Welcome to site of Sudhir Mishra, Bolangir based Journalist

BHUBANESWAR | Saturday, June 26, 2010 | Email | Print | | Back

Kendrapada snake man dies of snakebite

PNS | Kendrapada

Reptile conservationist Rajkishore Pani (62), resident of Garadapur village under Patkura PS, died of snake bite on Wednesday.

Pani was popular in the district as ‘snake man’ for catching vipers and cobra for over two decades and let them free in the jungle.

On the fateful day, he was bitten by a king cobra at his village when he retrieved it from the brick pile of his neighbour.

Unfortunately, his sad demise was on the day of his son’s marriage ceremony.

Pani was rushed to the SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack after the villagers found him lying unconscious and writhing in pain. But, he succumbed on the way. “He was an expert on reptiles, especially snakes and had even emergency vaccines and a pump to extract poison at home. Despite all precautions, Rajkishore met a sad end,” lamented Nabaghan Nayak of Garadapur.

“It is akin to the death of famous Australian conservationist Steve Irwin in September 2006. Irwin was killed after he was attacked by a stingray while shooting for a TV programme undersea,” said People for Animals district unit secretary Sudhanshu Parida. During last flood, Pani had rescued nearly hundred of vipers from different parts of the district and nearby areas.

He had released all of them in the wild after treating them. Six months ago, he had to spend 10 days at the SCB Medical after he was bitten by a viper. The ill-fated snake man had also launched a snake conservation campaign in the district and educated many people about catching the viper, said the locals.

-------------------------------------------------

BHUBANESWAR | Saturday, June 26, 2010 | Email | Print | | Back

1,085 docs’ posts lying vacant in State

PNS | Bhubaneswar

Minister of Health and Family Welfare Prasanna Acharya told the State Assembly on Friday that there are 4,258 sanctioned posts of doctors in the State, out of which 1,085 are lying vacant.

Due to the vacant posts of doctors, major problems have arisen in the health services in the State, he said. In view of this, the Government is considering to take necessary action against the doctors who are on leave for more than two months, he added.

The Minister further stated that five doctors are on deputation to the UNICEF and other States. Necessary steps are being taken for fill up the vacancies, he said.

The Minister was replying to a question by Shyam Charan Hansda and Jogesh Kumar Singh.

-------

BHUBANESWAR | Thursday, June 24, 2010 | Email | Print | | Back

Briefly...

Lacklustre Budget, devoid of direction, alleges BJP

Bhubaneswar: The State Budget 2010, placed in the Assembly on Tuesday, is a lacklustre one devoid of direction, said the BJP. The party, in a release, said the allocations under different heads have been almost proportionately increased without application of mind. Despite the high inflation, the allotment to the Western Odisha Development Council has been reduced by 20 per cent compared to the last year. The agriculture sector has been the main casualty in this Budget. Small farmers should have been given incentive in terms of subsidy in micro-financing. It is a budget totally indifferent to common man.

12 more hydel projects to be set up

Bhubaneswar: About 12 more hydel projects will be set up in the State, for which a technical coordination committee has been constituted. The committee has identified 12 places for establishment of the projects, which would include one of 90 MW capacity at Deogan of Sambalpur district, Cindol-2 and Cindol-3 of 120 MW capacity at Godhaneswar of Subarnapur district. This was stated by .Energy Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak in the State Assembly on Tuesday in reply to a question by Pritiranjan Ghadai (BJD).

==================

BHUBANESWAR | Monday, June 21, 2010 | Email | Print | | Back

‘Extend climate action plan feedback deadline to Aug 15’

PNS | Bhubaneswar

Alleging that the State Government has hurriedly prepared the Draft Climate Change Action Plan 2010-2015 and fixed June 25 as the deadline for comments and suggestions, the civil society members, working on Right to Food and Climate Change issues in the State here, feel that the document requires a wider debate and discussion among all stakeholders across the State.

Petitioning the Governor on Saturday, Biswajit Mohanty, Puspanjali Satpathy, U Daneil, Pradip Pradhan and Bipin Kumar Dalei, on behalf of Food Rights Collective, Odisha, have urged to direct the State Government to extend the last date from June 25 to August 15 to submit the opinion, suggestions and comments.

