burdwan district West Bengal with an investment of Rs 10,000-crore.
According to sources, the leading global steel maker believes land acquisition will not be an issue here since the project will come up on the land of Growth Works, a SAIL-owned plant. Posco is locked in a long and bitter land dispute for its proposed mega plant near Paradip in Orissa.
The company has recently got clearance from the Union environment ministry to acquire forest land for the Orissa project. Wiser by the five-year ordeal, it is looking for ‘clean’ land for its venture with SAIL. The Kulti Growth Works fits the bill. It would take only an agreement with SAIL to start the project.
On Monday, four top Posco officials, including two general managers, had visited the Kulti plant.

Naveen Govt. seeks Central help for fortification of police establishments

By pabitra senapaty
Bhubaneswar, Feb. 11: Close on the heels of asking the Union government to provide five battalions of central paramilitary forces to fight the Maoists, a determined Orissa government on Thursday decided to strengthen its security arrangements in police establishments in sensitive pockets.
The move, according to government sources, is aimed at avoiding Nayagarh and Koraput like situations where the Naxals attacked police establishments and looted huge cache of arms and ammunition after killing security personnel on duty.
At a high level meeting held here at the state secretariat under the chairmanship of chief secretary Tarunkanti Mishra it was decided that the ongoing projects that were started this year as a part of the security strengthening exercise will be continued and even completed in the 2010-11 fiscal. And for this , an estimated Rs 50 crore Central assistance will be sought from the Centre in the coming Union budget.
In fact, soon after the meeting, - the state government on Thursday submitted a memorandum in this respect to the Centre seeking Rs 50 crore assistance.
Speaking to here reporters after the meeting, home secretary Mr Padhi said the Rs 49 crore given to Orissa in the last Central budget was going to be spent by the end of the current fiscal and to continue to the existing projects the state needed another Rs 50 crore.
“The Rs 50 crore allocation sought in the memorandum will be spend building house, fortification of police stations and buying equipments and transport vehicles,” Mr Padhi said.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who has expressed his strong determination to fight the red rebels by ordering joint raids along with Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh police in border areas on the Naxal camps, has said no dialogue would be possible unless the ultras shun violence.
The meeting among others was attended by home secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi and police director general Manmohan Praharaj.

Centre moots tribal education development plan, to spend Rs 1000 crore

By Sibanshu Naik
Bhubaneswar, Feb 10: The Centre has decided to make a budgetary allocation of Rs 1000 crore for development of tribal education in the country, Union tribal affairs minister Kantilal Bhuria said here on Wednesday.
“The allocation will be made in the budget for 2010-11. The ambitious plan proposes to arrest drop outs and increase literacy among the tribals in the country”, Mr Bhuria told reporters on the sidelines of a seminar here on “We and our tribes: caring culture and sharing thoughts”.
He said the proposed scheme would fund construction of residential Ekalabya schools for tribal students. Around Rs 12 to Rs 16 crore would be spent on each such hostel.
The Centre plans to sanction at least one such residential school each in tribal-dominated districts accommodating 320 tribal students- 160 seats each for girls and boys- in each hostel.
The Union government is also toying with the idea of imparting education to the tribal students in their own dialects to check dropouts. Besides, the Centre plans to provide infrastructure in all these residential schools.
The Union minister also dropped the hints that there was a plan to double the scholarship for the tribal students.
This apart, the Centre has decided to provide financial assistance to the tribal students who desire to pursue higher studies abroad.

Maoists blow up rly track, goods train derailed

By Ruplina Lenka
Bhubaneswar, Feb 10: Suspected Maoist guerrillas on Wednesday blew up two railway tracks at a place between Bisra and Bhalulata stations in Orissa’s Sundergarh district, nearly 600 km from here, causing derailment of a goods train.
Portions of railway tracks on the up and the down lines at the explosion site were ripped apart following the powerful landmine blast, a spokesman of East Coast Railway (ECR) said here.
The incident took place at around 2 am, nearly 35 km from district headquarters of Rourkela.
“Eight wagons of an empty goods train passing through the route jumped off the track following the sabotage. Train services in the Howrah-Mumbai route were disrupted due to this. The repairing of damaged tracks continued till late in the evening,” chief public relations officer, ECR, Soumitra Mazumdar said here.
There was, however, no casualty.
CRPF and Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel along with a bomb disposal squad have rushed to the spot to undertake thorough security check up for detection of landmines, if planted anywhere in the area.
The explosion snapped overhead electric cables stretching up to one-and-half km.
While at least nine trains were cancelled, all the long distance trains in the path have been diverted to a route via Ranchi-Hatia-Moory.
This was the second such incident in the route in the past 48 hours.
Earlier, the ultras blew up a stretch of railway track nearly 15 km from the present accident site early on Monday. A goods train was derailed while travelling through the route. The track is yet to be repaired.

