Western Odisha Anganwadi workers to stage dharna on March 17

BHUBANESWAR: Western Odisha Anganwadi workers’ and helpers association is going to organise a massive rally in front of the State Assembly here on March 17 demanding hike in stipend and Government recognisation for the Anganwadi workers.

The members of the association demanded the Government should provide better facilities to the Anganwadi workers along with the Government recognisation, hike in stipend, special incentives and allowances to the western Odisha Anganwadi workers including KBK districts, pension and gratuity system after retirement and other demands.

The convener of the of the association Prashant Padhi said the Anganwadi workers’ work load is also increasing day by day with responsibilities given by the Government, but their stipend is not increasing accordingly, for which they will sit on dharna following a procession from Master canteen to Lower PMG on March 17.  

    

  

Ganjam custodial death: HC awards Rs 5 lakh for kin

BHUBANESWAR: In a noteworthy judgment, the High Court directed the State Government on Wednesday to give Rs five lakh as compensation to the families of Lalit Dehury who died in the Chamakhandi police custody last year.

The court also directed the Government to deposit 75 per cent of total money as fixed deposit in bank and the rest 25 per cent will be given as cash.

It may be noted that on February 28 last year, the officials of Chamakhandi police station of Ganjam district had allegedly arrested Lalit Dehury for keeping weapons illegally in his possession, but on the very next day he was found dead inside the police station.

Protesting the police behaviour and alleging the hand of the police in the custodial death, the family members of Dehury had appealed the High Court.

Similarly, a judgment was given by the High Court on Tuesday in the case of UTP death of Rajkishore Parida of Injana village under Mancheswar police station here who had allegedly died of negligence in jail on November 5, 2003. The court had directed Rs 5 lakh as compensation to the kin of Parida.              

Anganwadi workers demand hike in stipend

BHUBANESWAR: Demanding hike in stipend money and other demands, Nikhil Odisha Anganwadi Karmi Sangha (NOAKS) staged massive dharna in front of the State Assembly here on Wednesday. Before the rally, thousands of workers flaunting placards bearing slogans for fulfillment of their demands came out with a procession from Mastercanteen to Lower PMG.

According to the members of NOAKS, they had staged demonstration in front of the Assembly and submitted a memorandum to the Minister for Women and Child Development on August 18 last year and the Secretary of Women and Child Development on August 16 during their dharna. The Minister and the secretary had given assurance to discuss 11 demands out of 12-point charter of demands in the budget session. They had withdrawn the dharna believing a positive reply, but they yet to get the solution of the problem as couple of days passed.

The members also said the State Government is delaying in the process of implementing the direction of the Technical Committee instituted by Central Government for their promotion from mere Anganwadi workers to primary school teacher, ANM and village level Government services according to their eligibility.

In the memorandum to the Minister for Women and Child Development, the members said their work load is also increasing day by day with responsibilities given by the Government, but their stipend is not increasing accordingly, for which they decided to sit on dharna.

Disaster preparedness training program held

BHUBANESWAR: Inter Agency Group (IAG)-Odisha which works in the field of emergency response at the time of disaster with support from Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) kick-started a two-day training program on ‘Strengthening Cross-Sector Strategies for Risk Reduction’ here on Wednesday.

The objective of the training program is to build the capacities of 30 partner LNGOs of IAG Odisha member and Project Concern International (PCI) India to further develop the local SHG groups and new batch of PRIs for holistic Cross Sector Coordination for successful response in disasters and for coordination in risk reduction and preparedness activities.

Aiming to establish a workgroup to assess the existing communications network for interaction and assessing adequacy of the available electronic facilities, the training programme will give a platform to the members of organisations who are working in the field of disaster preparedness, said the members of the IAG.

They also give emphasis on working with media before a crisis to arrange for assistance during an emergency in communicating useful information to the public and countering rumors and misinformation.