On June 5 World Environment Day, the Chief Minister, while launching the Draft Odisha Climate Change Action Plan 2010-2015, has invited public opinion, suggestions, comments on it from citizens, environmentalists et al by the deadline.

Drawing the Governor’s attention, the petitioners said that, since they have already been working on the issues in the State, they feel that the document is quite exhaustive and needs to be thoroughly discussed before giving any suggestions or comments.

As climate change situation has affected all the people throughout the State, the document needs to be discussed among all concerned and affected even in the remote pockets of the State.

It is a fact that, it is always the poor, Dalits and tribals found most vulnerable to any disaster situation.

But, it is matter of regret of that they are neither consulted nor taken into confidence prior to any policy or programme designed in their interests, the petitioners rued.

In fact, our State is witnessing a rapid growth on industrial and mining sectors with large plants in steel, aluminum and power generations, mostly using coal as the source of energy.

The climate change in the State has already taken its toll, they observed, adding the temperature is hovering around 46-48 degrees Celsius in peak summer.

Water shortages and excessive rains are resulting in floods in some parts while at the same time other areas of the State are suffering drought-like conditions.

With many more industries in the pipeline, the climatic situation in the State looks grim in the days to come, they pointed out.

The climate change situation has not only affected the environment, but also life and livelihood of the common man like the Dalits, tribals, fisherman etc.

More hard days are quite visible in the State, they prophesied.

The time limit of just 20 days fixed by the State is not enough for the public at large to comment or make valuable suggestions as scores of activists and environmentalists have expressed their concerns over the way the Government has hurriedly prepared the draft and pushing it to give it a final stamp as quickly as possible, they alleged.

They apprised the Governor that, they have also launched an online petition appealing the Chief Minister to extend the time limit at least to August 15 for comments and suggestions on the draft Action Plan.

============================================================================

BHUBANESWAR | Monday, June 21, 2010 | Email | Print | | Back

2,904 village agri workers go without offices

PNS | Bhubaneswar

The Village Agriculture Workers’ Association (VAWA) on Saturday demanded that the State Government should provide office rooms to all Village Agriculture Workers (VAW) in the State. Now, there are 2,904 VAWs including 600 women are working in the sector without having any office.

The demand was placed by the association before Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout at its 17th annual function held at the Jaydev Bhawan here. The president of VAWA Anshuman Patnaik presided over the meeting and its secretary Amiya Kumar Rout read out the annual report and the memorandum. Rout said, the then State Government in 1977 created 6502 village agriculture workers post for the implementation of different programmes of the Agriculture Department. At that time there were 4390 Gram Panchayats in the State. Now the number is 6234.

“At a time when the VAWs are working hard for upliftment of agriculture sector, the Government’s continuous negligence to provide them office premises is not bearable,” he rued asking that how long they would work in own houses and verandahs Gram Panchayats. He cited that the Government has provided offices to all most all the lower level workers of all the other departments.

Expressing concern, Rout said that all the pay commissions constituted since 1952 have not paid any heed to them. He also demanded that the State Government should take steps to hike their salaries. Minister Rout in his speech said the grievances are justifiable and acceptable.

=======================================================================

BHUBANESWAR | Sunday, June 13, 2010 | Email | Print | | Back

Briefly

OAS Association goes online

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Administration Service (OAS) Association has gone online, with its new website being launched. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the website www.oasassociation.in recently. Leading e-business solution provider CSM Technologies has developed the innovative and interactive website. For the first time, this online facility will help the association members to be in touch with each other across the State through the e-platform. There are 1,500 members of the OAS Association and all of them would take advantage of the e-initiative, said association president Rabi Narayan Nanda. The website has the details of transfers and postings of the OAS officers and recent notifications of the State Government, which would help its members, said association joint secretary Aditya Mohapatra.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BHUBANESWAR | Wednesday, June 9, 2010 | Email | Print |

Education for All campaign launched in State

PNS | Bhubaneswar

Ahead of the FIFA Football World Cup 2010, more than 200 eminent activists, educationists and students of Odisha joined hands with the international football community at the Ekamra Haat here on Monday evening to play towards a new goal — 1Goal: Education for All.

