MCL celebrates I' Day with Keshab Swain

Thousands of people that gathered during the celebration of Independence Day function at Anand vihar of Mahanadi coalfields at Burla town were totally amazed to witness the martial arts of Keshab Swain, the Guinness-book-world record holder of Odisha for breaking maximum number of green-coconut in a given time. People cheered him when he started smashing green-coconuts with his head and elbow. Keshab of Bhubaneswar has entered Guinness book by breaking 85 green coconuts in 52 seconds with his elbow.

‘It was amazing moment for us to witness his art of braking green-coconuts. He is really a powerful man”, the CMD of MCL AN Sahay said while felicitated him on this occasion for making every one proud for showing real power of the human body. Sahay took the salute during the Independence Day parade organized in the Anand Vihar ground where students of various educational institutions of Burla and Sambalpur had participated.  

On the other hand, Keshab expressed gratitude to the officials of the MCL for giving him honour on this occasion. “I am delighted with the love and affection of the people of the company. I feel as if they are my own family members”, Keshab Swain said while talking to the media after his felicitation. He informed that he is trying to better up his score in future. At present he is preparing for entering in the ‘Asia Book’ and ‘India Book’ for which programme is scheduled to be held in Bhubaneswar on 29th of September 2012.

Keshab revealed that he wanted to enter another record in Guinness book by breaking green coconut with his head.  “I am preparing to break 30 green coconuts in one minute with my head”, Keshab said.   He informed that he has completed physical therapy training from Hyderabad to start a career as Physio-therapist.  In every sport, we need a physical therapist to guide the participant. “But due to lack of patronage, out youths do not opt to make it a career”, Keshab said. While informing about his future target, Keshab said that he wanted to establish an institution in Bhubaneswar shortly to provide training to the children on martial art.” But it depends on the government and various corporate houses as it requires financial assistance to meet the expenditure”, Keshab asserted 

Bajarang Dal backs four converted-Christian family to Hindu fold

Four families of 'converted Christians' at Marketpara  village under Attabira  police station limits of Bargarh district  have returned to the Hindu fold during a function amidst chanting of mantras by the priests. They identified as Jogeswar Kumbhar, Purander Deep, Padma Suna and Birman Bag along with their family members. They revealed that they had converted to Christianity 5 years back with the instigation of a missionary pester. The local Bajarang Dal organized the programme and welcomed the people for coming back.

This happens with the close heels of an attempt to convent a Hindu boy to Christianity by one pester in the name of recovering the child from prolong illness on Tuesday. “We rushed to the spot and restrained the attempt of the Christian Padri from doing the act. At the same time four ‘converted Christian’ families desired to come back to Hindu. So we organized a Jagna and brought them back by performing puja in Hindu rituals”, activists Soroj Jha and Sudhir Barik said on Wednesday. 

Sambalpur youth becomes icon of Infosys

Ansuman Panda

Sambalpur youth becomes the heartthrob for many young IT professional after he became new model for the Infosys. He got the rare opportunity to feature in the latest advertisement campaign released by Infosys on the theme, ‘future is built by the restless’ as he was selected among several hundreds participants to become the face of the company having a strength of 15 million employees.      He went through several screening test to become the icon of the company to appeal the young professionals to join the company.

Meet Ansuman Panda a Bangalore based IT professional who hails from the small town of Sambalpur.  He is the son of Sasanka Sekhar Panda, the Joint Director in the Department of Information and Public Relations and grand son of Sambalpur based renowned Oriya writer Uma Shankar Panda. Ansuman has covered a long way to achieve the rare opportunity.  Studying in central school of Bolangir up to matriculation, he moved to Bhubaneswar for his intermediate. He joined Kalinga Institute of Information Technology (KIIT) to get his engineering degree in IT.  In 2009 he joined Infosys at Bangalore. He is currently working as testing engineer in Infosys.

The family members of Ansuman as well friends and relations expressed happiness over his achievement. They feel this will definitely encourage the young talents of the region. “It was a happy and unforgettable moment for us when we first received the news. I feel proud for him.” jubilant father Sasanka Sekhar Panda said on Tuesday.  “It was not an easy task for me. But ultimately I got the opportunity to represent the company though campaign and advertisement. It is really a matter of pride for me”, Ansuman said.   On the other hand, his achievement has given a new strength to the younger generation of the locality. The photograph of the young IT professional is really reflecting the restlessness to build a future. I am really glad to view the advertisement campaign,” said Kamalakshya Pruseth, a student from Gangadhar Meher college of Sambalpur.  

