Locals demanded to include Ganjam Tehsil in SDJM court Chatrapur

Berhampur: Advocates of Chatrapur Bar Association, local people, Elective Representatives of Ganjam and Chatrapur block sat in a massive dharna in front of Ganjam Tehsil office demanding inclusion of all the villages under Ganjam Tehsil in SDJM court Chatrapur on Thursday.

Elective Representatives from 14 Panchayats under Ganjam Tehsil of Ganjam district demanded that the villagers are facing different problems in the level of communication and transportation. As Khallikote JMFC court and Kodala jail is far away from Ganjam. If the families of the accused want to meet their keen, they have to cross 40 km, but Chatrapur is only 20-25 minutes time distance from Ganjam Tehsil area to reach at Chatrapur. In communication and transportation point of view it is favourable for the common people in judicial work, as most of the peoples come here very often in different work.

After the establishment of Khallikote JMFC court in 1989, all cases of Ganjam area were come under Khallikote JMFC court as Rambha police station was under the jurisdiction of Khallikote Tehsil area. But
after the formation of Ganjam Tehsil in 2009-2010, all the civil cases of 46 villages of Ganjam Tehsil area are included in SDJM court Chatrapur, while for criminal cases villagers are depending on Khallikote JMFC court.

After the massive dharna and Ganjam Tehsil office gherao, the elective representatives of the area hand over a memorandum to the Tehsildar of Ganjam purported to be sent to the Chief Minister.

A team of representatives of Chatrapur Bar Association have met Chief Justice V Gopala Gowda along with other judges of High Court at Cuttack to make them aware about their demand on July 25. Chief
Justice assured them and told that they have directed to the District Judge of Ganjam to give a report on this matter. After the report a full benches of judges will take decision on this matter, said Chatrapur Bar Association President Gokulananda Panda in a Press conference.

Friday was 31st day strike of the advocates of Chatrapur Bar Association in front of the SDJM court Chatrapur demanding the inclusion of 46 villages of Ganjam Tehsil area in the jurisdiction of SDJM court Chatrapur.

‘Permanent solution to agriculture and health problem is need of the hour’

14 th Zilla Parishad meeting of Ganjam held

Berhampur: After a hue and cry of lingering the time schedule of meeting, finally 14th Zilla Parishad (ZP) meeting of Ganjam district held in DRDA conference hall at Chatrapur on Friday.

The members were discussed about various issues of the district in the meeting. They demanded proper distribution of last year’s crop loss compensation, as the new Kharif season has been started. CPI members warned in the meeting that how government is prepared to tackle the drought situation, which is approaching in Ganjam due to erratic rainfall in the district according to the prior information of Agriculture department.

Some members informed in the meeting about shortage of school teacher and students agitation in front of the office of District Inspector of schools in Ganjam block and other blocks of the district.

Most of the members were expressed their dissatisfaction about the delaying and lingering of time schedule of ZP meeting. “According to the rule 11 of Odisha Zilla Parishad manual, ZP should hold it’s meeting in three months duration, which is violated here. After 4-5 months duration the meeting is held today”, said ZP member Kailash Palei. He further demanded that we need a Permanent solution to the problems regarding agriculture, health and education in the district.

In the ZP meeting, we have given stress in the discussion on agriculture, health along with other developmental works of the district. Apart from that, we discussed about minor irrigated land, erratic rainfall and how to tackle the upcoming drought situation in the district”, informed ZP chairman Kamraju Sethi to The Pioneer on Friday.

All the 69 members of ZP were present in the meeting chaired by ZP chairman Kamraju Sethi. Among others, District Magistrate of Ganjam Krishan Kumar, DRDA Project Director M Muthukumar, Berhampur MP Sidhant Mahapatra, Chatrapur MLA Adikanda Sethi, Kavisuryanagar MLA V. Sugnani Deo with other MLAs and MPs of the district.

ABVP holds Youth Against Corruption rally in Berhampur

Berhampur: Ganjam branch of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP)
held a Youth Against Corruption (YAC) rally on Wednesday here.

The procession started from Khallikote College square to Old Bus stand
and then arranged a meeting in Khallikote College square discussing
the biggest problem of the country with the youth mass of the city.

Hundreds of youth have joined in the rally by chanting various
slogans against corruption. Sujit Kumar Nayak on behalf of the YAC
campaign took the lead of the rally.