Taking part in a signature campaign kicked off by international football player and former captain of Indian women’s football team Sradhanjali Samantaray, the participants signed up on an appeal that asked the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister of Odisha to increase budgetary allocations for elementary education.

The campaign, coinciding with the FIFA Football World Cup 2010, is backed by the FIFA and some of the big names in football for putting pressure on Governments around the world to deliver additional money needed to pay for every child to attend school.

1GOAL is setting out to be the biggest campaign around a sporting event. It already has 100 ambassadors, 25 of the biggest mobile phone companies backing it and aims to get 72 million people signing up to the campaign. This support will then be used to encourage new commitments from Governments attending the high level summit that which will be hosted by the South African Government during the World Cup.

In Odisha, the signature campaign will continue till June 22, the day the State Government embarks on its Budget 2010. At the end of the campaign, the signatures collected will be presented to the Chief Minister. Around 100 organisations have come forward to collect signatures from across the State, stating form villages to premier educational institutes.

Monday’s event marked the renaming of erstwhile Orissa Siksha Aviyan as Odisha Siksha Adhikar Aviyan with a view to highlighting the fact that education is now a fundamental right.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

BHUBANESWAR | Wednesday, June 9, 2010 | Email | Print |

Govt. to set up 5, 000 tube wells in drought-hit areas

PNS | Bhubaneswar

In a bid to provide irrigation to 10, 000 hectares of lands in drought affected areas, the State Government on Tuesday decided to set up 5, 000 deep tube wells at a cost of Rs 100 crore.

A decision to this effect was taken in a high level meeting held under chairmanship of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the State Secretariat.

It was decided in the meeting that said tube wells would be dug in stony and hard surface areas where there is no irrigation system. The projects would be taken up under Krushak Bikash Yojana and National Remote Sensing Organisation would identify the project areas where these tube wells would be set up. In each of project areas, maximum three to four tube wells would be dug. The Government would also provide electricity with special three phase transformers.

It was also decided that the tube wells would be provided to farmers as their personal possessions. The Governemnt has estimated to spend Rs 2 lakh per tube well of which the beneficiary would bear expenditure up to Rs 20, 000.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BHUBANESWAR | Wednesday, June 9, 2010 | Email | Print |

Jumbo victims’ compensation

Pioneer News Service | Bhubaneswar

The State Government on Tuesday decided to increase the compensation of people affected with elephants’ attacks. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has sought proposals to this effect from the concerned department.

Besides, the Government took a decision on expediting police patrolling in Sunabeda and Similipal sanctuary areas in order to control Maoists activities.

The Chief Minister reviewed a meeting on different programmes of conservation of wildlife at the State Secretariat. Among other decisions, Patnaik directed the concerned officials to take appropriate steps so as to check poaching of wild animals including elephants. Besides, he emphasised on strengthening the special cell meant for checking of wildlife killing cases.

It was known in the meeting that there are a total of 1862 pachyderms in the State. Of this, 954 elephants are living in different sanctuaries. Similarly, while an average of 53 people are losing their lives in elephants’ attack every year, 673 residential houses are getting destroyed. Besides, an average of crops of 6000 acre lands is being destroyed every year due to elephants.

On the other hand, Patnaik expressed concerned over killing of elephants by coming in contact with electricity, eating poisonous food reportedly given by irate people and falling in wells and ditches.

In the meeting, discussions were also held on conservation of tigers, crocodiles, sea tortoises and dolphins.

Among others, Special Secretary to CM BK Patnaik, Forest Secretary UN Behera and PCCF wildlife PN Padhi were present.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, June 7, 2010 | Email | Print |

Hike in petrol, diesel, LPG price on cards

PTI | New Delhi

A ministerial panel may on Monday decide on raising petrol and diesel prices up by Rs 3.50 a litre and domestic LPG rates by Rs 25-50 per cylinder, besides considering raising kerosene prices marginally.

The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM), headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, will meet on Monday afternoon to consider a Kirit Parikh Committee report that calls for freeing of petrol and diesel prices from government control, besides a steep hike in LPG and kerosene rates to cut the subsidy bill.

