FSB to hold annual festival of world cinema

BHUBANESWAR: Film Society of Bhubaneswar (FSB) would hold a three-day long 8th Annual Festival of World Cinema with the support of Tata Steel starting from November 3 at Jaydev Bhavan here. It brings together a selection of contemporary and critically acclaimed films that offer meaningful and entertaining exposure to social issues, cultural conventions and artistic excellence from across the world.

The festival has three sections including morning session, afternoon session and evening session. The afternoon session of the first day is dedicated to Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa and three major works of the master filmmaker would be featured over the next two days.

The evening session of each day would feature contemporary cinema from around the world. Starting at 6 pm on the evening of November 3, following the formal inauguration of the festival, it would feature two films each evening with a break of 15 minutes between the screenings. The opening film of the festival is “A Separation”, a well acclaimed film, by Iranian writer and director Ashghar Farhadi.

   

The morning session of November 4 and 5 would focus on documentaries from Chile, looking at cinema as a mode of resistance to forgetting, cinema as documents of memory and history, recounting a struggle against totalitarianism.

According to the organisers, the festival would offer new ways of looking at cinema to a new and younger audience, as well as providing engaging encounters with cinema for those not so new to film festivals. And as all film festivals do, it also holds the promise of renewing old acquaintances and friendships and the making of new ones through sharing of ideas and experience of cinema, added the organisers.

Dr Madhavi committed suicide, reveals postmortem report

PURI: Lady Ayush doctor Madhavilata Pradhan had committed suicide and it was not a murder, revealed the railway police here after getting postmortem report from the doctors and hearing the statement eyewitnesses, while father of the deceased alleged that his daughter committed suicide after losing her mental balance due to transfer pressure on her.

After 19 days of missing and then death of the lady doctor, the railway police got the postmortem report. The railway officials said that it was not a murder case. “It is a clear case of suicidal run over. To trace the actual reason of the suicide, we are investigating into the matter,” said a police officer.

On the other hand, father of the lady doctor alleged that her daughter was under pressure due to her transfer. He also alleged that some political leaders had written letters to the Chief District Medical Officer to transfer his daughter.

On Tuesday, hundreds of women activists led by State Mahila Congress president Bijayalaxmi Sahoo launched a scathing attack on the police for shoddy probe and staged a demonstration in front of the district police head quarters demanding CBI probe against the political leaders. They had pointed finger at Health Minister Dr Damodar Rout and Brahmagiri MLA Sanjay Dasburma at whose instance the lady doctor was transferred from Brahmagiri to Kanas hospital about seven months ago.

Dalit body demands Damodar Rout’s arrest

BHUBANESWAR: Milita Dalit Mahamanch (MDM), an organisation working for dalit rights, on Wednesday demanded Health and Family Welfare Minister Damodar Rout’s arrest for his controversial comment on dalits at Biju Maidan in Paradip on October 24.

At a State-level executive body meeting of the MDM, convener of the organisation Shaikh Abdul Wali said the Minister’s comment on dalits is an insult to their community. The executive body members of the MDM also demanded appropriate action against Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik under section-3 (1) (x) of the SC, ST Prevention Act, 1989 for protecting Rout.

It may be noted that Rout had earlier used derogatory remarks against the above community at Kujanga on August 18, 2010. A case had been registered against him and then he had availed anticipatory bail from the Odisha High court.

“We would take it to the street, if the Government fails to take proper action against Rout,” said the members of the MDM. Among others, Pratap Sahu, Amiya Pandab, Prafulla Kumar Nayak, Usharani Dehury, Ashok Kumar Nayak and members of 18 districts were present.

Maoist arrested in Rourkela

ROURKELA: One Maoist area commander was arrested by the Rourkela police with help of the District Voluntary Force (DVF) team in Mahulpada police station area of Sundergarh district on Monday. Police seized one German made revolver from the arrested Maoist. 

He was identified as Bipin Kumar Sahani (25) alias Lambu of Chack Bhua under Bhaganpur police station in Vaishali district in Bihar. He was an area commander of Bhalulata-Digha region of CPI (Maoist) organisation. He was apprehended by a DVF team at Tala Ginia area of Mahulpada police station in a suspected circumstance on Monday evening, police sources said.

After interrogation, he confessed to have been involved in Bondamunda railway cabin, Bisra tehsil office and Jareikela outpost blast cases in 2011 and many other Maoist violence cases.

He further admitted that he was present during the encounter of Muslim, the then area commander of Bhalulata-Digha area, on November 11 last year in Jharbeda jungle under Bisra police station where Muslim and his two associates were neutralised by Rourkela police. Prior to this, three hardcore Maoists Salkhan Oram, Daharu Munda and Munguli Purti were arrested and forwarded to Court in the present case.

Nilam effect: Rains likely at a few places

BHUBANESWAR: Rains or thunder showers might occur at several places in the State during next 24 hours from Tuesday as a deep depression over southwest Bay of Bengal moved westwards and intensified into cyclonic storm Nilam about 1,175 km south-west off Gopalpur coast, informed the local Met Department.

According to the Met officials, the depression lay centred at 8.30 am on Tuesday which would move northwestwards and cross north Tamil Nadu and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nagapattinam and Nellore by Wednesday afternoon or evening.

