Maiden Convocation of IIT Bhubaneswar celebrated

--Equip youths with quality education to deal emerging change: Kakodka

BHUBANESWAR: “Quality education that prepares our young people to embrace the changing scenario would be the key to success. They should be equipped with quality education to deal successfully with the emerging change which is going in our country and the world,” said renowned nuclear scientist and former chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission Anil Kakodkar while addressing the IITians on the maiden convocation of the newly established IIT Bhubaneswar (IITBBS) here on Friday.

In his speech, Kakodkar said that the people of India are in a way passing through a critical phase. “Are we well prepared for this transformation? How are we to respond proactively to the emerging situation,” he questioned, adding, “Our large youth force must be provided with opportunities for constructive engagement in a manner that fulfils their aspirations. There is a need for some urgent actions in this regard, as otherwise this powerful engine of growth and development could well turn in to a major destructive force.”

Addressing the IITians said the country is expecting more from them as the IIT is now a brand name like other renowned technical and innovation education institutions of the world. IITs have the challenge to lead the way for national efforts to create a paradigm shift in terms of both the capability to usher in domestic technology enabled national development as also to enhance the number of high quality engineering graduates to support nation building, he added.

It may be noted that IITBBS is one of the 8 new IITs which started functioning from the campus of IIT Kharagpur on July 23, 2008 and shifted its operation to the city of Bhubaneswar on July 22, 2009. In the first convocation of the IITBBS, 93 B Tech students of the first batch (2008-12) of the institute got their degree while research scholar Nithin V George became the first PhD degree holder of the institute.

Dr Bhakta B Rath, Associate Director of Research and Head Material Science and Component Technology Directorate, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington DC, USA was awarded Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) in absentia. Governing body member of IITBBS Mohan Das Pai presided over the function and gave away gold medals and awards to the toppers of different departments of the institute.    

IIT BBS director Prof Madhusudan Chakraborty informed that the master plan of the new campus at Arugul has been designed and approved for 10, 000 students, 1000 faculty and 1100 supporting staff to be built over 3-phases in next 10-15 year. First phase construction is targeted to provide facilities for 2500 students. CPWD has started construction of the campus. The institute would move to the permanent campus by 2014, he added.

NAWO Stages dharna protesting growing atrocities against women in State

BHUBANESWAR: Protesting the growing atrocities against women in the State and police and State inaction, the members of the National Alliance for Women Odisha chapter (NAWO) staged dharna in front of the State Assembly here on Friday.  

The members of the organisation said that since the beginning of this year women atrocities have been on the rise everyday. Newspapers are carrying stories of women /young girls being raped, thrown down from river bridges, attacked, kidnapped, killed for dowry. And in all this in all most none of the cases the culprits are being handled they way they should be, they added.

NAWO convener Pramila Swain said that in most cases police is not taking an FIR unless they are pressurized to do so by the public. Even in the highly publicized Pipli gang rape case it was seen how the victim was treated by the police and hospital authorities. Around 242 cases have been reported within last seven months. The most alarming factor is the casual attitude of police and concerned government authorities towards women’s atrocity cases, she added.

BMC celebrates Local Self Govt Day, Women Congress observes Black Day

--Govt determined to solve city problems: Minister

BHUBANESWAR: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is determined to provide better services to the people of the capital city by solving their problems, said Urban Development Minister Raghunath Mohanty while inaugurating the Ambulance services and a new building of the BMC Hospital in the city on the occasion of Local Self Government Day celebration here on Friday.

Gracing the occasion, Minister Mohanty said the BMC would sort out different problems like maintaining of sewerage system, repairing of roads and basic facilities in the BMC Wards very soon. “The State Government is aware about the problems. We are discussing with concerning departments to take appropriate steps in this matter and our Government is certainly taking initiatives to sort out the problems very soon,” Minister Mohanty said.

Minister Mohanty hoisted the flag of the Local Self Government Day celebration organised by the BMC. After that, the Minister inaugurated a new building of the BMC Hospital and ambulance services of the hospital at Bramheswarpatna area in the city. Among others, BMC Commissioner Sanjiv Mishra, BMC Mayor Anant Narayan Jena, local MLA and corporators were present.

On the other hand, the Bhubaneswar District Women Congress observed the day as black day by protesting the BMC’s failure in solving the problems of different wards of the Municipal Corporation. The women workers of the party staged dharna in front of the BMC office here by wearing black bands on their mouths protesting BMC’s failure.

There is no value to celebrate Local Self Government Day in city, where most of the Wards have problems from sanitation facility to road and sewerage repairing, the members said.

                   

Low intensity earthquake felt in Angul

ANGUL: An earthquake of slight intensity having its magnitude 3.7 on the Richter scale has felt in Angul and its neighbouring district Deogarh on Friday morning. The earthquake has occurred at 9.14 am and felt for few seconds. No loss and damage has been reported.

According to the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre, the epicenter of the earthquake was at latitude 20.80 North and longitude 85.00 East in Angul district of the State.

SP, Left parties demand judicial inquiry into Coal scam

BHUBANESWAR: Samajwadi Party Odisha State Committee and the left parties like CPI and CPI (M)’s Odisha State Council organised a rally in front of the State Assembly here on Friday in support of their central leaders who are sitting in a dharna in front of the Parliament demanding an inquiry by a sitting Supreme Court Judge in to the Coal scam.

