Innovation university for sustainable city development

Note: Earlier we have raised this issue on rural migration while giving our petition to Prime Minister and MHRD to estabalish such University in Kalahandi. Hope Kalahandi's voice is also heard for a University.

Innovation university for sustainable city development
The Hindu, Dec 16, 2009
With a large number of rural people migrating to urban areas, the government is planning to set up an innovation university dedicated to study and research in sustainable city development, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said today.


This university will work on all issues, including city planning, water management, urban transport, housing and energy, he said at ‘The Singapore Symposium’ here.

“The government will set up 14 innovation universities. One of them could be on the area of city development which will work on technology solutions for urban planning,” he said.

Mr. Sibal said that urban areas in the country are yet to be developed. They suffer from myriad problems starting from power crisis to drainage and water management. The government is looking for partnerships with various agencies for starting such innovative universities.

“Why cannot we have a partnership with Singapore to move forward?” he asked.

The government is in the process of setting up 14 innovation universities aiming at world class standards. Some of these universities would be set up in partnership with foreign institutions.

Mr. Sibal said the low enrolment in higher education was another major challenge before the government.

The gross enrolment ratio (GER) in higher education is 12 per cent at present. The government wants to raise the GER level to 30 per cent by 2020, he said.

To a question, Mr. Sibal said that there was no vision on education till 2004. Even though, there was a vision on education in 2004, it was not implemented. The process of implementation of the vision has of late started with the process of expansion of education sector, he said.

Keywords: Innovation university, sustainable city development, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, city planning, water management, urban transport, housing, 'The Singapore Symposium’

Vedanta seeks Orissa's help to restrict movement of international NGOs

Business Standard, Dec 16, 2009
The Vedanta Group has asked the Orissa government to restrict the entry of foreign non-government organisations (NGOs) in the area where it proposes to mine bauxite, as part of its $8-billion project in the state, saying they were instigating locals. “These NGOs comprising Survival International and Action Aid are instigating locals to go to the hill top, where we have proposed to mine bauxite, and set up houses. The Orissa government has already said there is no tribal population in our proposed mining site. Such efforts by these NGOs are aimed at harming the project and investments in the state; their movement has to be regulated,” Vedanta Aluminium Ltd COO Mukesh Kumar told PTI.

Vedanta Aluminium, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources, has already written to the state’s Home Ministry seeking restrictions on movement of such foreign nationals, besides investigation into their source of funding, he said. Survival International’s spokesperson said, “Survival International does not oppose industrial development. But where, as in this case, industrial projects take place on the land of indigenous people, they have a right to be consulted at the very least. Vedanta has not bothered to do this.”


The NGO said, the metal company has “launched an unprecedented attack on Survival International, apparently to drive its researchers out of an area where the company is planning to mine.” Kumar added, “They (foreign NGOs) are enemy of industrial development in the state. If such NGOs and foreign nationals have come on tourist visas, why are they camping in jungles of Kalahandi, Rayagada.If they do not abide by rules, they should be sent back,” he added.


Kumar said the influx of foreigners has gained momentum after Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh instituted a probe into the allegations of illegal bauxite mining by the firm in joint venture with Orissa Mining Corporation at Niyamgiri.

Orissa Steel and Mines Minister Raghunath Mohanty had said that “not a single family of Dangaria Kandha tribe lived at the proposed mining area, located between Rayagada and Kalahandi districts” and there would be no displacement.

Koshal Demand: Steps are taken for capital medical college but medical colleges in Roukela, Balangir and Kalahandi are not yet completed

Sambad, Dec 16, 2009

People in Kalahandi, Rayagada and Western Odisha are expecting railway development: Bhakta Charan Das

The Samaja, Dec 16, 2009

Namaskar Kalahandi prizes for lucky winners

The Pioneer, Dec 16, 2009

Bhawanipatna: The mega radio programme Namaskar Kalahandi, based on art, culture, history and tradition of Kalahandi held an award ceremony of the lucky winners at the Zilla Sanskruti Bhawan here on Monday. Sponsored by Vedanta Aluminium of Lanjigarh, it was attended by Kalahandi Collector RS Gopalan who was the chief guest, assistant station director of AIR, Bhawanipatna Dr Santanu Kumar Rath, COO of VAL Dr Mukesh Kumar and CSR head Samiron Sarkar were the guests of honour. Producer and writer Satyanarayan Moahapatra welcomed the guests, while Hemanta Kumar Mund gave the vote of thanks. Mohapatra attributed the credit of the popular programmed to Umashankar Kar, Baba Mishra, Ajay Mishra and Dasarathi Acharya.

Micro finance institutes turn debt traps

Expressbuzz, Dec 15, 2009
BHAWANIPATNA: The ripples of micro-finance institutions’ (MFIs) crisis of Andhra Pradesh are being felt in Kalahandi with a MFI loanee allegedly committing suicide. The victim, a resident of irrigation colony here, took the extreme step on Saturday after failing to repay the loan. An unnatural death case has been registered in the Town police station.


As per reports, the victim had borrowed Rs 8000 from a Hyderabad-based MFI and was intimidated for failing to repay the amount.

With the expansion of MFIs in Kalahandi, criticism is mounting that loans for poor people, who donot posses proper knowledge in finances, can become debt traps.

The erring MFIs have been charged with exploiting the poor with ‘usurious interest rates’ and intimidating the borrowers by ‘forced loan recovery’ practices, the combined effect of which forced the debt-ridden poor to suicide.

The trend of micro-finance is growing due to the gap between banks and the people at the bottom of the pyramid as far as provision of financial services in a desired manner is concerned. The banks are either unwilling or unable to extend financial help to the rural poor.

These MFIs have developed networks by employing youths. The recovery is usually on weekly basis and the rate of interest charged in very high but it is designed in a way that the victims easily fall prey.

The loan period is 50 weeks. For instance, for a loan of Rs 10,000 the loanee has to pay Rs 225 each week and by the end of the term, the total payment is Rs 11,250. Besides, each week loanee has to deposit Rs 20 with the supervisor of the institution as a saving. Micro-credit has been designed to keep savings low, such that the credit cycle can move uninterrupted.

In 2006 there were a spate of suicides over MFI loans that rocked parts of Andhra Pradesh.

In most of the cases, the persons covered by the MFIs are extended loans to purchase luxury items like TV, mobile phone, DVD players, musical system, to repair house, marriage purpose and for small trading activities.

Usually most of the loanees are incapable of paying the weekly installments due to limited income and to repay the old debt, they take money from another MFI. Thus the vicious cycle of debt continues.

Despite all this, there is no government organisation to monitor the activities of these MFIs and create awareness among people. The danger of micro-credit-related suicides cannot be ruled out as the micro-credit movement spreads across the district.

Unless the administration gets its act together in assessing the severity of the situation and initiates stringent measures, poor rural households will continue to remain at the mercy of these ‘new’ moneylenders.

Vedanta braces for fresh trouble at proposed Orissa bauxite mining site

Economic Times, Dec 15, 2009
KOLKATA: Anil Agarwal’s Vedanta Aluminium (VAL) is bracing for fresh trouble at its proposed bauxite mining site in Orissa, even as local authorities gave a report to the Naveen Patnaik government stating that the company had not violated any government guidelines.


Significantly, Vedanta’s proposed bauxite mining operation is critically linked to VAL’s Rs 11,000-crore aluminium project in the state. While it has already commissioned its alumina refinery at Lanjingarh, the company has been unable to start work at Niyamgiri, the chosen site of its captive bauxite mining operations. For the moment, VAL has approvals to mine up to 3 million tonne of ore per annum for its project.


Vedanta’s fears stem from the fact that it is yet to even kick off in the Niyamgiri hills, even a year after it received the go-ahead from the Supreme Court in August 2008. In a letter to the police superintendents of Rayagada and Kalahandi last week, Vedanta COO-Lanjigarh Mukesh Kumar, said: “We are seeing increased movement of foreigners from various countries in the area. We also came to know that several confrontations have taken place in various villages between tribals and foreigners, and we apprehend that this may lead to some serious law and order situations.”

The Vedanta official’s letter added: “We request your immediate action in this regard, so that outsiders do not get a chance to instigate local tribals against the government of Orissa or the project.”

Kalahandi to refund Rs 20 cr of NREG fund

The Pioneer, Dec 15, 2009
PNS | Bhawanipatna

In a startling revelation, the performance of NREG 2009-10 in different districts of Kalahandi was found far from satisfactory against the total availability of Rs 50.54 crore.

In a review it was found that the district was able to spend only Rs 7.72 crore till November 26, which is only 15 per cent of the total funds.

At this pace, the district will not be able to spend more than Rs 20 crore during this fiscal. Panchayati Raj Commissioner SN Tripathi in a letter on December 7 directed Kalahandi Collector RS Gopalan to remit Rs 20 crore in two demand drafts of Rs 10 crore each to the State Employment Guarantee Fund.

The letter stated that in case the performance of the district improves in coming months, funds will be made available so that no labourer goes without work.

A Letter to the Prime Minister by Captain R. Senapati

My Dear Mr Prime Minister,

I am an Indian from the district of Kalahandi, Orissa. I am writing this mail to you'cause, You are the first servant of India and also you are a good man.

Sir,
in Kalahandi we don't have roads, we get erratic electricity supply, we don't get regular drinking water supply, we don't have sufficient doctors, we don't have sufficient teaching staff in the educational institutions - Yet we manage to live.

Crores of Rupees come in our name - we don't know where they go (even your office wonders where they go). Projects after projects come in our way, but at the last moment are diverted to neighbouring districts. National highways, Universities are planned for our Kalahandi, but are whisked away.
Yet we live - A sub-human life.

Now the proposal for Dental and Nursing College in Kalahandi is too going to be politicised by the capable people.

Dear Sir, It's time you intervened. How long do you want us to be treated like this? Our predecessors suffered under the British and now we suffer under Indians. It sounds ominous. Please send in a trusted special envoy of yours and find out the fact. I implore upon you, Please act fast to safeguard the trust of the dignified yet simple clan of Kalahandi.

With great hope.


Capt R Senapati
Ex AMC
Senapati Street, Bhawanipatna
Kalahandi, Orissa-766001

In neighbourhood Hundreds of Kilometers of roads are completed in mere months and here at home in Kalahandi we keep hoping for it generations after generations

Contributor: Captain R. Senapati
Dec 14, 2009
That was most kind of you to thank for something that has not been done. There has been n number of meetings and again n number of news paper flashings with credibility, I think you know better than me.



I don't know what is meant by improvements of NH 201, NH217 and major roads - there is no road - we need new ones - not improvement. I still remember my father telling me - "When you grow up you will have better road condition" - Today I say that to my son. In my neighbourhood Hundreds of Kilometers of roads are completed in mere months and here at home we keep hoping for it generations after generations. See the pics - they were taken yesterday. Everytime someone shouts - they patch up the roads - One rain and all our pride and dignity are back to square one. The entire NH 201 could have been given to a good Party like they did for the Sambalpur to Rourkela road by L&T - BUT NO - It had to be done in peace meal by low grade friendly contractors. So that everyone is happy except the Kalahandias.
 

Imagine the plight of light vehicle

 

A part of NH201 with fewer holes

 

The trick to drive on Kalahandia Roads is, how to negotiate fewer holes

Driving on the road is more painful

 

The NH size Bridge, that has seen better days

Kilometer after Kilometer of Kalahandia Roads that has been hurting Kalahandia diginity

Since God knows when 

Demand for Kosala state picks up in Orissa

Thaindian.com, Dec 13, 2009
Bhubaneswar, Dec 13 (IANS) The demand for a separate Kosala state, to be carved out of Orissa, has picked up momentum following the central government’s decision to pave the way for the birth of a Telangana state.
The Kosala Kranti Dal, a political party which has been demanding separate statehood for 11 western districts of Orissa, has threatened to launch a massive agitation to press its demand.

The districts are Bargarh, Bolangir, Boudh, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Koraput, Nuapada, Sambalpur, Subarnapur and Sundergarh.

Known as the Kosala region, these districts suffer from poverty and backwardness, deaths due to malnutrition and high infant mortality rate.

“We will collect one lakh signatures by the end of January and submit a memorandum to President Pratibha Patil,” its president Pramod Mishra told IANS.

He also said that his party would undertake long marches and rail blockades.

“The central acceptance of Telangana state has given us a moral boost,” Balgopal Mishra, a leader of the Kosala movement and a former member of the state legislative assembly, told IANS.

Demand for dental, nursing colleges in K’handi gets louder

The Pioneer, Dec 14, 2009
PNS | Bhubaneswar

Odisha Government is playing politics over location of an ESIC medical college in the State, feel aggrieved intelligentsia of Kalahandi district. Local people, along with MPs, have written letters to the Chief Minister to establish the State’s ESIC medical college at Rourkela, said a leading non-resident Odia (NRO) Digambara Patra.

He pointed out that keeping in view the public sentiment in Kalahandi for a Government medical college and the ongoing protest in Rourkela for an ESIC medical college, the State’s Department of Labour and Employment had earlier requested the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment to establish a second ESIC medical college at Rourkela. And the Government promised a dental college and a nursing college in Kalahandi.

Another NRO, Madhusmita Panda, alleged that Kalahandi has already been betrayed by the State Government for the Central University of Odisha.

Looking at the charged atmosphere and public demand for a Government medical college in Kalahandi, the Department of Labour and Employment has reportedly requested for ESIC dental and nursing colleges in Kalahandi The Union Ministry of Labour and Employment is establishing two ESIC medical colleges in Karnataka, one being in the home constituency of the concerned Union Minister. Why another medical college cannot be established in Kalahandi, asks another NRO, Judhistir Patra. The backward region is being neglected continuously despite being located in the centre of south-western Odisha, he lamented.