On the other hand, Special Relief Commissioner of the State Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra said that there is no fear from the side of the cyclonic storm ‘Nilam’ towards the State. “It will not affect our State, so people should not worry about the storm,” said Mohapatra.  

International Children’s Festival to be flagged in city on Nov 2

BHUBANESWAR: The children have reason to cheer as a city-based organisation Swabhiman is going to organise a five-day long International Children’s Festival which would be started from November 2 in the city. The organisation would also hold Anjali Children’s Film Festival, the only national children festival in India, after two days of the first festival.

The children’s festival would continue for five days at Adivasi Exhibition Ground in the city which would be inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The organisers have added some extra activities in the film festival in comparison to the last year to educate and entertain the children.

The film festival would start from November 9 and continue for six days at Rabindra Mandap in the city. Internationally acclaimed films like ‘Baaja’, ‘Foto’, ‘Sixer’, ‘Wrong Mauritius’ and ‘Xang Xang Klang’ would be screened in the festival.  

“In ten years of its journey it has reached over 15,000 children (non-disabled and disabled) and helped many disabled students to successfully complete courses, obtain jobs, and get visibility and thus opportunities. Children from 22 States have participated in it,” said Swabhiman’s Chairperson Dr Sruti Mohapatra.

Former Minister's son gets bail in road rage case

BHUBANESWAR: Former Women and Child Development Minister Anjali Behera’s son Pradyut Behera and four of his friends who were arrested on the charges of road rage and attacking the employees of an automobile showroom at Acharya Vihar in the city got bail on Tuesday.

According to police sources, Pradyut and his friends Archit Rout, Rahul Sharma, Dibyajyoti Panda and Laxmidhar Beura, students of a private engineering college in the city, waylaid the other car at Jaydev Vihar over bridge while coming towards Vani Vihar in a car on Monday evening.

When the student’s car crashed with a car from its backside, the car driver Surendra Mishra, a car showroom employee, started arguing with them about the matter. The students started manhandling the driver Mishra and smashed the windows of the car, said Saheed Nagar IIC KP Mishra.

The police have registered cases against the students under sections 323, 341 and 427 of IPC.

Elephant menace: Crop damaged in 3 districts

BRAHMAPUR/PHULBANI/BARGARH: Following the huge damage of standing paddy at Sambalpur district’s Gudesingha area and Kendujhar district’s Sadar Forest Range area on Saturday, the marauding pachyderms have wrecked havoc in three other districts Ganjam, Kandhamal and Bargarh by damaging standing paddy and Rabi crops.

A herd of about 17 elephants in three different groups are continuously damaging ripening paddy and vegetable crops in the villages of Podagada, Jhatipadar, N Barpalli, Raghunathpur, Balibagada and Palur area under Ganjam block in Ganjam district. The elephant herds had created headache during planting of paddy saplings, but this time left the farmers in frustration as they were all prepared to harvest the paddy.

“What will we do, if the pachyderms don’t move to their natural habitat? If we want to take them away, we have to tranquilise the jumbos for shifting them otherwise we could not,” said Brahmapur DFO SS Mishra.

In Kandhamal district, a herd of about 25 elephants, including eight tuskers, have destroyed standing paddy and other Rabi crops in Baliguda area in the district, forest officials said on Monday. The herd migrated from Urladani forest range in Kalahandi North Forest Division was roaming near Belghar, Tumudibandha and Baliguda forest range areas for last one week, said the Baliguda forest officials.

Last year also a herd of about 30 elephants had come from the same place and damaged standing crops for about a week and the department had to toil hard to drive them out, the officials said.

In Bargarh, elephant herds destroyed standing crop in vast patches of land in Ambabhona block of the Bargarh district and rest other parts of western region including Sambalpur also. About 18 elephants strayed in the villages late in the night on Saturday and damaged crop in Baddhara, Salepali, Ganpara, Bhukta, Pichholi area of the Ambabhona block.

Their presence is also marked in the Bhattli block of the district, said divisional forest officer (DFO) of Bargarh Rajat Lenka. But it is a fact that the elephants, before leaving the villages, ruined a large quantity of crop in the block for which the villagers demanded compensation for the loss.

On being contacted, DFO Lenka said, “We are yet to assess the loss. The revenue inspector will visit the area for assessment. The farmers will be adequately compensated.”

Landmine blast in Malkangiri

MALKANGIRI: Security personnel narrowly escaped unhurt when a landmine planted by Maoists exploded at Erakonda in Malkangiri district on Monday. The explosion took place when about 40 BSF jawans and district police personnel were clearing the road blockade, police said.   

According to the Malkangiri SP Akhilesh Singh, the Maoists have cut the trees to block the road during bandh called by them in the district two days ago. On Monday, the security personnel had started clearing the road and at that very moment the landmine planted by the Maoists exploded at once, he added.

The landmine exploded about a few metres away from the spot where the security personnel were undertaking the operation to clear the road connecting Gomphagonda and Bejangwada, Singh said, adding that no one was injured in the incident.

Combing operations and patrolling by security forces have been intensified in the area. Two persons were detained, but later let off after questioning.

The landmine explosion came a day after armed Maoists burnt a heavy machine used for construction work and damaged materials in Kalimela area of the district.

