week long drama-competition begins at Sambalpur from Saturday evening

file photo

The innovative effort of a young group of Sambalpur has created revolution in the field of one-act-play and state drama in western part of the state. In the age of internet and electronic media, When stage drama is slowing loosing its value, under the banner of ‘Yuba Udayan’ the youths have set a new height by staging more than 400 original drama with in a span of 14 years. Now following the idea of the ‘Yuba Udayan’, several youth groups in Bargarh, Balangir and other places have started annual drama competition in their places converting it as a movement in the entire western Odisha.        

Sources said, ‘Juba Udayan’, an age-old youth organization of Jharuapara in Sambalpur town conceived an idea to organize ‘Sambalpuri one-act play competition’ of drama competition in the year 1997. With many difficulties, the first drama competition was organized successfully in the ‘Badduar’ (Jharuapara stage) in the first year beginning a new chapter in the history of Sambalpuri drama. This has also encouraged the artists and dramatists of the region as they get a new avenue to develop their talents. 

“In the beginning we faced several difficulties while organizing the competition. But now we become happy to see the result. It has converted it to a movement in the region. Many organizations have started organizing drama competitions in their region. It is a good sign. We see a bright future for the   stage drama in future”, Sanjay Mishra, senior member of the organizing committee of the drama competition said on Friday. According to him, 7-day drama competition under the name of ‘Veer Surendra Sai all Orissa sambalpuri drama competition’ is being organized every year and this year the competition will begin from 24^th December and conclude on 31^st December. This year also a total 21 plays will be staged by the art groups of various places of the region. On the other hand, the organizers never allow any art group to repeat a drama in the competition. “We select only original play with out any repetition in the competition to make the drama attractive and innovative”, another member of the group Jagadish Mishra said. According to him the Sadhana Kamal Bohidar of Sambalpur will be conferred with ‘Yuba Udayan’ award for her contribution in the field of state art.     

Sambalpur university will patronage Sambalpuri writers: VC

Sambalpur University has decided to patronage writers of original sambalpuri language to promote the language. This was disclosed by the newly appointed vice chancellor BC Barik who assured to spend money to publish books written in original Sambalpuri language. 

While speaking in a function held in Sanskrutik samaj on Tuesday night on the eve of release of a book written in Sambalpuri language on Assamese poet Laxminath BejBaruah, Barik said that though it becomes easier to talk in the language, every one feels difficulties in writing and reading the language.  “Hence the language needs patronage as there is not much publications in the language. So I have decided to provide money from the university fund to patronage the writers of the particular language”, Barik said. 

Barik released the book captioned ‘Laxminath Bejbaruah: tankar Sambalpur and Tankar Kathani’ written by Deepak panda. “Bejbaruah was though prodounder of Assamese language, he spent much his time in Sambalpur. So with this book, I tried to refresh his memory of Sambalpur-stay”, Deepak Panda said. While presiding over the function retired senior engineer Karunakar Supakar informed that after working for a long period in various government sectors, it becomes difficult for him to speak in original Sambalpuri language. He congratulated the writer for the book. While speaking as chief speaker Mohan Sahu threw light on various cultural and social similarities between Odisha and Assam. Maheswari  Panigrahi gave the welcome address while Sidhartha Panda proposed the vote of thanks.  

cop nabbed Khatei shooter

Police arrested prime shooter of the firing incident on senior BJP leader and former district president of BJP Seemanchal Khatei taken place on last Saturday night at Chptipulia near Remed while Khatei was on his way to Hirakud after completing his work at Sambalpur. Khatei was serious wounded and admitted in VSS medical college and hospital as the bullet struck on his abdomen. Police said on Thursday that accused Parsuram Bag of Bareipali area of the Sambalpur confessed his crime and was forwarded to the judicial custody. Police said Bhima Dhurua arrested earlier was scriber of the whole episode.
Police said the gang-war between Anil Singh and Surya Kandha in connection to contract work in Hindalco Company of Hirakud that took place on 20th September in Hirakud was the source of the firing incident. In the gang war one Chanti alias Manoj Dharua of Surya Kandha gang was shot dead and from that day being the brother of the deceased, Bhima Dharua decided to take revenge of his brother’s killing.
“Surya Kandha members were in the opinion that Khatei was the source of power to their opponent Anil Singh group. So they decided to eliminate Khatei from the scene. For that they took the help of Parsuram. Since he was not having any past criminal record, it took time police to trace the shooter”, the additional SP (Sambalpur) Dilip Kumar Deo said on Thursday while briefing before the press. He however denied any evidence of Khatei’s link with Anil group. “, If we find any evidence on that we will not hesitate to arrest Khatei”deo said.

NHRC stressed on the improvement of construction workers

The National human right commissioner (NHRC) has asked the state government to ensure the proper Implementation of the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 in the state as a large number of population belong to this unorganized sector are totally deprived of getting the benefit under the act. The NHRC took the step following the request of the Pragatisila Sramik Manch (PSM); a Jharsuguda based social organization working for the welfare of the labour to intervene the matter. 

The organization alleged that government violates Article 15(3), 39 (e) and (f) and Article 45 and 47 of the Constitution, which impose a primary responsibility on the State ensuring that all the needs of workers are met and that their basic rights are fully protected. It also violates Article 21 of the Constitution of India, which provides for the right to live with dignity.

“Due to non-implement of the BOCW act, a large number of workers, engaged in various building and construction works do not get social security in the society. They also deprived of getting health and education facilities available to them under the act”, Rakhyakar Mahapatra, the general secretary of the Pragatisila Sramik Manch of Jharsuguda alleged. While talking on Wednesday, Rakhyakar informed that under the act the workers and families are entitled to get compensation and monetary damages in case of any mishap or accident that leads to their loss of wages.

