Express Senior News Editor Debdas passes away

Note: It is painful and hurt to learn this loss for a great Kalahandia. I had couple of times talked to him, he kept encouraging development initiative of Kalahandi.

The New Indian Express, Oct 29, 2013

Senior News Editor of ‘The New Indian Express’ Debdas Thakur passed away following a massive cardiac arrest around mid-night on Sunday. He was 51.

Debdas had gone home after the day’s work when he complained of acute chest pain. He was rushed to the Capital Hospital where he was declared dead. He is survived by wife Sujata and son Sougat.

Born in 1962 in Bhawanipatna, Debdas had a sterling career spanning two and a half decades with the TNIE. He started as an apprentice Sub-Editor with the Vizianagaram edition of “The Express” in 1988 before rising through the ranks rapidly. When the “Express”  launched its Odisha edition, Debdas was posted in Bhubaneswar. He was appointed as the News Editor of the edition in 2005 and elevated as the Senior NE in 2010.

A man of few words, Debdas commanded tremendous respect from his peers in the journalism circle for his sharp sense of news and impeccable writing. He was at the helm of the News Desk of The New Indian Express, Bhubaneswar, and those who got training under him had only words of respect for the man.

Educated in Government College, Bhawanipatna, the soft-spoken Debdas  received his journalism degree from YMCA, New Delhi. He started his career with The Times of India in Jaipur before moving on to The Sun Times, Bhubaneswar.

A keen follower of music and art, the 51- year-old had a passion for environmental issues and also felt strongly about issues concerning the KBK region where he belonged. His untimely demise has left the media circle shocked.

Debdas’ mortal remains were taken to Bhawanipatna where the final rites were conducted. A large number of his friends __ from Odisha and outside __ converged at his home town to pay their last respects. A prayer meeting was also held by journalists of Bhubaneswar near Jayadev Bhawan earlier in the day.

Incidentally, Debdas wrote an edit ‘High Time for Assertive Policy in Bangladesh,’ an hour before he breathed his last, which appears in today’s edition.             

A professional and a gentleman

NOTE: A proud son of Kalahandi

The New Indian Express, Oct 29, 2013
By William Behera and kasturi Ray - BHUBANESWAR

Debdas was an unsung hero among journalists. He believed in his work, ethics and kept away from any attention or glare.

 A professional par excellence and a thorough bred gentleman, he was glued to his readings and responsibility which he always discharged with elan and maturity.

Extremely shy and self-effacing, he maintained a superb balance between his family and work and excelled in both.

He was well informed, knowledgeable, good at language and had a mastery over journalism.

At 51, he looked boyish, though his strange colour sense insofar as attires are concerned drew chuckles from among his younger colleagues. Debdas was an icon for his peers and subordinates.

His trainees are spread all across the country and are beginning to miss their ‘master’. A softy- his only drawback, got him reprimands from his superiors but he would not care. He believed in creating journalists with ethics, skills and taught them to bring in human touch in their writings. But never demolished their spirit. And he succeeded in his own silent way willing to take the flak for others’ mistakes.

He was very protective of his wards. That was Debdas who was in the midst of writing his first book that remained unfulfilled.

It was a long journey for a Kalahandi boy from Bhawanipatna to New Delhi to Jaipur to Vizianagram to Vizag and Bhubaneswar and each move enriched him, taught him the ways to be a perfect journalist, a human being and a gentleman. 

By the way, he was an excellent mandolin player who wanted to make a career as a musician.

Cotton yield likely to come down in Kalahandi

The New Indian Express, Oct 28, 2013

By Umashankar Kar - BHAWANIPATNA

Published: 28th October 2013 01:45 PM

Last Updated: 28th October 2013 01:45 PM

Even though Kalahandi was not affected much by the cyclone Phailin, adverse weather condition has led to extensive loss of cotton crop in the district.