Yet another NRO, Sanjib Kumar Karmee, said that the present change of mind of the State Government to plead for dental and nursing college at Rourkela has exposed its mindset towards Kalahandi.

All these NROs demanded that dental and nursing colleges be established in Kalahandi so that years of neglect of the region could be compensated to some extent.

K’handi farmers unable to encash paddy procurement cheques

The Pioneer, Dec 13, 2009
Bikash Khemka | Bhawanipatna

Although every step was taken by the district administration for last couple of days for lifting the produce in Kharif season 2009-10 the farmers are now facing a new problem of cash withdrawal in few banks of the district.

After immense pressure from the administration the reluctant millers are reportedly now lifting the procurement in 71 Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) out of total 74.

According to the reports, few banks in Kalahandi district are facing liquidity crunch as cash is not being available in a few branches. After lifting the paddy the farmers are receiving cheques from the PACS. Afterwards they deposit the cheque in nearest branches of SBI or cooperative bank but the banks are unable to disburse cash to the farmers.

Reports said the SBI branch of Dharmagarh, Kalampur, Jaipatna, Junagarh and Sinapali has insufficient liquidity for which farmers are waiting a long time for their cash withdrawal where as updated passbook shows that the cheque paid by the PACS has already been credited into their (farmers) bank accounts.

The guideline says that the funds towards cost of FAQ paddy will be placed by the (OSCSC) Orissa State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited to the PACS through the Orissa State Cooperative Bank. Then OSCB will provide the funds to PACS through District Central Cooperative Bank (DCCB).

As farmers were experiencing (suffering) to get hard cash from few banks the assistant secretary of Bhawanipatna Central Cooperative Bank (BCCB) RC Mohapatra informed The Pioneer that he had appraised the matter to RBI assistant general manager at Bhubaneswar on November 30 for immediate disbursement of huge cash.

Mohapatra further said that “in our district few banks seems to be reluctant to send requisition slips for further cash deposits in their bank which leads to liquidity crunch. However, on Friday we have sent hard cash of around Rs 4.20 crore to different banks from our current account of SBI,” said Mohapatra.

Has joining Odisha in 1947-48 cost Kalahandi ?

• Indravati Project in Kalahandi was sidelined by Government since 1948 till 1978, the irrigation project is only 40% completed by now. This is when Kalahandi district was the second largest food surplus district in Orissa as far as foodgrains are concerned (Ref: Turbulent five years or my humble contributions (II) 1962 - 66, P. K. Deo, Nov 1966, page 191)  and the cost of generation of electricity per unit in this project was estimated cheapest in the country except Sharavati project (Ref: Turbulent five years or my humble contributions (II) 1962 - 66, P. K. Deo, Nov 1966, page 191). Imagine if Indravati Project would have been accomplished fully 30 years ago, nobody would have known infamous Kalahandi today. This is just due to political negligence towards Kalahandi.
  
• Kalahandi district has been the second largest food surplus district in Orissa as far as foodgrains are concerned and it has supplied tons of rice during Bengal famine in 1942, but after joining Odisha it became one of the most backward district in the country.
• Bhawanipatna has a history of thousand years, it is one of the oldest municipality in Odisha, but due to negligence no industrial and infrastructure growth could be brought after 1948. It is to be noted that before 1948, princely state Kalahandi had its own power plant, street light and a substantial agriculture growth. The initiation for Indravati Project was also made by princely Kalahandi state since 1939. The state had sent late Prof. (Er.) Bhubaneswar Behera to USA  specially to visualize for the interest of the princely state.
• There was no approval of national highways, railways (except during British time) and higher education in the region utill very recently when NH201, NH217 and Lanjigarh road - Junagarh lines were approved, this too due to local MP initiatives.
• All the developments in Kalahandi have come after a strong protest in the local level or by local MP such as Private medical college in Jaring (the fate is not sure after Saradar Raja was awarded imprisonment by Madras High Court for a murder case), Engineering and Agriculture Colleges, NH217, Khariar-Bhawanipatna world-bank road, Lanjigarh road - Junagarh railway line (a contribution by Bhakta Charan Das) etc.
• Central University in Kalahandi was at the last moment betrayed by Odisha Government. Instead for 800 -1000 crore estimated project two colleges with a cost of 10 crore was given to Kalahandi by the Odisha Government
• Unitary University status to Government College Bhawanipatna has not been fulfilled since past decade..
• Even a state University demand in1987 and ealry 1990s were ignored by Biju Patnaik and subsequent Governments.
• In last 10 years none of the major bridges in Kalahandi and Nuapda such as over Hati river near Junagarh, Kalamapur and Karchala, over Tel river near Gadiajor, Aatigaon and Uchhala, over Udanti river near Mahaling, etc could be accomplished whereas many flyovers and roads easily came in exsitence in Bhubaneswar area during this period.
• KBK project was primarily made keeping Kalahandi in mind. But when any sort of regional KBK development comes Kalahandi is neglected despite being the center of KBK by Odisha Government. This includes  KBK administrative headquarter.
• A proposed paper Mill in Kalahandi was later on shifted to another location in KBK.
• Kalahandi received only normal grants, most of them from central Government.The state Government rarely played any major role in the region.
• Though Kalahandi comes in Western Odisha (as per culture, language and University education) and South Odisha (as per administration, RDC, banking and primary education), this district (along with Nuapada) neither considered in the name of Western Odisha nor in the name of Southern Odisha. Most of the development in the Southern Odisha goes to Berhampur region whereas Western Odisha goes to Sambalpur or to some extent Rourkela region.

Smaller states will ensure better governance: Can Odisha bear it?

Smaller states will ensure better governance: Experts
DNA, Dec 12, 2009

New Delhi: Announcement of a Telangana state may have set off a political storm, but experts feel India needs smaller states for better governance and actually favour doubling the number of states in the country.

Smaller states are "conceptually better governed," says George Mathew, director, Institute of Social Sciences (ISS) in the national capital. The institute regularly undertakes field studies and, Mathew says, Andhra Pradesh "was not progressing as expected" in the field of governance. In that context, he says, Telangana is a good step.
A senior bureaucrat who was involved when Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttaranchal were created, says India should have around 50 states.
Some studies undertaken in the past argue for similar numbers. In a seminal paper in the mid-70s, Prof Rasheeduddin Khan had argued for 56 states on the basis of social and cultural factors.
"There is very little logic behind our present states. Some are based on language, some on the influence of Congress leaders during Independence, and some have almost no basis," the official pointed out.
States such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Orissa and West Bengal were formed on the basis of language. There was very little logic behind the formation of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar but for the "influence of some Congress leaders at the time of their formation," the official said.
Another official who has dealt with the subject pointed out that the State Reorganisation Commission in the 1950s suggested a separate state of Vidarbha, and it could have been created when Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand were created in 2000.
"We haven't yet had a very scientific way of creating states," the official, who served in the home ministry during that last round of state creations, said.
"In terms of governance, smaller states are better governed. Of the smaller states, the only exception is Jharkhand. Otherwise, they have all been successes," says Mathew while listing out Goa, Kerala, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
But he cautions that being a small state alone was no mantra for good governance, economic performance and welfare of individuals. Despite being a small state, Jharkhand has not conducted panchayat elections in the past 10 years. As a result, several central schemes haven't released money, he pointed out.

Demand for Koshal may be renewed

Indian Express, Dec 12, 2009
Debabrata Mohanty

With the Centre agreeing to separate statehood for Telangana, a similar movement for Koshal in Orissa is all set to be renewed.
The demand for a separate state of Koshal, to be carved out of western Orissa districts, had gathered momentum in October 2003 after former BJP MP Balgopal Mishra started his movement to generate public opinion in this regard. The districts which Mishra wanted to be included in the Koshal state are Kalahandi, Nuapara, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Boudh, Bolangir, Sonepur and Sundargarh.
The name of the new state has been derived from Koshal, an erstwhile princely state of 11th century that comprised these districts and parts of present-day Chhattisgarh. Mishra said he would soon revive the movement. “The public sentiment in western Orissa has always been for a separate Koshal state. It’s just that the leaders of the region have failed to fulfil it,” he said.

Is backward Nuapada district lost to Maoists?

The Pioneer, Dec 12, 2009
Biswajit Padhi | Nuapada

Nuapada, the younger sibling of infamous Kalahandi has always hogged the limelight for many reasons. Maoist infiltration was never the news in this backward district. However, the killing of 52-year-old Chandar Singh Burge, former ward member of Sunabeda Gram Panchayat has raised issues beyond the comprehension of the Government. Burge reportedly worked with the forest department. The Maoists, who never harm tribals and even poor, had warned him not to work with the forest department in this sanctuary area. Located 1,000 feet above sea-level with only forest roads, bordering Chhattisgarh, there couldn’t be a better hideout for the Maoists on the run from Chhattisgarh as has been admitted by a former SP. Just 30 km from the district headquarters, the authority will find it very hard to even protect themselves if no proactive measure to flush them out is taken now. This is very important as the present Government has lost 13 of the 30 districts to the Maoists.

As per forest laws, the department is the sole authority to execute any development work inside. Presently, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) has Rs 50 lakh worth of developmental projects. We wanted the main road leading to Sunabeda from the ground developed at the cost of Rs 6 lakh. There was a watershed project with few other water harvesting structures, revealed the DFO (Wildlife), Sunabeda, SK Mishra, while speaking to The Pioneer. The road was a lifeline for movement of police personnel to the Sunabeda village which was a cause of resentment among the Maoists, he added.

The forest department over a period of time had antagonised the tribals. Strict enforcement of the apex court order for non-removal of non-timber forest produce from the sanctuary area was the major bone of contention between the tribals and the forest department. Noted environmentalist Madhu Sarin said that the apex court’s order was not to deprive the tribals of their customary rights to procure forest produce. The overzealous forest officials have been acting contrary to the directions of the court and it is the only State which has done so, she added. What made matters worse is that when the tribals protested this arbitrary order by removing the forest check-post forcibly, the then DFO HK Bisht slapped cases against them under various forest laws and even penal code, informed AV Swamy of Vishwas, an NGO working with the tribals. The tribals were put behind bar without food, he added. The sanctuary laws were enforced without determining their rights and even grazing of cattle was forbidden turning the tribals violent. This uprising was also able to unite all sects of tribals which was earlier not there.

The subsequent DFO Santosh Banchhur further antogonised the tribals by vigorously pursuing the direction of his bosses to make Sunabeda a venue for Project Tiger. The ‘in-principle approval’ of Project Tiger was a boost to his morale, but that brought the issues of eviction of tribals from their habitat. This further alienated the tribals from the forest officials. Development work executed during this period never had people’s participation. Though Banchhur wanted to make amends by putting up an eco-tourism project, the then PCCF put the spanner with the notion that it will be difficult to evict the tribals once livelihood is given to them inside the sanctuary.

Taking advantage of the hostility between the two main protagonists in the sanctuary, unscrupulous ganja traders started spreading their net. Deprived of their only source of income in NTFP collection, the tribals were an easy prey. Sunabeda is one of the finest grasslands with many rivulets. Ganja cultivation became a new source of income generating. Vast stretches of land were brought under ganja cultivation by the tribals. The traders who lived outside the sanctuary financed the entire operation. While tribals got money for their labour, the traders made the moolahs. Only one forest officer, who was for a very brief period was in charge of the sanctuary, could foresee the present situation. According to very reliable sources in the department, the DFO had submitted a report that if the tribals are not provided livelihood inside the sanctuary, they will be won over by ganja traders and even the Maoists to pursue illegal activities. The prediction which was made some ten years back has now come true as no steps have been taken in the mean time to wean away tribals from the clutches of these nefarious elements.

Maoists fuelled the hate campaign to take tribals on their side. In the early meetings that they organised inside the sanctuary, they raised one question whether the tribals wanted the tiger sanctuary, obviously knowing the answers. They have assured to block the ambitious Project Tiger in Sunabeda, confirmed a tribal under condition of anonymity. The forest department had started going slow in the past year after the arrival of Maoists in the Sunabeda plateau. What has of course raised eyebrows is the posting of a corrupt high-profile but low-ranking officer in the Chutkia Bhunjia Development Authority (CBDA). CBDA is a special authority which works for the development of the primitive Bhunjia tribe. His earlier stint had put the wedge in the relationship between forest department and tribals. Official sources confirmed that a memorandum with 2,500 signatures of tribals had demanded his reinstatement. But observers don’t rule out his closeness to the Maoists. When all other Government department officials are afraid to be posted to Sunabeda, how can this person is volunteering to work there is the big question in everybody’s mind. If tormenting the tribals was the first step in alienating the natives, posting a wrong person could help the Maoists consolidate in Sunabeda, said Y Giri Rao of Vasundhara, an NGO working on forestry.

Orissa has highest number of poor, J&K the least

Economic Times, Dec 10, 2009
NEW DELHI: Almost half of Orissa's population is poor, with 46.37 per cent of the people in the state living below poverty line.
On the other hand, insurgency-hit Jammu and Kashmir is the richest where only 5 out of every 100 are officially poor.


The assesments based on daily calorie-intake found that people in Orissa were most deprived followed by Bihar, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh, with the below poverty line population hovering over 40 per cent in each of these states, Minister of State for Planning and Parliamentary Affairs V Narayansamy told the Upper House today in written reply.

Chandigarh and Punjab were among the better performers with only 7.07 per cent and 8.41 living below the poverty line.

"According to the latest available estimates based on large sample survey data on household consumer expenditure, 27.5 per cent people were living below the poverty line...In rural areas the poverty ratio was estimated as 28.3 per cent whereas in urban areas it was 25.7 per cent," Narayansamy said.

A number of poverty alleviation programmes, including National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana, Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) and Swarna Jayanti Sheri Rojgar Yojana (SJSRY) are being implemented by the governemnt, he said.

However, he added, "During the last two years -- 2007-08 and 2008-09, the states like Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, J&K, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim and West Bengal were not able to achieve the targets...."

