55 tested positive in Dengue in Odisha: Health Minister

--Five undergoing treatment in SCB

BHUBANESWAR: Till date 55 persons were tested dengue positive out of 707 blood samples, said Health and Family Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak here on Wednesday. 

The Minister in a Press release said that only one person died in dengue and five persons are undergoing treatment in the SCB Medical College Hospital at Cuttack. “Out of total 55 positive cases, 19 persons have been affected outside of the State,” he added. 

Notably, out of total 1354 blood samples, 318 persons had been affected in dengue during this period last year.  

Nayak said the State Government has made dengue test and treatment free of cost. He also said that testing facilities are available at three Government Medical College and Hospitals, Capital Hospital, MCL Medical and at the District Headquarters Hospitals of Baleswar, Sundergarh, Kalahandi, Koraput and Angul. 

This year, official sources said, 10 patients each from Jajpur and Khordha district, six from Cuttack district, five each from Bhadrak and Rayagada, four from Angul, three from Jagatsinghpur, two each from Baleswar, Nayagarh, Puri and Kendrapada, one each from Balangir, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and from outside the State have been found dengue positive.        

SUM hospital to hold umbrella rally in city for Hepatitis B awareness

BHUBANESWAR: In order to create awareness among the people about deadly infection and prevention of Hepatitis B virus, the IMS and SUM Hospital under the Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) University would organise a mega awareness campaign in the city on the occasion of the World Hepatitis Day on July 28.

In a Press meet, SUM hospital director Dr BK Roy said the university would hold an Umbrella Rally started from Ram Mandir Square to Scouts Office here on the Hepatitis Day. The doctors and medical students of the SUM hospital and others experts would make aware the people about viral Hepatitis B which is of greatest concern because of the burden of illness and death it causes in India and across the world.

Gastroenterology department head Dr Manoj Sahu said that more than 100000 people die every year in India due to this virus alone. Most people who were infected with Hepatitis B are unaware of their chronic infection. They are at high risk of developing severe chronic liver disease and can unknowingly transmit the infection to other people, he added.

Dr Sahu said the department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at IMS and SUM hospital provides free screening and vaccination for hepatitis B infection. “We will be happy to give vaccines to people in the hospital,” Sahu added.

Odisha Janaadhikar Parishad demands CBI probe in mining scam in Odisha

--decides to stage dharna in front of Parliament

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Janaadhikar Parishad (OJP), a social organisation, on Saturday urged the Central Government to order CBI probe into the mining scam in Odisha considering the recommendations given by the Shah Commission.

Addressing the reporters at a State-level convention organised by the parishad here, OJP president Bijay Kumar Parida said the State failed to check the massive loot of mines and minerals for eight consecutive years starting from 2003 to 2011. Due to illegal mining, the State lost heavy amount of revenue and forest lands that protect environment, he added.   

Parida said the State Vigilance department could not probe such a big scam, so that the Centre has to take initiative to probe the scam. The CBI probe could not be held in the State due to lack of mass movement, opposition’s suspected role and secret understanding between the State and the Centre, he added. 

The Shah Commission report had already been tabled in the Parliament, but the CBI probe demand could not gather steam due to weak Opposition in the Lok Sabha. 

“We can’t wait for the Central Government’s stand in this issue anymore. We will stage protest dharna in front of the Parliament demanding CBI probe into the mining scam in the State,” said Parida.    

    

Among others, intellectuals like former DGP AB Tripathy, trade union leader Ajay Rout, journalist Pradyumna Satpathy, Keonjhar Nagarika Samaj president Kiran Sahu, journalist Rabi Rath, youth leaders like Dillip Mallick and Amiya Pandav were present.             

BSF ADG urged to open more camps in State

MALKANGIRI: The Odisha Police on Thursday urged BSF’s Additional Director General (ADG) BD Sharma, who is on Malkangiri visit, to open more BSF camps in Maoist-affected areas of the State, police sources said.

Sharma reached Malkangiri district headquarters and discussed with BSF DIG, commandants and Malkangiri SP Akhileswar Singh about the combing operations in the border areas of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. He also got to know that the anti-Maoists operations were stopped for few days due to heavy rainfall. 

“I discussed with the officials of Odisha Police and the BSF about strengthening of operations against Maoists in the thick forests of Malkangiri and Koraput,” said Sharma. 

According to the Malkangiri SP, they urged the BSF ADG to deploy two more battalions in the district in order to strengthen the combing operations in the border areas. The ADG assured that he would inform his higher authority to consider the request, the SP added.           

Crime Branch to take Sabyasachi on remand

BHUBANESWAR: The State Crime Branch would take arrested top Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda on police remand for 10 days in three different cases, said Crime Branch ADG BK Sharma on Wednesday. 

Sharma said the Crime Branch on Wednesday requested the Phulbani SDJM court to allow them for taking Panda on five-day remand for interrogation in Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader and Kandhamal seer Laxmanananda Saraswati murder case. 

Similarly, Sharma said, the investigating agency also urged the Nayagarh SDJM court to allow them for taking the Maoist leader on five-day remand in Nayagarh armory loot case and killing of policemen. 

The ADG said, “They will first interrogate Panda regarding loot of armory in Nayagarh and killing of policemen in the district. We will also interrogate the Red rebel about the motive of killing the VHP leader and his pupils at Chakapada in Kandhamal district.”     

Sharma said they would grill the Maoist leader at the Crime Branch headquarters at Cuttack instead of Phulbani or Nayagarh or Brahmapur. Though they didn’t know exactly about the remand date, but the Crime Branch hope that they would take Panda on remand after the completion of Brahmapur police’s remand period, said official sources in the Crime Branch.