Sexually harassed women at workplace can dial 0674-6451141 for help

--Helpline for working women launched in city

BHUBANESWAR: Now the women, who are facing sexual harassment at workplace, could dial 0674-6451141 or register online complaint at a website (www.isdbbsr.org) to get immediate help. The Helpline number and the website for online registration of complaints were launched here on Tuesday by the Institute for Social Development (ISD). 

Attending the launching ceremony as chief guest, Deputy Director General of Doordarshan Kendra, Bhubaneswar Jayanti Manjari Rath inaugurated the helpline and the website for online registration of complaints. She emphasised on the change of attitude of all towards such violence along with awareness about the provisions of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Work place (Protection, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

Presiding over the ceremony, ISD director Subhashree Das said they are implementing the program with the support of a Hyderbad-based organisation Nirnaya. Any working women from unorganised or organised sector could call them or register an online complaint with them, so that they could help the victims, she added.

Das said rise of violence against women has become a grave cause of worry at all levels. Though the Centre has enacted the Act to address sexual harassment faced by the women at their work places, awareness should be created among the working women about the Act which ensures and protects various civil rights of a woman that are being violated due to harassment, she added.

Former State Commission for Women (SCW) chairperson and ISD president Namrata Chadha, State Welfare Board member Sandhyabati Pradhan and social activist Baikunthanath Mishra spoke in the function about protection of the rights of women.  

Among others, CLAP director Bikash Das, ISD programme coordinator Rukmini Panda, Nirnaya programme officer Subhashree Samal were present.

Maoists’ Martyr’s Week ahead, security forces alerted

BHUBANESWAR: As the Maoists have started their preparations to celebrate Martyr’s week that begins from July 28, the Odisha police and the central forces are on their toes to crack upon various groups of Red rebels operating in different parts of the State.

Maoist affected areas under the South-Western Range, the Southern Range and the Western Range of the Odisha police have started their combing operations keeping eye on the movement of ultras in the forests under the respective zones on the eve of the week.   

Though the security personnel are remained alert and collecting intelligence inputs about movements of the Maoists, incessant rains have hit anti-Maoist operations in Koraput, Rayagada and Malkangiri districts, with security personnel finding it difficult to move in the forests with overflowing rivers, inundated tracks and thick forets.

According to Inspector General of Police (South-Western range), Y K Jethwa, their anti-Maoist operations have been hit due to the unabated rain in these areas. “But our security forces were on high alert in view of the Martyrs Week,” he added.

Jethwa said that they keep extra vigil on bordering areas to prevent possible infiltrations of ultras coming from Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to Odisha for the observation. 

On the other hand, Southern Range of the Odisha Police has continued their combing operations amidst the incessant rain. Following the arrest of top Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda, the security personnel became more active in Kandhamal, Gajapati and Ganjam border areas in order to check the activities during the Martyr’s Week.     

According to Southern Range DIG Amitabh Thakur, they have continued their combing operations in two different areas of their zone. “We are planning to intensify the search operations in two more areas keeping in view of the Maoists’ celebration,” Thakur said, adding, “Though rain sometimes plays spoilsport during the operations, our security personnel keep eye on movement of the ultras and collect intelligent inputs from locals.”

Thakur said they are investigating about a new leader Shekhar who had written a letter to the police following the arrest of Panda. “Panda’s Odisha Maovadi Party had no base in the State during his arrest. So we are not worried about his impact,” he said.  

The Western range has also kept eye on the movement of ultras from Jharkhand border. The police have received intelligent inputs that several Maoists from Odisha and Jharkhand would meet in Saranda jungle to celebrate the Week.   

          

BKM to hold statewide stir on July 21 over farmer issue

BHUBANESWAR: The BJP Krushak Morcha (BKM) on Sunday decided to hold demonstrations across the State on July 21 protesting State Government’s apathy towards solving farmer issues. It was informed by BKM State president Maheswar Sahu at a State-level meeting held at Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi district on Saturday.  

Sahu said they would stage demonstrations at all district headquarters in the State urging the State Government to fulfill their seven-point charter of demands including supply of seeds in right time, infrastructural development of market yards, irrigation facility and bonus on paddy to Phailin-hit farmers. 

The farmer leader said the State failed to stop distress sale of paddy and other cash crops and vegetables. Farmers go for distress sale of their produces due to lack of cold storages and godowns in the State, he added.

The BKM leaders discussed at length about Morcha’s action plan for the next six months in order to strengthen the organisation from its grassroots level. Among others, BKM general secretary Jadumani Panigrahy, vice president Surath Biswal secretary Ajay Pradhan and Anil Singh Deo were present.           

Akash urges Govt to renovate Kalinga Studio

BHUBANESWAR: Korei MLA and Odia film actor Akash Dasnayak on Saturday called upon the State Government and art loving people of the State for renovation of Kalinga Studio here that is in dilapidated condition. 

Once upon a time, Dasnayak said, producers from Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Odisha were shooting films in the studio. But now it is in bad condition since 1999 super cyclone as a result of which film producers are going outside the State for shooting by paying heavy amount, he added. 

The MLA said the Government should take steps to renovate the heritage studio and also establish a museum in the city to conserve memorabilia of great artists. He also urged the State Government to set up an ultramodern film institute here like the Biju Patnaik Film Institute at Cuttack.      

 

Congress holds dharna against price rise

BHUBANESWAR: Protesting price rise of essential commodities, members of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) on Saturday staged a dharna in front of the Raj Bhawan here with vegetables and domestic LPG cylinders.

The leaders criticised the BJP Government at the Centre and the BJD Government at the State for failing to control price rise that hit common men badly. Later a party delegation met Governor Dr SC Jamir and submitted a memorandum to him on the issue.

PCC president Jayadev Jena said the Modi Government has raised the prices of fuel and LPG which has resulted in the price rise of essential commodities which is now beyond the reach of the common man. There is nothing for Odisha in Modi Government’s railway budget and the union budget, he added.

Former PCC president Niranjan Patnaik, who was seen sitting next to Jena at the dharna site, said the general budget of Modi Government is disappointing; it has nothing for a poor State like Odisha, no provisions for irrigation, nothing for agriculture. Modi’s promise of special package for eastern region during his poll campaigns has not been reflected in his budget, he added.

The former PCC chief questioned why Naveen Government is now not alleging of Centre’s neglect and maintaining silence by writing mere letters which he is good at. It is his weak leadership which is responsible for the neglect of Odisha by the Centre, he added.

Meanwhile, the BJP and the BJD strongly criticised the Congress for taking the issue to the streets as it had created the economic mess which is leading to the price rise.