UTP death in Jharpada jail: probe ordered

BHUBANESWAR: Following the death of an Under Trial Prisoner (UTP) at Jharpada jail here on Tuesday, the Inspector General (IG) of Prisons on Wednesday directed an official of a DIG cadre to investigate into the matter. The investigating officer was asked to submit the probe report within one day, while the magistrate-level inquiry has already been started into the case.

The UTP was identified as Laxmidhar Nanda of Birapratappur village in Puri district. According to sources, he was taken to jail custody after Excise Intelligence and Establishment Bureau arrested him on September 14. When he fell ill on September 16, the jail authorities treated him at the jail hospital. Later, he was shifted to Capital hospital on Tuesday after his health condition deteriorated. However, doctors declared him dead on the day.

After getting information about the death of Nanda from the jail authorities, his family members on Wednesday alleged that he was murdered intentionally. They questioned that why the jail authorities kept them in dark about the health condition of Nanda and what compelled the authorities to not inform about him while he was undergoing treatment at the hospital. 

Police started investigation in to the matter after registering a case of unnatural death. Bhubaneswar DCP Niteenjit Singh wrote to Sub-divisional Judicial Magistrate seeking a judicial probe in to the issue. On the other hand, Jail IG SS Hansda said, “If involvement of any jail staff comes to our notice, we will take action against them also.”

18th Int’l Puri Beach Festival to begin from Nov 23

BHUBANESWAR: The 18th International Puri Beach Festival would begin from November 23. This was decided at a high-level meeting presided by Tourism and Culture Minister Maheswar Mohanty at the Secretariat here on Tuesday.

The seven-day long festival would hold important exhibition, food stalls, beach sports, special boat race among local fishermen, sand art show, Helium Balloon Ride, Kite fly show, Camel Ride and Horse ride on the Beach, Meena bazaar and merry go-round, Bhagabat Katha discourse will be organised like last year.

Mohanty said the festival would attract the domestic and foreign tourists. It is a brand festival of the State for the past 17 years without change of date, time and venue. Mahodadhi National Award, Mahodadhi Samman and Mahodadhi Manapatra award will be given to the important personalities for their contribution to the society, he informed.

Tourism and Culture secretary Ashok Kumar Tripathy said that Odisha tourism has declared this year as ‘Visit Odisha Year-2012’ and special publicity will be made for International Puri Beach Festival-2012 in all publicity materials both by Odisha tourism and India tourism.

‘A language relevant education is a right of tribal children’

BHUBANESWAR: “A language relevant education is a right of tribal children” says Odisha Adivasi Manch’s state Convener Shri Ido Mandal. Odisha Adivasi Manch (OAM) today called for a state level consultation on Mother Tongue based Multilingual Early Childhood Education in tribal areas of Odisha. Representatives from 22 tribal dominated districts participated in it.OAM which had been lobbying for Forest Rights and PESA in the past has taken up the issue of education of young tribal children as their foremost demand currently. “Tribal children are scared of schools and this fear is because children are not being interacted in their mother tongue in the Anganwadi centres ; a mother tongue based early childhood education will give our children a stronger foundation and curtail the high dropout rate in later stages of education . ” added district Convenor Ms. Bidulata  Huika from Rayagada.

While OAM member Ms. Veronica Dung Dung from Sundergarh stated “Blaming the current Anganwadi system is not the solution; we have to initiate the change by bringing in a mother tongue based pre-school education for our children”. OAM which had started its advocacy on ECE in mother tongue in ten districts is spreading its operation to twelve more tribal districts in Odisha. The consultation was a platform for OAM members to share their field based evidences on the current state of education in the Anganwadis and discuss on how to influence policy makers through the post card campaigns and sensitization workshops.

OAM has been demanding for inclusion of a separate chapter in the draft policy on Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) by Government of India, a state policy on mother tongue based preschool in tribal areas, appointment of tribal angawandi workers and relaxation of eligibility criteria; proper infrastructure, culture appropriate curriculum and all mini anganwadis to get status of anganwadis.

CM Naveen Patnaik inaugurates water treatment plant for Brahmapur

--lays foundation stone for water supply project in city

BRAHMAPUR: Within a short span of time, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik laid foundation stones for water supply projects for Brahmapur city and inaugurated a water treatment plant here on Tuesday during a quick visit to the city.