Film Society of Bhubaneswar (FSB) to hold annual festival of world cinema

BHUBANESWAR: Film Society of Bhubaneswar (FSB) would hold a three-day long 8th Annual Festival of World Cinema with the support of Tata Steel starting from November 3 at Jaydev Bhavan here. It brings together a selection of contemporary and critically acclaimed films that offer meaningful and entertaining exposure to social issues, cultural conventions and artistic excellence from across the world.

The festival has three sections including morning session, afternoon session and evening session. The afternoon session of the first day is dedicated to Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa and three major works of the master filmmaker would be featured over the next two days.

The evening session of each day would feature contemporary cinema from around the world. Starting at 6 pm on the evening of November 3, following the formal inauguration of the festival, it would feature two films each evening with a break of 15 minutes between the screenings. The opening film of the festival is “A Separation”, a well acclaimed film, by Iranian writer and director Ashghar Farhadi.

   

The morning session of November 4 and 5 would focus on documentaries from Chile, looking at cinema as a mode of resistance to forgetting, cinema as documents of memory and history, recounting a struggle against totalitarianism.

According to the organisers, the festival would offer new ways of looking at cinema to a new and younger audience, as well as providing engaging encounters with cinema for those not so new to film festivals. And as all film festivals do, it also holds the promise of renewing old acquaintances and friendships and the making of new ones through sharing of ideas and experience of cinema, added the organisers.

Odia youth dies in Hyderabad

PARLAKHEMUNDI: An Odia youth from Gajapati district, a daily labourer, died on Sunday in Hyderabad city of Andhra Pradesh who migrated from his village in search of work a few months ago. Thanks to the Central and State Government’s MGNREGA programme and their 100 days work guarantee for the daily labourers.

He was identified as Samson Pani (27) from Serango under Gumma block in the district. Pani was working at a sweater dress manufacturing firm in Hyderabad. On Sunday, he fell ill and then he was taken to the Osmania General Hospital by his friends where the doctors declared him dead.

Some Odia people sent his body to the deceased’s village in an ambulance on the day and the body was cremated there. The village people of the deceased informed the Naib Sarpanch about the matter. He told that they have been demanding MGNREGA work in their panchayat, but the block officials are indifferent to start the work in villages for which reason most of the village youths are migrating to other States in search of job and face immature deaths like Pani, he added.        

Odisha Jan Morcha rally-bound vehicles blocked in some places in State

-- Miscreants hurl bomb on OJS’s Athagarh office

OJM rally at Bhubaneswar

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Jan Morcha (OJM) alleged that thousands of supporters and well-wishers, who were coming to join the Kranti Samabesh of the Morcha at the Lower PMG Square in the capital city, were forcefully obstructed by the Biju Janata Dal workers in some places of the State on Sunday. On the other hand, BJD leaders denied the allegation. 

The Morcha also alleged that some Government officials falsely intercepted the rally-bound vehicles in the name of checking as a result some vehicles failed to reach at the rally venue on the day. Due to BJD workers road blockade and protest in the places like Athagarh, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Ranapur, Khurda, Nayagarh and Kendujhar, most of the Morcha supporters didn’t reach at the rally venue, alleged OJM chief spokesperson Jagyenswar Babu.

Face-off between OJM supporters and the BJD workers took place when the latter stopped the vehicles of Morcha supporters at Athagarh. The BJD supporters ransacked the vehicles of rally-goers and attacked them to foil their journey to the rally place. The BJD workers blocked the NH-55 for few hours to stop the rally-goers, sources said.

OJM leader Bhagirathi Kar alleged that the BJD workers of Athagarh backed by local MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain hurled bomb on their office at Radhadamodar Pur to create terror among the Morcha supporters as a result they would fear to join in the rally. He united around 2,000 supporters for the rally, but couldn’t send them due to road blockade, Kar added.

For the road blockade and attack on Morcha supporters at Athagarh, OJM held BJD leaders and MLA Swain responsible. On the other hand, denying OJM’s allegation, BJD vice-president Prafulla Ghadai said that their party never promotes vandalism and believes on democratic process.    

New Maoist unit formed to counter Sabyasachi Panda

BHUBANESWAR: The Communist Party of India (Maoist) leaders have formed a new unit Chhattishgarh-Odisha Border Committee (COBC) to strengthen their operation across the border areas of the States, sources said. The new unit would counter the expelled Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda’s new party in the State, said the sources.

According to sources, the newly formed Maoist unit has prepared its blueprint to counter Panda in the areas of Kandhamal, Gajapati, Rayagada and Ganjam. Around 60 persons were engaged in the mission. Even they have started collecting members from different villages to strengthen their unit, said the sources.

The central committee has issued a letter to the members of the COBC which depicted Panda as a traitor and useless for the party. The COBC division would work in the border areas and dense forests of these two States to spread its network. Maoist divisions of Balangir and Bargarh district would work with the new unit, the sources said.

It may be noted that following the abduction of two Italian citizens, Maoist leader Panda was in the target of the central committee of CPI (Maoist). When the party expelled Panda from its core committee, he formed a new outfit ‘Odisha Maoist Party’ to continue his activities in his zone inside the State. The central committee felt the rising of Panda might be a threat for the party so that it created the COBC to challenge him, said the sources.

