Killing of suspecting sorcery in the state is increasing….

…. Villagers kill old man suspecting sorcery practice in Ganjam

Berhampur: In the age of science, still people believe in superstition and sorcery. When the people are killed due to the suspicion of sorcery practice, spontaneously a question comes into the mind that why not this cases should not be examined thoroughly whether it has the truth or not!

The Government should try to clarify the suspicion of sorcery practice as an age old belief, otherwise impose ban on this practice, because every year people are dying for this reason. In Ganjam, it is very often, the heinous attacks on these people without lodging complain against the person in the police station.

Recently, an old man Ganapati Das (60) is killed by 15 villagers on this Sunday. It is happened in a Harijana village under Kodala police station of Ganjam. Before, the villagers were suspected that Ganapati was practicing sorcery in the village. So, they planned to kill the man, while he was going to take bath in the Jagatnala near the village. They succeeded in their plan. The old man breathed his last by the gang attack.

This is not the first case. Before, a person named Dinabandhu Swain (48) and his two sons were killed by the group of villagers of Lunipada under Gangapur police station of Ganjam in March 15 this year.

On May 25, two women were locked up by the villagers of Sangrampur village in Nilagiri of Balesore district suspecting witchcraft.

In February 1 this year, the Superstition over witchcraft has claimed three persons in Keonjhar district's Daitari and Telkoi police station area, they are Sambari Chattar (50) and her 40-year-old brother, Utsav Purty were axed to death while 55-year-old Kandiri Majhi of Koilisuta near Telkoi was beaten to death.

On May 10 this year, Gouri Murmu (17) chopped the head of her sister’s mother-in-law suspecting sorcery and then surrendered to the Bisoi police station of Mayurbhanj district with the chopped head. In the same month, two persons including a woman were killed by their relatives suspecting witchcraft in Bisoi and Karanjia police station areas of the district.

In April 2011, members of two families were paraded and force fed animal excreta after being accused of witch craft in Deogarh district’s Sunamunda village.

There are many cases of murder alleging sorcery happening in the state, but the cases are not coming to the light and not in the media. Killings in the districts of Balesore, Ganjam, Khurda, Sundergarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj have witnessed more cases of murder alleging sorcery.

According to a study by the Orissa Rationalists Society (ORS) at least 56 persons have been murdered across 21 districts in the name of superstition in 2010 alone.

Apart from that, the practice of “magic palanquins” techniques by the experienced and trained sorcery practitioners hired by the villagers to pick out the wicked witchcraft practitioners of the village. After pick out them by this technique, which can not be taken as true, the villagers punish them by shaving their head, breaking their teeth. Sometimes the villagers force them to eat human excreta with a huge amount of fine. If the persons accused by the village committee disobey their order, they kill them or isolate from the village.

This is a serious matter now days. It is a human rights violation, to kill someone. Without complaining at the police and complain at the court, the ruffians, superstitious persons are killing the persons is a serious offence.

The villagers have no right to take anyone’s life. It is the serious violation of the person’s fundamental right and Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which advocates about the right to life.

This is a social taboo like offering and sacrifices of human bodies. This sorcery killing is not less than honour killing of Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. To curb this social stigma an appropriate step is the need of hour, claims the rationalist bodies of Ganjam.

Diarrhea breakout in Ganjam village

Diarrhea breakout in Ganjam village

Chatrapur: More than 70 people are affected in the diarrhea breakout in Municipentha village under Chatrapur block of Ganjam district. It reached in 8^th day still administration is not taking appropriate measure to tackle the situation, said the villagers.

The villagers complained that the doctor is not available in the Municipentha Community Health Center, while the affected persons are under the treatment of the nurse.

Last night, Sarita Sahu (20) daughter of Dhoba Sahu of the same village affected by this disease was taken to the health center for treatment also experienced same condition like others.

The villagers also alleged that the health department is not giving attention towards this breakout. The condition of the medical is not conducive for the patients. Most of the patients are going to Berhampur and Chatrapur Government as well as private hospitals for their treatment.

Eight days passed, but no health official nor the district administration has taken the preventive measures to check the breakout, lamented the villagers.

I was working as a spy says Maoist Sudarshan

I was working as a spy: Maoist Sudarshan

Berhampur/Chatrapur: Maoist leader Mandal alias Sanjay disclosed the sensational information about the Maoist activities in the state and outside of the state after detained by the Ganjam Marine police on Friday evening here.

After arrested by the Commissionerate police with the help of intelligence bodies of the state on June 21, the Ganjam police took the Maoist leader Sanjay in remand. During the marathon asking for information in the marine police station, the Mao leader revealed that he was working for the top Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda.

He was working as a spy and an informer for the leader in the capital. He was also assigned with the supply o medicine, cloth and poster for the Maoist peoples, said Sudarshan to the police.

The 25 year old Sudarshan revealed that the secret information about the Mao activities to the Journalists at Sorada that he never associated with the firing as he was new in the camp. He was working as spy and informer for the leader. He also agreed that he was associated with the Chattishgarh Maoists.