Rakhyakar informed that the NHRC heard his petition on 29^th November 2010 and pleased direct the state government to ensure the implementation of the act in Odisha as soon as possible. “I representing the construction workers of the state submitted a petition before the NHRC describing the state of affairs of the construction workers in the state owing to the negligent attitude of the state government in the implementation of the act. I hoped state government would take appropriate step in this regard soon”, Rakhyakar said.  

Sambalpur vibrants over Sindol scuttle

The government’s decision to cancel the MOU of the Sindhol Hydropower Project has received a mixed reaction in Sambalpur. While organizations and individuals claimed this as ‘people’s win’, few others feel it’s a political decision in view of the panchayat poll. However by and large there was a feeling of relief among the people of the region who expressed happiness  on the decision of the state government.

The ‘Sindhol Sangharsh Samiti’ welcoming the decision of the government said that the organization would continue its fight to protect the interest of the western Odisha in coming days. The convener of the Samiti, Sapan Mishra in a press release descried it a ‘win’ of the people as the project was anti-people and government was forcibly throwing the project on the people with out taking their consent in to consideration.

The convener of the Sindhol Bruhat Jalaprakalp Birodhi action committee Siba Narayan Sahu said it was a win of the people as the proposed project was totally anti-people and it was poising a threat to the ancient monument like Huma lineal temple. “Many ethnic tribes would have lost their occupations and native land under the proposed project. So we opposed the project from the day one”, Sahu said.

. The Sindhol prakalpa Birodhi Manch of Sonepur also congratulated the people describing it a ‘victory’ of the people of entire region. The convener of the Manch, UN Purohit however appealed the people to ready to fight any injustice on the region by any government in future.

The former BJP president Suresh Pujari said that government can not stand before the people’s mandate.”It is a win of the battle fought by the lakhs of people of the region. But this is not the end. Every one should be ready for such battle in future”, Pujari said.  

The water Initiative Odisha (WIO), a social organization working in the field of water conservation apprehended it a political move of the government in view of the panchayat poll.  “We demand the government to issue a Gazette Notification clearly mentioning the cancellation of the project with   immediate effect and that no further move will initiated on this front in future “convener of the WIO Ranjan Panda said. 

Bhusan engineer was arrested for duping youths for false assurance of job

Police arrested two including an engineer of the Bhusan power and Steels Limited located in Thelkolei of Sambalpur district on Sunday for duping engineering graduates in the name of job in Bhusan company . Police said Rakesh Kumar along with Rabi Kumar Mishra cheated more than 100 youths by taking more than one crore rupees from them. Police seized several application forms of the job seekers unemployed engineer graduates from their possessions. Police raided the house of the accused at Jharsuguda and seized cell phones and laptop from them which were used by the accused person to dupe the youths. Police apprehended involvement of few other persons in this racket.

Police sources said, accused Rakesh Kumar hails from Siwan district of Bihar and works in the Bhusan Company since 2009 as an engineer. He along with one Rabi Kumar Mishra of Benaras (UP) had formed a group to cheat unemployed youth assuring them job in Bhusan Company. Since Rakesh was working in the company, it was easier for him to fetch blank letter-head and seal of the company which they used to issue fake appointment letters to the job seekers by taking money.

“We came to know about the gang when on Pramod Sahu of Belpahar lodged a complaint against the two citing he was duped by them in the name job in Bhusan Company. The two had taken more than Rs. 50 thousands from him by providing him a fake appointment letter” Additional SP (Sambalpur) Dilip Kumar Deo said.

The victim Pramod was working in a company in Gujarat, but after coming in contact with the two, he hoped to to get a job in Bhusan company. After getting full assurance of a job from the two, he gave them a cash of Rs. 50 thousands and came back from Gujarat by tendering resignation from his previous job. But his sky was fallen down when he was told that the appointment letter was a fake one and he was cheated. "When i went to join the company with the appointment letter issue by them, i was never thought that I was cheated. But after the officials of the company informed me that it was a fake appointment letter my sky was fallen before me" Pramod Kumar Sahu said. "Now I have lost both money and job. I do not know what to do”, he added. 

Meanwhile police have registered a case against the two and forwarded them to the judicial custody. From the preliminary investigation, police came to know that the two had duped more than 100 job seekers majority of them were enginnering graduate. "They might have collected more than Rupees One crore from them by giving false job assurance. we also suspected one Bablu Mahapatra of Balasore's Sora area who was also in the gang and absconded with the money before we could reach him", Deo said.

Students boycotted classes demanding local employment in industries

The students of various education institution of Sambalpur, Bargarh, Deogarh and Jharsuguda district have boycotted their classes on Monday in protest against the poor employment of local youths in the industrial houses functioning in the region. The students of various education institutions of Sambalpur went in a street procession under the banner of Yaba-Chhatra Adhikar Sangharsh Samiti (YCASS) and demonstrated in front of the office of collector. They also handed over a memorandum to the governor in support of their demands.  

Sources said similar demonstrations were also organized in Redhakhol, Kuchinda, Bamra, Jamenkira and few other places. The students have warned the government to bring out a massive student agitation in near future in case government does not initiate any step to ensure local employment in the industrial houses.