Another reason behind the creation of the new unit is struggle for existence in Chhattishgarh. The continuous combing operation and patrolling of CRPF and paramilitary forces have created fear among the Chhattishgarh Maoists and for that reason they have focused on a safe place like Odisha border, the sources revealed.

Miscreants damage Pyari Mohapatra’s car

-- Biju Mahila Morcha burn effigy of Pyari in front of his party office

BHUBANESWAR: Some unidentified miscreants allegedly damaged Pyari Mohapatra’s vehicle parked in the entrance of his residence on Friday night. The backside glass of the car was damaged in the attack. The police have started investigating into the matter.

Following the attack on his vehicle, Mohapatra blamed Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Biju Janata Dal for damaging his car.

On the other hand, activists of the Biju Mahila Morcha (BMM) burnt effigy of Mohapatra in front of Odisha Jana Morcha’s city office here on Saturday demanding his resignation from Rajyasabha. More than one thousand women came in a procession started from Rupali square in the city and staged demonstration in front of the OJM’s city office here.

During the demonstration, the BMM condemned the anti-BJD statement of Mohapatra. “The person, who got the Rajyasabha ticket twice in 2004 and 2012 with the active support of Chief Minister Patnaik, makes false statement before media that Patnaik is not the president of the party which is a political farce and nothing else,” said the members of the BMM.

The leaders of the BMM alleged that the OJM is created for strengthening of the Congress party. The supporters of Biju babu know that Mohapatra’s rally would help corrupted Congress party, alleged the BMM members, adding, “The Biju supporters are always with BJD supremo Patnaik and they would never come to Mohapatra’s Mahasamabesh.”

The BMM leaders called upon the women of the State to not to join in the OJM’s October 28 rally. The women leaders like Biju Yuva Janata Dal vice-president Lopamudra Baxipatra, Biju Mahila Janata Dal’s Bhubaneswar District president Sanjukta Mohanty, State vice-president Minati Behera, former chairperson of State Women Commission Namita Panda and others took the lead of the demonstration.  

Doc leaves needle inside woman’s womb in B’swar

BALESWAR: A case of medical negligence in the Government-run hospital of Baleswar district has come to fore when the X-ray report of a women revealed that doctor has left a broken needle inside the woman’s womb during caesarian operation. The X-ray was carried out after the woman’s complaint of pain in her abdomen in the post delivery period.  

The woman Kanaklata Ojha (22) of village Apatira under Bahanaga block in the district had gone through an operation about a week ago at Gopalpur Community Health Centre in the district. Following sustained pain on advice of a doctor while relatives of the aggrieved conducted an X-ray where a needle was detected in the report. It is believed that the needle was left behind after caesarian operation.

“We have conducted a caesarian on the woman. After the operation, we had stitched that part. When the complaint came to our notice, we referred her to the district headquarters hospital for further checkup whether the needle is there or not,” said Dr Ajay Singh of Gopalpur CHC.

“The nurse had stitched the respective body part after the caesarian operation in the absence of the doctor,” said Kanaklata’s husband Nilamadhab Ojha. In the want of doctor one nurse Kasulaya Das had allegedly conducted the stitching, sources said.

When tension gripped in the health centre, she was referred to the district headquarter hospital on Friday.

Woman murdered in Ganjam village

BRAHMAPUR: An elderly woman was murdered and two of her grandchildren were injured in the attack of some people in a village in Ganjam district in the wee hours of Friday. The police detained six persons in connection with the case.

The deceased was identified as Laxmi Patra of Nuagochha village under Badagarh police station limit in Ganjam district. According to sources, Laxmi was unhappy with some village persons on some particular decisions of the village members and for that reason she scolded those persons of the village.

Laxmi’s relation with the village people was not in a good track. She was in target of some unhappy people of the village as she scolded them before, said the sources. After few days, the village members called a meeting on Thursday night and discussed about the matter among them.

On that night, some village people entered into Laxmi’s house when the family members were in fast asleep and attacked her with sharp weapons. During the attack, two of her grandchildren were injured, said the police. Laxmi died on the spot and the grandchildren were rushed to a local hospital. The condition of grandchildren was stable.

Laxmi’s daughter-in-law Rina Patra lodged a complaint before the Badagarh police about the murder case on Friday, said the police. No arrest has been made in the case so far. The police are investigating into the matter.    

OJS denies of any relation with OJM

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Jana Sammukhya (OJS), a newly formed political outfit, in a Press release said that they don’t have any relation with recently floated outfit ‘Odisha Jan Morcha’ formed by of a group BJD leaders. OJS general secretary Prabir Mohanty requested the members of his party that they should not confuse on the matter of joining in the October 28 rally of the Morcha here.

Mohanty said the OJS is committed to fight for the development of the State and the party does not support Congress, BJP and BJD who are responsible for the backwardness of the State. A meeting of the party’s steering committee would be held here on October 31 where the party leaders would decide on different programmes, rallies, leaders visit and future course of actions, he added. 