The YAC members demanded at the Government to declare the black money
as nation’s property, which are stashed away in the foreign bank.
Implement a special law to check the corruption in the country and to
bring transparency in adm8inistration.

They also supported Anna Hazaare’s anti-corruption campaign to draft
the Jan Lokpal Bill in the country, told the ABVP members to the
Newsmen.

Tension by land dispute back again in Sorada

….Ganjam officials started land survey work in the area.

Berhampur: Tension is simmering in the land dispute case between Lok Sangram Manch and villagers of Gaudagotha and nearby villages under Badagada police station of Sorada block of Ganjam district. The villagers have started protesting the illegal encroachment of proposed High School land by the members of Lok Sangram Manch on Monday.

Hundreds of villagers from Gaudagotha, Surubandha, Talapatama, Bhaliapada, Haripur, Kharikuda and other villages got united in a meeting to discuss about the illegal encroachments by Lok Sangram Manch, but the members of the so called Manch were absent, it created dissatisfaction among the villagers and the members of Krushak Sabha. They discussed about the despotic behave of the Manch members and got united to bring back the lands encroached by the Lok Sangram Manch. The villagers started breaking of thatched cattle sheds built by the opponents on the dispute land.

According to the Gaudagotha villagers, the supporters of the Lok Sangram Manch had encroached 5 acre land proposed for the establishment of a high school gifted by Biswanath temple administration of the village. Similar encroachments were occurred near Haripur, Gojiakhamana village, alleged the villagers.

The villagers demanded at the collector for a strict action and the proper solution to the land dispute on July 16 this month. Whereas, they could not get any response from the district administration till July 25, according to their deadline to the district administration for the solution of the dispute, they started solving their problem in their way.

After the land dispute tension in Sorada, Ganjam collector Krishan Kumar called a emergency meeting in collector’s conference hall at Chatrapur on Monday. He told to newsmen that the land survey work will start from tomorrow onwards in Sorada. After the enquiry district administration will hand over the land, which belongs to the villagers. After Tehsildar’s enquiry the fate of the dispute lands will be finalized. And he directed to the local Tehsildar to submit the enquiry report of 433 plots near Muliapalli of Sorada block within seven days. He also suggested to both Krushak Sabha and Lok Sangram Manch members that before the enquiry, they should not create any law and order situation in the village area.

On Tuesday, Bhanjanagar Sub-collector Pabitra Mandal and local BDO Kailash Chandra Behara have visited the area to take the stock of the situation. Inspector in-charge of Badagada police station informed The Pioneer over phone that situation of the area is very normal. Officials have visited the disputed area to take the stock of the situation.

Last year, the supporter group of the Lok Sangram Manch had forcefully encroached the villagers land by putting a red flag on the land on July 27 last year near hatigoda-Muliapalli village area, for which a bloody clash and firing had taken place, 15 were injured in that clash.

At first the officials include sub-collector Pabitra Mandal, SDPO B K Kamila, Revenue Inspector Pramod Kumar Behera have started survey in the disputed land of Gaudagotha and Talapatama village then the Hatigada-Muliapalli disputed land survey from Tuesday onwards.

The officials started the survey from plot number 204 and then plot no 447, 449 which was registered in the name of school Circle Inspector for the establishment of high school on September 15, 2004.

While 36 families of Talapatama village have taken shelter in Badagada police station on Tuesday night fearing the peoples of Harabhangi Krushak Mahasabha after the Mondays incidence.

On Wednesday, Police told that the persons those were taken shelter in the police station, they returned back to the village. No terror in the area, administration is looking into the matter.

Erratic rain hits agriculture in Ganjam

Berhampur: Forgetting previous year’s crop loss, farmers of Ganjam district were welcomed the monsoon with lots of hope for a better crop this season, but the erratic behave of rain left the farmers in doubt for a better yield in the Kharif season, as most of the paddy fields depend on rain water as well.

Due to uneven distribution and deficient rain, most of the blocks has received less than fifty percent rainfall, which affected the progress of agriculture work in the district. Out of that six blocks include Rangeilunda, Patrapur, Sanakhemundi, Digapahandi, Chikiti and some parts of Ganjam Block have affected due to less rain.