“We opposed the industrial employment policy of the government. We want at least 70% of the class 1 and class 2 posts and 100% of the class 3 and class 4 should be reserved for the youths of the locality. We also demand the government to publish a white paper on the industrial employment mentioning detailed about number of local youths under direct employment and under contractual firms”, the convener of the  YCASS Sanjit Mohanty said.  

on the other hand, the students also demanded immediate appointment of the teachers to fill up the vacancies lying in various education institutions by taking immediate steps to improve the infrastructures of the higher education in the region. They also asked the government to open technical institution in every revenue block to ensure self employment to the rural youths.  “Students of the region do not get proper education facilities because of the vacancy in teaching faculties. So to improve the educational standard we demand immediate appointment of teachers in various educational institutions”, the president of the Gangadhar Meher college students’ Union Bhima Patra said  The president of the Sambalpur University students’ union Punya Murty Khristodas demanded central university status to Sambalpur University. 

sources said, in Kuchinda a massive demonstration was organised by the students who came in a procession to the sub-collector office and handed over a memorandum to the government.  

contract work feud might be reason behind firing attack on saffron leader

Police apprehended contract-work rivalry was the cause behind the firing incident on the former BJP district president Seemanchal Khatei that was taken place Friday night. Denouncing the claim of his party colleagues, police said that question of political rivalry does not arise in this particular incident as he was neither holding any key portfolio of the party nor he was contending for any post. Meanwhile doctor in VSS medical College Hospital dug out the bullet from his abdomen after conducting a small surgical operation soon after the incident. Doctor said Khatei was out of danger.

Sources said senior BJP leader and former district president of Sambalpur Seemanchal Khatei was shot by unidentified assailant at Chepti Pulia near Remed while he was on his way to Hirakud on Friday evening. He sustained bullet injury on his abdomen and was immediately admitted in VSS medical college hospital. Remembering the incident, Khatei informed that some unidentified youths were standing near the Chptipulia during his vehicle was crossing the place. “Suddenly I heard a gun firing and it hits me by breaking the widow glass. I could not see them as they had covered their faces. But they went away in a bike soon after the incident”, injured Khatei said on Saturday.

 

While his party colleagues claimed the incident was outcome of a political rivalry, police do not ready to buy such theory. Ruling out such possibility the additional SP (Sambalpur) DK Deo informed that why Khatei would be targeted when he was neither in key post nor he was having any contention. “But it is premature to draw any conclusion at this stage. We do not want to ignore any angle in our investigation”, Deo said. 

Sources said that Khatei’s associates have got assignment of the contract work of ‘blue flux’ project of Hindalco Aluminum Company which was under construction. Sources alleged that Khatei was instrumented in getting the contract works for his associates.

Maoists are once again active in Sambalpur

combing operation

The activities of red ultra have once again begun in Sambalpur district after a gap of about two years. This becomes evident from the exchange of fire between armed police and Maoists on Saturday near the Kuleijharan jungle under Kisinda police station area of Sambalpur district. Confirming the firing Sambalpur SP Nikhil Kanodia said exchange of firing was took place between police and Maoist while police were in combing operation in Gaigoth village near the Khukleijharan jungle on Saturday morning. The SP Kanodia revealed that about 35 members of the red ultras fired at the police personnel during the combing operation and they fled away to the deep jungle when police personnel started firing on them. The police busted a camp where accommodation of about 35 persons was made. Police also seized several items including medicines and edible stuffs from the camps.

“We suspected 30 to 35 members including 4 to 5 females were in the group who fled away after the incident leaving their belonging in the camp. We seized several uniformed, medicine, cooking utensils, sanitary napkins, 3 Tiffin bombs and edible stuff including rice and dal from the camp”, Kanodia said while briefing the incident before the media people. According to him about 200 rounds of firing between Maoist and police was made during the exchange of firing.

On the other hand, the IG of police (northern division) Sambalpur RP Koche said this was the outcome of the strict police action on the Maoist. SOG, CRPF and armed police force of the district were engaged in the combing operation in the Jujomora and Kishinda area over the past two days. However he informed that police operation would continue in the district till elimination of the red ultras from the district. 

Sources said, Maoist activities were in peak in bordering area of Sambalpur and Debagad district over the past few years. Taking the benefit of torrential and hilly forest, Maoist group was active in the region till 2008-09. But due to strict police action and inter-dispute among the cadres, police arrested more than 39 Maoists including few cadre leaders during that period. The activity of Maoist was completely silent in Sambalpur district after busting of several Maoist camps. An incident that took place in June 2009 was the final battle between the police and Maoist in Sambalpur district. In the incident one senior police officer Narasingh Mahakud was shot dead putting a challenge to the entire police force of the district.  “The red terror took several attempts to reorganize the activities in the district but due to continuity of police action, it was difficult for them to re-establish in the district”, The SP Kanodia said.  “We suspected Maoist leaders wanted to re-organize their base in the district. But it will never going to happen again in the district”, SP Kanodia said. He revealed that it was the decision of central committee of the outfit to revive the Sambalpur-Debagad zonal committee under the leadership of the cadre leader Girish Mahato of Jharkhand and Kunu Dehuri of Sambalpur”. 

“We suspected  Girish Mahato of Jharkhand and Kunu Dehuri of Sambalpur who were engaged in reorganize the outfits in Sambalpur.

lawyers observed bandh in protest against Sindhol project

Following the 12-hour ‘Bandh’ call given by the district Bar Association in protest against the proposed Sidhol hydro-electrical project, normal life remained out of gear in Sambalpur and various parts of the locality on Tuesday. The ‘Bandh’ was supported by various mass and political organizations including congress and BJP, hit both bus and rail services because of the picketing of the agitators at Railway and Bus stations of Sambalpur.
Baring with few small incidents ‘bandh’ was a big successful because there was spontaneous support of the common people in favour of the ‘bandh’. Offices of both central and state governments, courts, commercial establishment, markets, banking and financial institutions remained closed in view of the agitation.