"...Under the Indira Awas Yojana, mainly the states of Bihar, Goa, Manipur, Meghalaya and West Bengal were not able to achieve the targets during 2007-08 and 2008-09," Narayansami said.

Under the SJSRY, on an average the performance of all North-Eastern states, and Jharkhand, Goa, J&K, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab was below average, he said.

International NGOs seek to play spoilsport for industries in State

The Pioneer, Dec 11, 2009
PNS, Bhubaneswar

They are coming to enjoy tourism marvels of tribal Odisha. But in many instances, the inside story seems to be something different. All on a sudden, the influx of International NGOs has raised eyebrows in Kalahandi district. Civil and police officials and industry proponents are in a quandary over the unexpected spurt in the movement of foreigners and foreign NGOs to Lanjigarh and adjacent areas of the district.

According to police officials, these foreigners are visiting the State on tourist visa on the plea of enjoying tourism spots. However, the aim of most of them is different as they are playing spoilsport for the State’s massive industrialisation, revealed an activist. Their principal target is Vedanta Aluminum Limited (VAL), which is setting up a project at Lanjigarh, he said.

Minister of Steel and Mines Raghunath Mohanty recently revealed that not a single tribal family would be displaced due to VAL’s mining project. He stressed that no Dongria Kondha tribe lives in the proposed mining area, located between Rayagada and Kalahandi districts.

However, the stories of the international NGO’s are different as they are circulating false and fabricated information about the industry here, alleged an official. The NGOs, with the support of some local NGOs, have been interacting with the tribals and disturbing their peace, alleged villagers.

The State-owned Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC), which has got the Niyamgiri mining lease, has taken Sterlite Industries India Limited (SIIL) as its partner. The State Government has constituted a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) in the name of the Lanjigarh Project Area Development Foundation (LDADF) with the Government’s contribution as 25 per cent, OMC’s 26 per cent and Sterlite‘s 49 per cent, as directed by the Supreme Court.

The Revenue Divisional Commissioner is the chairman of the LDADF, which, at its first meeting itself, decided to undertake development projects worth Rs 17.70 crore in the areas of health, education, road, infrastructure development, the Minister Mohanty said.

Since mining is an important source of revenue generation, such projects should be encouraged along with principle of sustainable development so that these areas can be brought into the mainline, the Supreme Court had observed.

A Separate Central University for Jammu: May Lead to Demands from other Regions

Thanks to Dr. Sanjib K. Karmee for getting the link for the analysis by Dr. Amarjit Singh Dhillon. I hope Odisha Government and Central Government listen to the demand of Kalahandi people.

70% of Special Problem Fund goes to Hinjilikatu, constituency of Chief Minister of Odisha

Note: It is mentioned here (Dharitri, Dec 10, 2009) by Jaya Narayan Mishra that 70 % of the Special Problem Fund goes to Hinjilikatu, constituency of Chief Minister of Odisha. The number of visits and foundation stones Odisha chief minister has laid in last 10 years in this locality compared to other locations in Wstern Bordering Odisha definitely speaks the volume.

Four new flowering plants, bryophytes found in Kalahandi

Four new flowering plants, bryophytes found
Expressbuzz, Dec 10, 2010
BHUBANESWAR: Good news for plant lovers and conservationists. Researchers have found four species of flowering plants for the first time in the State from Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary of Kalahandi district.


Apart from these angiosperms, the team involved in a bio-diversity documentation project has also found out nine species of bryophytes and one edible mushroom.

Karlapat is one of the important bio-diversity-rich protected areas in the Eastern Ghats which influences the climate of the drought-prone Kalahandi district. During the period from November 2007 to December 2008, inventory, mapping and documentation of biodiversity of the wildlife sanctuary was undertaken.

While the four species of angiospermic plants include Corallodiscus lanuginose, Limnanthimum parviflora, Salvinia elegans and Pancriatum parvum, the edible mushroom is called Dictyophora indusiata. Earlier, the mushroom was only reported from the Himalayan ecological region.

According to plant ecologist Prasad Kumar Dash, all these flowering plant species and bryophytes were reported for the first time from Karlapat and regarded as a new distributional record for the Eastern Ghats flora. They were earlier reported from Western Ghats i.e. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. Similarly 12 plant species found to be used by the local communities to cure different diseases and ailments within the sanctuary was another important aspect of the study.

The bryophyte species include Plagiochasma appendiculatum, Heteroschyphus argutus, Marchantia palmata, Dumortiera hirsuta, Bryum argentium, Funaria hygrometrica, Asterella angusta, Riccardia levierii and Herpetoneuron toccoi, Dash said.

Currently, the team of researchers comprising plant and wildlife experts are making a survey to go for an inventory and later they would take up a detailed ecological analysis including ethno-anthropogenic studies of the entire area, he added.

Climate change talks bring focus on State

Expressbuzz, Dec 10, 2009
BHUBANESWAR: The Copenhagen summit on climate change has brought to focus the vulnerability of Orissa particularly as it has embarked on a path that entails development through fast paced industrialisation. For, the State is highly prone to climatic aberrations and in the last 105 years as many as 95 have been declared disaster affected.


Consider this. Orissa had a share of 2.5 per cent in India’s GDP in mining in 1982, moving up by one per cent after a decade in 1992. Four years later it was up by another two per cent. Correspondingly, the annual mean maximum temperatures in the mine-rich districts that were around 30-31 degree Celsius in 1991-92 rose by 2-3 degree Celsius to 32-34 C in 1997.

The rise was not limited to the mine-rich regions only.

A glance at the district-wise annual mean maximum temperatures reveal much more. In all districts, it kept hovering at around 30-34 degree Celsius till 95-96, only since 1996-97 the temperatures scaled up by 2-3 C across the State. In 1998 the annual mean temperatures were measured at around 33 C for the coastal and southern belt and around 36-38 C in the western and mine-rich belts.

In 1999, the Super Cyclone year, the annual mean maximum temperatures for the districts like Kalahandi, Koraput, Kandhamal and Nabarangpur had dipped below 30 C, and for the coastal and mining belt it was over 35 C.

The year 2001 showed wide fluctuation with Koraput, Kalahandi, Kandhamal and Nabarangpur recording annual mean maximum temperatures of just 11 C but it is over 35 C in the rest of Orissa. Thus, notwithstanding wide fluctuations in some regions, the mean temperature across has risen by over 1-2 C in Orissa since 1991. And, a warmer Orissa is on account of increased green house gas emissions - carbon dioxide and methane - due to industrialisation and intensive farming.

A Union Government study has noted that, since soils in Orissa are rich in SOC (soil organic carbon), they are prone to emit more GHGs raising the atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) by as high as 30 per cent. The study advocated the need of nitrogen management plus water management to curb the emission levels. As of 2005, industries in Orissa had emitted 164 MT of CO2 adding 40 MT CO2 annually.

Steel is the third largest emitter of GHGs in India. So, by 2012, the CO2 emissions could cross 200 MT. The need is for promoting cleaner steel technologies in Orissa. Also, major cities led by Bhubaneswar add more GHGs owing to increased use of air-conditioners, refrigerators and other appliances.

But Orissa is yet to take cognizance even as other states have mooted plans to curb city GHGs.

No illegal mining at Vedanta Niyamgiri mines: Orissa mines secy

The Financial Express, Dec 10, 2009

Bhubaneswar: It appears that Union forest & environment minister Jayaram Ramesh’s apprehensions were unfounded. There is no illegal construction or mining activities in Niyamgiri bauxite mines area in Orissa, according to the Orissa steel and mines secretary.


“No mining or construction activity was found in the Niyamgiri mines area," Ashok Mahadeo Rao Dalwai told FE. He said that the district collector has inquired and reported that there was no such activities neither in forest nor non-forest area in the mines.

The district collector of Kalahandi, RSanthagopalan, was asked to submit a report by the state government following Ramesh’s showcause notice to the state regarding the illegal mining in the Niyamgiri mines areas.

“The district magistrate has conduced a joint inquiry along with the officials of the mines and forest department and has submitted his report to the government,” the steel and mines secretary said.

Dalwai said the Niyamgiri mines is yet to get Stage II clearance. Once the clearance is accorded, the state government will sign a lease deed with the state-owned Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) for handing over the mines.

The state government has recommended 660.749 hectares areas of Niyamgiri bauxite mines, which promises about 80 million tonne of reserve, in favour of OMC. Out of the area, 353.14 hectares are reserved forest. The MoEF has given Stage-I forest clearance in December 2005. The project is yet to get the Stage II forest clearance.

OMC has firmed up a joint venture with Sterlite Industries (India) Ltd. (SIIL) to develop the bauxite mines for supply of raw material to Vedanta Aluminium Ltd. (VAL) refinery at Lanjigarh.

The union minister, on November 25, had slapped a showcause notice on the state government stating that the regional chief conservator of forest based at Bhubaneswar has reported that illegal construction activities are going on in the non-forest areas of the mines violating the government of India guidelines.

Kalahandias angry over shift

Tathya.in. Dec 10, 2009
Bhawanipatna:10/December/2009


Odisha Government is playing politics over location of ESIC medical college in the state, feel aggrieved intelgentsia of Kalahandi.

Local people along with the MPs had also written letters to the Chief Minister to establish ESIC medical college in Rourkela, said Digambara Patra, leading NRO.

Keeping the public sentiment in Kalahandi for Government medical college and ongoing protest in Rourkela for ESIC medical college, Department of Labour and Employment Government of Odisha has earlier requested the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment to establish second medical college in Rourkela.

And the Government promised a Dental and Nursing College in Kalahandi

Kalahandi was already betrayed by Odisha Government for the Central University of Orissa, alleged Madhusmita Panda.

Ms.Panda alleged that time and again Kalahandi has been let down.

Looking at the charged atmosphere and public demand for a Government medical college in Kalahandi, Department of Labour and Employment has reportedly requested for ESIC dental and nursing college in Kalahandi district

Union Ministry of Labour and Employment is establishing two ESIC medical colleges in Karnataka, one being in the home constituency of concern union minister.

Why another medical college cannot be established in Odisha?, asks Judhistir Patra.

However, Kalahandi has been at the receiving end since it joined Odisha state in 1947-48.

The region is being neglected and ignored continuously despite it is being located in the centre of South Western Odisha, the backward pocket of Odisha and India in general, lamented he

Every year hundreds of people are dying due to lack of proper health faculties and human resources in health in this pocket.

The present change of mind by Odisha Government to go for Dental and Nursing College at Rourkela has exposed the mindset of the State Government, said Sanjib Kumar Karmee.

All of them have demanded that both Dental and Nursing College are to be established at Kalahandi, so that years of neglect can be eradicated.

Foreign NGOs creating unrest in Lanjigarh

indiaprwire.com, Dec 9, 2009
There has been a sudden movement of foreigners / foreign NGOs in Lanjigarh, Kalahandi district in the past few days. Strangely foreigners coming on tourist visa from countries like Italy, Germany, Australia, Denmark, UK etc. have become frequent and they are freely moving in the region.

Udaipur, Rajasthan, December 9, 2009 /India PRwire/ -- Recently the statement of Hon'ble Steel and Mines Minister of Orissa, Mr. Raghunath Mohanty, stating that 'Not a single tribal family would be displaced due to this mining project' and also that 'No Dongria Kondha tribe live at the proposed mining area of Lanjigarh located between Rayagada and Kalahandi districts' has been a lot unrest in the foreign NGOs who have been circulating a lot of false information about the entire mining activity in Orissa.
There has been a sudden movement of foreigners / foreign NGOs in Lanjigarh, Kalahandi district in the past few days. Strangely foreigners coming on tourist visa from countries like Italy, Germany, Australia, Denmark, UK etc. have become frequent and they are freely moving in the region. These people have been forcedly interacting with local tribals and disturbing their peace. A local NGO is supporting the visits. The local people have taken this very seriously and are opposing their entry into their region. The unrest has also got reported to local police authorities who are now looking into the matter of this sudden movement of foreign NGOs including Survival International. These foreign NGOs are provoking innocent tribals to defame the government and the company, Vedanta Group. This is being done to create misunderstanding and an environment of unrest before the visit of Central Team of MoEF that is scheduled to visit the Niyamgiri shortly.
The world is taking note of India starting bauxite mining after a gap of over 25 years. Once the bauxite mine at Niyamgiri starts, India will be placed as one of the largest aluminium producer in the world.
Niyamgiri range of hills has 250 sq. cm large foot print. The actual mineralization area in the proposed mining project is only 3.5% KM, that also having a depth of about 30 metres on the top. This truth has put a complete dent on the false information being circulated by these foreign NGOs that proposed mining will completely destroy the Niyamgiri mountain. Actually speaking, Bauxite extraction will actually benefit the environment, because it removes a hard rocky layer called laterite which would allow rain water to percolate deep inside the soil, increasing afforestation post-mining. Vedanta highlighted that with the use of best technology the plant is meeting all the required compliances in respect of air and water pollution, rather Lanjigarh Refinery is amongst the few in the world to have attained zero discharge status.
The Orissa government has constituted a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) in the name of Lanjigarh Project Area Development Foundation (LDADF), with contribution of State Government as 25%, Orissa Mining Corporation as 26% and Sterlite Industries Ltd as 49%, as directed by the Supreme Court. The Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) - Southern Division is the Chairman of the Special Purpose Vehicle which on its first meeting itself decided to take up development projects worth Rs. 17.70 crore in the areas of health, education, road, infrastructure development that are required for the upliftment of Dongria and Kutia Kondha tribes, the Minister added.
Earlier, the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, while granting permission vide the judgement dated August 8, 2008, had looked all aspects including tribal development, wild life impact, environment impact, and sustainable development in the area connected with this project, taking into account all arguments, and came to the conclusion that starting mining operation at Niyamgiri Hills, subject to fulfilment of all statutory requirement, will definitely give a boost to the development of the entire area. Since mining is an important source of revenue generation, such projects should be encouraged along with principle of sustainable development so that these areas can be brought to the main line, the Hon'ble Court had observed.
The Hon'ble Supreme Court of India also observed that there is abject poverty in the area and the area is lacking with regards to health, education, infrastructure, communication, to name a few. On the recommendation of the apex court, the Company agreed for investing 5% of the profit or Rs. 10 crore, which ever is more, from this project, for the developmental works within 50 km of the project area.
Vedanta has been saying this all along that bauxite is a hard rock that exists above 900 metres from the surface and therefore the Niyamgiri hills are neither crop nor inhabitants-friendly.
The bauxite-alumina project at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district in Orissa would initiate investment of over Rs. 10,000 crore by Vedanta. Over 5000 local people have worked to build the Lanjigarh Plant. Kalahandi district of Orissa is one of the most backward district in India and the project is expected to change the profile of the entire district bringing considerable direct and indirect employment, infrastructure development, community development, social-economic development and empowerment.
Mines are generally located in the remote areas and development of such projects not only bring prosperity of that area but also add considerable value to the State's exchequer.
India is a mineral rich country and at par with countries like Canada, Australia, South Africa and Brazil. The minerals have contributed significantly to the GDP's of these countries and have become alternative source of revenue to the government. The same model should work for India as well.