As per the assessment report of the Agriculture Department, cotton was cultivated over an area of 43,056 hectares which is the highest cotton coverage area in the State. It was expected that the output would be more than six lakh quintals of cotton. However, heavy rain accompanied by cyclonic wind damaged about 20 to 25 per cent of the cotton in 8,534 hectares in Narla, Bhawanipatna and Kesinga blocks. It is estimated that the production may come down by one lakh quintal.

This apart, cotton production in 4,131 hectares in Bhawanipatna block, 1,609 hectares in Kesinga, 1291 hectares in Narla, 977 in Golamunda, 242 in Lanjigarh and 158 hectares in M Rampur block has been affected.

The cotton crop was in flowering stage when the land was water-logged leading to dropping of flower and boll. Besides, cotton grown in bunds, locally known as mal variety, has been affected more due to lack of drainage of water.

This has happened particularly in Narla and Bhawanipatna blocks. On the other hand, other crops have benefited due to the adverse weather condition. Due to the rainfall during second and third weeks of October caused by cyclone, the mixed crop of Arhar grown along with the cotton has helped the farmers. The Arhar plants worked as wind breaker and protected the cotton plants, said cotton expert Narayan Upadhyaya.

He claimed that despite adverse affect of cyclonic rain in some pockets, overall condition of cotton was satisfactory and quality production can be expected if there is no further heavy rain.

However, as rains continue to lash the district, the farmers apprehend further loss to cotton crop.

Odisha: Kalahandi Farmer Nabidurga Death Issue reached at Rastrapati Bhawan

Orissadiary, Oct 25, 2013
Report by Debadatta Panda, Kalahandi: The farmers death at the Mundaraguda Mandi under Mundaraguda PACS is now at Rastrapati Bhawan. On a prayer of the convener of the Western Odisha farmers union the Rastrapati Bhawan interfere the matter and instructed the Chief Secretary of the State to report about the matter as soon as possible vide letter no-P2/D/1208130055 dated 12.08.13.Meanwhile the national human rights commission has also registered the case  no-035/18.07.2013 and enquiry is going on in this regards . After the intervention of Rastrapati Bhawan the state joint director of Agriculture paid a visit to the deceased family on 31st August  and enquired the matter. on dtd 1st September the Junagarh BDO visited the wife of late NabiDurga and provided widow pension and financial help of Rs Ten thousand from Redcross. Meanwhile the Dharamgarh Sub-Collector and SDPO have visited the spot and submitted their enquire report to the higher quarters. The administration is active now but it is very sorrowful that before the death of the late Nabi Durga if the Administration had shown kin interest to purchase the paddy  while waiting for the past one week up to  his turn to sell the harvested paddy at the mandi     a 70 years old farmer Nabi Durga of Dangarpada in Karli villageof Rajpur panchayat under Junagarh  block in Kalahandi district died on 7th July morning at the mandi. Durga was out in the open, braving the sun and rain while keeping a watch over the harvest.  After reports of his death surfaced, PACS employees immediately weighed his stocks and stored it inside the godown. Durga arrived at Mundraguda mandi with his 19 packets of paddy on 1st July  after  received a token from the PACS authorities  to sell 20 quintals of paddy. However, his stocks were found lying unsold and his requests before the authorities to push for a sale went unheard. The situation pushed him into distress and as he felt thirsty and went to his nephew’s house  which is 300 mtrs away from the mandi to quench his thirst. After drinking some water he apparently fell sick and died due to exhaustion. .After the death of the said farmer Nabi Durga the PACS authority hurriedly weighed the pady and tried to suppress the matter. The incident spread shockwaves in the area. The son of late Nabi Durga  had gone to Bangalore for his job and Nabi  had given the assurance to his grandson Taruna  who has passed the 10th exam in second class ,to give admission at the junior college at chiliguda  and so that he was waiting for his dream to be a grand father of an educated children but the nature called him to heaven at the mandi. Actually, in the mandi of kalahandi the PACS authority are though the purchasing authority but undone as there is no sufficient infrastructure with them and as such the PACS always depends upon the millers tagged to them and purchasing paddy as per the own sweet will of the said millers.The millers as the business concern  always wanting profits even from the farmers and so that  they willfully trying to delay in paddy lifting from the mandi.If paddy lifting will delay the farmers  must be harrashed and may give the paddy in under rate which can be managed by the PACS and RMC staff and the ultimately the millers will be benefitted..In this process the farmers are exploited at the mandi and running with stress and the death of late Nabi Durga is the example at Kalahandi. The administration  in civil supply dept  is monitoring  the mandi but due to lack of supervision this type of occurrences are going on. The farmers are being exploited they are bound to deliver their paddy to the middlemen and as there are are no sufficient infrastructures in the PACS of Kalahandi the PACS are depending upon the millers for labourers, storage, gunnybags and other works during paddy procurement at Mandi and as such no strict action could be taken against the default millers. In future these problems should be looked after carefully by the administration other wise occurrence like NABIDURGA may be took place says the intellectuals. - See more at: http://www.orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=45168#sthash.gPrePjde.dpuf