Most of the farmers in Ganjam follow planted crop method in rice farming for which adequate water is needed. While June recorded deficient rainfall of 58 mm only, this was very less. The past three weeks of July recorded 143 mm against 220 mm rain in this month. One fourth of total paddy fields in Ganjam have started planting the crop, whereas the condition of the other paddy fields is in the need of sufficient water for progress in the agricultural work.

Rangeilunda has received 71 percent less rainfall, whereas Patrapur, Sanakhemundi, Digapahandi, Chikiti has received 60, 55, 56 and 43 percent less rainfall respectively. The areas of Ganjam block which depend on rain water were severely affected by recent year’s erratic rain, sources said.

The farmers are waiting for the month of August as July ends. If the paddy fields wont get good rain or sufficient water, the situation will be worsen in the near future, lamented the farmers.

Farmer bodies demand Naveen’s resignation in Kodala issue

…OCSA demand to stop criminalization of politics in the state

Berhampur: “Kodala incidence was not accidental case; it was the outburst of anger of the villagers, which led the violence. Though the people had given memorandum to the District Magistrate, Superintendent of Police before, why did not the Government listen to them? Callousness of District administration along with the State Government is responsible for the untoward incidence in Kodala area”, said Odisha Chasi Surakhya Abhijan (OCSA) president and former central minister Braja Kishore Tripathy in a press meet organised by OCSA at circuit house here on Sunday.

The leaders include Convener of OCSA, Ganjam branch Ravi Rath, president Subash Rout, Er Lalit Mohan Patnaik, Simanchala Nahak, Brundaban Behara, Narayana Pradhan of the OCSA led by president Tripathy visited the Kodala area to meet the families of the deceased, who were killed in the police firing and met with the peoples of violence hit village Chachina, Khajapalli, Deogaon. They talked with the women, who were mercilessly beaten up by the police on the same day of police firing on July 15. They also visited the Eragola rehabilitation camp at Kalyan Mandap in Kodala. The Eragola peoples told that before the incident they had given memorandum to the district administration about their dispute with the villagers, but they have not received any response yet regarding the solution. They showed the memorandum which they had sent the copy to the district administration along with the State Government to the leaders of the OCSA.

The leaders condemned the police brutality on the villagers, especially on women near Kodala and demanded resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the untoward incidents in Kodala and a judicial enquiry into the matter. They also demanded Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the families of the deceased, who were killed in police firing in Kodala area and Rs 5 lakh for the injured persons wounded in the same police firing along with the strengthening of district administration in Ganjam. They alleged that police administration has failed to control the criminal activities and mafiaraj in the district, though the district belongs to the district of the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who is holding the Home Department and other three minister of the State Government. So in moral ground CM should resign from his post.

“Criminalisation of politics was another reason behind the simmering tension in Kodala area. The Kavisuryanagar constituency is totally operated by the liquor mafias with the help of ruling party, those are creating problems for the common people. Liquor business is another strong reason behind Kodala incidence”, alleged Tripathy in the press meet.

This is not the first case of the intelligence level failure of the police in Ganjam, before the incidence of Sheragada block, where the ruffians set ablaze eight people in a locked room, the murder of the Chtrapur block chairman, Sheragada Inspector clearly shows the failure of District administration along with police administration. The law and order situation of the district is degrading day by day, alleged the leaders of OCSA here.

Arrested persons are Maoist: Ganjam SP

• Arrested Maoists revealed sensational information about Mao camp and their activities
• They agreed that women are being exploited in Mao camp
• Berhampur police remain silent in the case of Hatimunda Sarapanch of Daringibadi arrested in the connection of Mao activities

Berhampur: Last three days a rumor was broken out in Ganjam about the arrest news of Maoists by Ganjam police. When the media peoples contacted with Ganjam SP Rajesh Pandit, he was silent about the news, but finally SP agreed on Thursday that arrested persons were Maoists. They were caught from Sorada area of Ganjam district.

The arrested Maoists are Jaya Nayak alias Jacob (32), Biswamitra Pradhan alias Mila (35) and Rabindra Nayak alias Budha (50). All are from Srambadi village under Daringibadi police station of Kandhamal district.

Ganjam SP has given valuable information about Maoists. He informed that the trios were working as courier to send and receive information for the Mao camp. When needed, they also worked for supplying of rations and grocery to the camp. Jacob has 4 years experience while other two Mila and Budha have two and one year experience respectively.