Water Initiatives Odisha’s letter to Chief Minister of Odisha on Draft National Water Policy 2012

--WIO’s critical concerns and broad suggestions on Draft National Water Policy 2012

While the Draft Water Policy, 2012 accords basic livelihood and ecosystem needs first priority, its prescription for turning water into an ‘economic good’ after these needs are met makes it an easy tool to exploit water for profit. No lessons appear to have been learnt. Further, without a proper account of current needs, use and exploitation integrated with population increases, growing demand, and stresses arising out of climate change, it’s almost impossible to monitor such a vague and unclear ‘prioritisation’.

That the country still doesn’t have an updated database on the state of its water resources is clear from the draft policy which fails to come up with any concrete data on most issues it deals with. The existing policy expressed concern about adequate and accurate data; the proposed draft repeats this concern. All plans and policies related to water use and management are destined to fail in the absence of data, transparency and accessibility. It’s perhaps because of this inadequacy of data and assessment that the policy fails to quantify that ‘minimum’ of basic need beyond which it suggests water be treated as an ‘economic good’.

Maintaining ecological flow, a major concern across the globe, has not been accorded due seriousness in the draft policy. Like the 2002 policy, the draft proposes to set aside a portion of river flow to meet ecological needs. Considering the extent of degradation of India’s rivers and the pace of industrialisation and urbanisation, with scant control over the use and abuse of rivers by these sectors, ensuring the minimum ecological flow of rivers will be difficult. Indeed here water as a survival need and as an economic good contradict one another.

The draft policy puts the onus of local-level awareness, maintenance etc on local communities but fails to recognise that most river basins are polluted and stressed by industry and urban settlement. While the latter need water for survival and basic livelihoods, the former has historically been an abuser. Further, whilst basic users cannot pay for the use in ‘cash’, commercial and luxury users can use ‘cash payment’ to justify their abuse of the resource.

None of these problems have been addressed by the 2002 policy; the current draft does nothing further than advocating age-old and unviable transfer of water from open to closed basins and the formulation of regulatory authorities.  The National Water Policy, 2002 also treated water as an economic good and talked about regulations and systematic planning, cost recovery, etc. However, we lost more water than we had in this one decade, water conflicts grew, and the bias towards corporations and the rich deepened.

Broad set of recommendations

What we should do, according to veteran water expert Ramaswamy Iyer, is to try and reverse our thinking. “The ecology cannot be asked to accommodate development needs. Our visions of development must spring from an understanding of ecological limits,” he asserts.

Himanshu Thakkar of the South Asian Network on Dams, Rivers and People finds a way out in the South African Water Act: “When the South African Water Act was passed in 1997, based on the White Paper on South African Water and Sanitation Policy, 1994, the policy took a detailed look at defining water for basic human needs, its quality, quantity, access, distance etc, as well as various issues related to water and environment. It was only with this background that South Africa could take the revolutionary step of securing water for basic human needs and ecological reserves first. It went through a rigorous, extensive process of consultations with communities and other stakeholders (which still continues) to actually calculate the reserve, implement it and monitor it.”

As against the 2002 policy, the 2012 policy considers climate change a major factor. This is understandable as debates and discussions around climate change increased substantially after the formation of the National Climate Change Action Plan, which is also said to have mandated the need for a new water policy. However, when it comes to mitigation and adaptation, the draft discounts the culprits and asks communities to take action, become sensitised and be resilient. It is now well established that rural communities -- a majority of the country’s population -- are excellent at adapting to climate change.

It is urban society, large, centralised and heavy investment development models, and industry that are the real culprits. The policy should therefore make it mandatory for these sectors also to be climate sensitive and use water more rationally. This can be done through water rationing for these segments. Putting a price on water and leaving its management in the hands of the private sector will only increase the access of richer sections to this resource. India’s National Water Policy must recognise this reality.

Guiding principles

The National Water Policy should be based on the following guiding principles:

Water is a finite natural resource over which all human beings and other species have equal rights.

Centralised authoritarian structures of water governance and regulation should be done away with.

Water for life and livelihoods (communities/people who are directly dependent on water for their livelihood, for example, fisherfolk) should be provided free of cost as part of the state’s responsibility under the principle of ‘rights’ of these communities over the resource.

Industry and corporate houses that use water as a ‘commercial good’ for production and profit must not be considered ‘decision-making’ stakeholders and hence must never be allowed to sit on any decision-making bodies related to water management and governance.

Water allocation should be based on the carrying capacity of the ecology, considering present and future use, demand, recharging and threat perspectives, where ‘future’ should not be limited to a few decades only.

If there has to be any bias towards a section in water allocation then it should be towards the poor, farmers, fisher-folk and other sections of society whose lives and livelihood are directly related to water and, of course, towards other life forms on earth.

Tribals of three States protest Polavaram project staging dharna in water

MALKANGIRI: Protesting Polavaram project, the tribals from three nighbouring States Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattishgarh (AOC) have started ‘Jaldikshya andolan’ (protest dharna in the water) at the project site in Andhra Pradesh on Monday.

Under the banner of the Protest Against Polavaram Project (PAPP), hundreds of tribals from of Malkangiri district in Odisha, Sukma district in Chhattishgarh and tribals from Andhra Pradesh, who would be displaced due to the project, unitedly protested the project staging dharna in the water of Godavari-Saberi meeting place at Kunavaram of Khamam district in Andhra Pradesh.