The women cadres of Chattishgarh Maoist group are being exploited by the Mao leaders. Though, they are not interested to work with them, still they could not escape from them, revealed Sudarshan to the police.

While, the mediator in the case of former Malkangiri collector R. Vineel Krishna, Dandapani Mohanty alleged that the Maoist leader Sudarhan is getting torture by the police in marine station of Arjeepalli near Chatrapur.

It is noted that, Sudarshan was one of the mastermind in the killing of the Sarapanch Dillip Kumar Swain of Balarampur village under Sorada police station. The Ganjam police had sent to Badagada police station in connection with the Dillip Swain murder case, but he could not get the bail. So the police have sent the accused to Berhampur Circle jail, informed the Superintended of Police of Ganjam Rajesh Pandit to the Journalists.

The accused had some links with miscreants and ruffians along with the police said the SP to the media here.

Before the arrest of Sudarhan, he was living in a slum under Khandagiri police station. While he was in an electronic shop for repairing of the Laptop of his boss, he was caught by the commissionerate police.

The accused is belongs to Phatachanchada village under Badagada police station of Ganjam district.

Ganjam is to be the part of Eastern Green Revolution

Ganjam is to be the part of Eastern Green Revolution

Chatrapur: An occasion to cheer up for the farmers of Ganjam, as the district got selected for the scheme of Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI) for the welfare of the farmers and agriculture.

Under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, Union Government has allocated additional Rs.400 crore in the previous year Budget for extending green revolution to the Eastern Region of the country comprising of Bihar, Jharkhand, Eastern UP, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and West Bengal.

Aiming at that, Rs 62 crore 62 lakh is allocated in the budget for Odisha to give support to its agricultural sector in this plan.

Green revolution envisages adoption of new seed varieties, farm machines, nutrients, pesticides and knowledge based intervention as developed for different agro climatic zones.

The BGREI will create a conducive atmosphere for agriculture and the farmers of the region towards sustainable development.

Out of 30 districts, 15 districts are selected in this plan. Among, Ganjam is one. After surveys conducted by the agricultural department, six blocks include Khallikote, Jagannath Prasad, Kukudakhandi, Digapahandi, Chatrapur and Sheragada are selected for the plan. Including these blocks, five clusters will be formed according to the guideline. Then a monitoring team will be formed under the presidentship of Deputy Director of Agriculture Department.

For monitoring, NABARD is appointed by the central government, who will check the work and also inspect if there is violation of guideline of BGREI. The NGOs, those are experienced in the agriculture sector will be appointed to carried out the job successful, sources said.

The sole aim of the BGREI is to increase crop productivity by intensive cultivation and food safety through recommended agriculture technologies and package of practices.

Government has given the charge to inspect the status of agriculture, condition of the farmers in a regular basis. Also it will take care of the problems like- are they getting loan or not, opening of bank account for the farmers, use of technology in the field of agriculture of the zone.

Government also directed to the local banks to take care of the problems of their region regarding agriculture in the zone of the BGREI.

Ganjam is not sound in the field of agriculture, so it needs a proper care in agricultural technology for cultivation and food safety. But the Green Revolution in eastern India can bring the cheer in the face of the farmers of the district, said the farmer bodies of the district.

Civil bodies ask for IIIT in Berhampur

Civil bodies ask for IIIT in Berhampur

…. Ganjam Jilla Vikash Manch made a request to CM

Berhampur: Ganjam Jilla Vikash Manch in a letter to Chief Minister asked for an Indian Institute of Information and Technology (IIIT) set up in the silk city here.

Recently, central government approved the suggestion of Odisha to establish an IIIT in the state. Before Odisha has an IIIT in Bhubaneswar. As the city grows with various private institutions to meet the challenge of technical education for a large student population, yet there is a need for a higher technical education institution like IIIT in the nerve center of South Odisha, Berhampur.

The Civil bodies said that there are 11 universities and some proposed universities in North Odisha whereas only three universities in South Odisha. They demanded for a university grant to Khallikote College to the Government but that is in the file only.

For the betterment of the students and the development of education in South Odisha, set up of an IIIT is the need of hour, suggested the Ganjam Jilla Vikash Manch.

Transfer list of 492 teacher of 4 education district out

Transfer list of 492 teacher of 4 education district out

Ganjam: Finally, the transfer list of 492 school teachers of four education district of Ganjam is declared after the dilly dallies of district administration.

According to the list, there are 492 teachers including regular and Siksha Sahayak (SS) from four education districts of Ganjam are in the transfer list.

Out of the total, 376 regular teachers and 126 SS are listed for the transfer. While only 19 teachers will go out of the block. 25 more teachers of Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BMC) are transferred to different blocks of Ganjam.

In the Chatrapur education district, 41 regular and 29 SS of 8 blocks are in the transfer list. Whereas, 118 regular and 65 SS from Berhampur, 103 regular teachers from Aska, 104 regular and 23 SS from Bhanjanagar are in the list of teacher transfer. 6 teachers from Bhanjanagar and 13 from Aska are transferred out side their block, whereas Purusottampur block is out of the list, no name in the transfer list from this block.