Kalahandi engineering college awaits AICTE approval, amenities

Times of India, Oct 19, 2013
Bikash Khemka, TNN | Oct 19, 2013, 04.06 AM IST
BHAWANIPATNA: The Government College of Engineering, Kalahandi, does not have the approval of All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE). Recently, students submitteda 10-point character demands to commissioner-cum-secretary, employment & technical education & training department Dr Chandra Shekhar Kumar, who was visiting the college.

Students also complained that the college does not have a hostel building though four years have passed since establishment of the college. As a result, all 972 students are forced to stay at another place inBhawanipatna. Every year, 240 students take admission in the college.

Besides, the college is functioning without a laboratory and the library does not have sufficient number of books. The students also wanted internet facility on the college campus. Lack of proper transport facilities to and from the college is another problem the students have to deal with on a regular basis. At present, all the students have to manage with only four buses.

The commissioner discussed various problems with college staff and Kalahandi collector Bijoy Ketan Upadhyay. He assured the students that the problems would be solved soon. "Within 3 to 4 months, the hostel building would be completed. Initially, two floors will be built. Sufficient books will be available in the library and laboratory classes would start soon. The internet and transportation facilities would also be provided to students within a month," Kumar said.

Later, Kumar told mediapersons that the institute is a government college and AICTE approval is not required, but it would be given soon.

Odisha: 4 lakh quintal brown rice from Kalahandi supplied to Phailin hit Ganjam

Orissadiary, Oct 18, 2013
Report by Prachee Naik, Bhubaneswar: Odisha's Kalahandi district - once the cause of global embarrassment for India due to its high number of starvation deaths - today stands tall with a five-fold increase in its rice production since 1999. Even during the worst crisis of Odisha, the district supplied rice to Phailin affected areas of the state.  The Special Relief Commissioner P K Mohapatra has said that brown rice from Kalahandi district is being supplied in the affected areas of the Ganjam. Brown rice of 4 lakh quintal quantity and financial aid of Rs 40cr will be provided to over 8 lakh families in Ganjam.  The Ganjam district collector has assured that the relief work will be completed in the next 5 days. A sum of 10cr has been sanctioned for repairing of institution buildings in Ganjam district. 

Regarding over bridge in Belpahad of District Jharsuguda state of Odisha NH-200

Dharamgarh
Date-16.10.2013

To

Mahamahim The Rastrapati ji
Sri Pranab Mukharji jee
Delhi, India

Sir Namaste

Sub: - Regarding over bridge in Belpahad of Jharsuguda, District of Odisha in NH-200.

Respected Rastrapatiji,
First of all my sincere Namaskar and salutation to you, I want to bring to your kind notice the following few lines for you kin information and you sympathetic action over the matter which could benefit the local people of Belpahad of Odisha.