On the very first day of the protest movement, members of PAPP strongly condemned the Andhra Pradesh Government for its dangerous project which would destroy the tribals and their habitat to build the giant dam. The protesters staged demonstration flaunting placards inside the water demanding the Andhra Pradesh Government put an immediate stop to the project.

From the beginning of the project, most of the social organisations, State Governments and social activists were opposing the project, but the Andhra Pradesh Government is not in a mood to listen all these voices. Particularly, the Odisha Government has been protesting the project as 2,120 hectares of land in Malkangiri district of the State would be submerged in the water. Even a dam on Saberi and Sileru River would be constructed for the project that would also displace many tribal people from their own habitat.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had written a letter to the Prime Minister on July 24 to intervene into the matter. Patnaik also staged a protest meeting at Malkangiri recently opposing the project.   

The Chhatishgarh Government is also protesting the project as it affects 2,000 hectares of land in Sukma area of the State. Opposing the decision of the Andhra Pradesh Government, the two States has appealed before the apex court and the matter is in subjudice now.

Vedanta to open Lanjigarh plant tommorow

BHUBANESWAR: The Vedanta Aluminium Ltd would open its refinery at Lanjigarh on Monday which was closed temporarily a few days back on October 12 due to shortage of bauxite. The company has arranged raw materials to run the plant for few days, but the plant would be closed on December 5, the company official sources said.

After ten days, the company would again open its refinery plant at Lanjigarh and it has started producing alumina as they have received 30,000 matric tonne of bauxite from Nalco’s Chhattishgarh mines. Meanwhile, the company would bring 90,000 tonne bauxite in two phases from the Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation to run the plant. In the first phase, the company would bring 45,000 matric tonne bauxite and that would be reached at the plant on October 26.

According to the Vedanta company authorities, any how the company would run the plant till December 5, but after that the company would close its plant. “The imported stock will be finished within 15 days, after that the company would shut down its plant. We are trying our best to run the refinery outsourcing bauxite from other mines, but how many days it will continue without a stable source of raw material to run the plant,” said Chief Operating Officer of the company Mukesh Kumar.

To continue alumina production, the refinery needs 10,000 tonnes of bauxite per day. The company had served a notice to the State’s Labour Department about the problem on September 6 and informed that it would shut down the plant temporarily from December 5.

The company officials had met the Chief Minister and demanded alternative mines to run their refinery. On the other hand, Minister of Mines RK Singh said the State Government was reviewing the demands of the company.

Commissionerate Police observes 53rd Police Commemoration Day in city

BHUBANESWAR: The Commissionerate Police (Bhubaneswar-Cuttack) observed 53rd Police Commemoration Day here on Sunday. Rich tributes were paid to police personnel during the commemoration day ceremony. The top most officials of the Commissionerate were present in the ceremony.

Police Commissioner Sunil Roy who was the chief guest of the ceremony said that October 21 is observed as police martyr’s day to commemorate and pay tribute to those dedicated brave souls who made sacrifices in laying down their lives in the service of the nation.

Roy recollecting the history said, “On October 21, 1959, ten CRPF jawans had lost their life in fighting with the Chinese forces at Ladakh and to keep the martyrdom alive in our heart, we commemorate the day.”  

The name of the deceased police personnel was read out by the police officials during the commemoration day parade. Total 574 police personnel were killed on duty during the period from September 1, 2011 to August 31 this year, the police sources said.

Among others, retired top most police officials, Bhubaneswar Deputy Commissioner of Police Nitinjit Singh, ACPs and IICs of the Commissionerate Police were present.

Police yet to arrest miscreants of Patrapada firing

BHUBANESWAR: The police are in dark about the whereabouts of the miscreants who suddenly fired at a hotel cook at Patrapada in the city on the wee hours on Sunday. The injured cook Mithun Pradhan, admitted in the SCB Medical College Hospital at Cuttack, was out of danger.

According to police, some persons got down from a four wheeler and came to a hotel inquiring for some food items at 2 am on Monday. The persons knocked the door of the hotel at Patrapada where Mithun was working. He refused that they don’t have any food material with them in their hotel as the time was 2 am. The persons made an argument with the hotel chef and suddenly fired at him.

The chef was rushed to the medical and his condition was stable after the operation in his leg. The Khandagiri police are investigating into the matter.

BJD MLAs submit memo to President, demand restoration of budget allocation

BHUBANESWAR: A group of more than 30 MLAs along with workers of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) met Governor Murlidhar C Bhandare here on Saturday and handed over a memorandum addressing the President of India demanding restoration of the budget allocation towards the State for the development of railway infrastructure.

 

BJD members in the memorandum highlighted the step-motherly attitude of the Central Government in neglecting the development of railway infrastructure in the State thereby stunting the pace of economic growth of the State.

The party members stated that the State contributes substantially to the earning of Indian Railways to the tune of around Rs 10,000 crore. However the budget allocation to the State by the Railways is not commensurate with the earnings it receives from the State, they alleged.

During the financial year 2012-13, the party members said, the State had demanded Rs 2,345 crore, but a paltry sum of Rs 723 crore only was allocated for the State in the Railway Budget. Subsequently the budget allocation was reduced by Rs 186 crore in June, 2012, the party members said, adding, “Once again the budget was further reduced by Rs 34 crore in September, 2012.”