“It was a big successful because of the spontaneous support of the common people. I appealed the people not to be content because this is only the beginning. We have to be ready for a bigger challenge in future, as government wants to go for the project despite people’s mandate’, President of the Bar Association Pramod Rath said in the evening reacting over the success of the Bandh.

On the other hand elaborate police arrangement was made in the town in view of the ‘bandh’. Sambalpur SP Nikhil Kanodia along with other senior police officers of the district was seen supervising the situation personally to check any untoward incidents during the bandh “There was no untoward incidents and Bandh passed in a quite peaceful manner” SP (Sambalpur) Nikhil Kanodia said.

Meanwhile, Bandh was also observed in Kuchinda, Redhakhol and other part of the district. In Redhakhol the scheduled programme of Health minister Prasanna Acharya was postponed in view of the Bandh. Acharya was scheduled to visit Redhakhol on Tuesday, but he cancelled his programme. In Dhama, the Sindhol Prakalp Birodhi Committee along with member of both congress and BJP burnt the effigies of the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Health Minister Prasanna Acharya and power minister Atanu Sabyasachi on Tuesday in protest against the proposed project.

Sindhol project brings unity among the locals

By proposing a hydro-power project in western Orissa at a cost of Rs 2,600 crores, the state government has unnoticedly put live in a dead volcano that becomes now beyond the control of the government after it started exploding. Government wants to pacify the situation by making declaration of conducting public hearing on the project. But it makes no difference in the situation as people questioned the significance of holding a public hearing after the signing the MOU for the proposed project.  The situation has gone out of the control of the state government as Individuals, mass organizations and leading political parties have already joined to bring out a massive agitation in the region against the proposed Sindhol power project.

The Orissa government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Hydro-Power Corporation (NHPC), a central PSU, on July 21, signaling its motive to go ahead with its plan to set up three hydel units in Sambalpur, Sonepur and Boudh districts.The government declared that the proposed plants would have an installed capacity of 320 MW and that Orissa would receive 12 per cent of the output for free. The government also announced that 1 per cent of the cost of the power generated will be spent on peripheral development activities in the region. , Government disclosed  that the JVC between Orissa Hydro Power Corporation Ltd. and NHPC Ltd would implement Sindhol-I (100 MW), Sindhol-II (100 MW) and Sindhol-III (120 MW) hydro electric projects. Government has also announced that the power project would provide ample employment opportunity apart from the economical development in the region. But people of the region do not want to buy the theory of development at the cost of their displacement.    

Warning of huge disruption in the area, former MP and eminent social activist Bhawani Sankar Hota exhorted the government to dump the proposal to evacuate people from their dwellings to accommodate the power plants. “It would wreak havoc. We will not allow the government to go against the will of the local people,” Hota told the media in Sambalpur. He warned that the people of the area were ready to fight tooth and nail if the government opted for a rigid line on the issue. He said the proposed project is a replica of the Hirakud Stage III project that was abandoned due to stiff opposition by local people and Opposition leaders during reign of the Congress.

Going by the present power production status of Hirakud and other hydro-power plants of the state, Hota claimed that the actual generation of the proposed units would never cross 150 MW. He asked the government to scrap the proposed project as the same amount of power could be generated in the Hirakud and Chipilima power plants by improving the infrastructure and facilities.

On the other hand the former MD of OHPC, Karunakar Supakar, blamed the government for making this move without undertaking any fresh survey in the region. He asked the government to disclose the actual position of the proposed project with regard to the exact extent of human displacement and loss of land. “When the government claimed that the project would not disturb any inhabitant of the region, there was no clear-cut substantiation of such a claim," Supakar said.

Water Initiative Orissa (WIO), a social organization, has reacted sharply and asked the state government to initiate public consultations before going in for such a project. “Successive governments have been prevented by public opposition from going ahead. I do not understand why the present government is bent upon green lighting the project,” he said.

Sources revealed that during the 1980s, the then chief minister JB Patnaik had proposed the construction of the Manibhadra dam but had dropped the idea when the people of the entire region opposed the plan. In 1996, the project was revived under the name of Hirakud Stage III. The then Union energy minister NKP Salve visited Chipilima to push the issue. However, in the face of strong public resentment, Patnaik had promised to bury the proposal for good.Again in 2003, during the Rairakhol Assembly by-elections, Naveen Patnaik stated the project was ”no longer relevant”.

Later that year, the then energy minister SN Patra made a press statement that “even though the Sindhol project has been under discussion at various levels for the last 15 years, no detailed project report has been prepared so far. According to preliminary investigations, this project will submerge 28 villages and displace 1850 families. So the government has decided not to implement it.

”In the 1990s, the state government inserted an advertisement in various language newspapers revealing that the project would submerge 118 villages, which would include 40 thousand acres of fertile agricultural land, reserved forests and homestead land. Meanwhile, the Sambalpur Sangram Samiti has decided to launch a massive agitation against the project. Its members told the press that the Samiti would visit the proposed areas soon to motivate the people to support the agitation as the project would bring nothing but misery to the villagers. Submitting a memorandum to the government, the members of the Samiti demanded that the proposed project be scrapped."We do not want displacement anymore. We do not have faith in the state government as it has miserably failed to provide compensation to people affected by the Hirakud dam project even 55 years after its construction," convener of the Samiti and senior Communist leader Ashok Bisi said.