Chairperson of IAG and IRCS-OSB Secretary MP Mohanty, State Representative of UNDP AP Nanda and PCI Country Director VS Gurumani and members of different NGOs and Government Organisations were present.

Raja gets 1-yr RI in Leslie case

BHUBANESWAR: Finally after four years, gangster Sandeep Acharya alias Raja has been sentenced to one year of rigorous imprisonment in jail in Ollywood actress Leslie Tripathy threatening case by Bhubaneswar JMFC court here on Tuesday. The court convicted Raja under section 506 for threatening of murder to Leslie and her family.

Five witnesses were examined in the due course of trial in the case. Leslie’s father, her brother and two investigating officers of the case kept views from their part in the court. Leslie had complaints against Raja for threatening her after failing to persuade her for love. Out of three sections, only section 506 was proved due to strong evidence of criminal intimidation and Raja got one year RI.

It may be noted that a fast track court on December 17, 2010 had sentenced Raja and his associate Chagla to rigorous life imprisonment for killing youngest marathon runner Budhia Singh’s patroniser and judo coach Biranchi Das on April 13, 2008.

Raja and his aide Chagla were also awarded four year RI in the abduction and attempt-to-murder case of TV actress Bidyutsmitha’s brother Arun Mantri case on October 29 last year by the city Additional Sessions Judge’s court.

Meanwhile Raja’s lawyer Swagat Rai expressed his dissatisfaction over the court hearing and said that he would appeal against the judgement in the higher court. On the other hand, the family members of Leslie and her advocate expressed their satisfaction over the court hearing.

Marketing company urges Govt to lift ban on them

BHUBANESWAR: The Right Concept Marketing (RCM) Consumers and Distributors’ Welfare Association of Odisha demanded the Government here on Monday to run their central online system, product delivery system and fund transfer of consumers till the Court’s final order and to frame guidelines for MLM (Multi-level Marketing) system immediately.

RCM is a direct marketing company working in all over the country which delivers its manufacturing products directly at the door of the consumers. There were no retailers or whole-sellers in between the company and consumers and all the process was carried through online. But according to the RCM’s Odisha State secretary Ranjit Kumar Mohanty, since December 9 last year, the Government of Rajasthan has imposed a ban on the activities of the company by showing legal points regarding the concept of business. For which all the consumers and distributors who have been working under its able management have fallen in a great distress concerning their livelihood, he lamented while briefing media persons at a Press meet here.

RCM distributors of Odisha have faced great distress, said the distributors. “It is a question of our life and livelihood and the business that is run and managed under its direct supervision is completely legal,” said Mohanty adding, “Earning a livelihood through a planned system of this company is not an illegal way, but why the Rajasthan Government imposed ban on a disciplined, well managed, a good tax payer and a popular people’s business organisation providing livelihood to lakhs of people in the country we don’t know.”

Mohanty also said lakhs of people in the State have been working for the company for last eleven years. “We mange our family by the income generated by the activities guided and supervised through an online system of this company. So we pray to the Government to short out the problem immediately,” he added.

Havildar caught for pick-pocketing in train

BHUBANESWAR: A havildar was arrested by the Jawans of Railway Protection Force (RPF) for pick-pocketing in the running train here on Sunday, police said. RPF handed over the arrested to Government Railway Police for further investigation into the matter.

He was identified as Govind Patra of Rayagada district and a contractual havildar in Special Task Force of Odisha Police. Before joining in Odisha police as a driver, he was an ex-army man. RPF allegedly caught Govind while he was pick-pocketing and then seized three purses from him.

“We found an Identity card of Odisha police from Govind during inquiry. A logo of SOG was there on the Card. We have handed over him to GRP,” said Bhubaneswar RPF police station IIC Barun Kumar Behera.

  

While investigation, the police seized an Identity Card from Govind where he was depicted as a driver of Special Task Force in Odisha Police but a logo of SOG also found on the identity card which has raised a question mark on the person, but after the investigation the whole matter come to the light, said police.