Techno fest Samavesh 2012 concluded in VSSUT

4-day techno-management festival ‘Samavesh-2012’ concluded  in   veer Surendra Sai  University of technology (VSSUT) of Burla on Sunday  where students of various engineering and technology institutes across the country have participated and displayed various new technology and idea through seminars and exhibitions. The event is designed in such way that it provides ample scope for the exposure of the students participated in the programme.  The event also provided an environment to the students where they shared their ideas and thought with each other which they feel would be helpful for their future career.

‘It is really a nice experience to be a part of the ‘Samavesh-2012’. With limited resources the organizers have designed the event in such a manner that each and every participant feels thrilled and cheerful. We also feel the need of such events for technical students as they we get opportunity to share our though and talent”, senior faculty member and Vice-President of the event Sanjay Agrawal said

The participants of the event opined that such progremmes are essential for the technical students as it helps them to explore their inner ability and talent. “Samavesh is the only fest in Odisha with such a great number of events & live participation. Past editions of Samavesh have seen many splendid technical & business events of repute & the same tradition continues even. But this is my first experience to participate such a nice event‘first year student of VSSUT,   Stitha Prajnya Panda expressed.

The techno-festival has been formulated and planned by the students of veer Surendra Sai University of Technology with the guidance and cooperation of the vice-chancellor and faculty members.  The students of the technology university feel happy to host such an event where more than 200 participants from various technical institutions including silicon, KIIT, ITER and CET of Bhubaneswar, NIT of Rourkela, VITAM of Berhampur and Black diamond of Jharsuguda have participated apart from the host VSSUT.

Besides work-shops and guest lectures, the participants are getting opportunity to participate in the robotics, coding event and technical events including aero-modeling, 3dimention animation and image processing.  We are happy to become the participants of the programme, the students of Black diamond

“We feel proud to become the host of the festival as it gives an opportunity to share our thought with our counterparts from various other institutions. With the limited resources and sponsorship from the industrials houses of our vicinity we have organized the event for the greater cause of the technical students of the state.  We are thankful to our VC and other faculty members along with our alumni for their supports and encouragement.” Debabrat Panda, a student and member of the organizing committee of the event said.

During the festival students of host institute are getting maximum opportunity to show their talents and experiments. Students of various departments have taken part in various events looking to their taste and interest. “Though we are in civil and mechanical wing we have taken part in ‘robotics because of our interest. We designed our robot with technical help from other students and played successfully in the event”, 3^rd year students of black diamond technical institute of Jharsuguda Srustisriya Mohanty and Tapaswini Ray said.

“During the programme we have also organized entertainment and stage show in every night for the relaxation and amusement of the participants. We have included laser-light show and music band during each night”, management leader of Smavesh-2012, Debabrat panda said.

KISS students rescued by the Railway police

victims

Sambalpur Railway police rescued 6 minor tribal students from the local Railway station on Friday while travelling in Puri-Rourkela Tapaswaini express. They were studying in the KISS (Kalinga Institute of Social service), a charitable wing of KIITs of Bhubaneswar but they left the school premises with out the knowledge of school authority and boarded the train to go to their respective villages. The railway police intimated it to their parents on getting identity of the children. The parents who came to Sambalpur to take back their children described it ‘gross negligence’ of the school authority. 

The children identified as Subash Majhi (10)Baliakani village , Asish Ekka (11)of Gidpahadi , Sahil Suren (11) of Nuagaon ,Dayasagar Lakra (11) of Balisankara and Alok Kujur(11) of Gunchitipur village and Akash Topo(9) Bamnibahal village of Sundergarh district were studying in class 3th ,4th and 5th classes. 

“We have given our children believing proper security and care to them by the school management. But how the management was unaware when 6 of the children were gone missing from the institution’, the relation of a child Dhaneswar Majhi said. 

Railway police sources some of the passengers informed the police when they found cast doubt on the movement of the children. Police went to the train and rescued them. “The children were travelling in a group and since they did not have any warm clothes, they were shivering with the cold during night. We informed their parents when we ascertained their identity”, the inspector of GRP Sambalpur PK Dash said. 

“Since they were in a residential school, it was the duty of the school management to look after the children. But the management was aware about the children when I personally informed one of the senior officers over phone”, Dash said. 

On the other hand, senior officials of the school management denied of having any negligence while maintaining the school in Bhubaneswar. Describing its’ a ‘rare incident’ in school history, Basanta Kumar Behera, a senior official of the management, claims of giving proper care and facilities to the students. “We are providing personal attention to the each and every student for their overall growth. The students seemed to be new to the school environment and it would take time to adjust”, Behera said. According to him a team was deputed to bring back the children.

happy new year 2012


to


every one

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