The district presidents of both Congress and BJP have also decided to oppose the government on the issue. , The Sambad, an Oriya daily, organized a readers' convention in Sambalpur to discuss the implications of the proposed project. The editor of the newspaper, Saumya Ranjan Patnaik, declared the project ‘a dead one’ when not a single participant spoke in favour of the project. "The state government should not undertake a project when a majority of the people are clearly against it”, the editor said. Meanwhile two organizations in the name of Sindhol Prakalp Birodhi action committee and Sindhol Sangharsa Samiti have emerged in the region to oppose the proposed project.    

Pregnant cadre disclosed ‘Sexual harassment’ in the camp: police nabbed 3 cadres

Females are not at all safe in the Maoist camp as sexual harassment has become common in the Maoist camps. The 5 months pregnant female cadre disclosed this after she was nabbed by the Bargarh police on Sunday. She was taken for abortion in a vehicle towards Nuapara when police caught them at Amarpali chock on SH-03 under Paikmal Police station of the district. Police said they were total 5 people including the driver and two female cadres in the vehicle but one managed to abscond from the spot after seeing the police. Police identified them as Azad @ Anil Kumar (25) of village Kasadand of Kanker district, Rambati Usendi (20) of village Alpara of Kanker district and Shambati Dubba @ Usendi (20) of village Bhimnar under Narayanpur District, all three from  Chhattisgarh state and one Makunda Naik (27) years of Rajapada village of Padampur police station of Bargarh district who was driving the vehicle.

The Bargarh SP Kavita Jalan disclosed that the pregnant lady Sambati was conceived as one of the senior leader of the outfit identified as Roshan kept sexual relation with her by using force.  “Roshan does not want to marry me after I conceived with his child. Now they wanted me to abort the child despite my vehement opposition”, SP Jalan said quoting the version of the Sambati.  SP disclosed that the lady made allegation of sexual harassment in the Maoist camp and how they were used by the male cadre to satisfy their sexual urges.

SP Jalan said, they were going towards Nuapara district in a Silver colour Bolero bearing registration No.OR-16-C-7666 But police intercepted the vehicle at Amarpali Chowk.They were total 5 persons in the vehicle including the driver. On seeing the Police, one male person jumped out of the vehicle and fled away. Police identified him as David.   

 “We smelt a rotten when one was jumped out and fled away seeing police team. We suspected them during verification as they did not able to give it properly. We arrested them and brought for interrogation. The pregnant lady Sambati disclosed every thing before me during interrogation and narrated how she was sexually harassed by senior cadres and how she was conceived.” SP (Bargarh) Kavita Jalan said on Sunday.

Police said, one country made pistol with 6 rounds of live ammunitions were seized from them. The other articles seized from them were include Letters addressed to commander, meeting proceedings, Two Tiffin bombs, Two numbers of detonators, Route maps of Burla town Cash of Rs.1,350/-,Some eatables like biscuit, parched rice, flattened rice., Some leaflets in hindi and oriya languages, Books written in oriya relating to activities of Maoists.

Minor student was raped and murder in Jharsuguda

 In a bizarre incident in Jharsuguda, a 15 years high school student was allegedly gang raped and murdered in the Kukurjangha village under Badmal police station limits of the district in Orissa on the the Friday night. Police seized the dead body and handed over it to her family on Saturday after conducting autopsy. She was missing since evening. Police sources said, the 15 years girl Khirapriya was reading in Badmal Panchayat High school in 10th  standard and went missing after going to attend call of nature.

Family members said they started searching her when they did not see her return after waiting for couple of hours. According to the mother of girl Sasama Dansana they spotted her body lying in a fastidious condition near by their house. Initially they could not understand but when they realized the daughter was no more they informed the police in the night.  "we recovered her dead body. we suspected she was gang raped before she was killed by the rapists in order to wash out the evidence. we suspected involvement of some known person in the incident", officer of Badmal police station said.According to the police deceased was strangulated by the accused persons to kill her. 

Basing on the complaint police detained a tantric of the village as he was allegedly having a bad eye on her. police said,  tantric was visiting her house regularly in the past. But he was not allowed to enter the house when the girl made a charge of molestation against the tantric few months back. 

police handed over the dead body to her family after conducting autopsy on Saturday. The incident has brought a shock wave in entire district. 
published in the Sunday indian web page
http://www.thesundayindian.com/en/story/minor-student-raped-murdered-in-orissa/19011/

18 years wait ends: Bargarh got district Judgeship

With the formation of district judgeship in Bargarh, the waiting for long 18 years of the people especially the lawyers’ community has come to end on Saturday. While inaugurating the district judge court in Bargarh on Saturday the chief justice of Orissa high court V Golal Gouda, advocated the legal profession and said lawyers are pillar of the society who are fighting for the up-liftment of the  of the underprivileged community since pre-independence. “The role of lawyers has been considered as vital in a democratic step up like India”, CJ said. Underline the profession as ‘Noble’ Chief Justice Gouda appealed to both Bar and Bench to acquire training from experience to fight the new form of crimes that are brewing up in the modern society. While addressing the lawyers, he said that he feels proud to be a son of a farmer. “When 70% of the population of the country belongs to farmer community, every one of us should think for their development. Country will not achieve its goal unless the larger section of the society gets equal justice in term of health, education and food and shelter”, he said. CJ was accompanied with Justice BP Das and MM Das who also spoke on this occasion.