"Selling fuel at rates below their imported cost is unsustainable. If prices are not hiked, the government will have to find ways to make up for the Rs 72,300 crore deficit arising from selling petrol, diesel, domestic LPG and kerosene below their imported cost," an Oil Ministry official said.

In all probability, decontrol of petrol prices looks certain, and if done, the rates would go up by Rs 3.35 per litre, which being the difference between the retail price and imported cost. Mukherjee may even push for freeing pricing of diesel - the nation's most consumed fuel that is used in transport sector and hence has inflationary impact.

"It (diesel price decontrol) will depend a lot on allies like (Railway Minister and TMC head) Mamata Banerjee. If she agrees, the diesel pricing will also be freed," he said.

Also on cards is a Rs 50 per cylinder hike in domestic LPG prices, which may be moderated if Banerjee and other allies in the ruling UPA insist.

A marginal increase in politically sensitive kerosene, which is used by the masses for lighting and cooking purposes, may also be proposed at the EGoM and the jury is still out on its acceptance by the constituent ministers, the official said.

The EGoM will have to raise the price of petrol by Rs 3.35 per litre and that of diesel by Rs 3.49 a litre to free them from government control.

Petrol in Delhi currently costs Rs 47.93 a litre, while diesel is priced at Rs 38.10 a litre.

Decontrol of auto fuel prices has become easier for the government after international crude oil prices fell over $10 to quote at $72-74 a barrel.

"The hike needed to free auto fuel prices till last week was Rs 6.07 a litre in petrol and Rs 6.38 a litre in diesel.

Raising prices, particularly that of diesel by such an amount in one go, was considered politically difficult. But now the hike needed is pretty reasonable (as crude oil has become cheaper)," he said.

State-owned Indian Oil Corp, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum currently lose Rs 203 crore per day on selling fuel below imported cost.

They currently sell petrol at a loss of Rs 3.35 a litre, while that for diesel is Rs 3.49, Rs 18.82 for PDS kerosene and Rs 261.90 for every 14.2-kg LPG cylinder.

Monday, June 7, 2010 | Email | Print |

Bhopal tragedy: Victims want accused hanged

IANS | Bhopal

Over 25 years after the Bhopal gas tragedy when the verdict in the case is to be pronounced Monday, the victims want capital punishment for the accused but are not too hopeful of getting full justice.

They feel the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has already "weakened" the case.

The accused in the case include senior Indian executives of Union Carbide India Limited and Warren Anderson, former chairman of Union Carbide Corporation, US, which owned the Bhopal plant - who is absconding.

Rachna Dhingra of the Bhopal Group of Information and Action told IANS: "The folly committed by the accused should fetch no less than capital punishment for all of them. They should be hanged in public."

"We are being deceived since the beginning. The case, based on a charge sheet filed by the CBI Dec 1, 1987, against 12 parties, was originally to be tried under Section 304 Part II (culpable homicide not amounting to murder leading up to 10 years imprisonment) of the Indian Penal Code," Sadhna Karnik of Bhopal Gas Peedit Sangharsh Sehayog Samiti, who is also a victim, said Sunday.

"This, however, was challenged by the accused in the Supreme Court which, in a September 1996 order, diluted the charges against the Indian accused to Section 304 A - causing death by negligence with maximum imprisonment up to two years," she added.

"Now, even if the judgment pronounces them guilty, what does two years' punishment mean and that too with the liberty to appeal in higher courts?" Karnik asked.

Another activist, Abdul Jabbar of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sanghathan (BGPMUS), accused the CBI of preparing and presenting a "weak" charge sheet in the case.

"More than 178 witnesses, belonging to weaker sections of society, were registered but several important witnesses were left out," he said.

"A judgment such as this one, with a high-profile accused, has the potential to shape the future of how big business operates in the country," Jabbar said.

Activists also question the CBI's role as it has not been able to produce Andersen, the prime accused in the case, even after two arrest warrants were issued against him, the last one in July 2009.

Dow Chemical Company, which took over the US-based Union Carbide Corporation in 1999, says all the liabilities were settled when the company paid $470 million compensation in a settlement brokered by the Indian Supreme Court.

The verdict will be pronounced Monday by Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Mohan P. Tiwari in the case, arguments for which closed May 13.