VAL says Amnesty report is not ‘credible’

By Jyoti Panda
Bhubaneswar, Feb. 10: Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL), the Indian arm of London based Vedanta Resources, on Wednesday refuted the Amnesty International’s report that claimed the company’s Orissa refinery project was causing water and air pollution.
It said that since the report was prepared by some “inexperienced” persons, it was not “acceptable” to anybody and lacked “credibility.”
“Amnesty International report has been prepared based on the reports and documents which have already been looked into by the Supreme Court before granting permission for bauxite mining at Niyamgiri hills. Since this issue has already been discussed and debated in the court of law, raising this issue again is not appropriate,” CEO of Lanjigarh project, Mr Mukesh Kumar said.
Stating that VAL had offered for a joint verification of the Lanjigarh plant, Mr Kumar said the human rights watchdog did not agree to the proposal.
“We had offered Amnesty for a joint verification during their visit to Lanjigarh last year in presence of the district magistrate which they did not agree. That time we spent a whole day with them and showed them all documents to maintain transparency,” he added.
Stating that the plant was zero-discharge facility, the CEO said VAL was complying with all environmental norms with respect to air and water pollution and regular monitoring is done by the state pollution control board.
“Third issue Amnesty has raised is public consultation. When this project was set up, all public consultations had been made in the line with Indian regulatory system and we will continue or dialogue with the society for the overall socio-economic development of the area for which we are committed,” Mr Kumar observed.

Displaced families achieve millennium development goals before timelines

By Debasmita Biswal
Bhubaneswar, Feb. 10: It has come like miracles. Rehabilitated families, most of them belonging to tribal communities, at Kalinga Nagar industrial estate in Orissa’s Jajpur district, have achieved two millennium development goals set by the United Nations much before the stipulated timelines.
The families – known as Tata Steel Paribars – have not only successfully registered zero dropout rate of their children at elementary education level and but also eliminated gender disparity by creating equal opportunities for girl students to get quality education.
While the first Millennium Development has set a timeline of 2015 to ensure universal primary education, the second millennium development goal stresses upon removal of gender disparity in primary and secondary education by 2015 AD.
“The success was not achieved overnight. Our dedicated rehabilitation and resettlement team members had to do a lot of motivation exercise to bring the children above the age of three to school. Attaining zero dropout rate gives us immense joy since it comes against the country’s elementary school dropout rate of 23 per cent and that of Orissa which stands around 26 per cent,” a senior Tata Steel official said.
Constant persuasion with the parents and facilitating in creating opportunities in boarding schools including that in Kalinga Institute of Social Scineces (KISS) have ensured 100 per cent education for the girl child starting from primary levels to secondary level and higher professional levels like that of engineering and business management.
Successful intervention by Tata Steel has also seen drastic jump in literacy level of Tata Steel Paribar. It has increased from 45 per cent in 2005 to 65 per cent in 2010 amongst its members, the official informed.
He added that Computer Based Functional Literacy (CBFL) through six adult literacy centers had been giving participants the opportunity to acquire literacy skills.
Education at Kalinga Nagar rehabilitated colonies being handled through 12 education centers currently running at five locations catering to 105 children in the age group of 3 to 5 years and 122 children in 6 to 14 years age group.

Orissa fails to properly implement watershed, soil conservation projects
By Pabitra Senapaty
Bhubaneswar, Feb. 9: Agriculture minister Dr Damodar Rout on Tuesday expressed serious concern over delay in implementation of watershed projects and soil conservation activity in the state.
Dr Rout, who reviewed departmental activities at the state secretariat, was surprised to find that most of the Central and state-sponsored projects had not been completed on schedule due to “lack of interest” at official level.
He directed the officials to play a proactive role for timely completion of the projects so as to provide an opportunity to farmers to get good returns on their investment.
“Departmental officials have been directed to assess how farmers can reap maximum benefits from different watershed and soil conservation projects and focus on early completion of various Central and state-sponsored sponsored programmes,” Dr Rout told reporters after the review meeting.
It was revealed during the review that at least 339 of the total 2730 sanctioned posts in the state soil conservation directorate were lying vacant. Similarly, of the Rs 163.13 crore received from various sources, Rs 139.33 crore was spent during the current fiscal.
The minister expressed his dissatisfaction over delay in establishment of soil conservation demonstration centres in at least 13 districts during the current fiscal.
He asked the state agriculture production officer and director to personally supervise implementation of watershed and soil conservation programmes.