The party workers came in a procession from Master Canteen square and went to lower PMG where a meeting was held under the chairmanship of SP Odisha State Committee president Rabi Behera where CPI’s State assistant secretary Asish Kanungo, CPI (M) Secretariat body member Dushmant Das spoke in the meeting supporting the demand.

Besides that, the party leaders also demanded subsidised fertilizer to the farmers. They also demanded the State Government to control rape, murder, dowry deaths and firing and other women related crimes with iron hands. Among others, SP State general secretary Arun Jena, secretaries Sudarshan Pradhan, Surendra Bhanja and workers of left parties were present.

Women Commission inquires into BHMS girl students’ complaint against teacher

BHUBANESWAR: Following the complaint lodged at the State Commission for Women (SCW) by the girl students of the State run Dr Abhin Chandra Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital against their teachers for allegedly harassing them mentally, chairperson of the commission Jyoti Panigrahi on Thursday visited the college campus here and has started inquiry into the matter. On the other hand, the students informed that they would knock the door of the State Human Rights Commission to get justice.

According to the students of the college, on August 24, they locked up their teachers who had been giving threatening to lodge criminal cases against eleven students for damaging college office on July 23. On that day all the students had gheraoed the office and locked up the teachers in the office. After police intervention, the students released all the teachers in the evening except Principal in-charge whom they released later. On August 24 evening during their office gherao, one teacher misbehaved girl students for which the students had lodged a complaint at the SCW to take action against the teacher, the students added.

Chairperson Panigrahy visited the college campus to investigate into the matter. “After the inquiry the truth would come out, she said.

It may be noted the students of the college have been demanding for the appointment of the teachers in their college. They have only 11 teachers including a reader in the place of 48 teachers including five professors, said a third year BHMS student Sarada Prasanna Samantray of the college. Now they don’t have any professors, he added.

It is our genuine demand, but the teachers and the college administration want to suppress our demand by threatening us, said another student. Some of the raged students ransacked the college office on July 23 and from that day the college authorities are mentally harassing us, he added.               

Health Dept seals ultrasound clinic in city

BHUBANESWAR: The officials of the Health and Family Welfare Department on Thursday sealed an ultrasound clinic after conducting a raid on the clinic at Unit-2 market building here over alleged sex determination test. The license period of the clinic was finished from March this year, but the clinic was illegally run by its owner, sources said.

The team seized the ultrasound machine during the raid and sealed the ultrasound unit of the clinic. The officials lodged a case against the owner of the clinic and said they would take appropriate action against the owner.

“We sealed the reports which were there in the computer of the clinic and found many lapses in the reports during his license period also,” said Health and Family Welfare Department Deputy Director RK Mishra.   

Irregularities in MGNREGA, 40 employees charged with fine

KONARK: Forty employees of Gopa block office and its different panchayats were charged with fine Rs 500 each for delay in wage payment to the labourers and irregularities in MGNREGA work.

It may be noted that the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) of Puri had engaged a Konark-based NGO Young India for social audit of MGNREGA work in the panchayats under Gopa block, where they found that the job card holders of 29 panchayats did not get wages in time. Even the auditors did not get case records of the work completed in Mahalpada, Bedapur and Banakhandi Panchayats.

After getting report from the NGO, the block administration did not take any action against the defaulters. On April 16, the then special secretary of Panchayatiraj Department Arabinda Padhee directed the district administration to take appropriate steps in the matter. Following the direction of the district administration, Gopa block BDO issued show cause notice against three junior engineers, three Grampanchayat Technical Assistants, 17 Executive Officers of Gram Panchayats and 17 Gram Rojgar Sevaks, but they failed to give satisfactory answers and they were charged with fine.      

‘Govt fails to fill up 1.12 lakh job vacancy within 10 yrs’

BHUBANESWAR: A newly formed organisation Odisha Bekar Mukta Abhiyan (OBMA), a campaign to curb unemployment problem in the State, said here on Thursday that only 24 thousand youths of the State were employed directly in various organised sectors in between 1995 and 2009-10.

Addressing the Media persons, former Union Minister Braja Kishore Tripathy said the State Government has been advocating for employment for youths of the State, but failed to fill up 1, 12,000 job vacancy in the Government sector out of total 4, 74,410 posts within 10 years which shows the seriousness of the Government towards the future of the youths of the State. Without employing the unemployed eligible candidates for the vacant posts, the State Government is employing retired Government officials in contractual basis, he added.

According to the State Government’s data, 10, 10,722 youths have registered their names in various employment exchanges in the State from which 1,40,543 youths from Scheduled Tribe category and 1,73,759 from Scheduled Caste category. Every year, the unemployment rate is increasing in the tune of 10 per cent, it said.

The State Government is selling mines, minerals and providing forest lands, agricultural lands and water to the corporate houses and companies, but how many youths are getting employment, questioned Tripathy. The agricultural lands are rapidly decreasing in the State, for which agricultural labourers and farmers are migrating to other States, he added.

To protest the Government’s apathy towards providing employment, the OBMA would start campaign ‘Bekar Mukta Abhiyan’ on September 17 here, informed convener of the newly formed campaign MLA George Tirkey. Among others, joint convener of OBMA former Union Minister Bhajaman Behera, Secretary Manoj Jena, joint secretary Jayant Bhoi and spokesperson of the campaign Er Lalit Mohan Patnaik were present. 