That, in Belphad of Jharsuguda District, Railway line crosses the Belpahad Town and this area is primarily known as mining belt of coal. This Railway line also connects two major Railway lines i.e. Howara- Mumbai and on this route minimum 60 to over passenger trains passengers and among them, super fast, Gitanjali etc, trains passes daily. Also this railway line feeds major industrial companies need of coal e.g. Bhusan Ispat, Bedant Alumina, Jindal Power and Steel and Many coal company get their coal requirement from this route only. For this Industrial need nearly 50 Goods trains passes through this railway crossing.

Now the real problem comes into picture as the traffic in the railway line is heavy i.e. daily about 110 up and down trains passes though this line.

Because of this the road that connects Belpahad to Jharsuguda remains close for nearly 9 hour which disrupts the normally daily life of this area in a great way. People of this area have sit for Dharana and submitted many a memoranda to the Railway Ministry but to no avail. For the past 12 years the people have been regularly demanding a High bridge (over Bridge) over the railway line.

But it is a matter of regret that the Railway Officials are not giving due importance to the demands of the people and just become deaf and dump.

The railway officials are not taking any concrete action in this regard, had they been serious this matter could have been resolved since long ago.

Hence, I pray your good self and hope that you honour will look into the seriousness of this matter and do the needful so that the common people can get respite from the Railway Traffic.

 Yours obedient

 (Bajrang Agrawal)
S/o- Radheshyam Agrawal
 (Social Activist)
Dharamgarh, Dist- Kalahandi, State- Odisha
 E-mail : ID- bajrangagrawal81@gmail.com

Last 11years did not receive compensation 634 house hold in Bolangir District Odisha Regarding Defense Department occupy land

Dharamgarh
Dt-11/10/13

To

Mahamahim, Rastra Pati, Sri Pranab Mukharji Jee,
Government of India,
Rastrapati Bhawan,
Delhi, India.

Sir Namaste,

Hon’ble Sir,
I am writing this request with my heart filled with deep compassion and regret about the state of the person who gave away their all, land, livelihood for the cause of nation and in return what they got is mere fewwords of sympathetic verbal assurances. My concern is for the people of Saintala of Bolangir District of Odisha State.

Since last 11years the Government of India established an Ordinance Factory, Keeping in view its strategic geographical position and availability of Land for the purpose. In the process of Land Acquisition hundreds of families lost they land holdings their number is 634. In the process the displaced people were given with a B-Card with an assurance that very soon they all will get due compensation and placement in the Ordinance Factory, the Bolangir Collector has also sent one special secretary to pursue the matter.

The Collector has also written letter to the Home Ministry of Government of India vide Letter No.-56 AEA on Dt-20.01.2007, it is since last four years the report of Collector still pending with the ministry of Home. Home Ministry of State should write to the Government of India, (Production and Supply) basing on the report of Collector, Bolangir for taking necessary steps for the settlement. With regards to employment to the displace families in the Ordinance Factory, The Chairman,Ordinance Factory, Kolkatais approval is necessary which is still pending with the Chairman.

The process which should have started 11years back is still to be started, keeping this in mind the Collector, Bolangir in his Letter Dt-19.05.2010 vide his Letter No.-864 has requested the Chief Secretary to Government of Odisha to accelerate the process so that the people to this area could benefit and get their legal benefit.

For your information the people’s wait is taking it own toll and thinking of taking the matter to the roads to protest their legal demands.

I request you good self to kindly take necessary steps at your level so the people can benefit and get their legitimate rights. In the process, your intervention could benefit the people largely. I hope that your kind heart could feel the problems of the people and their justified demands.

 Yours truly

(Bajrang Agrawal)
 Social Activist
Dharamgarh, Kalahandi, Odisha
e-mail: bajrang81@gmail.com

With or without Niyamgiri, Vedanta plans to recover all costs at Lanjigarh

Business Standard, Oct 10, 2013
The company aims to make Lanjigarh refinery the first zero-based refinery in the world
Vedanta Aluminium's (VAL) Rs 5,000-crore alumina refinery atLanjigarh faces trouble over the denial of bauxite from the Niyamgirihills but that hasn't stopped its technological innovations. The company plans to implement zero-based costing - a method to identify and implement every cost-saving opportunity by cutting ineffencies at every cost centre.