BJD MLA and Deputy Chief Whip of the party Sanjay Das Burma said the State is contributing around Rs 10, 000 crore to the national exchequer, but the Centre is allocating a few hundred crore rupees which is very unfortunate. The poor allocation and then reduction of that allocation clearly shows the continuous negligence of the Centre towards the State regarding allocation of the railway budget, Das Burma added.

“Now Odisha is in a great industrialisation path, the allocations was meant for the development of railway lines to connect the industrial hubs inside the State, but the reduction of allocated money will obviously hamper the development process of the State,” he said.

Among others, more than 30 MLAs including Chief Whip of rulling party Prabhat Tripathy, MLA Ashok Panda, Bijoy Mohanty, workers of BJD, Biju Yuva Janata Dal and Biju Chatra Janata Dal led by its president Byomkesh Ray were present in the meeting with Governor.

Silt flow into Chilika Lake must be controlled: CM

--Management plan for Chilika Lake inaugurated

BHUBANESWAR: “Controlling the silt flow into the lake through appropriate catchment treatment should be given utmost priority in the management plan,” said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik while inaugurating a workshop on ‘Management Planning Framework of Chilka Lake’ here on Saturday.

Patnaik said the Chilika Lake is home to rare Irrawaddy dolphins which should be protected. Carefully planned ecotourism can create alternate livelihood opportunity for the local communities also, he added. “Long-term sustainable use of fisheries resources management through promotion of responsible fishery has been given high priority in the management plan. Chilika being a coastal wetland the climate change issues needs to be dealt with appropriately in the management plan,” Patnaik suggested.

The Chief Minister said the CDA has taken several steps to promote sustainable development of the Chilika Lake and its catchments through active participation of the local communities and NGOs. Chilika Lake is first from Asia to be removed from Motreux Record due to successful restoration by Ramsar Convention, he added.

It may be noted that the CDA has been chosen for the prestigious Ramsar Award (2002) for its impressive work and outstanding achievement in restoring the Chilika Lake, a Ramsar Site. The management plan is formulated by Wetlands International being funded by a Ramsar secretariat. The management plan of Chilika would be used is a template for other Ramsar sites globally. The objective of the management plan for Chilika Lake is conservation and wise use of resource for ecological security and economic improvement of stakeholders.

The inaugural meeting was attended by Forest and Environment Minister Bijayashree Routray, Deputy Chief-whip Sanjaya Dasberma, MP Pinaki Misra, Secretary General of Ramsar Secretariat Anada Tiega, Principal Secretary of Forest and Environment Department RK Sharma, CDA Chief Executive AK Pattnaik and others.

College Students’ Union poll ends peacefully in city

A student casting vote at the City Women's College

BHUBANESWAR: The Students’ Union Poll ended peacefully in different colleges in the city on Friday. The elected candidates were in celebration mood after winning the college poll. The winning candidates would participate in oath taking ceremony which would be held on Saturday.

The supporters of different candidates contesting in the poll were waiting for the result of their student leaders after casting their votes from 8 am to 2 pm on Friday. The result was declared at the afternoon on the same day after the counting of votes. On the day of election, some students were standing outside of the respective college entrances to persuade their friends to cast their votes in favour of their leaders.

According to the poll result of BJB Autonomous College, Sibabrata Nayak was elected as president, Rajivlochan Sahu as vice president of the College Students’ Union, while the all the candidates filed nomination for the post of general secretary was rejected.

In Rama Devi Women’s College, Pallavi Mohapatra was elected as president, Mikina Rout as vice-president and Arpita Aparajita Badjena as general secretary of Students’ Union of the college. In Rajdhani Collge, Dinesh Kumar Sahu was elected as president, Saumya Ranjan Patnaik as vice-president and Santosh Kumar Pradhan as general secretary of Students’ Union of the college.

In Maharshi College, Sanjiv Parida was elected as president, Biswaranjan Pradhan as vice-president and Dhaneswar Barik as general secretary of Students’ Union of the college. In Basic Science College, Jyoti Ranjan Ojha was elected as president, Barsha Mohaptra as vice-president and Aishwarya B Padhy as general secretary of the College Students’ Union.

In the City Women’s College, Suranjita Mohanty was elected as president, Smita Padhy as vice-president and Mamata Swain as general secretary of the College Students’ Union, while all the candidates of the Kamala Nehru Women’s College in the city won uncontestedly.

“I’m very happy after wining the Students’ Union election and I’m overwhelmed after getting support from my friends,” said Pallavi Mohapatra newly elected president of the Students’ Union of the Rama Devi Women’s College.

ABVP candidates win in Ravenshaw Students’ Union poll

BHUBANESWAR: The candidates of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) won in the Students’ Union polls of different colleges in the State including Ravenshaw College on Friday. Abhilash Panda, a candidate of ABVP, was elected as general secretary of the Students’ Union of the college, said ABVP member Chinmay K Acharya. Besides Ravenshaw College, the candidates of ABVP won in different colleges of Bhadrak, Baleswar, Mayurbhanj, Kendujhar and Angul, said Acharya.