photo: Rabi Panda

On the other hand, after a gap of 7 years a chief justice was entered to the office of Sambalpur Bar Association on Saturday where he was felicitated by the lawyers. While inaugurating the ‘continuous legal education programme’ organized by the lawyers of Sambalpur, Gouda said how legal education has become essential for development of the country. During his 30 minutes speech Gouda tried to keep himself away from all controversial issues. Appreciating the members for their nice reception, he appealed the judicial magistrates and young lawyers to learn various legal ideas and opinion from the senior members of the bar. “Continuous Training is always required to bring perfection but the idea that comes through experience is much more important”, Gouda said. However he appreciated the lawyers of Sambalpur to have the idea of such training which helps them to refresh their legal education. “In the modern society every thing has converted in to super-specialty so lawyers are also be trained to make themselves super-specialty in legal profession”, he said

photo : Biju

During his visit to Sambalpur chief justice also inaugurated a permanent Lok Adalat in side the   Sambalpur court. He also laid the foundation stone of multi faceted ADR (alternative dispute resolution) centre.

It may be informed that no justice was coming to Sambalpur Bar over the past 7 years as the lawyers had decided to boycott judges of high court in view of their demand of high court bench. But this time they decided to welcome the CJ to put forth their grievance 

youth was hacked over land dispute

A 26years old youth was brutally hacked on Thursday by a group of 4 persons in connection with the dispute over a piece of land in Satupali village under Burla police station of Sambalpur district. Deceased identified as Upendra Nag who happened to be the son of local lady Sarapanch. Police arrested one person but unable to nab others as they managed to abscond soon after the incident. 

Police said, there was a dispute between the family of Urkuli Nag the sarapanch of local Basantpur GP and her neighbour Basanta Mahanand since a long time. They also fought a long legal battle in Orissa high court in connection to the land.

Since Basanta was under the occupation of the land over the past few years, it becomes difficult for Urkuli family to claim a right over the land. So deceased being the son of the local Sarapanch took an attempt to possess the land, police sources said. 

According to police deceased went to the disputed land on Thursday and asked Basanta to leave the land as the land is owned by his family.  There was a hot discussion between Upendra and Basanta which led to fistfight between them. Infuriated Basanta and his men working in the field hacked Upendra with spade and axe and left the dead body in the agriculture field.

“We rushed to the spot after getting the information and recovered the dead body in a pool of blood in the field. We arrested Basanta but unable to trace others as they remained absconded after the incident. We are trying to get them all”, inspector of Burla police station RK Mallick said.  Police registered a case and handed over the body to the relation after conducting autopsy

man died after taking attempt to save a drowning girl

He was fifty years old but he died showing his bravery. He died drowning in the flood water after he tried to save a girl that was drowning in the flood water. While police fished out his dead body from the Mahanadi water few hours after the incident, the girl remained missing till evening.

Such a heart touching incident was taken place in Mandaliya area of Sambalpur town on Sunday after noon. The victim girl Kabita Sahani a 12 years old girl slipped in the Mandaliya Nulla while taking bath in the after noon. Because of the heavy rainfall the water of the Nulla was in full spate and the girl shouted for help when she could not save her from the flood water.   

Source said, the man who was identified as Pandey Nag (50), a resident of same Mandaliya area did not wait for any body when he saw the girl was sinking in the flood water and jumped in to the water at once to save the girl. Since water current was high in the place because the nulla joins river Mahanadi at a slight distance, the man not only failed to rescue the girl but also he put his life under threat.” We saw both of them for a while but with in few moments they disappeared in the flood water. We tried to rescue them but no body takes a risk to jump in to the water because of the water current”, an eye witness Narang Pradhan said.

photo J Singh

Police and fire officials rushed to the spot soon receiving the information and started searching both in the River water. They also took the help of local fisher men and their boats to trace the both victim. “Finally we were able to trace the body of the Nag at the down stream of the River Mahanadi but could not find any clue about the girl”, a police officer of Khetrajpur police station of Sambalpur town said.  According to his the Nulla was flowing in full spate because of the heavy rainfall in the previous night. So he appealed the people to take necessary precaution while taking bath in Nulla water while it was flowing in full spate.  

Ruling BJD workers injured by the attack of medico students

VSS Medical College Hospital 

Tension gripped in the Burla based Veer Surendra Sai medical college and hospital on Wednesday after angry students of the institution ran amok and attacked 3 local BJD leaders in order to vent their anguish when they came to know one of leaders attacked a PG student in connection to the death of a child admitted in pediatrics ward of the hospital. Students expressing displeasure over the regular attack on doctors and PG students decided to start cease work from Thursday morning demanding adequate security arrangement in the hospital.  The victims were rescued in a critical condition and admitted in a private nursing home.   Senior police officers of the district rushed to the spot soon after the incident and armed police forces were deployed in the hospital apprehending further intensified situation owing to the incident.

“We have nothing to say at this moment. First we want to bring back normalcy in the hospital campus. We have taken the matter seriously and we will not spare any one who takes law in his own hand” said a senior police officer of the district. According to him  Sambalpur SP  Nikhil Kanodia along with other senior police officers rushed to the Hospital soon after the incident. SP was stationed at Burla to supervise law and order situation of the town after the incident. .

Sources said a newly born baby died in the hospital’s Pediatrics ward on Wednesday after noon. The town BJD president Sisir Dandia and vice-chairman of Burla NAC, Debendra Pradhan along with one Rinku Dhala were present in the ward who were gone to visit another new born child kept in the incubator as it was  a premature delivery. Eye witnesses said there was a hot discussion between the resident Doctor Santosh Sharma that was present in the ward and the local BJD leaders. Later one of the leaders slapped the doctor asking him to behave properly, sources said.   