"Our aim is to make Lanjigarh refinery the first zero-based refinery in the world," said Mukesh Kumar, chief executive of VAL.

According to Kumar, the refinery can recover the entire cost of producing alumina by making high-value by-products and also cut down on the pollution load of the plant.

The cost recovery is based on the normal cost of Indian alumina, pegged at $250-260 a tonne. Currently, the company incurs a higher cost of $380 a tonne because, in the absence of access to Niyamgiri resources, it has to bring in bauxite from various parts of the country and abroad.
According to Kumar, bauxite is a rich source of valuable metals such as vanadium, gallium, iron and silica. Add to this the possibilities of recovering a sizeable quantity of caustic soda, a costly input used in alumina-making, and selling of clinkers produced from red mud, a hazardous waste of the plant, the cost of production of alumina could be zero, Kumar added.

However, he pegged the additional investment to separate and extract these items at various stages of the chemical process of producing alumina from bauxite at Rs 500-600 crore.

The company is working with Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT), Bhubaneswar and the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela to fine-tune the separation process and build pilot projects.

With inputs from IMMT, the company has built a Rs 1-crore plant, currently producing 250-300 tonnes in a month of vanadium, which sells at Rs 6 lakh a tonne. "We are earning about Rs 2 crore from the plant each month, making the payback period for investment less than one month," Kumar added.

VAL has received offers from Nippon Aluminium in Japan for setting up of a gallium plant at an initial investment of Rs 25 crore with a capacity to produce 50-60 tonnes of this material, a key raw material for electronic and space industry. The annual world production of gallium, which costs Rs 40 lakh a tonne, is only 350 tonnes and India imports 10-15 tonnes of this rare metal for its needs.

Similarly, through mineral beneficiation and high pressure filtering of the slurry, the company intends to separate iron particles (which constitutes 25-32 per cent of bauxite ore) and make pellets.

The firm is working on a project to recover a large amount of caustic soda during high-pressure filtering of slurry after alumina production. This, along with separation of silica during beneficiation, can save the company a substantial cost as with every one per cent increase in silica, the caustic soda consumption goes up by Rs 900 a tonne of alumina.

The removal of iron and silica from the bauxite will also help improve the ore quality, leading to higher productivity, Kumar pointed out. "At Lanjigarh, we are able to produce 0.7-0.8 million tonnes of alumina from a 0.5-million-tonne production line through such innovations."

Besides, the company has set up a pilot project to produce laterite from red mud, a hazardous waste, and sell it to cement industries for use as clinkers. The storage of red mud is a critical issue in alumina industry as it not only takes up large space (sometimes accounting for 60 per cent of a project area), but also has the danger of overflowing the storage pond and contaminating the surrounding agricultural land habitats.

"There is an ever-increasing need of acquiring more land to store red mud with the ageing of the land and expansion of capacity. We want all alumina industries in the world to use the method to put their red mud to gainful use, which is also environment-friendly. Hence, we have not patented the methods," he added.

Gory rituals to accompany Chhatar Yatra

Times of India, Oct 12, 2013
Bikash Khemka, TNN | Oct 12, 2013, 01.45 PM IST

BHAWANIPATNA: The famous Chhatar Yatra of Goddess Manikeswari will be celebrated on Saturday.

Like every year, lakhs of devotees from various corners of the district will perform puja and many of them offer animal sacrifice before the deity. Devotees also release doves on the occasion.

Apart from local residents, thousands of devotees from neighboring districts also take part in the rituals. People here believe that the deity will fulfill their wishes when the animals are sacrificed in front of her.