These three cadres of Ghumusara division were involved in a dacoit case at Asurabandha in Ganjam district, murder case of Udaya Sahu of Bhramarabadi under Sorada police station and an ambush on police near Kerubadi in Kandhamal district, in which incident a policeman was killed. Even they involved in the heinous landmine attack on an ambulance near Bramhanigaon of Kandhamal district.

The trio has disclosed the sensational information about the Mao leaders and their activities. They also revealed that women cadres were sexually exploited by their senior male cadres, particularly, by those from Chattishgarh. The female cadres were compelled to keep silent in the fear of the Mao leaders. Due to this allegation Sabyasachi Panda was relegated recently, who was in the charge of Odisha cadre. The place is filled by a Mao cadre 55-year old bespectacled person from outside odisha, said SP to the Newsmen.

They also revealed that the Mao leaders have lots of Pendrives, by which they are sharing information with other leaders. They said that Manoj and Chetan, these two persons are creating fund and appealing for bail through advocates to release the Mao leaders.

On the other hand, the family members of the trio protested against this arrest. They have faxed the letter to the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police of Kandhamal district along with State Human Rights Commission. They alleged that the police have arrested the trio while returning from a meeting at Bhubaneswar. Adivasi Mancha leader and Block Chairman Junas Pradhan, Adivasi leader Vikram Mallick, Banabashi Suraksha Parishad leader Narendra Mohanty alleged that the arrest was unjustified.

Another person namely Pradeept Mallick was arrested by SOG Command, who were in uniform while arresting Pradeept. He is the Sarapanch of Hatimunda Panchayat under Daringibadi block of Kandhamal district. He was arrested from Mao mediator and Jana Adhikar Manch leader Dandapani Mohanty’s Berhampur residence in connection with Maoist activities. Berhampur police maintaining silence on this matter, whereas Dandapani Mohanty condemned the arrest of Hatimunda Sarapanch.

It is noted that, before JMFC court of Daringibadi have charged NBW against Pradeept Mallick along with other ten persons in the agitation of ransacking of licensed foreign liquor shops and government country-made wine shops on March 8, 2010.

Congress demand Chief Minister’s resignation in Kodala issue

….RDC office gherao by congress in Berhampur

Berhampur: Congress workers on Friday gheraoed the office of Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) here protesting the police brutality on the villagers near Kodala area and demanded resignation of chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

Thousands of protesters along with congress workers led by Pradesh Congress Committee President Niranjan Patnaik set out a rally and staged a dharna after gherao in front of the RDC office in Berhampur. After garlanding the statues of Mahatma Gandhi, the party workers started the rally to RDC office by giving various slogans against Chief Minister. Then a general meeting was organized, where a memorandum was given through RDC to the Governor of Odisha. RDC stated that he will forward the memorandum to the Governor.

They demanded the resignation of chief minister Naveen Patnaik for untoward incident in Kodala and a judicial enquiry into the matter. They also demanded Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the families of the deceased, who were killed in police firing in Kodala area and Rs 5 lakh for the injured persons wounded in the same police firing along with the strengthening of district administration in Ganjam.Some leaders have condemned direct police firing on the villagers without any announcement and demanded appropriate compensation for the families of the deceased and injured persons in the police firing in Kodala area.

“We demand a judicial enquiry into the matter of Kodala violence. Within three months, Government should give report on this matter otherwise congress will come again to the road for a massive protest against the government, even we will protest from village level against the anti-people behaviour of the government”, said PCC President Niranjan Patnaik to The Pioneer on Friday here.

Among others, former minister Chandrasekhar Sahu, former speaker Sarat Kumar Kar, Congress leader Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mahapatra, Arya Kumar Gyanendra, District Congress President Bhagaban Gantayat, Bikram Panda and others were taken the lead in the gherao.

Block gherao by congress in different parts of Ganjam

Berhampur: Congress workers of Ganjam started block gherao in different blocks of the district protesting the police brutality on the villagers near Kodala area and demanded resignation of chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday.

Block gherao was organized in 15 blocks of Ganjam district on Thursday. Other blocks have already organized block gherao on Wednesday, according to the president of Ganjam District Congress Committee Bhagaban Gantayat.