Corporator assaults woman in city alleged

BHUBANESWAR: A girl of the city on Wednesday lodged an FIR at the Mahila police station here against corporator Malay Mahapatra of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation for allegedly attacking her. On the other hand, the corporator also lodged an FIR against the woman at Badagada police station, the police sources said.

The woman was doing saree business with a man of Badagada area in the city. After few days, the business relationship could not last long and enmity took place between them. The matter came to corporator Mahapatra and he started convincing them for a mutual understanding, sources said.

According to the woman, Mahapatra allegedly attacked her during the dialogue process. “The corporator threatened me for a compromise and to withdraw the case against the Badagada saree businessman. When I didn’t obey him, he attacked me and scolded with filthy languages,” said the woman.

The corporator denied the allegation and said that a proper investigation is needed in this matter.           

    

Punish Nalco management for ash pond irregularities: IAC

BHUBANESWAR: The anti-corruption outfit India Against Corruption (IAC) Odisha unit alleged that the Nalco captive power plant will be closed after two months due to the callousness and corruption of the Nalco management. The closure of the plant would directly affect the livelihood of the employees, the outfit members said.

IAC Odisha unit member Nishikant Mahapatra at a Press meet here alleged that the Nalco management is deliberately trying to go against the interest of the profit making Navaratna Company by closing the power plant. In 2003, he said, they got into a contract with MCL to dispose of the ash in the void mines and they took time till 2010 to prepare the project proposal as well as to finish the tendering process. After seven years, the company management gave contract to a company which has dubious standard and doesn’t have the competence and it is now proved because the party has promised for the contract to complete the work within eleven months, but only 30 per cent of the work of the project is completed after 21 months, he added.

Mahapatra said the Nalco has no option as its ash ponds will be over within two months. After two months, Nalco has to close its ash pond because there is no alternative ready to discharge the ash now, he added.

Mahapatra also said the management of the Nalco is responsible for the problem. They should be given severe punishment as per the recommendation of the CBI, the CVC and the CVO of the company, he said, adding, “Simultaneously, the Government and the management should take immediate steps to find out the alternative to dispose of the ash so that Nalco can be saved.”

“We are concerned not only for the livelihood of the 12000 direct employees and their families that will be affected by the closure of the plant, but also the sinister design through which the present management is paving the way for closure of the plant to meet the Alumina need of Vedanta Company as desperately needed by the latter,” Mahapatra said.

Inclusive education volunteers demand hike in salary

BHUBANESWAR: Demanding hike in salary and regularisation of their services, the members of All Odisha Inclusive Education Volunteer Association (AOIEVA) staged rally in front of the State Assembly here on Tuesday. Hundreds of Inclusive Education Volunteers (IEVs), who were appointed to visit the schools and to help the physically challenged students in , participated in the rally followed by a procession.

According to the members, they are just getting Rs 2,500 per month which is much lower than the daily wage to a labourer. One and a half year has already completed, but the State Government is yet to taker any step to increase the salary of more than 2,500 volunteers, they added.

In a memorandum to the Chief Minister, the members demanded that the State Government should change their present post of Inclusive Education Volunteer to Inclusive Education Teacher or Cluster Resource Teacher which would give them a new status and nobody would feel inferior. They also demanded travel allowance as they travel two schools everyday, provident fund facility and to provide all facilities like the Government employees.                

2nd Odisha Yuva Jagarana Yatra kicks off from city

BHUBANESWAR: The second Odisha Yuva Jagaran Yatra (OYJY), which is an innovative step by the Department of Sports and Youth Services (DSYS) to empower State youth power, kicked off on Tuesday here. DSYS Under Secretary Anant Kishore Jena inaugurated the Yatra showing the flag as a symbol of victory.

It is worth mentioning that the OYJY- 2012 is supported by the DSYS, Odisha, along with few supporting partners. The programme has been envisaged to introduce the aspiring youths to visit and network with organisation of their intact area so that their vision will be enriched through firsthand experience. During the journey the participants will lead a camp life where they can mix with people from other places which would provide them an atmosphere to network and learn.

Almost 60 youths from eight districts of the State participated in the second Yatra. Among other guests, TiE president Dulal Pany, Institute of Health Sciences founder Dr Satya Mohapatra, SYWB Joint Secretary Chirasmita Sahoo, Dr Dhanadakanta Mishra, Nibedita Acharya witnessed the inaugural ceremony and inspired the Yuva Yatris with their valuable words.

Daily labourer couple commits suicide in city

BHUBANESWAR: A couple committed suicide by hanging them in a rope on the outskirts of the city on Monday. Due to acute poverty, the daily labourer couple chose the way to end their life, sources said.

They were identified as Naru Behera and Sapna Pradhan of Sishupalgarh area on the outskirts of the city. Naru, who was a daily labourer, got married to Sapna eight months ago. Naru’s father-in-law said that they had little argument over a matter, but it would end in a suicide he didn’t expect.

The police recovered the body and sent that for autopsy. The police are investigating into the matter.   

Auto-drivers raise voice against police’s Dadagiri

--Auto association demands action against traffic ACP

BHUBANESWAR: Auto Rickshaw drivers led by their association gheraoed the Traffic police station demanding action against the ACP traffic for allegedly beating an auto rickshaw driver in the city. Deputy Commissioner of Police Nitinjeet Singh has assured to the members of the association that he would investigate into the matter within fifteen days.

The driver was identified as Dharanidhar Mallick. “When he was lifting passengers at the Vani Vihar Chhak, ACP traffic Binod Das came to him and suddenly started beating him. Even he took the lathi of a home guard and charged me,” said Mallick.

