Lightning: 5 killed, 7 injured in State

--54 cows, 16 goats were also killed 

BHUBANESWAR: At least five people were killed and seven persons were injured in lightning as heavy rains accompanied by thunderbolts lashed different parts of the across the State on Friday. As many as 54 cows and 16 goats were also killed in the nerve shattering incident.

According to reports, two people from 42 Mouza in Cuttack district, a youth of Kendudihi village in Lahunipada area of Sundargarh district, an old man of Talakurunia village in Bahanaga area of Baleswar district and one person in Debagarh district’s Nistimal area died when lightning struck them on Friday afternoon.

While, 28 cows at Ramachhipidihi village in Jharsuguda district’s Laikera area, five cows at Siarimalia village of Palalahada area in Angul district and 21 cattle along with 16 goats at Kanheighera in Sundergarh district became the prey of lightning too.

Notably, as many as 13 people were killed and six were injured in lightning in different places of the State due to lightning on September 16.

Irate mob damage truck for running over bike in city

--One killed, another critical 

 
BHUBANESWAR: One person was killed and another severely injured when cement loaded truck run over a motorcycle at Bomikhal under Saheed Nagar police limits in the city on Friday. Irate mob damaged the glass of truck and also allegedly attacked on a police van.  

The deceased was identified as Narendra Mallick of Baigumpha under Khajuriapada police limits in Kandhamal district. He was working here at a private company near Bomikhal and was staying at Jaydev Vihar. When Mallick, the pillion rider, along with his bike driver friend Harekrushna Swain was coming to his office, the truck run over the bike and crushed them.

Mallick died on the spot, while condition of Swain was critical and was admitted in the Capital Hospital here.   

Notably, two persons were killed and two were injured, one critically, when a truck ran over three bikes at Rasulgarh square here on July 29 this year. Rasulgarh to Bomikhal area now turned to a death trap for motorcycle riders.

Its direct violation of Commissioner’s circular not to allow heavy vehicles between 6am to 10pm to check traffic rush and unwanted accidents on the highway inside the city. 

City architect gets Rajiv Gandhi excellence award

BHUBANESWAR: Ruchipurna Jena, an architect from the city, received the Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Award, 2013 as young achiever in the field of art and architecture for his various nature friendly energy saving designs in diff States of India. He received the awarded from the hand of former Union Minister Bhishma Narain Singh in a ceremony held recently in New Delhi.

Jena, the principal architect of Prakriti Architects and an active member of US Green Building council, leads his company’s operation in Odisha, Bihar and New Delhi. He was the recipient of Bharat Viaks Ratna Award in 2008, emerging young talent award at the Indo Thai Friendship summit at Bangkok in 2010 and has won several national design competitions. Works have been recognised and published in several journals within India and abroad.

State not active in addressing W Odisha brick kiln workers’ problems

BHUBANESWAR: Following a meeting of around 5000 brick kiln workers of Western Odisha held in Balangir district on Wednesday, a delegation of the workers handed over a memorandum to the State Government here on Thursday highlighting their various demands.

The members of the Shramik Adhikar Manch and the Jan Jagran Daadan Sangh alleged that the State Government failed to address their problems properly due to which they are exploited by the labour contractors.  

Before submitting the memorandum, the members said in a Press meet here that around three lakh workers migrate every year from Balangir, Bargarh, Nuapada, Boudh, Sonpur and Kalahandi district. Workers are recruited against monetary advance by local labour contractors, who traffic them to far-off location across the south India States, said the members.

The members also alleged that the workers work for 12-16 hours a day to earn enough to eat in the brick kilns with their children.

“The State Government failed to keep data or any information of brick kiln workers working in the south Indian States. The State is totally in dark about the condition of the workers and even does not have any assessment regarding the cause of their migration,” said Lok Shakti Abhiyan president Prafulla Samantara.

As the villagers are not getting proper wage and work in time from the MGNREGA scheme, they prefer to migrate other States in search of jobs, Samantara added.

In their 14-point charter of demands, the members urged the State Government for proper implementation of MGNREGA, distribution of land to the landless, effective implementation of the Forrest Rights Act, speedy rehabilitation of bonded labourers released in other States and other labour welfare facilities in the States where the Odia brick kiln workers are workings.

Odisha demands more funds, forces for anti-Maoist operation

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government raised the issue of paucity of funds for security-related issues in the Maoist-hit areas of Odisha during a meeting of the Union Home Ministry (MHA) in New Delhi on Wednesday where top cops of nine States affected by Left Wing Extremists (LWE) were present to devise a strategy to restore law and order and peace in the affected areas.

As the Maoist groups are crossing over to Odisha side due to heavy deployment of security forces in Chhattisgarh, according to the top police officials, deployment of forces in the area is rather inadequate to conduct any meaningful operation and restrict the ultras’ movement. So that the State demanded two additional battalions of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to deploy in Nuapada, Bargarh and Balangir for effective anti-Maoist operation.

The State Government asked the Ministry to provide a helicopter, preferably an MI-17, to add more lethality and precision to the anti-Maoist activities. The State representatives also demanded funds for the development of roads and telecommunications in LWE districts to combat Maoist menace.

In the meeting, the State representatives were directed to make well coordination among different paramilitary forces, State police and other State polices to carry out the inter-State operations smoothly.

The MHA convened the meeting of Chief Secretaries and DGPs of nine Maoist-hit States to discuss the strategies on the anti-Maoist front. It was chaired by Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde.

Chief Secretary JK Mohapatra, DGP Prakash Mishra and Home Secretary Vipin Kumar Saxena attended the meeting.