senior citizens demand renovation of Sambalpur Road station

Senior citizens of Sambalpur expressed concern over the apathetic attitude of the railway authority towards the improvement of the Sambalpur Road railway station. The Station that locates heart of the town is one of the busiest stations in the east coast railways as hundreds of commuters start their journey from the station every day. “The volume of tickets sell every day will speak the truth. But knowing well about the importance of the station for the people of Sambalpur, railway authority takes no step on the improvement the station”, Loknath Panda, convener of the senior citizen forum said.

The forum has decided put forth a memorandum to the railway authority to ensure the improvement of the railway station.  “We met on Sunday and decided put fourth our grievances before the railway authority on the improvement of the railway station”, Panda said.

According to him, the station has 3 platforms but the railway authority does not take any interest on the improvement of the station. The condition of plat form number number one speaks the apathetic attitude of the department toward the station.  “Passengers face difficulties while getting down from the train because of the   height of the platform as it remains drastically low We have been demanding numerous times but the railway authority gives no heeds on it”, Panda said. 

Sources said, the railway authority was once planned to close down the station because of smooth running of rail traffic. But the plan could not work out because of the vehement opposition of the local people. The railway authority gives no interest on the improvement of the station ever since decision of closing down the station was taken up.

“Though at present there is no such order of railway authority to close down the station, but we apprehend such an order soon. For which we do not want to spend money on the station”, DRM (Sambalpur) AV Prasad said. On the other hand people have warned the railways to bring a massive agitation in case there is any such decision to close down the station.        

police rescued females from wrongful confinement from a village in Sambalpur

Sambalpur police arrested and forwarded 3 person including two females on Monday to the judicial custody for allegedly keeping a group 11 females forcefully which includes a two years old child of Jagatsinghpur and Keonjhar districts under wrongful confinement over a period of 3 months in the name of ‘Opera’ performance in Gulamal village under Katarbaga village in the district. The prime accused and owner of ‘Samaleswar Opera group” was however managed to give a slip to the police. The females including a two years old child who were rescued from a locked house on the previous evening had made complaint before the police that were tortured both physically and mentally by the prime accused as they refused his proposal of adopting sex profession. They also made allegation that the accused was fastening their feet and hands with electric wire to keep them unmoved from the house. Police also found numerous burring scars on the body of the two years old child as the accused punched cigarette-smack on him regularly. However a lawyer of Jagatsinghpur district who was the man behind the rescue operation alleged that police acted only on the intervention of higher officials. 

“I got the information of the wrongful confinements of the females a month back when one of the victim’s relation contacted me and narrates the story.  I wrote letters to the SPs of both Jagatsighpur and Sambalpur as well intimated the matter to the CM office and NHRC. But when I did not get any response, I personally visited Sambalpur on 23^rd October and met senior police officials. I requested them to initiate action to release the females. I also visited Rengali police station but my effort was not fruitful. I once again wrote letters to every one including the DG of police requesting his intervention.” Gagan Dash, senior lawyer of Jagatsinghpur and man behind the rescue said on Monday.  According to him Sambalpur police took the matter seriously during his 2^nd visit on 31^st Oct. A team of police under the direction of Addl. SP Gopal Tripathy rushed to the village to rescue the females from their wrongful confinement.

On the other hand police denying such allegations, revealed that police had been to the place soon after getting the information two weeks back, but as there was no complaint from these victims, police could not initiate any action. “We had been to the place to find out the truth but we were unable to initiate action against the accused as none of the victims made any complaint with us” Additional SP (Sambalpur) Gopal Tripathy said.  “But this time, they made allegation of physical torture and wrongful confinement. So we rescued them and arrested the culprits. However we failed to arrest the prime accused as he managed to abscond”, Tripahty said.

victims rescued by the police

Police identified the accused as Rajendra Behera, Suna Jena, Mama Jena and kalindri Swain. Police said Mama and Suna were ‘kept’ of Rajendra and both were instigating victims to agree with the proposal of Rajendra and accused Kalindri was working as his assistance.  Police rescued total 11 females including a child of two years old. While 7 Victims belong to Jagatsighpur’s Padmapur and Naugoan villages and Cuttack’s Bayalish Mauza and Chandgudi villages one each from Keonjhar, Bhadrak and Bhubaneswar. 

Irony of the fact is that the prime accused identified as Rajendra Behera of Village Gulamal was a well known criminal of the locality. Police had accused him in two murder cases but court acquitted him in both cases as police did not gather sufficient evidence against him.       

VSS medicals: massive cleaning drive by the locals

More than 1,500  volunteers from various social and mass organizations of Western Orissa took a massive cleaning drive at VSS medical college hospital premises on Sunday. The programme that starts from morning was continued till afternoon as the tireless volunteers engaged every nook and corner of the hospital to give a hygienic atmosphere to the patients. The volunteers also appealed the patients and attendants present in the hospital to keep their surrounding hygienic. Organizers said several people joined in the programme spontaneously. People hopeful that the event would give a good impact on the hospital authority. 

“In the preparatory meeting held couple of days ago, only 55 organizations have given their consent to participate in the cleaning drive. But during the physical work in the morning we found participation of more than 100 organizations. This shows how people are concern about the VSS Medical college hospital” senior member of ‘Utsaraga’ and convener of the programme Sudhir Pujari said.              

Sources said, Utsarga, the voluntary blood donor agency of Sambalpur had decided to organize a mega cleaning programme in VSS Medical College Hospital to create awareness among the local people as well as patients and attendants. A preparatory meeting was convened under the aegis of the blood donor organization couple of days ago where members and volunteers of more than 55 organizations took part and agreed to take part in the cleaning work.

“We took such a decision after we find no change in the attitude of the medical authority towards the cleanness of the hospital. Patients and attendants coming to the hospital are forced stay in an unhygienic condition. By taking such a mega cleaning drive, we want to create awareness among the people about the importance of a clean atmosphere in the Hospital”, Pujari said. 

On the other hand people have congratulated the organizers for taking such an innovative step to preserve the cleanliness of the hospital surrounding. “IT is really an innovative and unprecedented step and I personally congratulate the participants for their efforts. The spontaneous participation of people shows how they are concerned about the Hospital. I hope government would be seriously after this event on the sanitary of the hospital “, former parliamentarian Surendra Lath said. Several doctors and individuals present in the hospital expressed happiness over the work undertaken by the volunteers.