Following the incident, the members of the association staged demonstration in front of the traffic police station demanding compensation for the auto-driver and transfer of the ACP. The association threatened that if the Government does not take any appropriate steps into the matter, they would stop auto services in city after fifteen days. 

“The auto-driver was mercilessly beaten up by the police. The Government should provide Rs 1 lakh as compensation and free medical treatment to the auto-driver and then we would take our course of action,” said Rajdhani Auto Mahasangh president Naba Mohanty.

DCP Singh said he would take appropriate steps in the matter. “On the humanitarian ground, we would give medical expenditure,” he added.    

Shifting of BPUT office to R’kela fuels students’ strike

BHUBANESWAR: Shifting of Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT)’s main office from the capital city to Rourkela has fueled the students’ agitation in the city on Monday. The students of all the engineering colleges of the city and around the city conducted strike led by the BPUT Students’ Union (BSU) demanding rollback of the shifting decision and publication of correct results of the students in the university website.

Hundreds of students of different engineering colleges in and around the city conducted strikes at Master Canteen, Fire Station square, CRP square, Rasulgarh Chak and others places in the city protesting the decisions of the university authorities.       

BSU State president Sukumar Gourab said that shifting of BPUT Gandamunda office from the capital city to Rourkela is illegal. More than 90 colleges out of 150 BPUT affiliated colleges are in the city only or within 20 km radius from the city. More than Rs 97 lakh has been invested to complete the BPUT Gandamunda office, which is started for placement and office proposes, Gaurab added.

“More than 500 students daily come to Gandamunda office for various purposes. If the Government would shift the office, the students have to go Rourkela for their work. This would be very expensive,” Gaurab said.

The agitated students have also complained about wrong result declaration as the BPUT declared various semester results on Sunday. Many students could not find results in the website and most of them complained that the grade published in the website is not correct. BSU State president Gourab said that if the Government and BPUT officials do not stop the order of shifting the Gandamunda office and not rectify the result of the students, the students all over the State would go for State-wide strike.

Five of a looters’ gang in city arrested

BHUBANESWAR: Five of a looters’ gang were arrested by the Commissionerate Police from Phalikia Bazaar near Kalpana area in the city on Monday. Valuables were also recovered from the members of the gang, the police said. Police are investigating to trace out other members of the gang, Deputy Commissioner of Police Nitinjeet Singh said. 

The police recovered 160 gm gold, 1kg silver, four cameras, one binocular, two television sets, one DVD player, eight mobile sets, one Pulsar bike and one Honda Activa motor vehicle from the possession of the looters. The gang was active in Nayapalli and Khandagiri police station area, the police said.

“Five members involved in more than ten cases were arrested. We have recovered Rs 6 lakh cash from the members,” said DCP Singh.      

Setting up of Minority Commission in State demanded

BHUBANESWAR: Minority cell of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee on Monday here alleged that the State Government failed to address the problems of the minorities living in the State. In a State-level meeting of district presidents of the Minority Department of the PCC, it’s State president Sk Abdul Bari demanded that the State Government should set up a Minority Commission in the State to sort out the problems of the minorities living in the State.

Bari said that the State Government failed to implement the Prime Minister’s fifteen-point programme for the development of the minorities in the State. The district presidents demanded that the Government to appoint Urdu teachers in the respective schools. The district presidents were told to stage dharnas in front of all the District Magistrate’s offices raising the said demands. PCC president Niranjan Patnaik was present in the State-level meeting.         

  

Disproportionate assets found from Gajapati engineer

PARLAKHEMUNDI: Disproportionate assets worth more than Rs 50 lakh was found from an assistant engineer of Rural Development section of Gajapati district during the vigilance raid on Monday. Vigilance sleuths conducted several raids on six places including assistant engineer Khirasindhu Pradhan’s office at G Udaygiri in the district, said Vigilance SP J Hansda.

As the raid is continuing, the actual disproportionate assets could not be estimated, said an official of the Southern Division of Vigilance Department. The sleuths came in five different teams to conduct raids at a time in all the five places. The teams conducted raid on Pradhan’s G Udaygiri office, Brahmapur’s Ayodhyanagar residence, relative sister’s house, half-constructed building at Digapahandi, Pradhan’s father-in-law’s house at Kalyanpur and uncle’s house at Ramnagar second lane in Brahmapur. During the raid the vigilance teams found an agreement paper to buy an apartment at Konark-Puri road and bank deposits, officials said. 

‘Empower children to monitor child development programmes’

BHUBANESWAR: “Government is determined to provide all scope for children for their holistic development and an environment for them which is free from discrimination and fear,” said Saraswati Hembram, Chairperson for Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, while addressing the mass at the inaugural function of a two-day capacity building of State-level Children’s Alliance on Monitoring and Reporting of Child Development Programmes organised by Save the Children here on Sunday.

Save the Children and its local partners are implementing a project called ‘Children Alliance for Realisation of Child Rights’ in Puri, Boudh, Kalahandi and Nuapada districts of the State towards ensuring full and meaningful participation of children  in planning, implementation and monitoring of child development programmes and be directly represented in local, State and national decision-making and follow up processes.

Gracing the occasion poet and writer Dash Benhur said, “No other than children can say truth in any given condition. Children should be empowered to monitor the process of social development and Government sponsored child centered schemes, so that a significant and transparent monitoring system is developed.”