“We demand the resignation of chief minister Naveen Patnaik for untoward incident in Kodala and a judicial enquiry into the matter. We also demand Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the families of the deceased, who were killed in police firing in Kodala area and Rs 5 lakh for the injured persons wounded in the same police firing along with the strengthening of district administration in Ganjam”, said Gantayat to The Pioneer on Thursday here.

Hundreds of local people along with congress workers set out in a rally and organized block gherao in Kavisuryanagar block near the violence hit Kodala area. The party workers demanded the resignation of local MLA V Sugnani Deo and chief minister regarding the untoward incident in Kodala area. They condemned direct police firing on the villagers without any announcement and demanded appropriate compensation for the families of the deceased and injured persons in the police firing in Kodala area. They also demanded judicial probe and strengthening of administration in the district.

Apart from Kavisuryanagar block, similar block gheraos were organized in other 14 blocks include Rangeilunda, Kukudakhandi, Digapahandi, Konisi, Sorada, Bhanjanagar, Buguda, Khallikote, Polasara, Jagannathprasad, Dharakot, Sanakhemundi, Badakhemundi and Chatrapur on Thursday.

Before, congress workers and local people have taken part in the block gherao led by former minister and veteran leader Rama Krushna Patnaik along with Kumudini Patnaik demanding the resignation of local MLA and chief minister in Beguniapada block on Wednesday. Similar block gheraos were organized in Ganjam, Sheragada and others on Wednesday demanding the same regarding the issue of Kodala violence.

“Almost all blocks we have finished today, what we had planned for block gherao in Ganjam district and on Friday we will organize a RDC gherao in Berhampur”, said former minister and congress leader Chandrasekhar Sahu to The Pioneer on Thursday here.

Ganjam official meets kin of Mangaraj in distress in Saudi Arabia

Berhampur: Following the request of Mangaraj’s father Prafulla Pradhan for the rescue of his son, who is languishing in a Saudi Arabia farm, the Ganjam district officials visited the village and started enquiry into the matter on Monday.

After highlighting the issue in the media, district administration has started enquiry into the matter. Father of Mangaraj Pradhan has requested to the Berhampur SP and District Labour officer on Tuesday for the safe returning of his son from Saudi Arabia.

It is noted that, Mangaraj Pradhan alias Muna, son of Prafulla Pradhan from Badabaranga village under K. Nuagaon police station of Chikiti Block of Ganjam district was sold to a Saudi Arabia farm for Rs 6 lakh by an agent from Kanchili area of Andhra Pradesh in 2010. The Kanchili agent Purnachadra Sahu motivated him by telling high earning from the foreign country. Muna was promised for a good job in gardening sector, but when he landed there, he got to know that he was cheated by the agent. Kanchili agent had sent Muna to a Chennai agent Satya. Through Satya, he was reached in Mumbai. Then the agent Samrin of VT in Mumbai had sold him for Rs 6 lakh to a Saudi Arabia farm. The man who owns a farm of camels and sheep, daily sends the youth to look after the camels and the herd of sheep without paying any remuneration. The youth has told his parents over phone that the agent who sent him there has sold him to the Saudi man for `6 lakh.

Deputy collector Shiv Narayana Sahu, Labour Inspector T. Rajeya visited the Badabaranga village for enquiry into the matter. After meeting to the officials, Muna’s father Prafulla Pradhan along with other villagers have narrated about their son’s plight in Saudi Arabia in front of them. They assured Muna’s father and other villagers to bring his son from Saudi Arabia. After the necessary enquiry, the process of bringing back to the boy will be ready, said the district officials.

It is noteworthy that just a week back, more than 150 Odia labourers were reported to be languishing in Sudan where they were dispatched by a Kerala firm to work in a power plant. The labourers migrated mainly from villages under Patrapur block in Ganjam district.