Notes to Editor
Recently the statement of Hon'ble Steel and Mines Minister of Orissa, Mr. Raghunath Mohanty, stating that 'Not a single tribal family would be displaced due to this mining project' and also that 'No Dongria Kondha tribe live at the proposed mining area of Lanjigarh located between Rayagada and Kalahandi districts' has been a lot unrest in the foreign NGOs who have been circulating a lot of false information about the entire mining activity in Orissa.

Vedanta gets shocked by NGO influx in its mines
commodityonline.com, Dec 9, 2009

MUMBAI (Commodity Online): Sudden influx of many foreign NGO volunteers have caused Vedanta Group’s Lanjigarh division to divert from its regular activities to that of clearing off allegations of environmental degradation.

Kalahandi in Orissa is the scene of action and tribal’s that the NGOs led by Survival International claims are to be displaced by mining activity are the protagonists. Character players include ministers to government officials and it seems Orissa government could contemplate action against these intrusions

On one side of the story are the mining license holders, Vedanta group and the license givers, government of Orissa led by Steel and Mines Minister, Raghunath Mohanty. On the other side are a strong environmental lobby and anti-displacement group led by many NGOs.

Sandwiched between these two are the tribal on whose land the main activity is going to take place. One side argues that it is better for the tribal to fend themselves without any outside intrusion; the other side argues they need development and upliftment and cannot be left at primitive stages.

It is not clear what the affected tribal wants since they don’t have a lobby to represent. But their cause is officially taken care by the Orissa government and according to Mohanty, “not a single tribal family would be displaced due to this mining project' and also that 'No Dongria Kondha tribe live at the proposed mining area of Lanjigarh located between Rayagada and Kalahandi districts'.

The latest salvo that NGOs have fired is for the protection of Dongria Kondha tribe, traditional land owners of this region. The entire march of a large number of foreign nationals into these tribal region is to protect this tribe. Mining companies say these NGOs find these tribal as victims only when there are development in the region. Otherwise, these tribe were unknown to the outside world.

Because of this friction, the beautiful regions of Kalahandi have become sensitive areas, more dangerous than most volatile areas of India. Vedanta has always claimed they do their best in both environmental upgradation, rehabilitating displaced people and also CSR activities in larges scale helping thousands of villages.

Vedanta is of the view that the entire activity has begun to move focus towards creating a negative atmosphere just ahead of the visit of Central Team of MoEF that is scheduled to visit the Niyamgiri shortly.

According to Dr.Mukesh Kumar COO Vedanta Lanjigarh, India is starting bauxite mining after a gap of over 25 years and that once the bauxite mine at Niyamgiri starts, India will be placed as one of the largest aluminum producer in the world, there are dark forces working behind these activities, a charge NGOs present in the region vehemently denies.

“The real fact is being suppressed under the name of environmental degradation. It claims Bauxite extraction will actually benefit the environment, because it removes a hard rocky layer called laterite, which would allow rainwater to percolate deep inside the soil, increasing afforestation post-mining,” he said.

Vedanta highlighted that with the use of best technology the plant is meeting all the required compliances in respect of air and water pollution, rather Lanjigarh Refinery is amongst the few in the world to have attained zero discharge status.

The Orissa government has constituted a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) in the name of Lanjigarh Project Area Development Foundation (LDADF), with contribution of State Government as 25%, Orissa Mining Corporation as 26% and Sterlite Industries Ltd as 49%, as directed by the Supreme Court.

Earlier, the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, while granting permission vide the judgement dated August 8, 2008, had looked all aspects including tribal development, wild life impact, environment impact, and sustainable development in the area connected with this project, taking into account all arguments, and came to the conclusion that starting mining operation at Niyamgiri Hills, subject to fulfillment of all statutory requirement, will definitely give a boost to the development of the entire area.

Supreme Court of India also observed that there is abject poverty in the area and the area is lacking with regards to health, education, infrastructure, communication, to name a few. On the recommendation of the apex court, the Company agreed for investing 5% of the profit or Rs. 10 crore, which ever is more, from this project, for the developmental works within 50 km of the project area.

Proposal for ESIC Dental and Nursing College in Kalahandi should not be sabotaged

To

Dr. Manmohan Singh, Honorable Prime Minister of India


CC
Smt. Pratibha Patil, , Honorable President of India
Mr. Naveen Patnaik, Honorable Chief Minister of Odisha
Secretary and Director, Union Ministry of Labour and Employment
Ministry of Labour and Employment, Odisha state Government
MPs from Odisha
Media



Dear Honorable Prime Minister Dr. Singh,
Odisha Government is playing politics over ESIC medical college in Odisha.

Local people along with MPs had also written letters to you to establish ESIC medical college in Rourkela (The Pioneer, Nov 22, 2009; Expressbuzz, Nov 23, 2009)

Keeping the public sentiment in Kalahandi for Government medical college and ongoing protest in Rourkela for ESIC medical college, ministry of Labor and Employment Government of Orissa has earlier requested the central Government (Union Ministry of Labor and Employment) to establish second medical college in Rourkela and Dental and Nursing College in Kalahandi and (The Samaja, Oct 16, 2009, Expressbuzz, Oct 15, 2009)

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=25+acres+provided+for+ESIC+hospital&artid=A6YF/aPxYAk=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=&SEO=

However, very recently Orissa Government is changing its view and now suggesting for a Dental and Nursing College in Rourkela (Tathya.in, Dec 8, 2009) indirectly forcing the medical college to be established in Bhubaneswar by totally neglecting and ignoring the interest of Kalahandi and KBK region.

http://www.tathya.in/2009/story.asp?sno=3556

Kalahandi was already betrayed by Odisha Government for the Central University of Orissa. Looking at the local atmosphere and public demand for a Government medical college in Kalahandi, state ministry of Labor and Employment has requested for ESIC dental and nursing college in Kalahandi district (The Samaja, Oct 16, 2009, Expressbuzz, Oct 15, 2009).

Union ministry of Labor and Employment is establishing two ESIC medical colleges in Karnataka, one being in the home constituency of concern union minister. Why another medical college cannot be established in Orissa?

However, Kalahandi has been at the receiving end since it joined Odisha state in 1947-48. The region is being neglected and ignored continuously despite it is being located in the center of South Western Odisha, the backward pocket of Odisha and India in general. Every year hundreds of people are dying due to lack of proper health faculties and human resources in health in this pocket.

The present change of mind by Odisha Government has exposed the corruption and favoritism while establishing ESIC medical college.

We strongly oppose the recent move by Odisha state Government and appeal and pray to you that Dental and Nursing College by ESIC must come in Kalahandi district as proposed earlier.

Thank you

With best regards

Digambara Patra

Odisha Government confuses making Kalahandi again at the receiving end: Request for Dental/Nursing College in Kalahandi dist to be located now in Rourkela

Note: It seems state Government is playing poltics over ESIC issue. Earlier it has proposed Medical College in Bhubaneswar, second medical college in Rourkela and Dental/Nursing College in Kalahandi distict.  (Another article in Samaja). MPs from Western Odisha had also written to Prime Minister for establishment of the ESIC medical college in Rourkela. Now it has taken a divided and rule policy for Western part of Odisha as it did for Central University of Orissa in between Koraput and Kalahandi.

Naveen mollycoddles Rourkela
Tathya.in, Dec 8, 2009
Bhubaneswar:8/December/2009


It seems that Naveen Patnaik is mollycoddling the people of Rourkela.

Chief Minister has now demanded the Government of India to favour with a Dental and Nursing College for the Steel City, said official sources.

State Government in the Department of Labour & Employment (DOLE) has asked the Ministry of Labour to set up the facilities in Rourkela keeping in view the long standing demand of the people.

After Rourkela has been sidetracked for a Medical College & Hospital, the State Government has initiated the move to set up Dental College and College of Nursing in the city.

There are 77,000 Insured Persons in Rourkela and surrounding areas under Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).

Nearest Hospital for them is Sambalpur and IPs require frequent references for their dental problems.

Further there is extreme shortage of nursing staff in the health institutions of the state including ESI Medical Institutions.

So both Dental and Nursing College is needed, said Satya Prakash Nanda, Development Commissioner.

Mr.Nanda has taken up the issue with P C Chaturvedi, the Union Secretary Labour & Employment.

It has been agreed that ESIC would consider opening up of a Dental College and College of Nursing at Rourkela.

Investment in both the institutions will be around Rs.100 crores, said Sardar Jagar Singh, Secretary Labour & Employment.

Mr.Singh said that he has brought it to the notice of C D Kedar, the Director General ESIC.

Recently ESIC decided to set up a Medical College and Hospital at Bhubaneswar and this caused lot of resentment in Rourkela.

Civil society, Labour Unions and common men in the Steel city expressed their frustration over the matter.

So in order to assuage their hurt feelings, the State Government has posed both the institutions of learning at Rourkela.

Officials are hopeful that with this move the aspirations of the people in Rourkela will be partly fulfilled.

Govt seeks to ease hurt feelings of Rourkelites

The Pioneer, Dec 10, 2009
PNS, Bhubaneswar

Naveen Patnaik seems to be mollycoddling the people of Rourkela. He has now urged the Government of India to favour the steel city with a dental college and a nursing college, said official sources.

The State’s Labour and Employment Department has asked the Union Ministry of Labour to set up the facilities in Rourkela, keeping in view the longstanding demand of the people. After Rourkela has been sidetracked for an ESIC (Employees’ State Insurance Corporation Medical College and Hospital, the State Government has initiated the move to set up a dental college and a nursing college there.

There are 77,000 insured persons (IPs) in Rourkela and nearby under Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC). The nearest hospital for them is in Sambalpur, The IPs require frequent references for their dental problems. Further, there is an extreme shortage of nursing staff in the health institutions of the State, including the ESIC medical institutions.

So, dental and nursing colleges are needed at Rourkela, said Development Commissioner Satya Prakash Nanda, who has taken up the issue with Union Secretary of Labour and Employment PC Chaturvedi.

It has been agreed that the ESIC would consider opening up of a dental college and a college of nursing at Rourkela and investment in both the institutions would be around Rs 100 crore, said State Secretary of Labour and Employment Jagar Singh. He said he has brought the matter to the notice of Director General of ESIC CD Kedar.

Recently, the ESIC decided to set up a medical college and hospital in Bhubaneswar, which sparked a lot of resentment at Rourkela. Officials are hopeful that with the new move the aspirations of the people of the steel city would be partly fulfilled.

Opp urges President to re-convene Assembly

The Pioneer, Dec 9, 2009
PNS | Bhubaneswar

Expressing displeasure over the highhandedness of the State Government, Opposition Congress and BJP members met President Pratibha Patil here on Tuesday complaining about the indefinite adjournment of the Winter Session of the Legislative assembly well ahead of schedule.

The Assembly session which kicked off on November 18 was scheduled to end on December 19. “We also informed her how the mining scam had rocked the State. We demand a CBI inquiry into the scam,” said BJP Legislature Party leader KV Singh Deo after meeting the President at Raj Bhawan.

Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh, Opposition Chief Whip Prasad Harichandan, Congress MLA Santosh Singh Saluja, Surendra Singh Bhoi, BJP Legislature Party leader Singh Deo and BJP MLA Jayanarayan Mishra met the President and submitted a copy of the memorandum they had handed over to Governor MC Bhandare on Sunday.

“We urged her to take steps for re-summoning the House,” said Opposition chief whip Prasad Harichandan. “We inform her about the autocratic, undemocratic attitude of the Naveen Patnaik-led Government. The House has not yet been prorogued,” said BJP leader Singh Deo.

Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh said that the President had assured to look into the issue. “Being the head of the Constitutional set up, she would certainly look into the issue,” Singh maintained. The party also demanded that a compensation package should be declared for the farmers who have been hit by drought.

Earlier, a delegation led by State BJP president Suresh Pujari also called on the President and appraised her about the latest political developments. “We submitted a memorandum demanding a CBI inquiry into the mining scam,” said BJP senior leader BB Harichandan, adding that they also raised the sudden closure of the House.

He further said that party also took up the farmers’ suicide cases and the drought that had hit the State. The party also took up the issue of the Government’s handing over the land of Lord Jagannath to the proposed Vedanta University. BJP’s national vice-president Jual Oram, former minister Surama Padhi and MLA Jayanarayan Mishra accompanied the team.

The BJD members, on the other hand, said that the Opposition was doing such things to gain political mileage.

