2 killed, 17 injured in police firing in Ganjam

BRAHMAPUR: Two persons were killed and more than seventeen persons were injured, five critically, in police firing at Phasipada village under Kodala police station in Ganjam district about 41 km from here. The pitched battle started when the angry mob attacked the police force by throwing bombs and stones and to disperse the mob, the police started firing following tear gas firing, police sources said.

The two deceased persons were identified as Purna Chandra Pala and Rabi Pala from the village. They were rushed to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital here, where they were declared brought dead. Sixteen other persons including women were under treatment in the hospital from which the conditions of five persons were critical. One person referred to the SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack, informed Ganjam Collector Dr Krishan Kumar to The Pioneer.

“While they were returning after rescuing four persons including a woman from the clutches of the villagers, the unfortunate incident happened,” said Ganjam Superintendent of Police Rajesh Pandit.

According to the sources, the villagers had started a ritual in the village to pick out the persons, allegedly practicing sorcery, by using cot technique. Suspecting sorcery practice, the villagers picked out four persons Bhima Nahak, Banamali Nahak, Trinath Nahak and a woman Godhi Pal. The villagers tortured and tonsured four persons accusing them of practicing sorcery. They were fed human excreta in front of the villagers. One of the victims Bhima Nahak escaped on Friday night and informed the police about the incident.

Based on the victim Bhima’s FIR, the police on Sunday noon reached the village and started rescuing the four, but the villagers did not allow the police officials. Then the clash between the police officials and villagers started and continued for two hours. To control the angry mob, the police force and the ODRAF team started tear gas firing and later when the mob threw bombs, the police force fired at the angry mob, alleged police officials.

Southern Range DIG RK Sharma, SP Rajesh Pandit and Collector Dr Krishan Kumar were rushed to the spot and have taken the stock of the situation. Four platoons of police force have been deployed in the tension area of the village to keep eye on the simmering tension. Situation is under control, police sources said.

On the other hand, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik described the killing of two persons in police firing in Kodala as unfortunate and termed tonsuring of four persons at Phasipada village as barbaric and tragic incident. ““I’m shocked in the truly barbaric act and the firing in Kodala is unfortunate. The situation is under control,” said Patnaik.

7.5% rural people in State use tap water: Census

--0.1% census houses are used as hospital, while 1% is used as place of worship

--85.9 percent of the households in rural area defecate on open ground

BHUBANESWAR: In the rural areas of the State only 7.5 per cent of the households is using tap water, whereas 38.54 per cent of the households in the rural area are collecting the drinking water in a distance of 500 metre or more from their residence, revealed the Census 2011 data on ‘Houses, Household Amenities and Assets’ which was released by the State Government here on Saturday.

The Census revealed that there is a substantial improvement in the quality of housing both in rural and urban areas.          As per the Houselisting and Housing Census, the census houses in the State increased from 98.73 lakhs to 127.59 lakhs. There is an increase of 18.8 lakhs census houses for residential and partly residential purposes. The data indicates that the housing gap has reduced. There is an improvement in the construction material used for roof, wall and floor.

In our State, 78 percent of Households do not have any Latrine facility. Especially in rural areas, 85.9 percent of the households do not have latrines at all against 35.2 percent in urban area. Only 22.4 per cent of households have source of water within the premises while in rural area 16 per cent and in urban area 56.9 per cent of households are availing the drinking water facility within the premises.

It is interesting to note that 1 per cent of the Census Houses in the State are used as place of worship whereas only 0.8 per cent census houses are used as school and colleges, and 0.1 per cent Census Houses are being used as hospital, dispensary and for medical purpose. 2 per cent Census Houses in the district of Puri and Khurda are being used as places of worship which are the highest in the State. In the district of Gajapati and Kandhamal only 1.6 per cent Census Houses are being used as school and college, revealed the report.

In 2011 Census, 43 per cent households are using electricity against 27 per cent of the last 2001 Census. In rural areas, use of electricity in the households has been increased from 18.8 per cent to 35.56 per cent during 2011 Census. Similarly, in urban areas, use of electricity in the households has been increased from 71.9 per cent to 83.1 per cent during 2011 Census. In electricity usage, Khorda district is the highest of 71.5 per cent households against Nabarangapur’s 12.6 per cent.

According to the Census, only 20 per cent of the households have bathing facility and 19.3 per cent of the households are having drainage facility in the State. Only 63 per cent of the households have kitchen facility for which 65 percent of the households are using firewood as the source of their fuel for their cooking, while 9.8 percent of the households are using LPG as their fuel for cooking.

People of the State seldom use Transistor or Radio which is decreased from 24 percent to 11 percent, whereas the use of Television has been increased from 16 percent to 27 percent of households. The use of Telephone (including Mobile) has been increased from 4 percent to 40 percent of households in the State. 45 percent of the households are availing banking facility in the state.

For communication purpose 61 per cent of the households are using bicycle, whereas 15 percent of the households are using bikes as the source of transport. Only 2 percent of the households are using Car/ Jeep as the source of transport.

Textile merchants defer strike

BHUBANESWAR: The All Odisha Textile Merchants Association postponed their decision on Friday after discussing with Finance Minister Prafulla Ghadai to stop import of all essential commodities from outer States with effect from March 31 midnight protesting imposition of VAT on sugar and textiles and enhancement of VAT from 4 per cent to 5 per cent by the State Government.

