Seven villagers abducted by Maoists in Malkangiri

MALKANGIRI: Suspecting as police informers, a group of armed Maoists abducted seven villagers including a ward member from two villages Ramaguda and Chintalaguda under the Kalimela police limits in Malkangiri district on Thursday, police sources said.

Village panchayat ward member, Tulasi Behera, was taken by the ultras from Chintanwada village, while six others were abducted from Ramaguda after Maoists called them out of their homes, the sources said.

                     

The six others were identified as Budra Sodi, Budra Padiami, Deba Padiami, Suba Khara, Rama Behera and Jaga Madkami.

Earlier, Maoists had kidnapped three persons, including Gamphakunda sarpanch’s son Padia Madi on December 4. One of them escaped the next day, while the other two were released on December 7.

Maoists kill two, torch vehicles in Koraput

-- Abducted M’giri Sarpanch’s son freed

MALKANGIRI/JEYPORE: Again the Maoists unleashed terror by killing two persons and torching vehicles in Koraput district on Saturday night.

According to reports, a group of over 30 armed Maoists conducted a raid at Kumbhariput village under Bandhugaon police limits late on Saturday night and terrorised the people by killing two persons and torching two road rollers, a JCB and a tractor owned by ARSS Company.

Bodies of two persons with their throats slit open have been recovered on Sunday morning. They have been identified as Huika Daso(50) and Saraka Bandu (50). The Maoists alleged that the duo was acting as police informers, sources said.

They have also ransacked a telephone exchange, police sources said.

In another incident, the Maoists released two abducted villagers on Sunday threatening them to stop directly or indirectly helping the security forces, after four days of abduction of tribals from Gamphakonda village in Malkangiri district.

On Thursday, one among the three tribals whom the Maoists had abducted on Wednesday night got escaped from the clutches of the ultras. The other two including Gamphakonda Sarpanch’s son Padia Madhi reached the village on Sunday.

The Maoists alleged that they were helping the security forces in the anti-Maoist operations. During Padia’s release, the ultras threatened him to tell his father and Gamphakonda Sarpanch Irma Madhi to resign from his post.

After the abductions, a joint team of BSF and DVF jawans had launched search operations in the Tundukibatla forest near Gamphakonda resulting in an exchange of fire between the Maoists and the security personnel for about two hours on Thursday.

State AAP celebrates party’s good show in Delhi

BHUBANESWAR: Members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) State committee on Sunday celebrated overwhelming support of voters in the recently ended Assembly poll in Delhi.

When the counting of votes was going on in Delhi, the AAP members here were busy in rejoicing the good show of their debutant party. After the celebration, AAP State committee convener Nishikant Mohapatra at a Press meet here described the success as win over black money, liquor and muscle power of age old parties like Congress and BJP.

Mohapatra said the party’s success in Delhi elections would send a strong message to rest of the country. “It proves that people now want complete change in system followed by so called major political parties such as Congress and BJP,” said Mohapatra.

He said that BJP and Congress have failed completely to oppose the ruling BJD in the State. In days to come, Aam Aadmi Party would emerge as an alternative to BJD in Odisha by spreading awareness among people regarding their basic rights, he added.

Committees to be formed in city to help police

BHUBANESWAR: Now the public would help the police in controlling crime in the city as the Commissionerate Police has proposed to form street-level committees to keep peace in the city. It was decided during an interface between the police and the public at Amarpalli of Sailashree Vihar in the city on Sunday.

During the discussion, the police suggested that a committee be formed to maintain law and order in the areas of the city.  

“During the last interface at Chandrasekharpur, we had decided to curb criminal activities on a pilot basis. Today’s interface was the follow-up of the last interface,” said Twin City Police Commissioner Dr RP Sharma.

Several people have given suggestions to maintain peace in these areas. Two committees would be formed at Sailashree Vihar and Niladri Vihar to materialise the pilot plan.

The committees would work with the police after listing out their problems in the area. The committee would choose a person who would communicate with the police about any criminal activities in the area. “With the coordinated efforts, we can bring peace in the areas,” said Sharma.