 Orissa Opposition demands reconvening of assembly
PTI, Dec 8, 2009
Bhubaneswar, Dec 8 (PTI) Opposition members in the Orissa assembly who have stayed put in the House after the winter session was adjourned sine die ahead of schedule, today sought intervention by President Pratibha Patil to reconvene it.

"The President gave a patient hearing and assured us of looking into the matter," Congress Chief Whip Prasad Harichandan told reporters after a delegation from his party and BJP met Patil.

While the session was scheduled to continue till December 19, it was declared adjourned sine die on December 6, Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh said.

The delegation also drew the President's attention to the alledged mining scam and sought a CBI investigation besides the plight of farmers due to drought and distress sale of paddy in the western region of the state
  
Opp leaders meet President
Times of India, Dec 8, 2009


BHUBANESWAR: After spending three nights inside the Assembly, the Opposition party leaders on Tuesday found President Pratibha Patil in hand to highlight the functioning of the Naveen Patnaik government. They met her and complained on "what were being done by the BJD government and how it is flouting the law" by abruptly ending the winter session in the middle the mining scam discussion.

Patil gave a patient hearing to the Congress and BJP joint delegation led by the leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh and received a memorandum detailing the complaints. "We urged the President to intervene. She heard us and assured to look into the matter," Congress legislator Prasad Harichandan, who accompanied the team, said. He said the Opposition had earlier urged the Governor on the same issue soon after Assembly session was declared suspended 11 days ahead of the schedule time and without completing the mandatory 60 days of sitting in a calendar year. "Now that the President is in the city, we thought it to be proper to apprise her of the goings-on in the state. We hope the highest constitutional authority of the country will do the needful for setting right this violation of the constitution," Harichandan said.

The delegation comprised six members from Congress and two from BJP. The Opposition had been hanging on to the Assembly since Saturday as a mark of protest after the government hurried to down the curtain on the session ostensibly to put a cap on further debates on the sensitive mining scam in which several politicians are suspected to be involved. The session ironically was brought to and end, much to the surprise of the Opposition parties, at a time when the CBI had intimated the Orissa high court expressing its willingness to investigate the case and the Central government giving its green signal for probe by the Central agency as well. The Opposition since then had been doing the session by them unilaterally. Apparently undaunted by chief minister Naveen Patnaik's remarks that the Opposition parties had been onto a "publicity stunt", they continued the "symbolic Assembly session" till evening dividing the time as normally done into question hour, zero hour, adjournment motion, followed by lunch hour and the afternoon session.

Land pattas distributed in Kalahandi

The Pioneer, Dec 9, 2009
Bhawanipatna: Over 300 people of Bijepur Gram Panchayat under Bhawanipatna block and Batelima and Lanjigarh GPs under Lanjigarh block received their land pattas distributed by Kalahandi MP Bhakta Charan Das in the villages of Bijepur and Banipanga on Monday.

NRI slams MP’s idea for 2nd Central varsity in Bhubaneswar

The Pioneer, Dec 9, 2009
PNS | Bhubaneswar

Odia NRI activist Digambara Patra has shot an e-mail to Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and all MPs from Odisha expressing his anguish this time over BJD MP Prasanna Patsani’s suggestion in the Lok Sabha for establishing a second Central University in Odisha in the line of Jammu and Kashmir in Bhubaneswar.

It is appreciable that the MP has taken a good initiative for Odisha, however, unfortunately he has again identified the location as Bhubaneswar which is already having many Central Government institutions, he lamented in the letter. The State capital is already having or is proposed to have NISER, IIT, AIIMS, etc which are of the same stature of national university, apart from railway medical college, ESIC medical colleges and many national-level research institutions, he pointed out.

In the line of Jammu and Kashmir for two Central Universities in the State, the location which deserves the second one in the State is Kalahandi, as it has been fighting for the same since the past two decades. But sadly, the Odisha CM did not keep his promise to the local people, he mentioned further viewing that the issue of Central University in Jammu and Kashmir is similar to what happened in Odisha between Koraput and Kalahandi.

Establishing more number of Central-funded institutions in KBK will bring inclusive growth of the region, Patra, an assistant professor in Chemistry at the American University of Beirut, felt.

Western Odisha has not got a single Central Government institutions recently whereas Central University and IIIT were established in southern Odisha and many other institutions came up in central Odisha, he rued further.

Instead of bringing politics, all the MPs from Odisha should come forward and fight for a second Central University in Odisha to be located in Kalahandi, he appealed reminding a report published in this paper recently on the demand for a second Central University in the State to be established in Kalahandi.

Being a well-known politician, writer and social worker, Patsani should rather support such demand instead of making a richer location more richer which would only result in more regional imbalance in the State, he opined.

Appeal to the Governor of Odisha for suitable change in Orissa RTI Rule 2005

To

The Governor Of Odisha
Bhubaneswar

Sub: Appeal for suitable changes in Orissa RTI Rules- 2005

Honourable Sir,
We the citizens of India would like to bring into your attention the following few obstacles imposed in Orissa RTI Rules which are against the spirit of Right to Information Act. All these obstacles are proving to be big hurdle in accessing information for the people, particularly rural people. These have been pointed out by various social activists several times, but unfortunately no action has been taken so far.

Therefore, we as citizens of India are requesting you to take positive actions by directing Orissa Government to make necessary changes in its RTI Rules, so as to make it more accessible to all sections of public.

« Form A
Only Orissa has a compulsory form for applying for information under section 6. Not only that this form asks for various information regarding the applicant which should not be asked as mentioned in RTI

Act- 2005. Eg- Permanent address, Name of Father/ Spouse, Proof of identity as citizen. RTI Act (Section 6) has clearly mentioned that an applicant can¡¦t be asked to provide any other information in his application than his/her contact details only. Applicants feel threatened in giving these informations. Also availability of the form is a big problem in rural areas.

We want these questions ¡V Permanent address, Name of Father/Spouse, Proof of identity as citizen to be removed form this Form-A and it should be made optional to apply in this form, not compulsory. Similarly

Form D and E for First and Second Appeal also should be made optional, not compulsory.

« Fees and payment modes
There is a fee of Rupees 20/- and Rupees 25/- for First Appeal Second Appeal respectively. Nowhere in India, including for Central Public Authorities there are Appeal fees. Also these appeal fees has to be paid by court fee stamp, which is very difficult for rural public.

Therefore we demand there should not be any appeal fees for both First and Second Appeal.

Again fee for application under Section 6 is to be paid by only cash or treasury challan. Though Information commission has given in its ruling about the acceptability of application fees through other modes like demand draft, IPO etc, since there is no such notification in the Official Gazette has been issued by Government, many offices are not obeying it.

Therefore we demand government circular should be issued to all the offices about acceptability of application fees by other modes like demand drafts, IPO etc.

„« Giving Importance to Section 4
Section 4, which is about public authority¡¦s obligation in pro active disclosure is not being followed by many public authorities.

Particularly, the offices away from the towns or cities do not have any information with them. In many panchayats, even nationalized banks, there are not even signboards of Public Information Officers. Some of the banks are even feigning ignorance about it. However, rural public can access information quicker only through proper implementation of Section 4.

Therefore we demand strict circular from government to be issued to all public authorities, for proper implementation of Section 4. Also signboards about PIO/ Appellate authority should be there in all offices, particularly in rural areas. Also we want rigorous implementation of Orissa RTI (Amendment) Rules 2006, which inter alia obligates each public authority to maintain a register for recording the particulars of visitors seeking suo motu information under Sec-4 of the Act.

We urge you to take immediate actions in these matter as these are not only for protecting our fundamental right, but also to ensure transparency and proper implementation of various schemes and projects that come for people.

Thanking you

Yours faithfully

Loka Adhikar Sammukhya, Kalahandi

NOTE:  You are requested by LASK to go through the letter given below and mail it in your organisation/ groups to the governor and a copy to the State Information Commission.

BJP State chief poll likely to be postponed

Expressbuzz, Dec 8, 2009
BHUBANESWAR: Even as 24 out of 37 organisational districts of BJP have elected district presidents, election of the party’s State unit president is likely to be delayed as many leaders are busy in Jharkhand election.


The tentative date for election of the State unit president was fixed for December 11. Two-thirds of organisational districts of the party having completed the election process, the State unit now qualifies to elect its president.

The central election committee of the party will fix a date for the election and will appoint observers to monitor process, State election officer of the party Nayan Kishore Mohanty said.

Election of the State BJP president will not be possible on December 11 as many leaders of the party including party’s national vice-president and former Union minister Jual Oram, national secretary Dharmendra Pradhan, and State general secretary Rajkishore Das are busy campaigning for party candidates in the Jharkhand Assembly election.

Election to the remaining 13 organisational districts is on and a majority of them will be eligible to participate in the election process, Mohanty said.

The elected district presidents are Nayan Ranjan Prasad (Cuttack city), Hrusikesh Jena (Cuttack Sadar), former minister Himansu Sehar Meher (Kalahandi), former minister Draupadi Murmu (Mayurbhanj west), Nihar Modi (Mayurbhanj east), Dharmu Ganda (Nabarangpur), Deba Narayan Pradhan (Phulbani) and Sarat Mishra (Puri).

Lambodhar Nayak (Balasore), Bijay Kumar Swain (Berhampur), Bhagaban Panda (Bhanjanagar), Amiya Das (Bhubaneswar), Prabhas Kumar Panigrahi (Balangir), Umacharan Pradhan (Chhatrapur), Sidheswar Mishra (Gajapati), Upendra Biswal (Jagatsingpur), Gyanadev Beura (Kendrapara), Aditya Madhi (Malkangiri), Prasanna Dash (Nayagarh), Atindrajit Singh Mallik (Nuapada), Kalicharan Majhi (Rayagada) and Suresh Mahala (Sonepur).

They will elect the State unit president for a three-year term. The term of the incumbent president Suresh Pujari will expire shortly.

Centre sanctions Rs 822 cr for roads in Kalahandi

 The Pioneer, Dec 8, 2009

PNS | Bhawanipatna

Kalahandi MP Bhakta Charan Das had submitted a proposal to Surface Transport Minister Kamal Nath for construction of National Highway and PWD roads, for which Rs 822.64 crore have been sanctioned by the Ministry.

Das expressed his gratitude to Minister Kamal Nath and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on behalf of the people of Kalahandi and Nuapada. Das had a discussion with Kamal Nath where he had expressed his concern over the dilapidated roads of the district before submitting his proposed package.

Das had submitted a proposal for Rs 334. 64 crore for Bargarh-Boriguma National Highway-201, Rs 375 crore for Raipur to Gopalpur NH-217 and Rs 113 crore for Kalahandi and Nuapada PWD roads.

For NH-201 Rs 109.64 crore from Chancher to Kesinga Rs 50 crore, from Kesinga to Belgaon Rs 95 crore have been sanctioned by the Ministry.

For NH-217 from Amath to Urladani Rs 200 crore, on the road from Kurmipuri to Komna Rs 95 crore, from Badmaheswar to Bhalumunda Rs 80 crore have been sanctioned.

Speaking to mediapersons here, during his two-day visit the MP said the money has been sanctioned for the surveyed portion of the roads of Kalahandi and Nuapda and the unsurveyed portion would soon be completed.

He further said that for Kalahandi and Nuapada PWD roads, from Junagarh to Kalampur Rs 25 crore, from Baldiamal to Dharmagarh Rs 25 crore and from Nuapada to Paikmal road Rs18 crore was sanctioned by the Minister. The revised estimate of Hati River bridge near Junagarh would also be completed within seven to eight days.

For lift irrigation project, discussions are going on between State and Central Governments are going on where extension of Left and Right Canal of Indravati project and lift irrigation for Koksara would be sanctioned very soon by Central Government.

Around 250 PMGSY roads would be constructed in different blocks in the district. Within two to three years quality roads would be constructed in all the villages and main roads, the MP informed.

Farmers worried over poor procurment of cotton

Dharitri, Dec 7, 2009

Many trees felled to widen Niyamgiri road

The Pioneer, Dec 7, 2009
PNS | Bhawanipatna

Cutting down of large number of tress in Niyamgiri Reserve Forest of Kalahandi district, for widening of a road has led to protests from the irate locals. The Topo sheet of the map clearly states that the road was meant for two-wheeler and four-wheelers and was eight feet-wide.

Investigations revealed that hundreds of trees were felled for widening the road from Kadamguda to Trilochanpur of Lanjigarh block which clearly measures around 20-30 feet. Locals informed The Pioneer that the trees were cut overnight few months back for widening the road which touches Niyamgiri hill top

The locals’ strong protest led to stopping of the felling of trees here, said a villager Arjun Chandi. However, the Forest Department and the district administration are yet to lay their hands on the culprits.

In 2008, MP Bhakta Charan Das had appraised the Conservator of Forests over phone about the incident. Besides, this matter was also appraised to the Union Minister of Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh. He is going to send a team to Lanjigarh to probe all the allegations.

Before this the Central Government has also sought a reply from the State Government. Sources said the State Government has already prepared the final report to be submitted to the Central team who would probe the matter. District Kalahandi RS Gopalan had visited Kadamguda village to take stock of situation. Sources said the Central team’s visit would find many loopholes during the probe.

Odisha Note: Is Odisha Government shying away from mining scam?

Orissa mining scam: Centre ready to support CBI probe
PTI, Dec 6, 2009

Cuttack, Dec 6 (PTI) Close on the heels of CBI showing willingness to probe the multi-crore mining scam in Orissa, the central government has informed Orissa High Court that it is prepared to extend all cooperation to the investigating agency if the court so desired.

Deputy Controller of Regional Control of Mines of the Union government T K Rath told the court in an affidavit that the Centre would extend all logistic support to CBI to probe the mining scam.

The affidavit came yesterday in the wake of a notice issued to it by the court here while adjudicating a PIL.

At least four PILs have been filed in the High Court urging it to direct the CBI to probe the scam, rocking the state for the last couple of months.

