State Govt fails to provide safe drinking water: SP

BHUBANESWAR: “After 65 years of independence, the State Government has failed to supply safe drinking water to the people of the State,” said Samajwadi Party state unit president Rabi Behera at a party meeting here on Sunday.

The party State committee has organised a State-level meeting to extend its work through district-level committees for the development of the party in the State. Delegates from seventeen districts attended the meeting. After the party formed Government in Uttar Pradesh, the Odisha unit of the party is all set to spread its party wing to every district of the State, said Behera.

“When Odisha is passing through a socio-political crisis, economy of the State in disarray, Samajwadi Party Odisha State committee wants to play a very strong and effective role to fight corruption, unemployment and the problems of the farmers. In this context, the executive body of the party will dwell upon the problems of the State,” said Behera.   

Evening shower on city’s hottest day

BHUBANESWAR: For the third time city’s maximum temperature of the day touched 42.7 degree Celsius on Saturday. Rise in mercury level left the city people literally paralysed. It was unbearable to go outside after 11am, but the evening shower on the day gave some relief from the scorching heat and killer humidity. It continued for about one hour.

Traffic gets thinner in the city as the temperature rises. On the other hand, irregular power cuts left the common men’s life miserable. Though Chief Minister had given assurance for no power cut during daytime, the power cut problem is rising day by day.

Besides the capital city, the temperature of eleven places of the State was 45 plus and the hottest place of the State Titilagarh was burning with highest 47.5 degree Celsius on Saturday. Sunstroke death is rising day by day as it touched 90 non-officially and 23 officially.

According to the Bhubaneswar Met Centre, Heat wave condition may prevail over some parts of interior Odisha during next 24 hours. Thunder squall accompanied with hail and gusty surface wind speed reaching 60-70 km per hour may occur at one or two places over Odisha during next 24 hours, said centre director S Mishra.

Among all the tensionand tyranny of heat, the peoples are eagerly waiting for monsoon as it will touch Kerala coast by June first week and enter in Odisha by second week of June, said the local Meteorological Centre.

40 vehicles seized for illegal sand mining in Ganjam

BRAHMAPUR: In a joint raid by District Magistrate of Ganjam Dr Krishan Kumar and Ganjam Superintendent of Police Rajesh Pandit, forty vehicles were seized for illegal sand mining in the Rushikulya river bed in Ganjam on Saturday.

During the raid, 39 trucks and one tractor were engaged in sand mining illegally near Bhimapur Ghat of the Rushikulya under Purusottampur tehsil in the district. According to the district officials, the Ghat has not been auctioned till today, but the sand mafias are mining sand without the knowledge of the local administration.

On a tip-off, the Collector and the SP raided the site and seized the vehicles. After the raid, the vehicles were handed over to the Purusottampur tehsildar to take further action against their illegal activity.

The district administration has recovered Rs 25,000 per vehicle as fine for breaching the Odisha Mining Act. Total Rs 10 lakh fine was recovered from the culprits, officials informed.

State Govt to supply 6, 98,722 quintal seeds to farmers

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has decided to supply 6, 98,722 quintal seeds for Khariff season of the current year. Out of which 6, 72,204 quintal paddy seeds and 26,518 quintal non-paddy seeds will be provided to the farmers of the State.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday directed the officials of Agriculture Department to supply the seeds in time by regularly monitoring the seeds supply programme. He also advised the concerned officials to be aware about the problems of the farmers whether they are getting the seeds or facing problems.

The Government aimed at supplying of 9, 66,000 metric tonne fertilizer, out of which 4, 50,000 metric tonne Urea, 1,10,000 metric tonne MOP, 1,75,000 metric tonne DAP and 2, 05,000 metric tonne total complex fertilizer will be provided. The Government aimed at supplying 82 kg per hectare for the Khariff season this year.

Bhupinder complains to centre against State’s BPL rice distribution

BHUBANESWAR: Opposition leader of the State Assembly Bhupinder Singh has demanded before Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution K V Thomas to direct the Odisha Government for accurate distribution of central PDS rice to the BPL families of the State. Singh alleged that the BPL peoples of the State are getting only 25 kg instead of 35 kg provided by the Central Government.

Singh said 6, 50,000 tonne rice is now in the FCI godowns from last October which was provided for the people having less than Rs 60,000 annual income. He requested the Minister to direct FCI and the State Government for the smooth distribution of the stock rice for the concerned people and to keep the FCI godown ready for the Rabi crop.

He also urged Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways CP Joshi to speed up of the two-lane highways which are now under construction in some places of the State. He also discussed with the Union Tourism Minister for the development of the tourism in the State. He suggested the Government should give stress on wide publicity through mass media for the promotion of tourism.       

   

Land dispute: two land owners kidnapped in Gajapati

PARLAKHEMUNDI: Land dispute in Gajapati district took a new angle as some unidentified miscreants kidnapped two land owners while they were returning to their village after demarcating their land on Thursday afternoon. The miscreants have demanded Rs 10 lakh from the land owners to free them.

RS Murali and R Sumanjali, the land owners, on Thursday went to their land near Pedamadi village under Kasinagar block in the district for demarcation. While returning to their village, they were kidnapped by some miscreants. After getting information about the kidnap, the local police led by SDPO Brahmananda Gagarin Mohanty have started investigation into the matter.

It may be noted that the District Collector and the Superintendent of Police had started a dialogue process between the two groups for solving the old land disputes in the area. According to Kasinagar tehsildar Sukant Kumar Patnaik, land survey is continuing in the villages of Pedamadi, Kalla, Haripur and Shiali to find out the real owners of the lands.

As RS Murali is a lawyer, the advocates of the Gajapati Bar Association staged road blockade by torching tyres demanding strong action against the kidnappers and rescue of the lawyer.

Naveen's political coach's term over

I got trapped by conspirators’ group: Pyari

PNS

BHUBANESWAR: “I got badly trapped by a group of internal conspirators in the party,” said erstwhile principal advisor of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Rajayasabha MP Pyarimohan Mohapatra following the declaration of his suspension from the BJD party here on Friday.

The Chief Minister sacked two MLAs and MP Mohapatra and suspended two cabinet Ministers from the party on Friday. Following the announcement, Mohapatra said that he was aware about the suspension before, adding, “I have worked hard for the party and for Naveen Patnaik during last 12 years.” The people of the State will judge the decision, he added.