Thirty children leaders from ten project districts of Save the Children participated in the children alliance. Among others, Odisha State Program Manager for Save the Children Sasanka Kumar Padhi and Project Officer Dharmananda Sundaray were present in the function.

Two-day bank strike paralyses commercial activities in State

BHUBANESWAR: Protesting proposed amendments in banking regulations and outsourcing of jobs in the banks functioning in the country, officers and employees’ unions of nationalized banks in the State observed their two-day bandh from Wednesday in support of the nation-wide bandh call given by the public sector banks, private and foreign banks. Business and commercial activities across the State were paralysed and business worth hundreds of crores was affected on the day due to the strike.

Normal banking operations including cash transactions, cheque clearances, bank challans and foreign exchange dealings were affected. Among the other operations hit were normal in-house across the counter services for ordinary customers, export-import and local bills, operation of bank lockers and capital markets which are carried out through the banks.

Employees of more than thousand foreign banks, private banks and nationalised banks in the State participated in the strike. Various bank unions including Indian National Bank Employees Federation, All India Bank Employees Association and State Bank Employees Union and its workers staged demonstrations in front of their respective banks protesting the proposed amendments and outsourcing of jobs.

According to the strikers, the Banking Law Bill proposes to amend the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, which aims at merger of banks, allowing more private and foreign capital into banks, unrestricted voting rights, FDI in public sector banks and granting of licences to corporate houses to start new banks. The amendment would mean the closure of rural bank branches and lead to opening of ultra-small branches, thereby privatising rural banking operations through contractual business which would affect the rural banking, said leader of Bank Employees Union Ganesh Mishra.

SOG Group-D staff demand service regularisation

BHUBANESWAR: Demanding regularisation of service, all 305 Group-D contractual employees of the Special Operation Group (SOG) of the Odisha police staged a rally in front of the State Assembly here on Wednesday while their indefinite dharna at the site entered the sixth day on the day.

The SOG Menial Staff (Group-D) Association handed over a memorandum to the Chief Minister demanding appropriate steps for fulfilment of their demands. The memorandum said that in the Commissionerate Police of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack, 92 have been appointed as menial staff on regular basis in SS Battalion in 2011 with all service benefit as regular Government employees and recently, about two months back, altogether 414 have been appointed on regular basis in the sixth Indian Reserve Battalion operating in the State as menial staff in Group-D establishment who would have all service benefits like regular Government employees.

The employees said, “The duties and functions are one and the same, compared to menial staff engaged in SSB and the sixth IRB although we command seniority over and above them. In spite of appeals, the Government is not acting in positive manner for regularisation of our service,” they added.

The association demanded listing of the menial employees in the regular cadre, regularisation of their services with effect from menial staff (Group-D) appointment of SSB and other privileges as admissible to the SOG personnel including grant of life risk allowance.

Why Govt delaying Mahendratanaya Project?

BRAHMAPUR: Within the stipulated time of five years, Andhra Pradesh Government completed the Mahendratanaya project at Meliaputti in Srikakulam district of the State, but our Government yet to complete the tender process for the Mahendratanaya project at Champapur in Gajapati district though four years have already passed, said Convener of Mahendratanaya Bachao Andolan Srikant Padhi.

It may be noted that violating the treaty which was signed in 1962 with Odisha, the Andhra Pradesh Government laid foundation stone in 2007 to construct a dam over the Mahendratanaya River at Meliaputti. Many discussions and political dialogues in between the two States had continued, but the Andhra Government didn’t listen to Odisha and constructed the dam. To counter the neighbouring State, the Odisha Government laid foundation stone of ‘Mahendratanaya Irrigation Project’ on April 30, 2008.

“Sorry to say that our State Government yet to start the project at the proposed place of Dambapur and Champapur in Gajapati district as our Government’s work is going not even snail’s pace,” said Padhi. Due to lack of interest of the State Government, the project work could not be started like Andhra Pradesh, he added.

In Dambapur project, Padhi said, only three junior engineers and an assistant engineer are working which is not sufficient for such projects. These two projects would have given the right answer of Andhra’s arbitrary behaviour, he added.

“We have written letters to the Chief Secretary, Chief Minister and other concerned officials to take immediate measures to complete the project. If the Government don’t respond us, we will sit in dharna,” Padhi said.   

  

Miscreants loot Rs 13 lakh from trader in Ganjam

BRAHMAPUR: Five unidentified miscreants looted Rs 13 lakh from a trader at Rambha town in Ganjam district, 45 km away from here, when the trader was coming to the State Bank of India local branch to deposit his money on Tuesday. The police are interrogating a person in connection with the loot case.

Anil Kumar Subudhi, a local trader and kerosene dealer from Rambha town, was coming to the local SBI branch to deposit his money. While coming to the bank five bike-borne unidentified miscreants came to him and looted all the money at gun point and managed to escape from the spot within no time, said the police.

“We are investigating into the matter. We are interrogating a person in connection with the case,” said Chatrapur Sub-Divisional Police Officer Santanu Padhi.

According to Subudhi, he was attacked twice before the incident some months ago. He was attacked by the miscreants at Keshpur Ghati, but he managed to escape from the clutches of the miscreants, while his bike dicky was damaged by the miscreants at Balugaon, Subudhi added.     