On Astami, after the Sandhi puja, the ceremonial 'chhatar' (umbrella) of the deity will be carried to Jenakhal on the outskirts of the town, 3km from the temple.

Early on Saturday morning, after the performance of the rituals (butchering of animals) at Jenakhal, the priest will start its returnjourney, holding the chhatar of the deity on his shoulders to the Manikeswari temple accompanied by traditional drum beats of jenavadya, ghanta and ghumura.

During the procession, the devotees sacrifice thousands of goats and hens before the deity, which turns into a gory sight on either side of the route. Despite a government ban on slaughtering on the roadside, the practice continues in full view of the police.

The district administration has decided to deploy 10 platoons of police for the peaceful organization of the yatra.

"We have launched awareness campaigns a week before the festival but it is hard to stop the practice by force. However, the slaughtering will be videographed and a report will be submitted to the government," said Kalahandi SP Sarthak Sadangi.

While about 50,000 animals were sacrificed last year, the number is expected to rise this time. Even though several activist groups have been trying to prevent the killings, religious sentiment override their protests.

T N Ninan: The Elwin question again

Business Standard, Oct 11, 2013
Twenty-five years ago, Kalahandi in Orissa (as it was then) provoked national outrage following reports of deaths from starvation. Now as then, Odisha is the country's poorest state, and Kalahandi and neighbouring Rayagada its poorest districts. Then, you could travel from one wretched hamlet to another, and meet people surviving on roots and leaves. The development arm of the state was not to be seen. Today, in the Lanjigarh area straddling the two districts, localKondh tribals and Dalits still seem desperately poor; barefoot women cover their bodies with a single piece of cloth.

Probe a little and it turns out that some of them own up to 30 acres of land; most have bank accounts - to get paid for work under the rural unemployment guarantee programme. The overwhelming majority also have "Below Poverty Line" (or BPL) cards, which gets them government rice at a rupee a kg. Every hamlet has a home or two being rebuilt, with brick walls and tiled roofs - financed under the Indira Awaas Yojana, which gives Rs 75,000 to each beneficiary. Though wages rule at half the stipulated minimum, the rudimentary safety net provided by an "entitlement state" is everywhere visible, and the tribals say they will vote the Congress - Rahul Gandhi has visited twice and is leading their fight against bauxite mining at the top of the Niyam Dangar hill, whose giant massif dominates the skyline.

There is little chance of any mining taking place; asked by the Supreme Court, every village council in the area has said it does not want mining to happen. The tribal god, Niyam Raja, is said to live on top of Niyam Dangar and the tribals say they trek up once a year to offer sacrifices and conduct animist rites. There is no particular place or house of worship on the mountaintop, so this is not another Babri Masjid. The case, therefore, raises some curious issues (besides a lot of emotion). When no one is to either be displaced or have his/her land acquired, what say do the tribals have in the matter of a mining lease? The Supreme Court has asked whether mining will disturb the tribals' religious observances; but such observances have no protection in the law governing the rights of forest people. If disturbing the status quo is illegal, it could stop almost all mining activity.

Vedanta Aluminium, which wants the bauxite for its local alumina refinery, is evil incarnate in the eyes of the NGOs that have organised the Kondh tribals. Some say the science fiction wonder-film Avatar is an allegory on the fight at Lanjigarh, though there is no evidence one can find in support. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has ordered that Vedanta set apart five per cent of profits, subject to a minimum, to improve local livelihoods. The money has helped provide tarred roads, electricity lines, water supply, a school and a hospital. Vedanta says it has put more money into local development in the last five years than the government has in 65. It isn't hard to believe - but a school and day care centre up the hillside have been abandoned after Maoists attacked company vehicles.