Orissa HC issues notices to Govt, SHRC on farmer suicide
By Ratikanta Mohanty
Bhubaneswar, Feb. 9: Finally a ray of hope to get justice has emerged for human rights who have been fighting for protecting the escalating number of farmer suicide cases in the state. The Orissa High Court has asked the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) to file counters by Feburary 17 to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a Bolangir based Krishak Mahasangh secretary Nati Pradhan for a CBI probe into the alleged farmers suicides in the state.
Adjudicating on the PIL, the bench comprising acting chief justice I. M Quddusi and justice Sanju Panda has also issued notices to the chief secretary, agriculture secretary, and revenue divisional commissioners of Cuttack, Berhampur, Sambalpur, all district collectors and the CBI to file their respective counters.
The PIL said the CBI enquiry into the growing farmers’ suicide will only find out the truth and causes behind these deaths and appealed to the Court to order a CBI probe.
The matter will be heard on February 17.
The bench also has sought to find out what steps have been taken by the State Human Rights Commission in this regard and inform the Court before the next hearing.
There have been allegations that at least 40 farmers have died in the state in recent months.
Though the agriculture minister Dr Damodar Rout admits that the farmers in the state are passing through difficult times, he and the state government refuse to admit farmers committing suicide due to debt burden and crop losses.

After Sri Sri, Ram Dev offers to broker dialogue between
By our correspondent
Bhubaneswar, Feb. 9: After spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, yoga guru Baba Ram Dev has offered to broker dialogue between the Union and state governments and the Maoist forces active various parts of the country.
Speaking to reporters here on the sidelines of state executive committee meeting of his Patanjali Yoga Samiti, Ram Dev said it was high time that direct talks with Naxalites were made and internal peace was established.
“The whole nation is tired of meeting, eating and cheating activities that have been going on since long in the name of addressing the vexed Naxal problem. Some concrete action is required on the ground to mitigate this issue,” he said, adding, there should not be any bloodshed or whatsoever while dealing with rebels.
“Some people are talking of change in the establishment to secure equality and they prefer to adopt violent means to achieve this. Poverty, hunger and official negligence provide these elements perfect opportunities to perpetuate their agenda. But, I firmly believe a change can be effected by peaceful means,” he observed.
Ram Dev said in the coming three years, he will try to register at least five lakh yoga practitioner in each district of the country who would play pivotal role in bring changes in the society and government.
Asked if he intended to launch his own political party, Baba said, “There is nothing to hurry on this issue as the elections will be in 2014. We will observe the situation for the next three years.”
Earlier, Ravi Shankar had offered to facilitate peace talks between the Maoists and Centre as well the Naxal affected state governments.

Hounded Naxals inching closer to coastal Orissa

By our correspondent

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 8: Even as the Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa police are conducting joint raids on Maoists camps in border areas, the ultras appear to be slowly advancing towards coastal parts of the state. It is suspected that they have spread their tentacles even in Cuttack district which houses the state’s police headquarters.

Acting on information received from villagers in Narasinghpur in Cuttack district, the police has launched a massive combing operation in Naugarh jungle, nearly 120 km from here. However, until Monday evening, the police had not been able to arrest any militants.

According to villagers, a group of suspected rebels were sighted in the area on February 1.

“On February 1, some armed rebels came to our village in a light motor vehicle and asked for food. They even offered the villagers hefty sums in lieu of food. However, they retreated after some local youths suspected their behavior,” the locals told the police.

The police suspects that the Maoists cadres entered Nuagarh jungle via Rairakhol in Sambalpur district.

Sambalpur happens to be one of the major operational areas of the Maoists in western Orissa.

In south Orissa too, the authorities are spending sleepless nights as the rebels are intermittently indulging in violent activities, - especially in Malkangiri, Rayagada, Gajapati and Koraput districts.

Off late, the violent activities carried out by the Maoists in Sundergarh district in western Orissa has come as a major headache for the state police. The rebels have mercilessly killed three trade union leaders – two belonging to the CPI (M) and the third one of Bharatiya Janata Party backed Bharatiya Majdoor Sangh – in the last one month.

Located on the borders of Jharkhand, the industrially developed Sudergarh district has become a hotbed of the Maoist activities because of its dense forest cover and coal bearing land.

The appearance of the red rebels in Narasinghpur area has sent a warning across the state establishment since the place is quite nearer to Cuttack and state capital Bhubaneswar.