Narasingha Mishra demands Railwagon factory in Balangir

BHUBANESWAR: Former Law Minister Narasingha Mishra on Tuesday in a letter urged Union Railway Minister Mukul Ray to set up of the proposed railway wagon factory and hospital at Kantabanji in Balangir district. The establishment of the factory would check the migration of labour from the district, advocated Mishra in his letter.

In Railway budget-2010, former Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee had given the proposal and for the purpose around 540 acres of land were reserved. There is no problem to set up the factory, said Mishra.

Hindalco ash pond repair superficial: Samajwadi Party

SAMBALPUR: The Hindalco ash pond overflow incident reflects complete failure of a clear cut policy for ash pond management by various companies in the State, alleged the Samajwadi Party Odisha State Committee after a two-member delegation of the party visited the site in Sambalpur district.

Addressing a Press meet here on Monday, party president Rabi Behera said the present repair work by Hindalco is very much superficial and temporary which may not sustain a heavy shower. No officials of the State Government or the Pollution Control Board were present on the spot which reflects their insensitive, casual and careless attitude to the issue, he added.

+2 spot admission date extended

BHUBANESWAR: Balance seat (Spot) admission date was extended to August 25 and the admission into +2 classes will be taken up from August 21 to 25 at the college level from the merit list, according to the memo sent by the Department of Higher Education to the junior colleges in the State.

The applicants who were selected during the 1st selection but could not take admission due to various reasons can register their names and the applicants who have not been selected during 1st selection can also register their names for the spot admission.

The interested eligible applicants out of the merit list shall register their name to consider them spot admission. The registration shall be accepted at the colleges on August 23 upto 2pm. The colleges would shortlist the candidates as per merit and publish the list of applicants selected for spot admission by 5pm on August 23 in the college notice board. The spot admission shall be completed on August 25, the memo said.

On the other hand, the students who have been selected in the SC/ST extension seat selection could not take admission on August 18 may be allowed to take admission till August 25.     

Odisha Governor’s 5-yr term ends, likely to continue in office

--I wish Odisha to go ahead: Guv

BHUBANESWAR: “The people of the State in spite of poverty are the happiest that I have seen all over India. Such peaceful and happy population you won’t find anywhere,” said Governor Murlidhar Chandrakant Bhandare answering a question on his best moments during his tenure in Odisha. On the last day of his five-year term as Governor of the State on Monday, he expressed his happiness in serving the State which is culturally rich.  

Attending a felicitation ceremony of the State-level Rajiv Gandhi Chhatra Prativa Puraskar-2012 on the occasion of 68th anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi organised by Rajiv Gandhi Study Circle (Odisha) here, he said, “As a citizen of the great nation, we have to live in harmony and brotherhood. Let us not allow any hatred or violence to permeate in our society, which was Rajivji’s dream, should be fulfilled.”

“Wherever I’m, I’ll wish Odisha everyday to go ahead,” Bhandare said adding that Odisha would rise quite high and its future is bright. The literacy rate of the State is increasing year by year and the State is marching towards full literacy as the recent literacy rate is all about to touch 80 per cent mark. Education is future, therefore the youths of the country should be given quality education as they are the strength, dream and future of the State as well as of the country, Bhandare said.

Among others, leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh, Rajyasabha MP Ram Chandra Khuntia, former BPUT Vice-Chancellor Omkarnath Mohanty, former Utkal University Vice-Chancellor Binayak Rath and State president of Rajiv Gandhi Students’ Forum also spoke in the function. The toppers of Matriculation, CHSE board examination, OJEE, Utkal University graduation-level toppers and winners of Rajiv Gandhi Chhatra Prativa Puraskar were felicitated in the ceremony.       

  

    

Govt’s decision to fill up vacant Engg seats very soon

BHUBANESWAR: “The State Government would take appropriate decision to fill up vacant seats lying in the private engineering colleges in the State,” said Minister of Employment and Technical Training Pratap Keshari Deo following the demand made by the Odisha Private Engineering College Association (OPECA) to authorise the colleges for filling up their vacant seats allowing spot admission.

The second round of counselling for admission into engineering institutions in the State which ended on Saturday failed to fill up the vacant seats of the engineering colleges. As many as 24,000 seats are yet to be filled up, sources said.

During the first counselling, 17, 242 students had taken admission, while 2,878 seats were filled up in the second round. After locking final choice, around 2,500 students withdrew from the admission process which became headache for the authorities of the private engineering institutions.

It may be noted that the Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE) had conducted an entrance examination for 44,179 seats of 99 engineering colleges in the State where 63,634 students had received rank cards for admission into engineering courses.

CUTM inks MoU with Red Cross to set up School of Disaster Management

BHUBANESWAR: The Centurion University of Technology and Management (CUTM) on Saturday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Odisha State Branch of Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS-OSB) for establishing a School of Disaster Management in the university to create a new centre of excellence for knowledge and skills development in disaster management in the State.

The School of Disaster Management would offer courses covering both the theoretical principles and the practices of planning for, responding to, recovering from a disaster and reducing risks. It would facilitate Knowledge Management, Technical Assistance, Capacity Building, Humanitarian Response and Strengthening partnership with Humanitarian Agencies.

The MoU was signed as a framework of cooperation between IRCS-OSB and CUTM in the presence of IRCS-OSB Secretary Dr Mangala Prasad Mohanty and CUTM president Prof Mukti Kanta Mishra here.

Public hearing brings school education problems to fore

BRAHMAPUR: In a public hearing organised by the ISRD Childline in collaboration with the National Coalition for Education (NCE) here on Sunday, several issues in the education system after implementation of Right to Education were raised from the grassroots level.