Orissa opposition continue dharna inside assembly

PTI, Dec 6, 2009

Bhubaneswar, Dec 6 (PTI) Opposition members continued their sit-in inside the Orissa assembly for the second day today to protest against sine die adjournment of Orissa Assembly, two weeks ahead of schedule.

Members of Congress and BJP, who launched the dharna terming the early adjournment of the Assembly as "undemocratic and unconstitutional", continued their sit-in through the night.

Though the government claimed there was no important business left, Opposition legislators demanded resumption of the Assembly and decided to ask the Governor not to prorogue the House which was to run till December 19.

Congress chief whip Prasad Harichandan and BJP legislature party leader K V Singhdeo said the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India University, Orissa Bill, 2009 was deferred till next session despite the government's claim that there was no business to transact.

Mining scam forces Govt to abruptly end Winter Session
The Pioneer, Dec 6, 2009
Pioneer News Service | Bhubaneshwar

The ghost of the mining scam that has been haunting the State Government for the last four months forced the Government to adjourn the Winter Session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly abruptly 14 days ahead of the normal schedule. The House which commenced on November 18 was scheduled to continue till December 19.

After the hullabaloo on the morning session on the issue of mining scam, the House was resumed in the afternoon. Every thing was normal till Government chief whip Rabi Naryan Pani moved a motion urging Speaker Pradeep Kumar Amat to end the session. The Opposition was clean bowled with this sudden move of the Government. “We don’t have any business to take up. So the House’s proceedings should come to an end,” argued Pani before Speaker Amat. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Raghunath Mohanty supported the move.

Later, Speaker Amat put the motion in the House. Amidst the severe protest by the Opposition, the Speaker proceeded with the customary practice of declaring the House adjourned for indefinite period. Even Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh and BJP Legislature Party leader KV Singh Deo did not participate in the thanksgiving motion which is a practice in Parliamentary business and proceedings. “The Government has no moral right to order a CBI probe into the mining scam. They feared to face the House,” said Singh Deo.

Terming the Government as a murderer of democracy, the Opposition rushed to the well and staged a dharna. “We will sit on dharna on Saturday and continue till December 19,” said agitated senior member of the Congress Santosh Singh Saluja. “The Government was not in a position to face the House on the issue of the mining scam,” said Saluja. The Opposition will meet the Governor on Sunday and decide its future course of action.

Earlier in the morning session, the Assembly was adjourned repeatedly as Opposition Congress members tried to climb up to the Speaker’s podium and broke his mike demanding a CBI probe into the multi-crore mining scam.

During the Zero Hour, Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh raised the issue of mining scam. Quoting a newspaper report, Singh alleged that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik as the Union Mines Minister in 1998 had approved mining lease in favour of a company owned by Indrani Patnaik against whom the State Vigilance has registered a criminal case on charge of illegal mining in Keonjhar district. Indrani Patnaik is the wife of former Congress Minister Niranjan Patnaik’s elder brother Dipti Ranjan Patnaik and a close relative of former Chief Minister JB Patnaik.

Rejecting the investigation by the State Vigilance, Singh demanded a CBI probe in order to book all those involved in the mining irregularities.

“There is an attempt by the ruling BJD to drag the Congress name into alleged irregularities by the Indrani Patnaik company”, Singh said adding that a white paper on the mining deal would make things clear.

While Singh placed the demand at the top of his voice, Congress members rushed into well almost climbing onto the Speaker’s podium. The Chief Minister has been accused of granting mining lease to about 40 companies and persons during the last 10 years.

Congress member Gobardhan Das was warned by Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat against breaking the mikes. “What you have done is not correct. This is for the third time you have broken the mike”, the Speaker said. As uproarious scenes continued, the House was adjourned four times till 3 pm.

Later, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told mediapersons that he had not done anything wrong. Rejecting the demand of the Opposition, the Chief Minister said that no lease was granted illegally. “Rather it is the States who apply for mining lease before the Union Mines Ministry and the lease was granted only after a prior verification,” he said. Patnaik defending the Vigilance probe said that the Vigilance was already carrying out the investigation and stern action was being taken against the persons involved in the illegal mining in the State.

“Fearing to face the House over the mining scam, the Government adjourned the House,” alleged Opposition Chief Whip Prasad Harichandan, adding that it would send a wrong message to the public. On the other hand, Government Chief Whip Pani defended the decision of the Government. “The Congress has no other business except to create disturbance on the House. Public money should not be unnecessarily wasted,” he added. 

Now get information online

Expressbuzz, Dec 6, 2009
BHUBHANESWAR: From now on, one would not have to go to the different offices or Government departments to seek and obtain information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Log on to www.rtiorissa.gov.in to access different departments and wings of the Government, file RTI applications and receive the response.  The RTI portal developed by the Information and Public Relation Department and the State Information Commission in association with Luminous Infoways was inaugurated by Chief Information Commissioner DN Padhi here. The portal seeks to present a clear picture on the Government departments and organisations and intends to effect transparency and accountability in the system of Governance, he said.  As per the Section 4 (1) A of the RTI Act every Government department or organisation would have to make available all information through computer network, display board and maintain registers for public.  Every department and their subordinate offices would be linked up in the network through a software christened Lok Soochana and provided with individual IDs and passwords for uploading information. Till now about 600 departments and Government organisations have been linked up with individual IDs. Besides, providing comprehensive information on their organisation and activities, the network would enable each parent department to monitor if their subordinate offices were implementing RTI properly. The departments and PSUs would also have to publish their annual reports and compliances with the cases on the portal.  The citizen would just have to visit the portal to fill the form for application and submit his query and preferences on the mode of receiving response. They can also file cases in the Commission’s appeal section against violations.  The I&PR Department being the nodal agency would also be able to monitor the RTI implementation by the other wings of the Government and report to the CIC.

Cotton procurement at RMC mandies begins

Expressbuzz, Dec 6, 2009
BHUBHANESWAR: Under pressure from the district administration, Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has started procurement of cotton from mandies of the Regulated Market Committees (RMCs) at Karlapada and Utkela. Earlier, CCI had announced that it would procure cotton only at the ginning mill complex of Kesinga leading to protests from the farmers and apprehension of exploitation by unscrupulous traders and middlemen. In the second phase of procurement held yesterday at Karlapada, the Corporation bought 2,000 quintals of  cotton seed at Rs 3,000 per quintal and in the first phase on December 1, they had purchased 750 quintals. Though 13 private trading houses attended none participated in the auction. Dhruba Charan Pradhan, a lead cotton grower from Karlapada village, alleged that some of the traders were resorting to unethical practices and once pressure builds up on the CCI, the traders will try to illegally purchase it at the village level at distress prices like last year. District administration should keep a close watch on them, he demanded.  Bhawanipatna RMC secretary Rajkishor Mishra said marketing in the mandies has been streamlined and a close watch will be maintained to ensure that the farmers get proper price. The total area under cotton in Kalahandi district is 18,292 hectares and as per an assessment by the Agriculture Department, the yield may be around 2.2 lakh quintals.

Image Speaks: Ingit Panda's covergae on Hati River

Contributor: Ingit Panda

Image Speaks: M.P Bakta Das Discussed with Farmers about Distressed Selling at Choriahad Mandi, Dharamgarh

Contributor: Ingit Panda

KALAHANDI M.P BHAKTA DAS DISCUSSED WITH SOME FARMERS ABOUT DISTRESS SELLING AT CHORIAGAD MANDI, DHARAMGARH, KALAHANDI

 

Government Autonomous College Bhawanipatna Celebrating Golden Jubilee tentatively on 19 Jan 2010

 

Contributor: Captain R. Senapati

 

Govt Autonomous College Bhawanipatna is Celebratintg its

Golden Jubilee

on 19 Jan 2010 (Tentative).

All those who once were a part of this institution are requested to keep their 3rd week of Jan 2010 free and be in touch in whatever way possible. Soon I shall be sending the proper contact numbers for your benefit.

Remember this is not just the function of Govt. Autonomous College Bhawanipatna, This is a week of pride / week of celebration

for every Kalahandia.

Orissa assembly adjourned over mining scam

 ncrsamaylive.com, Dec 5, 2009
Bhubaneswar: Orissa assembly was adjourned repeatedly today as opposition Congress members tried to climb the speaker's podium and broke his mike while demanding a CBI probe into the multi-crore mining scam. The mining scam issue was raised by leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh during the zero hour. Quoting a newspaper report, Singh alleged that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik as the union mines minister in 1998 had approved mining lease in favour of company owned by Indrani Patnaik against whom the state vigilance has registred a criminal case on charge of illegal mining in Keonjhar district. Rejecting the investigation by the state vigilance, Singh demanded a CBI probe in order to book all those involved in the mining irregularities. "There is an attempt by ruling BJD to drag Congress party's name into alleged irregularities by the Indrani Patnaik company", the leader of opposition said adding that a white paper on the mining deal would make things clear. While Singh placed the demand at the top of his voice, Congress members rushed into well almost climbing on speaker's podium. The chief minister was accused of granting mining lease to about 40 companies and persons during last 10 years. Party's member from Kalahandi Gobardhan Das was warned by speaker Pradip Kumar Amat for breaking the mikes. "What you have done is not correct. This is for the third time you have broken mike", the speaker said. As uproarious scenes persisted, the House was adjourned four times till 3 pm.

Odisha state Government unable to spend Central Government grant

 NREGS: 2008-09 Central govt. grant to Odisha 1100 core, Odisha spent merely 65 core
                 2009-10 Central govt. grant to Odisha 1000 core, Odisha spent merely 170 core

Samaja, Dec 5, 2009

Excellent initiative: Bhakta Charan Das convienced Kamal Nath to approve major roads, NHs in Kalahandi and Nuapada

Note: Heart felt many many thanks to Bhakta Charan Das for this great initiative. We appreciate his effort towards development of major road infrastructure in Kalahandi & Nuapada.




Samaja, Dec 5, 2009

Malaria killed 717 in State: Minister

Expressbuzz, Dec 5, 2009
BHUBANESWAR: Malaria has claimed 717 lives in the State during the last three years.In a written reply to a question from Raghuram Padal (BJD), Minister for Health and Family Welfare Prasanna Acharya said in the Assembly today that 11,20,019 people were affected with the disease during the period.The Minister said that the State Government had launched World Bank assisted vector borne disease programme in 13 districts - Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Koraput, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Kandhamal and Gajapati.To a question from Anant Das (BJD), the Minister said that 255 people died in the State during the last five years due to AIDS. The highest number of 104 deaths were reported from Koraput while 40 persons died in Ganjam.The State Government has received Rs 6,319.21 crore from the World Bank, Centre and other agencies for AIDS control during the last five years, he said.

Dr Sanjib Kumar Karmee's Letter: Second central University in Odisha should be located in western Odisha

Dec 4, 2009

To
Mr. Sibal, Honorable Minister of Human Resource Development
CC
Honorable Speaker, Lok Sabha
Mr. Naveen Patnaik, President of BJD and Honorable Chief Minister of Odisha
The Honroable MPs from Odisha
Dear Honorable Mr. Sibal,
In the past few years your govt. is allocating many centrally funded institutes to Odisha. I appreciate your effort for transforming Odisha to a developed state.
However, the state govt. is continued to be capital centric by putting most of the central govt. institutes in the capital region.
Recently, BJD MP Prof. Dr. Prasanna Patasani has demanded another central University in Odisha. (Dharitri, Dec 4, 2009). http://wp.me/pFC4h-ec
He also, mentioned that it should be established in the state capital.
Sir,
This is a clear reflection of BBSR-centric approach. The Odisha state govt. has completely failed in distributing the central govt. institute across the state equally. We want all corner of Odisha state to develop equally.
So far, the Western Odisha region doses not have a single centrally funded Institute. Odisha state govt. must take steps to allocate adequate numbers of centrally funded institutes in Western Odisha. Everybody knows Odisha is an undeveloped state.  Only equal development of human resource can bring change in the state. 
Therefore, the second central University should be established in Kalahandi-Balangir area of western Odisha.
Please look in to this matter and do the needful.
Thanking you with best regards,
Sanjib

--
Dr.Sanjib Kumar Karmee, PhD
Biocatalysis and Organic Chemistry group
Department of Biotechnology
Delft University of Technology
Julianalaan 136, 2628 BL Delft,
The Netherlands
www.bt.tudelft.nl/boc
e-mail:S.K.Karmee@tudelft.nl
sanjibkarmee@gmail.com

Second central University in Odisha should be located in Kalahandi and not in Bhubaneswar

Orissadiary.com, Dec 4, 2009

To
The Honroable MPs from Odisha

CC
Honorable Speaker, Lok Sabha
Mr. Sibal, Honorable Minister of Human Resource Development
Mr. Naveen Patnaik, President of BJD and Honorable Chief Minister of Odisha

Dear Honorable MPs from Odisha,
Refering to the recent demand for a second central University in Odisha in the line of Jammu and Kasmir by BJD MP Prof. Dr. Prasanna Patasani in the Lok Sabha (Dharitri, Dec 4, 2009).

http://kddf.wordpress.com/2009/12/04/mp-dr-patsani-demand-another-central-university-in-bbsr/
it is appreaicble that honorable MP has taken a good inititaive for Odisha, however, unfortunately he has again identified the location as Bhubaneswar which is already having many central Govt. institutions. The Orissa’s state capital is already having or is proposed to have NISER, IIT, AIIMS etc which are of the same stature of national university, apart from railway medical college, ESIC medical colleges and many national level research institutions. Among 14 states selected for National University, Bhubaneswar is the only location where IIT, NISER (similar to IISER/IISc) and National University are coming in one place.  This is part from other state Govt. instiutions, IIIT, Universitites and national research centers.