In the past, the Naxals were sighted at Nayagarh, Jagatsinghpur and Japur districts which are located on the south, east and north of the capital city. And with their appearance in Narasinghpur which is located in the western part of Bhubaneswar, the Maoists have sent a signal that they have their presence all around the capital.

Maoists derail goods train in Orissa

By our correspondent

Bhubaneswar, Feb 8: Suspected Maoist guerrillas blew up a rail track near Bhalulata railway station in Orissa’s Sundergarh district, nearly 600 km from here early on Monday, causing derailment of a goods train, an official of East Coast Railway (ECR) said.However, there was no report of injury to anybody following the incident.

“The bomb was planted under the railway track at a place between Bhalulata and Mahupada railway stations in Sundergarh district. It exploded when the freight train was passing through the route on the down-line at around 1.15 am. One wagon of the train got derailed”, the official added.

He said a rescue team along with a bomb disposal squad from nearby Rourkela railway station rushed to the spot to repair the damaged track. The squad detected a live bomb on the up-line near the mishap site and diffused it.“It was a huge 30 kg cane bomb that was successfully made inactive. Had it exploded, it would have caused immense damage to any train,” he said.

Train services along Howrah- Mumbai were hit for nearly 12 hours following the incident. At least 20 long distance trains were affected following the disruption.Train services resumed in the afternoon and the trains stranded at different railway stations following the incident started leaving for their destinations, the spokesman added.

The banned CPI (Maoist) called for 72-hour bandh since Sunday in five states including Orissa in protest against Operation Green Hunt by the security forces.The bandh call, however, evoked little response in Maoist infested districts of Malkangiri, Rayagada, Koraput, Gajapati and Sundergarh.

JSL Limited signs MoU with Orissa govt. to set up stainless steel park

By Ratikant Mohanty
Bhubaneswar, Feb. 3: Ratan Jindal led JSL Limited (formerly known as Jindal Stainless Limited) on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Orissa government for setting up a stainless steel park at Kalinga Nagar industrial estate in Jajpur district with an investment of Rs 704 crore.
The MoU was signed by Rajeep Mohanty, chief resident manager of JSL Limited and state director of industries Hemant Kumar Sharma.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, industry minister Raghunath Mohanty and JSL vice chairman and managing director Ratan Jindal were present on the occasion.
Proposed to be set up over 300 acres of land, the park will accommodate 71 units, including a service centre.
Speaking on the occasion, chief minister Naveen Patnaik said initiative would encourage prospective entrepreneurs to set up downstream and ancillary industries.
“Orissa government always seeks to promote ancillary and downstream parks all major industrial hubs. The present MoU is a step in that direction,” the CM said.
JSL vice chairman Mr Jindal said the proposed park would generate direct and direct employment opportunities for about 3800 and1200 persons, respectively.
He added that the project would ensure high tax receipts of around Rs 140 crore for the state government in the first five years in terms of excise and income tax value added products.
As per the MoU Jindal will develop the park and provide all infrastructures like boundary wall, roads, drains, research and development centre, power and water supply, railway network, township, school and hospital.
Architectural products, surgical and hospital equipment, hardware, stamping and forging, cold rolling, and re-rolling mills, tube and pipes, heat exchangers, heavy machinery capital goods, kitchenware, lifestyle products and stainless steel composite panel manufacturing units will come up in the park.
To mark on the occasion, five companies Empowertrans Private Limited, Jagadamba Exports, Jupitor India, Kraftsware Limited and Kitechen Essentials signed MoUs with the JSL Limited government to set up down stream industries.

IOC Paradip refinery project to be commissioned by March, 2012

By Pabitra Senapaty
Bhubaneswar, Feb. 3: The first phase of the Indian Oil Corporation's Paradip Oil Refinery (POR) project in Orissa will be completed March, 2012.
This was informed by the IOC chairperson, Mr Sarthak Behuria, here on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters here after apprising chief minister Naveen Patnaik about the progress of the refinery, Mr Behuria said Rs 6000 crore had already been invested in the project and efforts were being made to lay pipeline to Jatni, Khurda, Jharsuguda, Ranchi and Raipur for supply of petroleum products.
The chairman hinted that the IOC was facing difficulty to avail bank loans due to absence of agreement between the state government and the public sector unit on land transfer.
“We are facing a lot of obstacles to avail bank loans since no agreement with relation to transfer of land was made between the state government and the IOC at the time of memorandum of understanding signing. We, hope, to overcome all such impediments soon,” he said.
The chairman also stated that heavy equipments required for construction of petrochemical complex could not be mobilized due to lack of good and wide roads.
“We have apprised the chief minister about this problem and he has assured us to take steps regarding this,” Mr Behuria said.