Although most of the complains were focussed on building infrastructure of schools and lack of adequate numbers of teachers, issues like discrimination between teachers, sanitation of schools, methodology of teaching were subject matters of discussion.

A representative from Kalama village speaking about the midday meal scheme said that as the meal is given in one shift since morning, children do not take interest to eat. Besides, provision of only Rs 3.90 per head for the meal reduces its quality. With more complaints regarding infrastructure in the upper primary schools from Beguniapada block, it was demanded that proper urinal and drinking water facilities be provided in the schools.

The situation is also not good in the upper primary school at Odanai in Beguniapada block with student strength of more than 300 and classes from one to eight only run with two rooms, said the school headmaster. Though the Chhatrapur High School has been awarded as the best school in the State, it has problems of sanitation.

As per a few studies raised during the hearing, the education system is not interesting leading to absence of students in classes.

Talking on the issue, district pedagogic coordinator Manoranjan Sahu said, “In order to make the teaching process more interesting, training of teachers is highly needed. Discrimination between schools is seen with appointment of only two faculties in a school having 125 students while three teachers are appointed in a nearby UP school with 60 students.

The suggestions included separation of textbooks from workbooks, situating Anganwadis in school premises, making vocational training mandatory and execution of RTE awareness in every block headquarters.

NCE State coordinator Naba Kishor Pujari said public hearing is highly useful to reach people from the grassroots level for awareness on RTE. “The conclusions came out of the public hearing will be brought to the notice of the district Collector and the education department for appropriate actions,” said State coordinator of ISRD Childline Sudhir Sabat.

Civil body demands Govt to check Bangladeshi infiltration

BHUBANESWAR: Demanding effective steps to check Bangladeshi infiltration into the country, the Rastriya Surakhya Mancha (RSM) staged a massive dharna and demonstration at the Lower PMG here on Sunday. Expressing grave concern over the Assam violence, The Manch appealed the North-East peoples to not to get panic as they are not alone but the entire country is with them.

Taking the lead of the demonstration, RSM State Coordinator Mahesh Mishra said the present situation in Assam that erupted on July 20 is not an isolated or sudden one, but it is another episode in the series of such violent incidents took place earlier. There have been conflicts leading to wide spread violence in the past due to a large presence of illegal Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators, he added.

The members said the ever increasing number of Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators has not only disturbed peace and amity in the region but created socio-economic and political problems also. It is an irony that people have to live in refugee camps in their own country because of hostilities from foreigners, they added.

The Manch members demanded the Government should implement all effective steps immediately to check the infiltration from Bangladesh and to detect them here, delete their names from electoral lists and to deport back in order to put a permanent halt to this problem. Also, the National Register of Citizens (NRC) should be prepared without further delay and non-citizens should be treated accordingly, the demanded.

Annexation bid of BMC kept in abeyance

BHUBANESWAR: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday put off the decision to add two revenue villages and 21 Panchayats to make the capital as Metro city which will help the existed corporation to get more fund, said BMC Mayor Anant Narayan Jena.

Following the protest from the people of the different panchayats and revenue villages, the decision was kept in abeyance and after thorough discussion with the elected representatives and people of the respective areas the decision would be taken, he added.

It may be noted that the elected representatives and people of five panchayats of the Bhubaneswar-North Assembly constituency - Dadha, Raghunathpur, Barimund, Kalyanpur and Kalarahang - on August 12 strongly opposed the BMC’s decision to annex their panchayats to its jurisdiction. After few days, some other panchayats had also opposed the BMC’s decision.

“We had just given a proposal, but the people opposed for which reason it was kept in abeyance. We would take decision following a meeting to discuss about the matter with the peoples and concerned elected representatives,” said Mayor Jena.

Neglect in treatment allegedly takes life in Capital Hospital

BHUBANESWAR: A patient, who was admitted in maternity ward of the Capital Hospital, died after childbirth due to neglect in treatment, alleged family members of the patient here on Saturday. The family members and relatives of the patient had gheraoed the office of the hospital authority demanding action against the officials for neglect in treatment.  

The patient Ranjita Behera of Manapur in Nayagarh district was admitted in the maternity ward of the hospital. She died on Friday night after delivering a baby boy following a caesarian operation. Husband of the patient alleged that she died due to neglect in treatment.

“Following the operation, I called the nurse on duty to check up his wife as her condition was in danger, but the nurse avoided him. When I requested her to take the case serious and call a doctor, she agreed, but she didn’t call the doctor,” said Ranjita’s husband.

On the other hand, Chief Medical Officer of the hospital Sudarshan Das said they would take action against the defaulters after the inquiry into the matter. “The inquiry report would come to me within 24 hours and then we would take action,” CMO Das said.    

SP, CPI demand action against Hindalco in ash pond breach case

BHUBANESWAR: Samajwadi Party Odisha State Committee has demanded action against Hindalco at Sambalpur for violating its Ash Pond Management Guidelines and compensation to the farmers whose crops have been damaged due to ash pond water. Following a discussion with the member secretary of Odisha State Pollution Control Board on Friday, the party urged him to take appropriate measures in the case.

After gas leak from a plant of the company in the month of July and two times over flow of ash pond water in the month of August, the farming lands of the nearby areas of the plant were badly affected by the toxic ash pond water. “The company didn’t take any measures after the incident and massive damage of crops which reflects the casual and careless attitude of the said company as well as Pollution Control Board and District Administration,” said Samajwadi Party State Committee president Rabi Behera.