According to the eyewitnesses the situation was gone out of hand when hundreds of student rushed to the spot and started attacking the leaders. The students caught hold the victims when they tried to escape from the spot. The students beat them mercilessly chasing behind them.  Every one present in the hospital became panic seeing the scene. People ran hear and there with out knowing what was happening. The attack was continued for half an hour till the arrival of the police.” We came and rescued the injured in a critical condition. They were soon admitted in a private nursing home”, an officer of Burla police station said.    

On the other hand, apprehending further law and order situation armed police have been deployed in the college campus. Police officials have directed the students not to go out side the college campus. “We are inside the college campus as we do not have security arrangement in the hostels. We demand proper security arrangement in the hospital and hostel premises. We have decided to go for complete cease work from Thursday in protest against the regular attack on doctors and students”, a student of the college said.

Meanwhile, the district BJD president Rohit Pujari, terming the incident as ‘unfortunate’ has demanded action against the erring students who attacked his party colleagues. “We have asked the district administration to take stringent against the students those are involved in the attack”, Pujari said.

  

woman died fasting for a child in temple

photo credit : Bhimsen pradhan

All rituals of famous Jhadeswar temple of Deogarh was come to a total halt on Monday after a lady died inside the temple that was on a fast (adhia) seeking the divine to become a mother. The lady was on fast over the last 15 days. The temple committee informed the police and closed the temple for devotee in view of the unfortunate incident. She wished to have a child with the divine blessing. “In the morning when I opened the temple I found her motionless. I informed the temple committee and police about the incident” the priest of the temple Sambaru Mahapatra said.

The lady identified as Lili Biswal (30) was married to Ranjan Biswal of Mendipali under Deogarh district 8 years back. But she was issueless despite her regular medical check up and treatment. Finally she took the decision of practice the fasting inside the temple to make her desire fruitful with the blessing of lord Shiva.  “It is a regular practice here in the temple. Devotees get their desire fruitful in the temple”, Mahapatra said.

According to him, the temple that was built in 18^th century under the patronage of local king is a famous temple of the region where devotees across Orissa and Chhattisgarh visit regularly to have the blessing of lord Shiva.  

On the other hand, devotees coming to pay Darsan were disappointed because of the unfortunate incident happened on Monday. However the temple was reopened for devotees only in the evening after Mahasnana and homa of lord Shiva. “We conducted series of pujas after mahasnana of lord Shiva. Temple was opened only after completion of Homa”, a member of the managing committee of the temple said.   Meanwhile police handed over the body of the lady to her family after conducting autopsy. Police registered one unnatural case in this regard. 

With 'Ratha Chhuan' chariots roll down on Sambalpur streets

Ratha Chhuan tradition 

As the the chariot of Lord Jagannath was rolling down the streets of Modipara in Sambalpur town on  Sunday, many people, including the youngsters, were disappointed not to see the dancing action of the girls, who are specially invited from outside to dance in front of the chariot.

To pay respect to the feelings of a large number of devotees and intellectuals of the town, the members of temple management committee had decided to completely strike-out dancing item from the Ratha Yatra celebration from this year.The committee decides to organize week long cultural programme in front of the temple during the period to make the celebration more attractive. The committee members described that it was a difficult task to change an age-old tradition “but for the greater interest of the society and to pay respect to the feeling of the devotees, such a decision was quite justified,” the head priest of the Modipara Jagannath temple, Byamokesh Panda, said.

The priest said that dancing in front of the chariot during Ratha Yatra was a long tradition for Modipara yatra. No one knows when such a tradition was attached with Modipara Ratha yatra, he said, but due to the this many a time the organisers face difficulties because of law and order situation. The administration was not in favour of it either, because of the law and order problems. “Last year, we took this decision on experimental basis. Looking to the overwhelming response from the people we decide to change the tradition of dance during Ratha Yatra,” Panda said.

Meanwhile, Ratha Yatra celebrations, that began on Sunday will continue till Monday evening as celebration continues for two days in Sambalpur. All chariots that remain halfway at Municipality chowk on the first day,  are taken to Mausimaa temple at Binakhandi on the  second day. There are more than 20 places in Sambalpur town where Ratha Yatra is being celebrated. The chariots are pulled down by the devotees one after another in sequence. The Chariot of Barhampura temple of Jharuapara leads others.

“Ratha Yatra in Sambalpur has certain unique character. When every where yatra completes on a single day, in Sambalpur it takes two days,” pundit Amaranth Mishra said.On the other hand, the ‘Ratha Chhuan’(touching chariot) is a tradition that is seen only in western part of the state. Kids of above one year and bellow 2 years are taken to the chariots to get the blessing of lord Jagannath. Children are lifted to the chariots by the priest from the parents who wait in lines near the chariot. 

“This is an old tradition which reflects the faith and believes of the people on lord Jagannath. There is a strong believe that child will lead a prosperous life with lord’s blessing," social activist, Bhagawat Nanda, said.Meanwhile the Ratha Yatra was also organized in Bhatli of Bargarh district where Lord Ladhibaban was mounted on the chariot. The shrine of Bhatli is also known as srikhetra of western Orissa. Ratha Yatra was also performed at Kotsamalai in Sonepur district  which is famous as Patali strikhetra.

Jharsuguda rocked with firing , one shot dead

One person was shot dead and two other seriously injured in two different firing incidents that rocked the people of Jharusuguda town on Sunday. Though police claimed to have identified the accused persons they failed to arrest them.The injured were admitted in hospital in a very critical condition. Police has registered cases against the culprits. The deceased has been identified as M Srinivas Rao, who was supplying building materials in the town.