Four of the organisations representing victims Saturday accused the Indian government of criminal negligence in the prosecution of the accused in the case.

"Justice will be done in Bhopal only if individuals and corporations responsible for the deaths of over 25,000 people and toxic exposure damage to over half a million are punished in an exemplary manner," said president of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh, Rashida Bee.

"Eventually, the number of those affected was increased. But the compensation money was not, so each victim got far less than they should have and there are many who did not even get a single penny," said Balkrishna Namdeo of the Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Morcha.

Tonnes of methyl-iso-cyanate (MIC) and other lethal gases that spewed out of the now defunct Union Carbide Corporation's pesticide plant here on the intervening night of Dec 2-3, 1984, killed more than 3,500 people instantly and maimed thousands for life.

In the weeks that followed, 15,250 more people, who had inhaled the gas or consumed contaminated water, died, according to official figures. Victims' rights group claim the toll was 25,000.
Email | Print | Rate: 1 2 3 4 5

BHUBANESWAR | Friday, June 4, 2010 | Email | Print |

Now, MLAs can spend Rs 1 cr for development

PNS | Bhubaneswar

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has allowed Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to spend Rs 1 crore per annum for the development of their respective constituencies. He gave the green signal to this effect on Wednesday.

The MLAs, from now onwards, will have this enhanced amount in their Local Area Development (MLALAD) fund. The lawmakers, cutting across party lines, had been demanding the hike in the fund for last two years.

Minister of Planning & Coordination Ananga Udaya Singh Deo favoured the MLAs’ demand and gave a proposal to increase the MLALAD funding to Rs 1 crore per year. Earlier, the MLAs were allowed to spend Rs 75 lakh.

Singh Deo, in his note, justified the demand of the lawmakers, saying that the amount of Rs 75 lakh for undertaking developmental activities in a constituency was not sufficient. That is why they were asking for another Rs 25 lakh, said Singh Deo.

Till now, the State Exchequer was spending Rs 110.25 crore, and with the rise in the MLALAD fund an extra amount of Rs 36.75 crore would be spent. Taking the field requirements into account, the Chief Minister favoured the MLAs’ demand, said sources.

And there is a stipulation issued on this front, said an official. That is, out of Rs 1 crore at least Rs 25 lakh should be earmarked for creation of durable assets in irrigation, including drainage and flood protection, connectivity such as blacktopped or concrete road and culverts and bridges. This would go a long way in creating durable assets in the State out of the MLALAD fund, said he.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BHUBANESWAR | Monday, May 17, 2010 | Email | Print |

Balangir poor make hay when the sun shines

Sudhir Mishra | Balangir

While the economically sound dare not to venture out in the summer and
are able to beat the torrid heat in the air-conditioned and other
cooling-system-furnished cosy cubicles, the poor and economically
weaker section have to brave the sultry summer and the vagaries of the
burning sun in a bid to quell the pangs of hunger and eke out a living
every day here with the mercury hovering above 44 degree Celsius.

One’s sensitive eyes can bump into such a pathetic scene outside the
Collectorate here and find the hapless rural-folk struggling in the
backdrop of the sunstroke-prone loo and selling scrumptious summer
fruits Khajur (date palm) and Taal (palm) while the shade of a few
tress serves them with some succour to sustain their struggle for
existence.

“We used to get plenty of Taal earlier and made a seasonal fortune by
selling its Taalsaj (delicious kernel), but now the quantity has
declined and also our sales,” rued Makardhwaj Jued of Jiratramal
village, adding that they risk their lives by climbing the tall trees
just to manage the livelihood in the dry season.

“We start selling in the morning, but as the day advances and the
mercury starts soaring, a few thirsty and hungry lot come and haggle
and already it is noon and we would be awaiting customers till
evening,” another seller said.

The Khajur trees in the rural areas are vanishing fast as they have
been felled for construction of roads, consumption of its tuber and
other purposes and it has become extremely difficult to eke out a
living by selling it, both the sellers complained.

However, the middle-aged rural woman’s asking this scribe to purchase
some Khajur was heart-penetrating and sounded most significant for the
Fourth Estate when she made an appeal saying mere photographing of her
selling is meaningless and the few media men capturing her photograph
stood stunned.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BHUBANESWAR