Spiritual guru offers to mediate between Centre and Maoists

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, Jan 31: Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has offered to mediate between the Centre and the Maoists to end the Naxal violence in the country.

He called upon the Left-wing radicals to shun violence and come to the negotiating table to resolve all issues, saying, “Violence is not a solution to any problem”.“If you (Maoists) are not willing to enter into a dialogue with the government, you can talk to me. I am prepared to mediate between you and the Centre”, the spiritual guru offered the olive branch to the ultras while addressing the reporters here on Sunday evening.

The spiritual leader said he supported the issues raised by the rebels such a oppression and exploitation of the poor. But it is wrong for them to choose the path of violence to achieve their goal of creating a society free of all such evils.“Violence has no place in a civil society. It is anti-thesis of spiritualism”, he said.

A lasting solution to a problem, however complex it may be, can be found only through peaceful negotiation, the “Kriya Yoga” master, who had successfully spoken to the Maoists in Lalgarh of West Bengal for negotiation with the government, said.

Spiritual guru Ravi Shankar opposes Bt Brinjal

By Our Correspondent

Bhubnaneswar, Jan. 31: Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Sunday urged the Union government to reconsider its decision to introduce Bt Brinjal in the country.

Speaking to reporters here, Ravi Shankar said introduction of genetically modified Bt Brinjal and other such vegetables would herald a major crisis and cause massive health hazards.

“I don’t think the Centre’s decision to allow genetically modified (GM) crops is a wise one. Without further scientific research and confirming safety standards, Bt Brijnal and other GM crops should be allowed to be cultivated or marketed in the country,” Sri Sri said.

The spiritual guru’s remark has come as shot in the arm for the green activists opposing introduction of Bt Brijnal.

On Saturday, marking Gandhiji’s martyrdom day, - members of the United Coalition of Genetical Engineers (UNCAGE) and Hamara Beej Abhiyan held a fast on before the Orissa Legislative Assembly to register their protest against the proposed introduction of Bt Brinjal.

“Bt Brinjal is a toxic fruit. We wish to remind those who are in favour of GM crops that Gandhiji would not have allowed a toxic fruit or vegetable to be commercially cultivated without adequate safety studies on all parameters,” the protestors said.

On January 16, Union minister of forest and environment had to face noisy protests by farmers of Orissa during the one-day national consultations on Bt Brinjal.

Hundreds of small and marginal farmers from across the state gathered demonstrated holding placards and raising slogans demanding a ban on all GM crops including Bt brinjal in the country.

European Union team to visit Kandhamal on January 17

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, Jan 28: The Orissa government on Thursday gave a go-ahead signal to the proposed visit of a 13-member European Union team to riot-hit Kandhamal district.

The decision to allow the EU delegation to tour Kandhamal was taken after reviewing the ground situation, a spokesman of the state home department told this newspaper here.

According to him, the proposed visit had already been cleared by the Centre last month. The EU team, however, awaited the nod from the Orissa government before finaling the tour programme.“The EU delegation is expected to send their detail tour schedule shortly,” he added.

The team led by Deputy Chief of Mission in the Spanish embassy Ramon Moreno has proposed to make an extensive tour of Kandhamal to “review socio-economic conditions of the people in the district.”

The foreign dignitaries also evinced keenness to interact with the people affected by last year’s communal riots.The spokesman, however, clarified that the tour would be purely interactive in nature and not fact-finding.

Official sources said the EU team had sought to visit Kandhamal immediately after communal violence broke out in the district following the killing of VHP leader Swami Laxmananand Saraswati on August 23, 2008.

The Centre, however, put on hold its decision to grant permission to the proposed visit for nearly a year citing “hostile ground situation and subsequent General elections.”

Earlier, envoys of five European nations who had visited Orissa in November last year were also denied permission to visit Kandhamal. The foreign diplomats were only allowed to meet the riot victims given shelter in twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack to get the feeling of the magnitude of the communal violence. They had also interacted with senior police officials including director general of police Manmohan Praharaj to assess the prevailing situation in the district then.

Orissa FC recommends devolution of Rs 4,480-cr to local bodies

By Ratikant Mohanty

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 28: The State Finance Commission (SFC), Orissa, on Thursday recommended a total devolution of Rs4480.85 crore to the local bodies in Orissa for five years from 2010-11 to 2014-15.

The earmarked fund is recommended to be released in three installments.
The rural local bodies (RLB) will account for 75 per cent of the gross funds while the remaining 25 per cent will be transferred to the urbanlocal bodies (ULB).