Police sources said, two miscreants came on a bike and shot at Rao from a point blank range near his house at doubling colony. Rao died on the spot.In another incident, miscreants went to a petrol pump near Beheramal of the town (kedia fuels) and decamped with the cash bag from one of the employee engaged in the pump on gun point. The salesman identified Birendra Kumar was injured when one of the accused pounced the pistol on his head. He was admitted in hospital in a critical condition.Again in the evening one businessman was shot from a point blank range by two unidentified person when he was in his shop located at Behramal area of Jharsuguda town. The businessman identified as Pradeep Nayak was engaged in scrap business. Police sources said the miscreants came to the shop and inquired about Gandhi, who was associated with his business. They fired at Pradeep mistaking him as Gandhi. Pradeep was rescued in a critical condition and shifted to VSS Medical college Hospital, Burla where he battles with life.

Police claimed to have identified the accused persons and detained 3 persons for interrogation. However, police refused to divulge anything more about the accused in view of the investigation. “We have already identified the accused persons involved in all three occurrences but at present we are not in a position to disclose their names,” police superintendent of Jharusugda, Dayal Gangwar, said.

School runs with out teacher, students protested blocking the road

 While the mass education department of the state is busy in regulating dress code for teachers, people express concern about the diminishing standard of education in government-run schools in the state, especially in interior pockets where several school runs without teachers.

The incident that took place in Lulunga village of Debagad district on Saturday has expressed the precarious condition of mass education department. Students here locked the high school and moved to highway protesting against the injustice of the department. They blocked the NH 200 for more than 7 hours demanding an immediate appointment of teachers. The students called off their protest following the assurance of the officials of the mass education department that their problem will be taken care of.

“It is a shier negligence of government towards the high school. Though it was established 3 years back, the school runs without a teacher. We do not want to spoil our future. So we have decided to take up the issue in order to highlight the injustice," one of the students, who was also a part of protest, said.

Villagers said, the education of high school that has more than 130 students in standard IIIV, IX and X standards is disturbed because of non-appointment of teachers. Blaming government for the prevailing problem, the locals allege that the school does not have regular study hours. They said that teachers of the UGME School located nearby come to teach the students when they get time.

“We realized the worsening condition of school when only 4 students became successful in HSC examination out on 34 that appeared the examination this year. We took several attempts to convince mass education officials; they were never serious. So we came to highway with these students to protest," the village sarapanch Manoj Ranjan Dalai who was present with the students said.

The District Inspector of school (Debagad) Santosh Roul, however, visited the spot in the afternoon to discuss the issue with students and guardians. He assured to take step for the posting teachers in the school within a week and requested the villagers to call off the agitation. “More or less this situation is same in whole district. Due to shortage of teacher we are unable to fill up the vacancies. However, I have assured to take step to appoint a teacher in the school immediately," Roul said.

Muslim family takes up Ratha Tatra in Orissa

Car festival, the Ratha Yatra is perhaps the biggest festival that is performed by the people in every nook and corner of Orissa. But it is the Puri festival that attracts every one who wishes to visit and to take part in the annual outing of Lord Jagannath, the lord of Universe. But when devotees other than Hindu are still forbidden to enter the Puri shrine, here is a village in Jharsuguda district where a family belongs to Muslim community patronages the village Ratha Yatra through generations. Surprisingly the head of the family even does chhera pahara (sweeping before lord Jagannath) ritual during the festival. This has become a tradition of the Muslim family to organise the festival over last two decades.

He being the gountia (head) of the village, Mohammad Zamil-ul-lah feels it is the duty of his family to take part in each and every festival that is celebrated in the village. “I belong to Muslim community but since I am the gountia of the village I am doing what my fore-fathers used to do in the past,” said Mohammad Zamir-ul-lah.Being a devotee of Lord Jagannath, he feels proud for the rich tradition of his family. Because of such a noble tradition of his family, the villagers give equal importance to the festival of both communities. 

“In our village, we give equal importance to all the festivals whether it is Nuakhai or Eid. We take part in their festival and vice versa. This has become a tradition of the village,” told a villager Madhav Chandra Rana. The village that is well-known as Remanda near by Brajarajnagar town in Jharsuguda district, just 90 km from Sambalpur has never experienced any communal tension because of such a noble tradition.But when Ratha Yatra is celebrated on Twitiya (2nd day of month of Ashadha), here in Remanda, the chariot of Lord Jagannath rolls after 3 days i.e. on Panchami tithi (5th day of month of Ashadha) “Earlier we used to borrow idol from nearby villages so for their convenient we purposefully delayed the function. But the tradition remains the same although now we have our own idols Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra,” Gountia Mohammad Zamil-ul-lah saidAccording to him, he had witnessed the ritual of performing Ratha Yatra by his family when he was a kid. He still remembers how his grand father and father used to organise the Ratha Yatra in his village. “And this has put an impact on me I became a follower of  lord Jagannath when I grew up,” he said. 

Ratha Yatra was first organised by his great grand father Md. Masud Ali after he was appointed as the gountia of the village by the British ruler. Since then Yatra becomes the annual festival under the patronage of the Muslim family. But it is Zamir-ul-lah who started performing chhera-pahara during Ratha Yatra since 1984, a year after the death of his father Khalil Gountia. All members of the Gountia family take active part in the organisation ofRatha Yatra in the village. They feel it as their own culture. “We celebrate every festival in our village as we never differentiate between the festivals of both communities,” concluded Wakilur Nisha, wife of gountia Zamir-ul-lah.