Vedanta is sinking Rs 50,000 crore into two separate but related projects in the general area. It is mineral-rich Odisha's largest investment in 30 years, and the stakes couldn't be higher - for the company and the state government (which will get thousands of crores of rupees annually as royalty, cess and taxes). That should be manna for a poor state - to finance schools, hospitals and proper housing, and create jobs. But what about the tribals? Lanjigarh is pristine in its unspoilt beauty, and the Kondhs live on wooded slopes that provide them with their needs. The gentle breeze and cool streams evoke Arundhati Roy's memorable "seven-star" phrasing. Why would the Kondhs want an ugly mine to scar the hilltop where they commune with their god, and disrupt the rhythm of lives lived with nature? At the end it is economics vs Verrier Elwin's "philanthropology", mineral wealth vs sustenance lifestyles, the law or activism … in essence, "progress" vs "savaging the civilised". But is keeping poor tribal women clothed in a single piece of cloth for another 25 years anyone's idea of a desirable future?

Vedanta to raise India power capacity to 10k Mw in a year

Business Standard, Oct 4, 2013
London-listed metals and mining conglomerate Vedanta Resources Plc expects its operational power generationcapacity in India to jump by half to 10,000 Mw within a year. The $15-billion group is hopeful of bringing three operation-ready projects on stream shortly, completing its Rs 50,000-crore power investment cycle set in motion five years back.

The largest private sector power generator in the country has a current capacity of 6,500 Mw running on ground.

“Over this, we will commission our 1,980 Mw Talwandi Sabo project in Punjab in a few months for which fuel supply agreement (FSA) was signed recently with Coal India. Also, the 1,200 Mw Balco project will come on stream in Chhattisgarh apart from a 210 Mw plant at Lanjigarh in Odisha,” a senior company executive told Business Standard.

He added the group had so far invested Rs 1 lakh crore in India, including the power investment since 2007. Interestingly, except for the 1,980-Mw Talwandi project, the entire 10,000-Mw capacity has been set up by billionaire Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta for in-house or captive use to fire its Aluminium, Copper and Zinc smelters across states.

Vedanta’s current operational power capacity includes the 2,400-Mw captive project at Jharsuguda in Odisha. The project was linked to the Rampia and Dipside of Rampia coal blocks allocated jointly to Vedanta subsidiary Sterlite Energy, Arcelor Mittal, Reliance Energy, GMR, Lanco and Navabharat Power Ventures.

After the recent exit of Arcelor Mittal, Vedanta is operating the plant on linkage from CIL subsidiary Mahanadi Coalfields (MCL). In addition, the company is running 810 Mw capacity for its Balco Aluminium project in Chhattisgarh and 474 Mw capacity at Hindustan Zinc, another subsidiary, projects in Rajasthan.

The company is currently eyeing participation in the upcoming auctioning of captive coal blocks by the government apart from the tariff-based competitive bidding for two ultra mega power projects (UMPP) in Odisha and Tamil Nadu. The government has finalised the coal block allocation policy and invited bids for the two UMPPs.

CM RECOMMENDATION POLITICAL: NRO

The Pioneer, Oct 3, 2013

Leading non-resident Odia (NRO) opinion maker Digambara Patra, Associate Professor of Chemistry in the American University of Beirut, has sharply reacted to the letter of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik recommending establishment of two High Court Benches in south and western Odisha. Describing it as a political move aimed at winning the heart of the voters of the two regions before the 2014 general elections, he said if the Benches were to established, they would not serve the genuine requirement of the State’s people living in far-flung areas.

“The CM’s letter is only a political appeasement. The CM perhaps wants to avoid genuine requirement of Odisha to divert the demand of remote and backward locations in KBK region. The present proposal largely meant to suit for CM’s home district and his political ambition,” he said.

He further said a genuine demand for Odisha is a high court bench for the KBK region to serve the backward and far off locations comprising Nuapada, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Kalahandi and other districts. Even if the CM felt two HC benches are required, he should rather have emphasised to establish one of them in KBK region, he maintained.