Patnaik first laid foundation stones for the construction of water over tanks at Ankuli, Khodasingi and Lanjipalli in the city. He then laid the foundation stone for the modernisation of NH-59 at the UCP Engineering School road and then laid the foundation stone at Utkal Ashram Road for restoration of the water pipeline which supply water to the area.

Patnaik went Dakhinapur on the outskirts of the city to inaugurate water treatment plant phase-II which would supply 20 million litres water more than the existed phase-I. The phase-I was able to supply only 30 mlt of water. Now the total 50 mlt of water can solve the water problems of the city dwellers.         

No conviction made under section 498-A within 15 yrs: study

BHUBANESWAR: A study recently conducted by a human rights organisation the Committee for Legal Aid to Poor (CLAP) with the support of Oxfam India under the title Legal Protection of Women reveals that over last 15-years there was no conviction under IPC Section 498-A, a penal law to protect women from cruelty within marriage, except for one case where the punishment has been reduced without any imprisonment.

In a meeting organised by the Institute for Social Development (ISD), an organisation advocates for violence free lives for women, the study report was released by State Commission for Women chairperson Dr Jyoti Panigrahi here on Tuesday. The report revealed that no one has undergone imprisonment as a result of conviction under section 498-A.

The findings of the study stated that less number of cases went for conviction orders by the trial court, conviction orders by trial courts with parties allowed with a reduced punishment, 90 per cent of the cases are quashed due to sack of evidence, acquittal order given importance, no punitive action has been taken and compromise/divorce made in course of hearing and pendency.

The data furnished by the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) relating to the conviction rate of different types of crimes committed against women for the year 2010, the rate of conviction remains lower in the State as compared to all India level. For instance, the conviction rate for cruelty by husband and relatives (crimes U/S 498-A of IPC) is 8.7 per cent in Odisha as compared to 19 per cent at the all India level.

Bikash Das, who has led the study on behalf of CLAP, said the life and liberty of women are of paramount consideration to realise women’s human right. The State has the responsibility and obligation towards its subjects to secure justice for them and prevent injustice, he added.

Among others, former police DG Sarat Mishra, State Social Welfare Board chairperson Sulata Deo, women journalist Manorama Mohapatra and Regional Manager Oxfam India Shaik Anwar were present during the discussion.

CPI demands suitable price for dairy farmers

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha State Council of the Communist Party of India (CPI) demanded that the State Government to keep the milk price stable by providing subsidy to the consumers and suitable price to dairy farmers of the State.

Milk is a very essential product for the patients, pregnant women and children, but the hike in milk price would affect them, said CPI State secretary Divakar Nayak in a press release on Tuesday.

On the other hand, the Government should think about the milk producers who supply milk to one crore consumers in the State, Nayak said. For the growth of the milk producers, the State Government should avail facilities in time, he added.    

  

Rourkela Commercial tax chief dies of dengue

--Dengue death toll rises to 6 in State, Ganjam worst affected 

BHUBANESWAR/ROURKELA: The dengue death toll in the State rose to six on Tuesday following the death of a senior tax official of Odisha Government and the total number of affected people crossed the 600 bar. The dengue victim, who died in a private hospital in Bhubaneswar, was identified as Sudhansu Shekhar Nanda working as Deputy Commissioner, Commercial Tax in Circle-I, Rourkela.

According to sources, Nanda fell ill last week. After being suspected of dengue by a local doctor, he was admitted to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar and due to failure of multiple organs he died. His family sources said Nanda’s death due to dengue. It is to be mentioned here that though Nanda is a senior officer of the State Government and both his office and residence is in very proximity to Rourkela Municipality, the Municipality health officer has no information in this regard.

On the other hand, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Damodar Rout said Nanda not died in dengue. “He was suffering from chronic diabetes and died in hypertension in a private hospital,” said Rout.

It may be noted that the number of dengue positive cases is on the rise in the State. On Tuesday, the dengue positive cases touched 600. Out of the total positive cases, Ganjam has the highest number of 270 patients. Among other dengue-prone districts, Baleswar has reported 178 positive cases, Angul 53, Bhadrak 17, Jajpur 13 and Khurda 10, National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme sources said.

Ironically, dengue positive cases in the city are also on the rise. It is to be mentioned here that besides others two noted doctors, one political leader of the city are found suffering from dengue. Earlier in last here the Rourkela Municipality Executive Officer himself was affected in the same vector-borne disease dengue. From this it is well ascertain how the Rourkela Municipality is exercising to keep its area clean, the locals rued.