In the line of  Jammu & Kashmir for two central Universities in the state, the location which deserves the second central University in the state is Kalahandi, as it has been figthing for a central University since past two deacdes and Odisha Chief Minister had at the last moment not kept his promise to the local people. The issue of Central University in Jammu and Kasmhir is similar to what happned in Odisha between Koraput and Kalahandi.

On the other hand establishing more number of central funded institutions in KBK, a size similar to the stata of Kerala, will bring inclusive growth of the region.

Beside that Western Odisha has not got a single central Govt. higher educational institutions recently whereas Central University and IIIT were located in South Odisha and many other instutisions came in Central Odisha.

Central University stuggle in Kalahandi is not only well known in the state but also in the whole nation.

Instead of bringing politics all the MPs from Odisha should come forward and fight for a second Central University in Odisha to be located in Kalahandi in the line of Jammu & Kashmir.

There is already a demand for a second central University to establish in Kalahandi in the line of Jammu & Kashmir (The Pioneer, Oct 24, 2009).

Being a well known piolitician, writer and social worker in the state Prof. Dr. Patasani should rather support such demand insetad of making a richer location more richer, otherwise National University should be established in Kalahandi instead of Bhubaneswar.

This will bring regional balance in Odisha.

Thank you and best regards

Digambara Patra
--
Digambara Patra, Ph.D
Assistant Professor
Department of Chemistry
American University of Beirut
Beirut, Lebanon
Email: digpatra@yahoo.com

Royal welcome in Orissa waits Gyanendra

odishatoday.com, Dec 4, 2009

Bhubaneswar (Orissa) : The entire Royal fraternity in Orissa has geared up to accord a red carpet welcome to former Nepal King Gyanedra.

The former King and his wife Komal will remain in the State from five days starting from December 8. They would attend a marriage ceremony of their family relative and king of erstwhile Mayurbhanj royal family Prabin Chandra Bhanj Deo.

Bhanj Deo is State’s Sports and Youth Services Minister.

King Tribhuvan, Gyanendra's grandfather, had two queens who bore him three sons and four daughters. One of them, Princess Bharati, married the former king of Mayurbhanj in India's Odisha State, Pradeep Chandra Bhanj Deo.

One of their daughters, the Kolkata-born Padma Manjari, married a scion of the former royal family of Kalahandi in Orissa and erstwhile Janata Dal leader Udit Pratap Deo.

K’handi at receiving end after merger of princely States

The Pioneer, Dec 5, 2009
Digambara Patra

It is said that the demand of a separate Odisha province, which was created in 1936, was mooted before the British Government on the basis of linguistic affinity. At that time, Harekrushna Mahtab started planning how to bring the Princely States within the fold of Odisha province and thereby strengthen the economy of the new province, as these princely States were repository of mineral and forest resources. But Mahtab could not execute his plan due to the outbreak of the World War II.

The people and rulers of the princely States started the Eastern States Union, a province under the Indian Dominion. The Eastern States’ Union immediately took the cause of the Indravati Dam Project in Kalahandi. As Indravati is an inter-State river, the State union appealed to the Indian Government for clearance. Just at that time, the Prajamandal Movement broke out in many Odia-speaking States except Kalahandi and a few small States, under the direct instigation of the then Congress-led Government of Odisha or Harekrushna Mahtab, the then Chief Minister. The leaders of Prajamandal movement were impressed upon by Mahtab and the Congress party that their movement is primarily designed to obtain democratic right, self-determination and people’s representative form of Government from their rulers. Princely States like Nilgiri, Dhenkanal, Talcher, Ranapur, Nayagarh, Bonai, Sonepur and Mayurbhanj witnessed the outbreak of this movement and the problem of law and order aroused in these States. This became a plea for Mahtab to argue and impress upon the Indian Government to take way the administration of these princely States and merge them with the Odisha province and not to recognise the Eastern States Union as separate province.

PK Deo, ruler of Kalahandi, openly said that since the legislative Assembly of Kalahandi has passed a resolution to join with the Eastern States’ Union, it is difficult on his part to agree to join with the Odisha province. On the next day, the DIG of Odisha Police was ordered to proceed and forcibly occupy the princely States which would not join with the Odisha province. Then one by one all rulers put their signature on the merger document. PK Deo, the then Maharaja of Kalahandi, was the last to sign it. Under intimidation and threatening to people and rulers, Mahtab achieved his objective. The leaders of the Prajamandal Movement met Mahtab on the next day and condemned him for betraying to the cause of self-determination of the people for which Prajamandal Movement was working. But the leaders of the Prajamandal Movement withdrew in view of Mahtab’s threat to it

Even the selection of Bhubaneswar as capital was wrong in view of the fact that a capital city should be located in the centre of a State. Mahtab exploited the situation in favour of Bhubaneswar to safeguard the interest of coastal people.

Though Kalahandi is infamous for poverty these days, the general condition of these Princely States was not so miserable before their merger with the Odisha province. There was no scarcity of food in these States. During the great Bengal famine of 1942, Kalahandi alone had supplied 1 lakh tonnes of rice to Bengal. But suddenly, after the merger of Princely States, these British-administered areas or previous Odisha province started to develop. The Government of Odisha and Govt. of India started to build all necessary infrastructures, and the Princely States were sidelined. This policy continues until now by the Odisha Government. This is just like the apartheid policy pursued by the White minority Government of South Africa over the black majority.

There are many examples which prove that whenever any issue relating to two different zones arises, the Odisha Government favours the former British-ruled area. The latest example is the establishment of the Central University at Koraput instead of Kalahandi, despite Kalahandi being centrally located in the KBK region and Kalahandi struggling for a Central University since the past two decades. Public sector industries like Nalco, HAL, etc were also established in Koraput. The JK Paper Mills was initially proposed in Kalahandi, but it was shifted to undivided Koraput later.

Unfortunately, Kalahandi has always been at the receiving end by the Odisha Government since it merged with the Odisha province. Joining Odisha province costs Kalahandi in development. This must be addressed.

(The writer is an Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. He may be contacted at digpatra@yahoo.com)

Farmers block NH, protest delay in paddy procurement

The Pioneer, Dec 5, 2009
Bikash Khemka | Bhawanipatna

Farmers on Friday blocked the National Highway- 201 at Jaring in the district protesting the delay in paddy procurement at the collection centres. The farmers alleged nearly 300 quintals of paddy was lying under the open sky for a fortnight as the Nandul PACS did not have adequate storage facilities.

However, a PACS member said to the farmers that till the millers don’t lift the produce they are helpless. When the farmers of Nandul, Jaring and Kendupati under Junagarh block transported the paddy on tractors to the Nandul PACS they were unable to unload the produce the hapless farmers resorted to a road blockade. After intervention of Sub-Collector, Jagannath Mohanty, the farmers withdrew the protest.

Speaking to The Pioneer, Sub-Collector Mohanty said that few farmers had blocked the road but he immediately reached the spot and convinced them to withdraw the strike.

When asked why the millers don’t want to lift the paddy from the PACS, Mohanty informed as their margin will decrease this year with the implementation of new policy as compared to last year they are unitedly planning not to lift the produce. When asked what action would be taken if the millers defy the PACS agreement Mohanty further said that we are waiting for at least two to three days more.

Banita became mother-in-law

Samaja, Dec 4, 2009

970 lecturer posts are vacant in government colleges and 1,158 lecturer posts vacant in aided colleges in Odisha

Note:  Quality of Higher Education cannot be improved without teachers. If this is the situation of the state, why this thing is not given importance. I hope Higher Education Task Force will seriously look into it.  

1,158 lecturer posts vacant in aided colleges
Expressbuzz, Dec 4, 2009
BHUBANESWAR: Higher Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra today said that 970 lecturer posts are vacant in government colleges of the State out of the sanctioned strength of 2,864.


To a question from Bibhuti Bhusan Balabantaray (BJD), the Minister said that 1,158 lecturer posts out of 8,054 are vacant in aided colleges of the State. The minister admitted that the State Government was not able to fill the vacancies because of shortage of lecturers.

He said that the State Government had effected very limited number of transfers taking the financial condition of the State into consideration. He said that 207 lecturers of government colleges and 106 from the aided colleges had applied for transfer citing health and other pressing reasons.

Stating that the State Government attached priority to filling up vacancies while transferring lecturers, the Minister said that this requirement would be taken into account during recruitment of junior lecturers.

He said that the Higher Education Department had no guidelines on tenure of posting of a lecturer in one college. It is guided by the 1991 and 2001 guidelines of the General Administration Department, he said, adding that as per this a lecturer cannot continue for more than six years in a district and more than three years in a college.

There is a provision to sympathetically consider transfer request from those who have served for more than three years in KBK districts and those who have two years of their service period left.

He admitted that there are many lecturers serving for more than five years in a college.

State received Rs 1107 cr

Expressbuzz, Dec 4, 2009
BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has received Rs 1,107.5 crore under the Revised Long-Term Action Plan (RLTAP) since 2004-05.


To a question from Santosh Singh Saluja (Cong), Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout said that the Centre had provided Rs 545.64 crore under the Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) since 2007-08. Besides, Rs 380 crore had been provided by the State Government under the Biju KBK Yojana, he said.

The Minister said that funds under the RLTAP were reduced from Rs 250 crore to Rs 130 crore by the Centre. During the 2009-10 financial year, the State Government has received Rs 97.5 crore till now, he said, adding that a budget provision of Rs 120 crore has been made under the Biju KBK Yojana for 2009-10.

The State Government has divided the Biju KBK plan into two sectors _ district and state _ from 2008-09. The share of the district under the Biju KBK yojana is determined by the formula, Rs 1.5 crore multiplied by the number of blocks. While two thirds of the district share is earmarked under the State sector, one third is provided to the district sector.

The Minister said that the draft proposals under the district sector are approved by the district planning committee (DPC). After necessary approval by the DPC, the proposals are examined and approved by the State Government, he said, adding that there was no provision for the projects under the state sector to route through the DPC.

Government says health scenario better

Expressbuzz, Dec 4, 2009
BHUBANESWAR: Members cutting across party lines expressed concern in the Assembly today over the State Government’s neglect of the health sector and its inability to spend funds under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) compounding the suffering of the poor. Making a statement, Health Minister Prasanna Acharya, however, maintained that health indicators have improved after the execution of NRHM since 2005-06, though there is a lot to be achieved.


Admitting that vacancies in doctor posts is a major area of concern, the Minister said that quarters with basic facilities had been constructed in many areas with NRHM funds. There has been largescale improvement in infrastructural facilities during the last several years, he claimed and cited statistics.

While the IMR has decreased from 75 to 69 per 1,000, the MMR reduced to 303 from 358 per 1 lakh deliveries. The rate of institutional delivery has increased from 39 to 75 per cent. Besides, full immunisation coverage has gone up from 53 to 74 per cent, he said.

Refuting Opposition charges, the Minister said that already 49 per cent of the funds under the scheme had been spent during the financial year. Criticising the Government for its failure to fill up vacancies of doctor posts which have touched 1,000 now, Santosh Singh Saluja (Cong) said that for this the BPL families, 47 per cent of the population, are not getting health facilities.

Besides, poor infrastructure and low salary are driving doctors to other states and private hospitals, he added.

His party colleague Naba Kishore Das alleged that the Government did not have welfare of the poor in mind. Alleging that Rs 110 crore from the Twelfth Finance Commission (TFC) remained unspent, Das said that several proposals for setting up hospitals in Western Orissa have not been implemented.

Stating that there is largescale bungling of NRHM funds, Das said the Government had no right to continue. Gobardhan Das (Cong) maintained that though people die regularly of diarrhoea and other diseases in Kalahandi, 79 doctor posts are vacant.

Pradip Maharathi (BJD) wanted to know whether the Centre threatened to suspend provision of funds under the scheme as it was not properly utilised. He wanted to know what control the Health Department has on the NRHM. Amar Prasad Satpathy (NCP) said whether utilisation of funds had been assessed by any other agency.

Steps mooted to increase oilseed production

Expressbuzz, Dec 3, 2009
BHAWANIPATNA: The demand for edible oil has mushroomed during last few months in the country. And with the production of oilseeds not at par with the edible oil demand, the government had to import oil worth Rs 28,000 crore in the current financial year to tide over the crisis.Orissa is placed at the seventh position as far as oilseeds production is concerned even though it has potential to produce more.The State produces a mere 0.16 million tonne (MT) of oilseeds as against the national figure of 25.29 (MT). The major oil producing area in the State is the western region including KBK areas due to favourable climatic and soil condition.Few years back, the Western Orissa Oilseeds Growers Union gave a boost to oilseed production but after the union collapsed, oilseed growers suffered a major setback.To address the issue, a three-day training-cum-workshop on oilseed cultivation was organised here recently by Sahabhagi Vikas Abhiyan, a NGO.Delegates across the region expressed concern on discontinuation of oil technology mission, non-promotion of oilseed production and ‘undue’ price rise of edible oil by traders.The speakers decided to promote local cluster-level farmers’ cooperatives for oil extraction and marketing in villages and linking oilseed producers with processors. Besides, they decided to enhance oilseed production through area expansion and providing technical help to farmers.

Dhanu Jatra source for tourist dollars

Tathya.in, Dec 2, 2009
Bargarh:2/December/2009


A festival is a catalyst.

Yet, if it has to be sustained and grown into a movement, it could be a major source of tourist dollars, feel experts in the field of tourism.

Take the case of Dhanu Jatra of Bargarh.

Western Odisha’s major festival’s strength need to be made into formal tourist attractions, and marketed in a coordinated manner,feel experts in Tourism Sector.

Debi Prasad Mishra, Minister Tourism also thinks on that line.

Similar is the thinking of Prasanna Achrya, Minister Health & Family Welfare.

Both the Ministers have discussed the matter at length and want it to showcase as a major international tourism event.

However Department of Tourism has not tried to project the event to the international tourists.