Capital braces up for Durga Puja countdown

--CCTVs to be installed to keep vigil on the mischief-mongers

Jharpada Durga Puja Pandal

BHUBANESWAR: Mahalaya welcomed the goddess Durga for the season of festival to bring bountiful yield and happiness to the home. Durga puja is also known as Navratri puja which says the worshipping of goddess Durga for nine days. Like Kolkata, Gujarat and Cuttack; the capital city is also geared up for Durga Puja.

Some Puja Mandaps in the city have started the rituals of Navaratri puja formally from Mahalaya night, but most of the puja committees would formally open the puja pandals from Saturday, which is also known as sixth day of the second half of Ashwin month of the Odia year. The artisans and pandal designers are all set to give finishing touch to the inner designs of the pandals and colour painting on the idols.

According to the residents of the city, the puja committees of Rasulgarh, Nayapalli, Jharpada and Saheed Nagar in the city are organising the puja in a big manner. All four puja committees have spent around Rs 25 lakh each to make the puja more attractive than others. The Mina Bazaar, Break Dance, Ram Doli and other entertainment facilities would be available near the puja pandals. Apart from these, the city vendors and shop owners would open their food stalls, shops and toy stores for children to make their business.

The cultural institutions and social clubs, who were organising the puja in a planned way to observe it with great pomp and splendour, attracted the attention of the city devotees to their puja mandaps.

The attraction of the puja is their respective pandals draped in different colours and in different themes, ideas and innovative arts and designs. According to Rasulgarh Durga Puja Committee member Sridhar Baliarsingh, they have hired artists from Medinipur district and Kolkata city of West Bengal for the design of their puja pandal like a temple carved from a mountain which would be very special from others. The pandal is made up of different colored and designed thermocol with paper kartoons, while the idol is of 12 feet height with side god and goddesses.

Baliarsingh said the Rasulgarh Durga puja pandal would be designed in a very natural way by using the paddy saplings on the pandal and archway. Describing the theme of their pandal and archway design, he said the devotees can see a temple carved on the mountain upon which an artificial water fountain would be set on god Ishwar’s idol on that temple. “This year, the puja will be something different in the 20-year puja history of the committee,” said Baliarsingh.

According to Saheed Nagar Durga Puja Committee secretary Narayan Mohaptra, they have designed the inner side of the pandals by using fruit pods. The have designed the archway of the puja pandal like a Boita (ship). They all set to open the puja pandal on Saturday as their artisans and art designers are giving final touch to their preparations.

Mohapatra said they would organise ‘Ravanpodi’ behind the puja pandal on Wednesday, the day of Desshera. “For the first time, their puja committee had introduced Ravanpodi in 1985 in the history of Durga puja in the city,” he claimed. For security purposes, eight CCTV cameras would be installed at the puja site to keep vigil on the devotees and mischief mongers. Besides, 12 SPOs and 25 volunteers would be engaged to control the crowd, he informed.

Among all, the Nayapalli Durga Puja Committee is different from others by introducing an ambulance for the poor people on the occasion of Durga puja which is a new concept, said Committee president Pabitra Mohan Behera to The Pioneer. The ambulance service would be inaugurated by the Governor on the day of the Dusshera, he added. The committee has already finished all the works of the pandals, gigantic idols and archway. The lighting, sound section, Ramayan drama and decoration would attract the devotees more, said a local resident Binayak.

The Jharpada Durga Puja pandal and archway is very big comparing to others. The art work done by the designers on the archway is attracting the people of the city, said a person from Rajmahal Bulu Sahu. Apart from these, the puja pandals of Bomikhal, Unit-4, Unit-1, Badagada, Patia, Ganganagar, Palasuni, Chakeisani, BDA, Gadakana and one of the oldest Station Bazaar puja Mandap are the main attraction of the devotees.

The Puja bazaar is all set to make a good business in this session. The garment showrooms, wholesale markets also hit the market of the city, the commercial nerve centre as well as an inter-state business center of the State. City administration, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) along with the Commissionerate Police is ready for the six-day long carnival. For the better sanitation facility, BMC have planned for special arrangement for the devotees.

Traffic is getting thicker gradually in the areas near the puja pandals, so the police administration is planning for a better traffic management during puja. To strengthen the traffic system, 40 more staff would be engaged to control the heavy traffic, said the traffic officials. Around 17 platoon police forces have already deployed in the city from Friday, while 20 platoon police forces on Ravanpodi and 25 platoon police forces would be deployed on the day of immersion (Bhasani) of goddess Durga, Commissionerate Police sources said.

For the Bhasani, special route chart and traffic system would be finalised to control the crowd. The police would keep eye on the robbers, looters and pickpocketers during the puja. The Commissionerate Police has prepared a blueprint to control the crowd and for the smooth observation of puja in the city. CCTV cameras would be installed in the big puja pandals in the city and Special Police Officers along with the police forces would be deployed near the puja pandals to keep eye on the crowd.

The local police would do patrolling with 12 teams of police force during the puja. To keep vigil on sound pollution, the police would examine the decibel limit time to time and to remind the puja committee to finish their daily programmes in time, said the police.   

Durga puja has brought joy and exuberance among the inhabitants of the city once again. They believe that Durga puja not a puja only, but it is the original feeling and experiencing of their old tradition and Sakti-cult of the state from very near.