Justifying the grounds for establishment of a HC bench in KBK district, Prof Patra said the region fulfills all criteria of the Jaswant Singh Commission’s recommendations. Besides, he said Bhawanipatna is the central town in KBK, which is convenient to Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, etc. Location wise Bhawanipatna also takes the interest of majority of southern Odisha districts like Gajapati, Kandhamal and Boudh. For the whole western bordering Odisha, from Motu in Malkangiri district to Balijod in Sundergarh district, Kesinga-Madanpur Rampur region of Kalahandi district would be an ideal and central location to meet the requirement of Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Gajapati etc in south Odisha to Jharsuguda, Sundergarh, Deogarh etc in western Odisha, he asserted.

He again said both West Bengal and Bihar having higher population than Odisha and do not have any additional high court bench besides their respective principal seat of the high court. In this regard, recommendation of two high court benches by Odisha’s CM seems political and does not seem to be practical solution. It rather serves to dilute the requirement in KBK, he said.

Letter of Sri Bajrang Agrawal: Proposal to take-up differeat roads under PMGSY Scheme Dharamgarh Block, & Koksara Block District- Kalahandi, State- Odisha,

Letter No.01                                                                                                                 Dharamgarh

                                                                                                                        Date- 03.10.2013

To,

            The Honorable Minister of Rural Development of India Govt. Delhi

            Sri Jairam Ramesh Reddy Ji,           E- jairam@sansad.nic.in,     Mob- 09868181402/ 302,  

Sir Namaste,

Sub:-   Proposal to take-up differeat roads under PMGSY Scheme Dharamgarh Block, & Koksara Block District- Kalahandi, State- Odisha,

Sir,

            With due regards following roads under Dharamgarh Sub- Division of Kalahandi, District (Odisha) has been badly damaged, about Ten Thousand of people are depending on each of these roads for their daily communication to their G.P and Block head quartos, P.H.C., Tahasil, Police Station, Agriculture Office and weekly market respectively, Student of these are also depending on these roods for their School and College, But unfortunately till these roods are not improved properly. So people suffer a lot, generally during the Rainy Season it becomes a __________ for the public to collect their daily needs. Each of these proposed roads connect to those Villages which are consist of more than Twenty Thousand of population public has written appeal to the competent authority for a PMGSY road eelier, but till no any action has been made.

            Under such circumstances again the Villagers are optimistic that definitely they will see a black tapping road in their village. Hence we must request please take-up these roads under PMGSY scheme immediately so that the long standing demand pulses will be short-out and the public will benefitted, with a greater hope.

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Proposal of Roads to take-up under PMGSY Scheme

Dharamgarh Block, Dist- Kalahandi, State- Odisha

1.    Beheraguda to Behera, Via- Jayantpur

2.    R.D. rood to Khamarguda, Via- Badghumer

3.    Hatipakahn to Sagbahali, Via- Barikpada- Rainguda.

4.    Beheraguda to Hatipakhan Via- Darlipada, Mancot.

5.    Dheknaguda to Chhanchanbahali, Via- Palspani

6.    Behera to Padampur, Via- Sankenduguda- Pipila Pada

7.    Bankimunda to Tendapali, Via- Dalsargi

8.    Biramal to Rakabahal

9.    Rainguda to Palaspani, Via- Malpada Chanamunda

10. Chitamunda to Jayantpur,

Koksara Block, Dist- Kalahandi, State- Odisha

1.    Road from Kulerguda to Behera, Via- Negiguda

2.    Road from Sanpadaguda to sagbahali, Via- Mangalpur

3.    Road from Sargiguda to Khaparamal

4.    Road from Bhursaguda to Hanspada, Via- Mahima

5.    Gotamunda to Aamguda

6.    Ampani to Baradanga

7.    Dabriguda to Mahajanguda, Via- Badpodaguda

8.    Tetelpada to Mugnapadar

9.    Dalguma to Bankimunda

Yours Sincerely

	Bajran Agrawal Social Activist At/Po- Dharamgarh , PIN- 766015 Dist- Kalahandi, Odisha Mob- 9178094600, 9853540330 Email: barjrang81@gmail.com