“The Commission’s approach has been to strengthen the ULB and RLBs by devolving more funds to them to enable them discharge their constitutional responsibilities quite diligently. Care has been taken to ensure decent living to the rural poor through innovative recommendations like earmarking funds for rural specific livelihood programmes, setting up cane and bamboo technology centre on the line of one at Guwahati, one bamboo park, stimulus money to bring girl children to schools and improving lifestyle of poor kendu leaf workers” the SFC chairman, Dr Sudhakar Panda, on Thursday said.

Dr Panda along with four other commission members on Thursdaysubmitted the final report to Orissa Governor, Muralidhar Chandrakant Bhandare and chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

The Commission started functioning from October, 2008 and submitted an interim report to the Governor, which was also meant for the Thirteenth Finance Commission on February 9, 2009.

The Commission is understood to have adopted gross tax revenue of the state as basis for devolution of fund as there is no correct figure of net proceeds. The Commission has recommended transfer of 15 per cent of the average Gross Tax Revenue worth of Rs 896 crore in favour of panchayati raj institutions (PRIs) and ULBs per annum.

Orissa clears investment proposal worth Rs 48,500 crore

By Pabitra Senapaty

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 28: The Orissa government on Wednesday cleared investment proposals worth Rs 48,500 crore.

The investment proposal includes setting up of five new thermal power projects and expansion of two existing power plants.The projects were cleared by the 12th meeting of the state high-power committee presided over by chief minister Naveen Patnaik.The new power projects cleared by the committee include 3200 MW plant National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) at Dharanipali in Sundergarh district (Rs 18,000 crore), 2000 MW plant by Orissa Power Transmission Corporation Limited (OPTCL) at Rengali (Rs 8,250 crore), 1320 MW plant by BGR at Bhapur in Nayagarh district (Rs 6,300 crore), 1980 MW plant by JR Power Gen Private Limited at Bainda in Angul district (Rs 8,000 crore) and 1320 MW plant by Adhunk Power Company Limited at Birmaharjpur in Sonepur district (Rs 8000 crore)

All these projects will create employment opportunity for nearly six thousand people.The existing projects which were given permission to go for expansion are Chambal Infrastructure Limited (from 1200 MW to 1320 MW and GMR Limited (1050 MW to 1400 MW).Chambal Infrastructure Limited – which has its plants at Siria in Dhenkanal district will invest Rs 5000 crore while GMR Limited will put in Rs 6000 crore at its Kamalanga plant in the same district.

Sahara India, which had earlier signed a memorandum of understanding with the state government to put up a 1320 MW power plant at Tusra in Bolangir district, had applied for relocation and trifurcation of its proposed project. Accordingly, the high power committee allowed the company to put up the 1320 MW each plants at Titlagarh, Ghantbahal and Bahada with a total investment of Rs 6000 crore.

Similarly, Jindal Stainless Steel’s appeal for relocation of its 1000 MW power plant from Gajamara to Luni in Dhenkanal district was given its seal of approval. The company would now put up a 1320 MW plant instead of 1000 mw project.

European Union team to visit Kandhamal on January 17

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, Jan 28: The Orissa government on Thursday gave a go-ahead signal to the proposed visit of a 13-member European Union team to riot-hit Kandhamal district.The decision to allow the EU delegation to tour Kandhamal was taken after reviewing the ground situation, a spokesman of the state home department told this newspaper here.

According to him, the proposed visit had already been cleared by the Centre last month. The EU team, however, awaited the nod from the Orissa government before finaling the tour programme.“The EU delegation is expected to send their detail tour schedule shortly,” he added.The team led by Deputy Chief of Mission in the Spanish embassy Ramon Moreno has proposed to make an extensive tour of Kandhamal to “review socio-economic conditions of the people in the district.”

The foreign dignitaries also evinced keenness to interact with the people affected by last year’s communal riots.The spokesman, however, clarified that the tour would be purely interactive in nature and not fact-finding.Official sources said the EU team had sought to visit Kandhamal immediately after communal violence broke out in the district following the killing of VHP leader Swami Laxmananand Saraswati on August 23, 2008.

The Centre, however, put on hold its decision to grant permission to the proposed visit for nearly a year citing “hostile ground situation and subsequent General elections.”

Earlier, envoys of five European nations who had visited Orissa in November last year were also denied permission to visit Kandhamal. The foreign diplomats were only allowed to meet the riot victims given shelter in twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack to get the feeling of the magnitude of the communal violence. They had also interacted with senior police officials including director general of police Manmohan Praharaj to assess the prevailing situation in the district then.