People in Kodala again close roads putting logs

• BHUBANESWAR Wednesday, July 20, 2011
  
  People in Kodala again close roads putting logs
  
  PNS Berhampur
  
  Already a week into the tension, the charged atmosphere in the violence hit Kodala area on Tuesday showed no signs of change despite silence. As the district administration started clearing the Aska-Bhubaneswar main road of the felled trees and logs used during the road blockades by the villagers of Khajapalli, Deogaon and Chachina following the arrest of 45 people by the police and the subsequent police firing that resulted in two deaths and seven injuries, the disgruntled villagers in the evening again put logs across the road at points where they laid previously. During the day, a team of officials were seen supervising shifting the logs to the roadside and repair to the damaged road which was dug by the villagers near their villages.
  With the hope that peace has returned the police forces were also seen leaving the area in a gradual process but the villagers have obstinately stuck to their demand for evacuating the Eragola community from their area. There was an attempt on Tuesday to hold a peace meeting in Kodala in the presence of Kavisuryanagar MLA V Sugyani Deo, MLA Niranjan Pradhan, DM Krishen Kumar, SP Rajesh Pandit and others but reports said it was not fruitful as the aggrieved villagers were unwilling to participate.
  
  Deo who met CM Naveen Patnaik at the State secretariat in Bhubaneswar on Monday along with two other MLAs, Niranjan Pradhan and Purnachandra Sethi, and discussed with him about the latest developments, told the media that some people were politicising the issue which is not appropriate in the prevailing situation. Relief and compensation were delivered to the families of the deceased and injured persons.
  
  The Government officials have been trying their level best to bring peace in the area, said Deo while interacting with the newsmen.She deplored that some political leaders were politicising the issue as the panchayat elections are round the corner. Instead of trying to restore peace and normalcy in the area, they have started pushing up the issue, she said, adding different leaders are giving different opinions to woo the people to their favour during the coming elections.

Normalcy backs to Kodala area

Berhampur: After a week, violence-hit Kodala area is returning back to normalcy, though the simmering tension was there in few places against the resettlement of Eragola community in Kodala area. The Aska-Bhubaneswar road blockade was cleared and the communication resumed in the area on Wednesday.

The district administration started clearing the Aska-Bhubaneswar main road from felled trees and logs, which were used for road blockade by the raged villagers after the arresting of 45 villagers by the police. The team started repairing the road, which was dug by the villagers near Khajapalli, Deogaon, Chachina protesting the police firing on Friday. There was no vehicular traffic, no communication, and no transportation in the village areas till Tuesday evening as the defiant villagers had put logs on the road again in the evening which was cleared by the district administration in the morning, but on Wednesday the road was cleared by the district administration. It is reported that Aska-Bhubaneswar road blockade was cleared and the communication resumed in the area.

Police forces are leaving the area gradually. The situation is improving day by day, but the defiant villagers are stick in their demand to evacuate the Eragola community from their area.

To meet the health need of the people due to violence hit in the area, district administration and Block administration have organized four health camps in the village areas of Kodala. Tehsildar of Kavisuryanagar Vivekananda Sahu, BDO Sudarshan Sethi and Mediacal Officer Basanta Kumar Das were present in the camp organized near Khajapalli Panchayat office. The villagers of Mathasarasingi, Phasi, Digapada were attended the health camp.

District Magistrate Krishan Kumar along with Additional District Magistrate Nirmala Mishra, Kavisuryanagar BDO Sudarshan Sethi and CDPO Terescobha Mallick has visited the village primary schools and Anganwadi centers of Deogaon, Khajapalli, Khairapalli and Bahalpalli. They have reviewed the condition of the schools, mid-day meal programme and student attendance with the respective teachers of the school.

District administration has distributed compensation cheques of Rs 2 lakh to the bereaved families of the deceased Narayana Palei of Khajapalli village, who was killed by police firing on Friday. in the presence of local Sarpanch Susanti Palei, Tehsildar of the area Vivekananda Sahu has given the cheque to the mother of the deceased Nirmala Palei in the direction of the District Magistrate of Ganjam.

A week has been passed, but peace committee could not be formed, while the villagers are stick in their decision of evacuating the Eragola community from Kodala area continuously for two times. Formation of peace committee again failed on Monday and Tuesday. But the local BDO has informed that they will form the peace committee soon within one or two days, as Chief Minister directed to the local BDO and Tehsildar to form the peace committee with the help of police to restore peace in the violence hit Kodala area.

Exploited Odia boy in Saudi Arab requests for rescue

Berhampur: After Sudan incident this is the second case in Ganjam, as a boy is exploited by a Saudi Arab farm, which used to send the boy to look after the camels and herd of sheep without paying any money and threatened the boy to not leaving the work. The boy is getting exploited by the owner of the farm.