The transfer list should be finalized before May 15, according to the direction from School and Mass Education Department of Odisha. But the district administration could not finalize in the proposed date.

Jumbos return back again

Jumbos return back again

.... Pachyderms’ terror in Ganjam Block

Berhampur: After two months duration, the jumbos returned back again to Ganjam area. A herd of 30 wild elephants were in the forests near the villages. It is a headache for the Forest Department and the district administration to drive away the pachyderms again and again.

There are 12 numbers of jumbos of a herd creating nuisance in the villages since last year. Two months before, a farmer named Rabindra Kumar Behera of Rambha area was trampled by the Jumbos for which reason the irate villagers of Biruligada, Rambha were on strike and resorted to road blockade on NH-5 at Rambha.

The affected areas are Subalaya, Bahadapalli, Satrusole, Sana Ramchandrapur, Burudi, Bahadapalli, Biruligada, Madhurchua, Diandei, Panasadiha, Rambha, Ranidara, Palang, Balarampur, Khandadeuli, Poirasi, Ambilijhara, B.Kainchapur, Jagannathpur, Sana Gopalpur, Lauput, Kushapalli, Satuli, Malada, Borigaon, Kalajamuna and Ganjam.

The administration had started operation Gajanana to drive away the wild Jumbos. For this purpose it had brought two elephants from Similipal forest range and two Mahuts from Assam for training purpose to chase away the pachyderms. After the operation, people calmed down. But the re-entering of the wild elephants left the people in fear of crop damage.

Nowdays most of the elephants are coming here from Chandaka Reserve Forest through the Khallikote forest range. As most of the jungle areas are narrower than before and in the encroachment of the land mafias and wood mafias. Shortage of forest food and breathing space force them to search for a better inhabitation and environment for their sustenance. But the common people are suffering from this problem.

In the last Kharif season, a herd of pachyderms had destroyed the paddy seedlings in some fields near Satuli, Borigaon, and in the cluster villages under Ganjam Block. The irate villagers had given the memorandum to DFO for a better solution to the problem. But the Government could not succeed to bring a permanent solution to this problem.

Eight persons were died and many more injured of the Jumbo attack. Many thatched houses and paddy fields were damaged by these wild animals.

The farmer bodies cautioned that if the Government will not take any remedial measure and pre-cautionary steps to curb this problem, then the farmers may take the law into their hand. As their life line is agriculture and vegetable farming is being destroyed, they could not take it easy. The sowing has completed, it is the time of growing. If the elephants will create nuisance, then the crop will be damaged. The Government should apply a planned strategy to chase away the pachyderms from the paddy areas.

Farmer bodies demands land reform

Farmer bodies demands land reform

Berhampur: The BJP Krushak Morcha organized a state wide rally demanding reform in Land Acquisition Act and supply of seeds to the farmers on Monday here.

The Morcha demanded that the Government forcefully acquiring the land for private companies in a faulty Land Acquisition Act. Though farmers have been protesting against these unlawful activities of the Government, nothing is happened yet. Some innocent farmers had given their lives by protesting against the acquisition process. They are not getting their rights due to the faulty Land Acquisition Act of 1894. If the Government will bring reform in the Act, then the poor farmers and common peoples of the state will be benefitted.

Apart from that, they also demanded immediate supply of seeds to the farmers, who faced crop loss due to untimely rain during Kharif season. They also demanded that the Government is delaying in the process of compensation money distribution.

If the Government will not supply seeds and compensation money to the farmers then the Krushak Morcha will come out with a statewide agitation on the coming days, said president of Krushak Morcha Maheswar Sahu.

The Morcha organized a statewide movement at Baripada, Balesore, Bhdrak, Keonjhar, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Berhampur, Ganjam, Khurda, Rourkela, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Koraput, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Baragada, Birmaharajpur, and Anugul, informed the Morcha.

The Morcha has given the memorandum to the President of India and the Governor of the state through the District Magistrate and Additional District Magistrate to attract their attention to their demands for the farmers.

DM directs to form a committee to check female foeticide

DM directs to form a committee to check female foeticide

Chatrapur: In a meeting organized in Collectorate on female foeticide, District Magistrate of Ganjam Dr Kishan Kumar expressed serious concern over female foeticide and use Ultrasound for determining the sex in the district.

Some clinics are illegally determining the sex and also practicing female foeticide. To keep eye on this Ultrasound clinics, there is a task force already constructed by district administration which is assigned to report in three month duration at the DM. But the DM expressed concern over the work of the task force.

There are 32 Ultrasound clinics in the district. Some clinics are running without having feasibility. Still female foeticide is increasing in secretely. Some clinics are applied for renewing of their license, but administration is not getting the data. To strengthen the task force, an advisory committee will be constructed for submitting all the data about the Ultrasound clinics, directed the DM.

Among others, Dr Niranjan Behera, Suprabha Hota, Rama Subudhi, Suresh Sahu were present over the meeting.