Unrest grows in Posco project area

By Ratikant Mohanty
Bhubaneswar, Jan. 28: A day after chief minister Naveen Patnaik promised “all support” to the South Korean president Lee Myung-Bak in New Delhi to facilitate the 12-million-tonne Posco steel plant near Paradip, anti-displacement activists on Wednesday said they would not allow the company to acquire ‘even an inch of land’ in the area.

The anti-displacement activists – led by Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS) leader Abhaya Sahoo – reportedly held a meeting at an undisclosed location in the area and decided to intensify their stir in the coming days.The Wednesday’s development comes close on the heels of a massive rally organised on Tuesday at Balituth, a part of the project site, where CPI state leaders declared their “total support” to the resistance movement carried out by the local people.

Some members of the PPSS are also staging an indefinite dharna since Tuesday at Balituth opposing the project.A sizeable number of local residents belonging to Gadakujanga, Dhinkia and Nuagaon gram panchayat have been opposing the Rs 52,000-crore project contending that it would create mass displacement.

On Wednesday, - curtailing his Republic Day programmes in the state, the Orissa chief minister, Mr Naveen Patnaik had flown in a special flight to New Delhi to meet South Korean president, Mr Lee Myung-Bak, to discuss about the fate of the 12-million-tonne Posco project.Both the leaders met at Rashtrapati Bhawan in the evening and discussed for nearly an-hour on how to expedite construction of the Rs 52,000-crore steel project.Considered to be the largest-ever foreign direct investment (FDI) in the country so far, the project has been in limbo because of protests by the local people.

After his meeting with Mr Bak, the chief minister told reporters he had assured Mr Bak all support from the state government to see through the project.

Orissa clears investment proposal worth Rs 48,500 crore

By Pabitra Senapaty

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 28: The Orissa government on Wednesday cleared investment proposals worth Rs 48,500 crore.

The investment proposal includes setting up of five new thermal power projects and expansion of two existing power plants.

The projects were cleared by the 12th meeting of the state high-power committee presided over by chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

The new power projects cleared by the committee include 3200 MW plant National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) at Dharanipali in Sundergarh district (Rs 18,000 crore), 2000 MW plant by Orissa Power Transmission Corporation Limited (OPTCL) at Rengali (Rs 8,250 crore), 1320 MW plant by BGR at Bhapur in Nayagarh district (Rs 6,300 crore), 1980 MW plant by JR Power Gen Private Limited at Bainda in Angul district (Rs 8,000 crore) and 1320 MW plant by Adhunk Power Company Limited at Birmaharjpur in Sonepur district (Rs 8000 crore)

All these projects will create employment opportunity for nearly six thousand people.

The existing projects which were given permission to go for expansion are Chambal Infrastructure Limited (from 1200 MW to 1320 MW and GMR Limited (1050 MW to 1400 MW).

Chambal Infrastructure Limited – which has its plants at Siria in Dhenkanal district will invest Rs 5000 crore while GMR Limited will put in Rs 6000 crore at its Kamalanga plant in the same district.

Sahara India, which had earlier signed a memorandum of understanding with the state government to put up a 1320 MW power plant at Tusra in Bolangir district, had applied for relocation and trifurcation of its proposed project. Accordingly, the high power committee allowed the company to put up the 1320 MW each plants at Titlagarh, Ghantbahal and Bahada with a total investment of Rs 6000 crore.

Similarly, Jindal Stainless Steel’s appeal for relocation of its 1000 MW power plant from Gajamara to Luni in Dhenkanal district was given its seal of approval. The company would now put up a 1320 MW plant instead of 1000 mw project.

Vedanta, L&T to set up steel plant in Orissa

By A.K. Sahu

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 21: London based Vedanta Resources Plc and Larsen and Toubro will set up a mega joint-venture steel plant project in Orissa. The two companies are in advance stage of negotiations with the state government and formal announcement in this regard will be made soon, Mr Anil Agarwal, chairman of Vedanta Resources Plc said here on Thursday.

“We are in advance stage of negations with the state government and very soon we are going to sign a tripartite agreement,” Mr Agarwal told reporters after his meeting with the chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

He, however, refused to disclose details about the size, location and cost of the project.

During his discussion with the chief minister the chairman promised to spend a minimum of Rs 10 crore or 5 per cent of the profit of the company’s Lanjigarh project for the welfare of the locals in the tribal dominated Kalahandi district.

Mr Agarwawal also committed to the state government to provide electricity from its independent power project at Jharsuguda smelter unit.

“Orissa power sector gets a relief, after the announcement by Anil Agarwal.