The boy is identified as Mangaraj Pradhan alias Munna, son of Prafulla Pradhan of Badabaranga under Chikiti block of Ganjam district. The parents of Muna have reported in the Chikiti police station on Sunday about the exploitation of their son in the foreign land.
When we communicated with Inspector In-charge of Chikiti police station Gopal Krushna Mishra on this matter, he told The Pioneer that this is a high level case, this is happened in a foreign land, so our government will have to communicate with their local administration for the safe returning of the boy, who is working there.

Things came to light when the boy on Sunday requested their parents back home over phone for help to rescue him. The told that the agent, who had sent him to South Arab has sold to a Saudi people in Rs 6 lakh.

It is noted that six days before, more than 150 Odia labourers are reportedly languished in Sudan where they were dispatched by a Kerala firm to work in a power plant. The labourers migrated mainly from villages under Patrapur block in Ganjam district.

Buguda call for a bandh protesting police firing in Kodala area

6th day of Kodala violence

Berhampur: The condition of riot-torn Kodala area is improving gradually. Market, shops, business establishments and educational institutions in Kodala town resumed work as usual on Monday. Still simmering tension in the village areas was quite perceptible. Still the blockade road was not cleared, though administration is trying to clear the road and some works also have taken into hand. The transportation, communication were still hit by the road blockade, which reached into the sixth day of the violence.

Local people of Buguda, 20 km away from Kodala town called a strike protesting the police firing on the villagers in connection with Kodala violence and to not allow the settlement Eragola community in their area on Monday here.

Strike in Buguda was peaceful, but after getting the information of the rehabilitation and settlement of Eragola community in Shola Maili, a place near Buguda by the state government, though it was not sure the nearby villagers completely opposed the proposal and threatened to the administration to change the location from Shola Maili.

Apart from some minor incidents, the bandh was peaceful in toto. There are two platoon police force were deployed in Buguda area. Sub-collector of Bhanjanagar Pabitra Mandal and Tehsildar of Buguda were present there to take stock of the situation. The administration has told the media that bandh situation of Buguda was under control.

The local people blockade the road by burning tyre and felled trees to mark the bandh in the area. Communication and transportation was hit by the strike. Market, business establishments, educational institutions were closed on Monday. Buguda was closed from all sides. The protesters have blocked the entry gate of Nayagada main road near Adipur and another near Karatuli by burning tyres and felled trees.

Thousands of protesters joined in the rally started from Badadanda to Tehsil office and police station in Buguda. They demanded clarification from the government on the matter of settlement for Eragola community at Shola Maili. While sub-collector Mandal discussed with the people and clarified the people that they have not received any notification about the settlement proposal yet. After the clarification, they went out in the rally.

In Kavisuryanagar, women leader of BJP Jayanti Padhiary sat on a dharna in front of the Kavisuryanagar police station protesting police brutality on Monday, while Benayat Odia Samaj held a meeting here protesting the police firing and to out the Eragola community from Kodala.

In an another development, police maintained a balance and started reviewing the old cases of the Eragola peoples, to woo the heart of the defiant villagers, who have been demanding always to take appropriate steps against the criminal activities of the community in Kodala. As a result of police arrested two Eragola youths by old warrant and forwarded them to the court on Sunday night. The youths were identified as B.Murali arrested by the old warrant in connection with a dacoit case in Bhadrak in 2005 and N.Chandra in connection with illegal liquor business in Kodala in 2006. Police have sent them to Kodala sub-jail.

Leaders like Aska MP Nityananda Pradhan, BJD MLA Pradeep Panigrahy, Berhampur MLA Ramesh Chandra Chyau Patnaik and Subash Maharana with others were visited the riot-torn Kodala area to review the situation on Monday.

Two days over, but peace committee could not formed, as the defiant villagers stick into the demand of Rs 10 lakh and a government job and compensation for the families of the deceased. After fulfillment of the demand they will agree to take part in the peace committee and the proposed peace process.

According to Kavisuryanagar MLA V.Sugyan Deo, the peace committee would have members representing all sections. She hopes that formation of the peace committee will help to bring peace in the area as well.

