week long drama-competition begins at Sambalpur from Saturday evening

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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.