Protesting the State Government’s imposition of five per cent VAT on textile items, the members of the association staged rally in front of the State Assembly on Friday. Textile merchants across the State closed their shops by the call of the association.

At the rally, the members cautioned the Government to withdraw VAT before April 1, the day the tax comes into effect, otherwise they will stop import of all textile products. The textile sector was already burdened with two per cent entry tax, now the hike in VAT added salt in the wound, the members added.

Later, a delegation met Minister Ghadai and handed over a memorandum demanding rollback in the decision to hike VAT. Ghadai has given assurance to the merchants for a positive come out from the Assembly discussion on the matter and appealed them to stop the decision to go for a strike.

“We postponed our decision till March 31 midnight. If the Government does not take any decision on this matter, we will again plan for our future activities to stop import from the outer States,” said association president Rabindranath Mohapatra.

“I Will If You Will”, observe Earth Hour, 2012

--Civil body appeals for observance of ‘Earth Hour’

BHUBANESWAR: The National Institute of Indian Labour (NIIL), a social organisation based in the city, appealed the people of the State for the observance of the Earth Hour by asking households and business establishments to turn-off their non-essential lights and other technical appliances for one hour on March 31 from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm to raise awareness towards the need to take action on Climate Change.

Earth Hour is a global event organised by the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature and is generally held in the last Saturday of March annually. It is the hour when the world unites in a stand against global warming. The idea was conceived by WWF Australia and the Sunday Morning Herald in 2007, when 2.2 million residents of Sydney participated by turning off all non-essential lights.

At the initiative of Indian Institute of Sustainable Development and NIIL, the “Earth Hour 2009, 10 and 11” was observed in Odisha mostly in towns, municipalities and NAC areas and the saving in Evening Peak Demand was from 100 MW to 48 MW averaging of saving of about 75 MW during that one hour of observance.

The organisations have suggested 10 different ways you can support “Earth Hour, 2012” and reduce your carbon footprint. The points are- turning off your lights at 8.30 pm on March 31, 2012, showing your support and adding yourself to the list of global citizens caring the Mother Earth, talking about Earth Hour in your social networking sites about your support, get together with your friends and family by hosting an Earth Hour party, rally your local councilor community group to run an Earth Hour event for your community, make an Earth Hour Lantern as a symbol of hope for the future, enjoy a family dinner by candlelight, sit in the dark and share stories, gather family and friends for a night picnic in your local park and gaze at the stars and at the last be creative to find a new way to mark “Earth Hour, 2012”.

Assault on milk men condemned

BHUBANESWAR: The Utkal Yadav Mahasabha, an association of Yadav peoples in the State, has condemned attack on a milk businessman Bundel Ray (65) from Koel Nagar of Rourkela by a local Municipality vice-chairman.

Members of the Mahasabha at a Press meet here on Friday expressed grave concern over the vice-chairman’s attack and use of abusive language in front of the public to defame Ray. The Mahasabha demanded stringent action against the culprit immediately, otherwise they will take the matter to the streets.

According to the victim Ray, on the day of the incident, he was going to the market by his cycle to sale his milk products. On the road, vice-chairman’s vehicle collided with Ray’s cycle. When Ray protested his counterpart’s rash driving, the people of the vice-chairman attacked him and abused in the public.

Ray also alleged the people of the vice-chairman threw out his milk products to the roadside and abused him by many abusive languages. He was beaten up by the people of the strongman, he added.

The members of the Mahasabha including its advisor Bidyadhar Barik, Bhubaneswar district committee president Saroj Kumar Behera and Rourkela district committee president Deepak Gauda were present at the Press meet and demanded immediate action against the culprit.                 

Protest rally condemning police attack on Para teachers

BHUBANESWAR: Para teachers won the support of common people and organisation’s like All India Mahila Sanskrutik Sangathan (AIMSS) as the organisation staged a protest rally condemning lathi-charge on the Para teachers. Hundreds of women flaunting placards bearing slogans against the police administration and the State Government for behaving the teachers like animals organised a protest meeting at the Lower PMG here on Friday.

State president of the Sangathan Binapani Das said the teachers resorted to civil disobedience movement when the Government did not listen to them, but in which way the police behaved the Para teachers including women, that were undemocratic. She expressed grave concern over heinous attack on the women demonstrators by the male police at the Lower PMG is not a healthy trend in a democratic country like India.

The members led by secretary of the Sangathan, Bhubaneswar city committee secretary Bijaylaxmi Patra and Cuttack city committee secretary Sasmita Sahu demanded the Government should bear the medical charge of the injured teachers who are under treatment in different hospitals in the city, fulfill their demands and take stringent action against the irresponsible police officers.  

Student commits suicide in city

BHUBANESWAR: A student committed suicide at his Madhusudan Nagar hostel room here on Thursday night. He was identified as Malay Pratihari of Balipatia village in Bhadrak district.

Malay was preparing for IIT entrance in a private coaching centre in the city and staying in a hostel at Madhusudan Nagar with his friends. On the day of the incidence, he was alone in his room. On Thursday night, he came to his room by telling his friends for study preparation and closed the doors from inside.

After getting information from Malay’s friends, police came and found the body hanging from the fan ceiling. Actual reason of the suicide has not been traced out yet, but the police suspecting that examination pressure might be a reason behind the suicide. Police is investigating into the matter.