Dead bodies cremated, party leaders condemned police firing

5^th day of Kodala violence

Berhampur: Five days gone, still normalcy in the area is yet to approach. Though market, shops and business opened up in Kodala town, but the tensed village areas had no change. These areas continued to remain tense even on Sunday.

Two dead bodies of the deceased namely Gauranga Swain of Matha Sarasingi and Narayana Palei of Khajapalli, who were killed in the police firing on Friday were cremated in their village with all the rituals of funeral in the presence of the villagers.

The families of the deceased again demanded Rs 10 lakh and a government job as compensation. Nirmala Palei, mother of the deceased Narayana Palei told to the media that her son is innocent. He was ill, recently returned from Surat was going to the hospital for the treatment of jaundice on that day. On the he was fired by the police. She has demanded Rs. 10 lakh and a job for her family member.

Leaders of different parties have condemned the brutality of the police. “Firing on innocent people was unjustified. The people have given memorandum to the district collector before 15 days, then why government did not listen them! We demand for a judicial probe”, said BJP leader Vijaya Mahapatra on Sunday.

CPI leader N. Narayana Reddy who had visited the riot-torn Kodala area on Saturday with his party workers told on Sunday that the firing order was illegal. He questioned to the state government that who has given order for firing in which criteria, government should clarify first. It is a matter of probe.

“Every person has the right to protest against any unlawful activities. If violence was taken place, police should aware them before their action through mike announcement in the presence of a magistrate. Directly, lathi charge and firing was not the legal way. It was undemocratic. We demand a judicial enquire on this matter”, said Narayana Reddy to The Pioneer here.

Similarly, congress leader and former minister Chandrasekhar Sahu told to The Pioneer that the firing on the people without any announcement was unlawful. It could have been controlled. This was totally callousness of the police and failure of the district administration.

The women of the Chachina village complained before the political leaders about police brutality. Dozens of women showed their injured legs and hands which was mercilessly beaten up by the police and told about indiscriminate lathi charge on 14^th evening and 15^th morning.

“After the incident of Badapalli area under Sheragada block, which was happened two couple of months before, this is the second incidence, which showed the negligence of state administration. If the police administration could have controlled the mafiaraj, criminal activities before, this menace would not come to the light again”, said former Deputy Speaker Ramachandra Panda to The Pioneer on Sunday.

He further requested the government to issue a direction to the police for compulsory registration of FIR and complain before police against goons, culprits, anti-socials.

Kodala violence in fourth day

Protesters dig up road for continuing the blockade

Berhampur: The violent protesters of nearby villagers of Kodala area continued the road blockade by digging from two sides of the road on Saturday at Khajapalli near Kodala of Ganjam district.

The violence reached in fourth day. Still the tension is prevailing in nearby villages. Market, shops, school, college, were closed on Saturday. The authorities continued the prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC and night time curfew from evening 8 pm to morning 6 am since July 13 following the group-clash. Police flag march was continued and 22 platoon forces were deployed there to control the violence.

The villagers of Khajapalli were dug the road from two sides of the road. Purusottampur-Kavisuryanagar and Purusottampur-Kodala road were blocked by the villagers. Police was silent on Saturday after the unexpected incident happened on Friday.

ODRAF team has reached here in the violence site. They started clearing the road from trees cut by the villagers for the blockade.

The villagers have planned to cremate the dead bodies of the deceased on the road, after the arrival of the dead bodies from Berhampur MKCG Medical College and hospital. They also demanded 10 lakh and government job as compensation for the families of the deceased.

Senior level police officers are taking the care of the law and order situation to bring peace in the violence area. Leaders of various political parties such as Congress, BJP, CPI and CPI (M) have visited the spot on Saturday and demanded judicial probe into the matter.

On the other side, the victims of the violence, Eragula community have taken the protection of the police. 252 persons have taken shelter in a Kalyanmandap at Kodala. The Eragula community has told to police that they are interested in peaceful living and understanding with the villagers. If they have made any crime, then they are ready to respect the law. But they wanted to clear that they were not involved in any crime before as the villagers alleging against them. Whereas Chachina villagers claimed that the Eragula community has attacked on them on Friday night.

In a recent development, police administration has planned to construct a Village peace committee along with the villagers for the peaceful solution of the matter. Meanwhile, Police has tightened the security suspecting the violence may take place as the dead bodies of the deceased will reach there.