Sailashree Vihar Development Council president Shyamsunder Subudhi hailed the decision which was taken in the interface.       

‘Implement SC judgment of 3% job reservation for PWDs’

BHUBANESWAR: “State must implement the Supreme Court’s judgment to provide three per cent job reservation for persons with disabilities (PWDs),” said senior Supreme Court counsel Santosh Kumar Rungta while inaugurating a consultation on ‘Right to Employment for the Persons with Disabilities’ organised by international development organisation Sightsavers here on Friday.

The consultation was the outcome of a landmark judgment given by the Supreme Court on October 8, 2013 which directed the Central and all the State Governments to implement the judgment within three months mandating three per cent reservation for persons with disabilities in Government jobs.

Rungta stressed that the State Government should take immediate action to compute the vacancies in the Government jobs for the PWDs and take immediate action to fill up the vacancies as per the Person’s With Disabilities Act 1995.

Representing the State Government, State Disability Commissioner Kasturi Mohapatra said the State Government would take the judgment to action. “The State Government is committed to the cause of disable persons and it will take all actions for the compliance of the judgment,” she added.

Among others, social inclusion advisor for Sightsavers Ketan Kothari, Area Director of Sightsavers Sabitra Kundu, Sameera Ahmed, Akbar Mehfuz Alam of the organisation were present.

‘International Child Art Exhibition’ inaugurated

--Over 1100 child artists’ work displayed   

BHUBANESWAR: ‘International Child Art Exhibition’- the Biggest Art Show of the World inaugurated at Jayadev Bhawan by Ekamra MLA Ashok Panda, former ambassador Abasara Beuria and Odisha Lalitakala Academy president Siba Panigrahi here on Sunday.

More than 1100 Child Artists participated and displayed their art works from all over the world. In this exhibition, child artists portrayed art works over climate change, culture, social awareness, parental pressure on child and tried to draw attention on several social issues. This unique exhibition was organised by Orissa Modern Art Gallery (OMAG) during last three years.    

On the occasion of Shilpi Diwas, OMAG felicitated the young and inspiring artist Mayadhar Rout. OMAG also awarded DPS Kalinga, Puja Pratyusha Centre (Art School), Aradhana English Medium School (Karnataka) for ‘Best entry Awards’, while Best Art teacher Award went to Rajiv Dey of Odisha, Nagraj Kumbhar of Gulberg and Bijay Kumar Panda of Odisha. Best Art teacher consolation award went to Hemanta Mallick, Anjali Sahoo and Pranati Sahoo.

Speaking at the evening’s proceedings, OMAG founder Tarakant Parida said the award programme recognises the efforts of these children who has demonstrated a unique approach for country’s great culture and arts. OMAG celebrated Shilpi Diwas with their ideas and innovation that drive growth of Odia culture.

The exhibition will continue for three days (from December 8 to 10) and on the last day OMAG will award 110 child artists for their participation in the exhibition.

The United States and India Work to Improve Tuberculosis Treatment

NEW DELHI: The United States has given grants to “The Grand Challenges in Tuberculosis Control.”  This program supports Indian innovators to improve TB treatment adherence through out-of-the-box innovations.  It enables scientists, researchers, and entrepreneurs to develop new solutions through seed funding and rigorous mentoring.  This is an initiative by IKP Knowledge Park, Hyderabad in partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Winners of $30,000 in grants were recently announced for their innovative ideas providing technology-driven solutions that will substantially strengthen TB control in India.

USAID/India Mission Director John Beed notes that “India is a global leader in information technology and is strategically placed to accelerate the development and widespread use of new technologies that could transform TB control. Through this partnership, we have been able to identify cutting edge innovative solutions to address treatment adherence.  It’s clear that India’s innovators are motivated to integrate technology and health for the good of public health.”

The Grand Challenges in Tuberculosis Control program aims to nurture ideas that are innovative, sustainable, and can be scaled.  The selected teams will demonstrate a prototype that will be evaluated at the end of six months, and four teams will receive additional funding of $100,000 each.  A few will also be provided with networks and marketing channels to commercialize their innovations.  The proposed ideas range from low-end smart phone applications to electronic pillboxes.