Similarly, Odisha State Council of Communist Party India demanded Rs 1 lakh per acre as compensation to the farmers of the area. It also demanded the Government should take stringent action against the company for neglect in ash pond management.   

Baby girl found lying abandoned in city rly station

--Girl’s mother returns after three hour to claim her daughter

BHUBANESWAR: A three-month old baby girl found lying abandoned in waiting hall of Bhubaneswar railway station on Friday. The Government Railway Police (GRP) took the girl and handed over to the Childline after waiting around three hour for the girl’s claimant. Finally, a woman reached and claimed the baby girl as her daughter.

According to the GRP, the baby girl was lying abandoned in the waiting hall for three hours. The passengers, who were waiting for the train, in the hall talked about the baby girl who was lying unattended for hours. Some passengers then informed the GRP and railway station authority about the matter. The railway station officials made announcements, but nobody came to claim the baby girl.

“I thought mother of the baby had gone somewhere and would return, but the baby shouldn’t lye abandoned for hours. If her mother comes, we would give her the address of Childline from where she can bring her baby safely,” said IIC of GRP Bhubaneswar Smruti Ranjan Kar.

The GRP then handed over the baby to Childline. The Childline member Pratima Satpathy received the baby and said they would produce her before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). What the CWC would take decision that is final, she added.

After three hours, the mother of the baby Anusuya Panigrahy of Jajpur district reached the GRP police station and claimed that the baby was her daughter. She had gone to the toilet of a train, but couldn’t come back as the train left the station when she came out of the toilet. Later she got down at the next railway station and came back to the railway station where she left her baby, Anusuya added.

BJP’s nation-wide protest on Aug 21

BHUBANESWAR: To highlight various problems faced by traders and to protest anti-trader policies of the Congress-led Central Government, Bharatiya Janata Party’s Odisha Traders’ Cell would stage demonstration in front of the Raj Bhavan here on August 21. The protest is part of the nation-wide campaign being undertaken by the BJP Traders’ Cell.

The BJP leaders alleged that the Congress-led Central Government, which harassing the trader community, has been doing nothing for welfare of the community. At this time, they said, when prices of goods are sky-rocketing, traders are barely able to manage their businesses, the Central Government wanted to ruin them by allowing Foreign Direct Investment in the retail sector.

A delegation comprising of State President Jual Oram and State Convener of the Trader’s Cell Umesh Khandelwal would hand over a Memorandum addressed to the President of India to the Odisha Governor following the rally in front of the Raj Bhawan.

Officials conduct raid on diagnostic centre in Ganjam

BRAHMAPUR: Following the death of a pregnant woman, who had faced ultrasound for sex determination of her foetus in Escort Diagnostics Centre here, a team of officials led by Deputy Director of Family Welfare Rabindra Kumar Mishra conducted raid on the diagnostics center on Thursday to investigate into the matter and to check up the instruments of the centre.

According to sources, Sujata Maharana, wife of Jagannath Maharana of Kankarada under Patapur police station in the district, died on July 30 after allegedly consuming medicines to abort her child. People from her father-in-law’s house took her to Escort Diagnostics to determine the sex. When they knew that Sujata has a girl child, they instigated her for abortion and she was prescribed to take some medicines to abort the child, but she could not resist the reaction of the medicine and died, said Sujata’s father Sudarshan Maharana of Masihakhali near to Kankarada area.

Sujata had already a daughter and the recent ultrasound report made the people of her father-in-law’s house unhappy and they prescribed medicines to abort her child, alleged Sudarshan. He had lodged a complaint before Patapur police against the people of Sujata’s father-in-law’s house.    

According to the PC and PNDT (Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Amendment Act, 2002, determination of sex of the foetus is violation of the law. Section 18 of the PNDT Act states that no person shall open any genetic counselling centre or genetic laboratory or clinic, including centres having ultrasound or imaging machines or scanners or any other technology capable of undertaking determination of sex of foetus, unless it is duly registered under the Act.

Illegal construction of college building on Kuakhai River

--BDA, Irrigation Department serve show cause notices

BHUBANESWAR: Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) and Irrigation Department have served show cause notice to a private engineering college for illegally constructing its building on the Kuakhai River bank on the outskirts of the city and also directed the college authority to stop the illegal construction, while the college authority said that they are constructing their college building legally.

According to the sources, the authority of the Royal College of Science and Technology (RCST) is constructing a new building for their college on the river bank for which the BDA and Irrigation Department have served show cause notice to the college authority. The new college building’s boundary wall is only few feet from the water of the river.

The BDA said the construction is illegal and it openly violates the Building Regulation Act 2008. The authority of the college has not taken permission to construct the building according to the Odisha Development Authorities Act, 1982, it added. In August 7, 2007, the college authority was directed to stop illegal construction of the college building, but the construction work was not stopped.

On the other hand, the managing trustee of the college BM Mohanty said they have taken permission from the panchayat as the land comes under the panchayat. “As the land comes under Panchayat, we have taken permission before starting our construction. How can it be called as illegal construction,” said Mohanty.

The BDA in its show-cause notice summoned the college authority to keep its statement before August 31, if the said authority failed to present its statement before the scheduled date, the BDA would give demolish order, said BDA Vice-Chairman Vishal Kumar Dev.