Sanjib Kumar Karmee, who has seen various parts of the world strongly feel that it can be turned as an international event.

Dr.Karmee, a leading Non Resident Odia(NRO) feels that the Dhanu Jatra, a spectacular cultural extravaganza that is observed for eleven days in December-January has all the ingredients of an international festival.

This festival is a theatrical presentation of “Krishna Leela” enacted to bring the old myth alive on locations from the marriage of Devaki with Vasudeva till the death of Kansa as described in our cultural scriptures.

The entire episode is re-enacted, blow by blow in the Bargarh “Dhanu Jatra” festival.

Moreover, the natural features of Bargarh region totally conforms that of the location as described in Puranas and the scenes are enacted at different places instead at one place.

The city of Bargarh is treated as Mathura.

On the outskirts of Bargarh is the river Jeera, to serve as river Yamuna, on the other bank of which is a small village Ambapali to become Gopapur.

Even there is a mango groove to serve as Vrindavan and a pond as Lake Kalindi.

A gorgeously decorated high rise stage in the heart of Bargarh city is erected to serve as the Durbar of Kansa.

A live elephant is engaged for the royal transport.

A chariot is made for Akrura’s visit to Gopa to bring Krishna and Balaram to Mathura.

In addition, all other scenes are enacted on the natural settings.

So this Jatra can be packaged in an imaginative way and can be marketed as an international tourism attraction, said Suresh Prasad Padhy, Collector Bargarh.

Sources close to Mr.Padhy said the District Administration is planning for a webpage especially for Dhanu Jatra, which will attract attention of netizens.

Odisha, itself, blessed with a fantastic diversity of natural wonders, we need to exploit only a few places.

Puri-Konark-Bhubaneswar probably account for the lion's share of the State tourism industry, at the international level at least.

It is high time that towns in Western Odisha and events, which have basic ingredients that can make them tourist destinations of international standards need to be taken care of, said Dr.Karmee.

Dhanu Yatra can be made source of tourist dollars
The Pioneer, Dec 4, 2009
Pioneer News Service | Bargarh

A festival is a catalyst. Yet, if it has to be sustained and grown into a movement, it could be a major source of tourist dollars, feel experts in the field of tourism.

Take the case of Dhanu Yatra of Bargarh, and this major festival of western Odisha needs to be made into a formal tourist attraction and marketed in a coordinated manner, they observe.

Minister of Tourism Debi Prasad Mishra and Minister of Health & Family Welfare Prasanna Acharya also think on this line.

Both the Ministers have discussed the matter at length and want to showcase the annual spectacular cultural extravaganza as a major international tourism event.

The Department of Tourism has, however, not tried to project the event to the international tourists. A leading non-resident Odia (NRO) Sanjib Kumar Karmee, who has seen various parts of the world, strongly feels that the Dhanu Yatra can be turned into an international event. The event, observed for eleven days in December-January, has all the ingredients of an international festival, he points out.

The festival is a theatrical presentation of Krishna Leela, enacted to bring the old myth alive on locations beginning from the marriage of Devaki with Vasudeva till the death of Kansa as described in Indian mythology.

The entire episode is re-enacted, blow by blow, in the Bargarh Dhanu Yatra. Moreover, the natural features of the Bargarh region totally conform to the location as per the mythological descriptions, and the scenes are staged at different places instead of a single location.

The town of Bargarh is treated as Mathura. On its outskirts is river Jeera, which serves as river Yamuna, on the other bank of which is a small village Ambapali to become Gopapur. There is even a mango groove to serve as Vrindavan and a pond as lake Kalindi.

A gorgeously decorated high-rise stage in the heart of Bargarh town is erected to serve as the Durbar of Kansa. A live elephant is engaged for the royal transport. A chariot is made for Akrura's visit to Gopa to bring Krishna and Balaram to Mathura.

In addition, all other scenes are enacted on the natural settings.

So, this festival can be packaged in an imaginative way and marketed as an international tourism attraction, said Bargarh district Collector Suresh Prasad Padhy. Sources close to Padhy said the district administration is planning a webpage especially for the Dhanu Yatra, which would attract attention of people.

"Odisha being blessed with a fantastic diversity of natural wonders, we need to exploit at least a few places for global attention. The Puri-Konark-Bhubaneswar Golden Triangle probably accounts for the lion's share of the State tourism industry, at the international level at least. It is high time towns in western Odisha and events, which have basic ingredients that can make them tourist destinations of international standards needed to be taken care of," says Karmee. 

No violation by Vedanta at Niyamgiri, says report

Business Standard, Dec 2, 2009
The Vedanta Aluminium Ltd (VAL), part of Vedanta Resources, has not violated any forest and environment norms at its alumina refinery and bauxite mining site in Kalahandi district of Orissa, according to a report of the state government.

While the refinery is at the foothill of Niyamgiri hills, the proposed mining site is at the top of the hill, 7 to 10 km away.


Allegations were that the company had initiated construction work for mining of bauxite though the mining site was yet to get the statutory clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF).

“There is no construction beyond the project area of the alumina refinery which was allotted to the company by the government in 2004 and it is not unlawful”, said a senior official of the state forest and environment department quoting the report of district collector of Kalahandi who was asked to probe into the matter.

The MoEF had asked the state government to explain why the controversial bauxite mining project by Vedanta had been allowed to start work in violation of the ministry guidelines.

This followed a statement by Union minister Jairam Ramesh last week that a probe had found construction work had started on land that belonged to the revenue department.

After the clean chit given to the company in the district collector’s report, all eyes are on the next move of the state government. Sources said, the government will send its views on the matter to the Centre only after the chief minister vets it. But with chief minister Naveen Patnaik now on a tour to Delhi and the state assembly in session, this may take few days.

The Anil Agarwal owned Sterlite Industries India Ltd (SIIL) and the Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) of the Orissa government have already formed a joint venture company under the banner of South-West Orissa Bauxite Mining Private Ltd for mining bauxite in the Niyamgiri hills. While the leaseholder has got stage-I forest clearance from MoEF, the stage-II clearance is awaited.

Last week, steel and mines secretary, Ashok Dalwai, had asked the district authorities of Kalahandi to probe the alleged violations forest norms by Vedanta after the Central government sought explanation from the state.

Sources said, VAL has set up a 1 million tonne refinery at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district. The company was given 2041 acres of land for the proposed refinery.

Sambalpuri or Kosali among 38 languages pending to include in Constitution

Requests to include 38 languages in Constitution pending: Govt
The Hindu, Dec 1, 2009
Demands by various organisations and State governments for the inclusion of 38 languages, including English, in the Constitution are pending with the government.


“A number of representations or requests from different organisations and State governments have been received in this (Home) Ministry for inclusion of more languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution, including Tulu. At present demand for 38 languages are pending inclusion in the Eight Schedule to the Constitution,” the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Ajay Maken, told Lok Sabha in reply to a written question.

The languages pending approval are Angika, Banjara, Bazika, Bhojpuri, Bhoti, Bhotia, Bundelkhandi, Chhattisgarhi, Dhatki, English, Garhwali (Pahari), Gondi, Gujjar or Gujjari, Ho, Kaachachhi, Kamtapuri, Karbi, Khasi, Kodava (Coorg), Kok Barak, Kumaoni (Pahari) and Kurak.

The other languages are, Lepcha, Limbu, Mizo (Lushai), Magahi, Mundari, Nagpuri, Nicobarese, Pahari (Himachali), Pali, Rajasthani, Sambalpuri or Kosali, Shaurseni (Prakrit), Siraiki, Tenyidi and Tulu, the Minister said.

“A decision on pending demands for inclusion of more languages in the Eighth Schedule, including Tulu, will be taken in the light of the recommendations of the Sitakant Mohapatra Committee and the decision of the government thereon.

“No time frame can be fixed for consideration of the demands for inclusion of more languages in the Eighth Schedule,” Mr. Maken said.

Thousands come for AIDS counselling in Kalahandi

The Pioneer, Dec 2, 2009
Bikash Khemka | Bhawanipatna

As per Government records, 8,966 persons in Bhawanipatna came for counselling from 2006 till November 30, 2009 and out of 7,601 persons tested for the infection, 168 people were found to be HIV-positive comprising 106 males, 57 females and five trans-genders, all of whom are receiving treatment now. Similarly, at Dharamgarh sub-division, 12,000 persons were counselled and over 9,000 were tested for the infection, out of which 51 males and 23 females were found to be HIV-positive. This was revealed at a function held here on the occasion of World AIDS Day.

In Odisha, while 15,164 persons have been found infected with HIV, 1,083 have succumbed to the killer disease as per reports available till October 2009. As per report, around 2.4 million people in India are people living with HIV AIDS (PLHA) and 1,93,10,239 persons are receiving counselling. Out of a total of 1,02,53,520 persons tested for HIV infection from April 2008 to May 2009, 3,02,053 were found HIV-positive, it was further revealed.

The World AIDS Day was observed on Tuesday under the aegis of ZSS and district administration at Town Hall in Bhawanipatna. The function was attended by Kalahandi SP Harmohan Das as the chief guest. Additional district medical officer, PD DRDA Lingraj Rath and DPC Lambodhar Sahu were also present on the occasion. DPC Sahu told The Pioneer that both literate and illiterate people have been found infected with HIV due to lack of awareness campaigns. Samiti member of Madiguda village, Sachi Mahakud said that mostly migrant labourers are being affected with the disease which can be effectively checked by the district administration and NGOs.
 

Orissa probe gives clean chit to Vedanta

Thaindian,con, Dec 1, 2009

Bhubaneswar, Dec 1 (IANS) Metals and mining major Vedanta has not violated any government guidelines at its mining site in Orissa’s Kalahandi district, a state investigating team has said.
Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh last week said a probe had found construction work had started on land that belonged to the revenue department.
However, the investigating team said in its report that Vedanta had carried out no illegal construction activities at its mining project.
The construction has started in the non-forest area which the government has already handed over to the firm and it is not unlawful, the district officials said in the report submitted to the state government Monday.
“There was no construction by the firm either found in the mining lease area or outside of the plant area,” a government official told IANS Tuesday.
Orissa’s Steel and Mines Secretary Ashok Mohadeo Rao Dalwai had last week asked the district authorities of Kalahandi to probe the alleged violations of Vedanta after the central government sought explanation from the state.
The environment ministry had asked the state government to explain why the controversial bauxite mining project by Vedanta had been allowed to start work in violation of the ministry guidelines.
Ramesh had said in a statement that his ministry would send an inspection team to verify allegations of violation of terms.
However, the state’s investigating team said all construction activities undertaken by the company were “legal”.
The project to mine bauxite at the Niyamgiri hills - sacred to the locals - has been vehemently opposed. It envisages mining in protected forest area too.
Vedanta Alumina, part of the Anil Agarwal-promoted Vedanta Resources Plc, has built an alumina refinery at an investment of $800 million in the area in Kalahandi district, where production has already started.
The firm, which is currently sourcing bauxite from other states at market rates, said mining permission in the hills was essential for it to reduce cost of production.

Similar news can be read in Sindhtoday.

 

Vedanta cleared of violation of Govt guidelines at Niyamgiri

Economic Times, Dec 1, 2009

BHUBANESWAR: In a reprieve to the much hyped Vedanta Alumina, part of the Anil Agarwal-promoted Vedanta Resources Plc, the Kalahandi district collector in its report to the state government said that the Company has not violated any government guidelines at Niyamgiri bauxite deposit. 

Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh last week said a probe had found illegal construction work by the Company violating legal provisions. Following the minister’s statement and subsequent clarification sought by the ministry of environment and forest, the state steel and mines Secretary Ashok Mohadeo Rao Dalwai had last week asked the district authorities of Kalahandi to probe the alleged violations of Vedanta after the central government sought explanation from the state.  

However, the investigating team comprising of officials from forest, revenue and mining departments said in its report that Vedanta had carried out no illegal construction activities at its mining project.

The construction had began in the non-forest area which the government has already handed over to the firm, the district officials said in the report submitted to the state government Monday “It is not unlawful. There was no construction by the firm either found in the mining lease area or outside of the plant area”, sources here said.
The environment ministry had sought an explanation from the state government as to why the l bauxite mining project by Vedanta had been allowed to start work in violation of the ministry guidelines.

The union minister also had maintained that his ministry would send an inspection team to verify allegations of violation of terms.

VAL, which has already set up its 4,500-crore refinery project at Lanjigarh now faces a daunting task for its survival due to undue delay in access to bauxite. The Company is yet to get the state government’s permission to mining at Niyamgiri hills near the project site despite complying to directions given by the Supreme Court.

VAL is at present sourcing bauxite – the main raw material for production of alumina - from Gujarat and its BALCO project in Chhatisgarh, making it uncompetitive due to hefty market price and transportation cost it is coughing up.

The VAL had entered into a joint-venture with the state-owned Orissa Mining Corporation for exploitation of bauxite from Niyamgiri hills to ensure regular supply of bauxite to its refinery project at an ‘affordable price’.

However, a section of locals and some environmentalists objected to it on the ground that it would jeopardize the local eco-system. They even went to the Supreme Court challenging the state government’s recommendation for bauxite mining lease in favour of VAL.

When Image Speaks: Call of Mainpur Divisional Committee Maoist of Chhatisgarh Blocked Dharamgad- Raipur Road

Contributor: Ingit Panda
Dec 1, 2009

When Image Speaks: WORLD AIDS DAY Celebrated in Dharamgarh

Contributor: Ingit Panda

Blood donation camp held in Bhawanipatna

The Pioneer, Dec 1, 2009
Bhawanipatna: Junagarh MLA Gobardhan Das inaugurated a blood donation camp organised by the Biswamitra Anusthan here on Sunday. A total of 15 units of blood were collected from the donors. With the help of Dr Sidheswar Marandi and lab technicians Saroj Kumar Mahate and Ramachandra Basantia the programme was a successful one.