“The first Unit of 2400 Independent Power Plant at Jharsuguda would be commissioned in coming summer. This will add 600 MW to the state’s power production capacity and can help the state government in combating the current power crisis. It is to be mentioned that Vedanta has been supplying 15 % of the total requirement of the state power from its captive power plant since recent past,” Mr Agarwal said.

As regards ommencement of construction of Vedanta University project at Puri, Mr Anil Agarwal chief minister Naveen Patnaik for extending administrative support to begin the construction work.

Mr Anil Agarwal also informed to the government that Lanjigarh refinery is fully operational by sourcing bauxite from other states, incurring a huge opportunity loss for both states as well as company. State government has assured to look into the issue seriously and try to work out for an immediate solution.

The chairman said construction activities for a specialized burn and trauma care centre at Bhubaneswar would begin very soon. The 100-bed capacity advanced burn and trauma care centre – proposed to come at Gangapada - will cater the high demand of the accident and trauma patients of the state as currently there is no such medical facilities are available.

Unrest brewing up at Posco project site in Orissa

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 20: The road ahead for the Rs 52,000-crore Posco-India steel project in Orissa seems to be getting tougher. A sizeable number of panchayat level local leaders – who once formed the support base of the South Korean steel major - have turned ‘hostile’ and resolved not to allow the project in their area.

On Wednesday, over four hundred people from Gadakujanga and Nugaoan, two of the three panchayats, where the 12-million-tonne project is proposed to come up gathered at Nolosahi and vowed to resist any attempt to forcibly occupy their land.

Earlier on Tuesday evening, the Joint-Coordination Committee, a pro-Posco platform, - held a meeting at Gadakujanga where it was decided that unless and until the district administration brought back 70 families of Nuagoan to their village from the temporary shelter at Badagabagaon, no cooperation would be extended to the government to facilitate land acquisition in the area. These families – who are Posco supporters - had left their homes as they were hounded by the anti-displacement families.

Presided over by Dhirendra Palei, the meeting also resolved to oppose any forcible attempt to evict the villagers. What is noteworthy is that two sarpanches – Bhaskar Swain of Nuagaon gram panchayat and Nakula Sahoo of Gadakujang gram panchayat - were present in the meeting.

The volte-face by the Posco supporters is seen as a major setback to the Union and state governments who want to see through the project at any cost.

Not only the Posco-project site at Paradip, unrest is brewing at Kalinga Nagar in Jajpur district that houses over a dozen of major steel industries. The state administration is facing strong resistance to its industrial drive

at Kalinga Nagar in Jajpur district. The local tribals and armed police fought a pitched battle at Kalinga Nagar on Tuesday. At least six tribals and nearly a dozen police personnel were reportedly injured, some of them seriously, in the tussle. The police had to open blank fire and lob teargas cells as the tribals reportedly pelted stones at them.

The tribals have been opposing construction of a common corridor road in Kalinga Nagar industrial estate.

The police arrested two tribals – Sibu Mundeya and Sagar Badera – on reportedly charges of instigating the local people against the government. Besides, cases were registered them in some old cases.

Orissa identifies 14 elephant corridors to avoid man-animal conflict

By Ratikant Mohanty

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 19: Succumbing to pressures by public and animal lovers, the Orissa government on Tuesday announced 14 places as elephant corridors.

The announcement followed a high-level review meeting by chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

The corridors, as chief minister Naveen Patnaik said, would provide better habitats for the pachyderms with adequate water bodies, food facility and security.

The 14 places which were identified as elephant corridors are Badampahar, Badampahar-Karida, Deuli-Suliapada, Similipal, Hadgada-Kulad, Telkoi-Pallahara, Karei-Karampada, Maulaganj-Jindimal-Anantpur, Kanheijena-Anantpur, Buguda-Nayagarh, Nuagaon-Baruni, Tala-Kholagarh, Barpahar-Tarabha-Kantamal, Kotagarh-Chandrapur and Karlapat-Bharladani.

The 14 corridors are spread over 870 square kilometers.

The review found that the elephant population in the state – as per 2007 census – was 1862, - 35 more than the 1999 census figure. The state has 27 per cent of the country’s elephant population.

On an average, 48 people are dying in elephant attack every year. The pachyderms are also destroying crops in around 5400 hectares of land.

The state government has formed 51 squads to prevent and death of elephants by accidents and arrest poachers. Besides, 98 trackers have been formed to monitor the movement of the animal.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, chief minister Mr Patnaik said creation of new elephant corridors would prevent man-animal conflict as elephants would not venture out for food leaving their protected places.

Because of mining increasing activities, blasting in hills and depletion of forest cover, pachyderms are regularly entering cultivable lands and eating away standing crops, besides killing human beings.