ANOTHER HAPLESS FARMER ENDS LIFE IN BALANGIR Monday, 01 April 2013 | SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR |

ANOTHER HAPLESS FARMER ENDS LIFE IN BALANGIR

Monday, 01 April 2013 | SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar

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Even as the State Government has been making tall claims of taking steps for evelopment of agriculture and farmers, yet cases of farmers’ suicide are reported at regular intervals from Balangir district.

In the latest instance, Pabitra Pradhan (48) of Santika village in Agalpur block committed suicide on Saturday evening by consuming poison.

Fellow villager Nepal Pradhan said, “I found him (Pabitra) in an unconscious state when I went to field yesterday evening. We some villagers first brought him to the Loisingha Hospital, where we came to know that he consumed some poisonous substance. From there, we took him to the Balangir District Headquarters Hospital, where he died.”

Reports said Pabitra’s financial condition was not satisfactory and he was going through a difficult time. Although he had two acres Bahal land, he mortgaged it to meet the expense for treatment for his kidney problem in Waltaire in October 2011. Moreover, he faced crop failure in 2011, which ruined his economic backbone.

Meanwhile, he had to marry off his two daughters. He had incurred private loans amounting to about Rs 70,000 and a loan of Rs 30,000 from the local SCS. With this year’s crop yield not being so good, he committed suicide due to financial burden, said editor of magazine Navneeta Kshetrabasi Sahu.

Samajwadi Party district president Arun Mishra said, “In the liberalisation era, both agriculture and farmers in India are going through upheavals. Agriculture has become expensive. Farmers are not getting remunerative prices of their produce. Unable to cope up with the situation, poor farmers are committing suicide.”

According to president of Indian Youth Congress Balangir Lok Sabha constituency Akash Mishra, farmer’s suicides are taking place due to the anti-farmer policy of the Naveen Patnaik Government. Farmers are forced to go in for distress sale of paddy due to an unholy nexus between millers and corrupt officials. The loans of the deceased farmers should be waived and a member of a deceased’s family be given employment, he said.

KOSAL KRANTI DAL TO OBSERVE UTKAL DIWAS AS BLACK DAY

KOSAL KRANTI DAL TO OBSERVE UTKAL DIWAS AS BLACK DAY

Sunday, 31 March 2013 | PNS | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar

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The Kosal Kranti Dal (KKD) will observe the Utkal Diwas on April 1 as “Black Day” in different parts of the “Kosal” area, said KKD president Pramod Mishra here on Saturday.

He said when Odisha Province was formed on April 1, 1936, a part of the undivided Sambalpur district was merged with it . Earlier, the “Kosalanchal” was a prosperous area. In 1948, the remaining provincial states of this area were merged with the Odisha State. Since then, this region is being exploited a lot. Acute poverty, mass migration, distress sale of paddy and other problems are continuing to plague this region.

“Protesting against all this, we are going to observe this day as Black Day,” Mishra said. “We will stage protest demonstrations wherever Utkal Diwas is celebrated by the Government. We will also tear off the map of Odisha and cut the portion of ‘Kosal State’ from that map as a mark of protest,” he added.

As the sun is hiding under clouds and after noon become less Harsh ,two pigeons are just sitting on two different side on the roof top and keeping a watch on the building and other adjoining area from the roof top.Photograph taken by my Nikon COOLl PIX Camera on 26th March2013 afternoon.

The newly sprouted leaves in young Pipal trees.A green Banayan leaf.

Arrived at home after playing Holi (28th March 2013)

VILLAGE YOUTH TOLD TO SAVE FORESTS FROM FIRE

VILLAGE YOUTH TOLD TO SAVE FORESTS FROM FIRE

Tuesday, 26 March 2013 | SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar

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4The rising incidence of forest fire in the district here due to burning of Mahul leaves is a cause of concern for the environmentalists and officials. The Mahul collectors are setting the leaves gathered on the ground near the Mahul trees on fire to clear the ground for easy collection of Mahul. However, little do they bother that the fire spreads in the forests and causes enormous losses to the forest properties.

Kulamani Sahu of the District  Forestry Forum, while speaking at a meeting, organised by the Zilla Jungle Suraksha Manch and RCDC and supported by OXFAM, at Dangar Munda village, 50km from here, observed that forest fire guts huge forest resources including rare tree species, medicinal plants and herbs, while killing many eco friendly insects and animals.

“We should prepare ourselves to tackle the forest fire in village level, besides informing the forest officials to douse the fire, whenever detected. Moreover, the village youth should be involved in forest protection and a cadre of youth should be developed to deal with forest fire and forest protection,” Sahu suggested.

Although so far 198 community claims over forest in Balangir district have been submitted, not a single claim has been settled favourably.

The joint verification process by the Revenue and the Forest department has not been taken up on a war footing in the district, pointed out RCDC regional manager Amar Gouda.  He urged the forest officials to expedite the process of joint verification to settle the community claims.

The joint verification process should be taken up at the Palli Sabha level and the forest and the revenue officials should be present there so that the community claims be taken up and settled at a faster rate.

This is not being observed in most of the cases, pointed Prabhat Mishra of RCDC, adding that the forest cover according to the Forest Survey of India report has increased by three square kilometer. For this, people guarding and protecting the forest and the forest officials deserve credit, he said.

Members from eighteen forest protection committees attended the meeting and expressed concern over the destruction of forest due to forest fire. The members also expressed worries over massive timber cuttings by the people and their illegal transactions.

Assistant conservator of forest Goutam  Naik and forester BN Mishra, assured all cooperation to the villagers in dealing with the forest fire and other problems and informed the committee members about the schemes/provisions  of incentive  for person providing  information on forest fire. Naik also spoke about the various schemes of forest department. Thakur Sahu presided over the meeting. 

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PCR Van flagged off in Balangir/Nine stolen bikes seized, 4 held in Balangir

BRIEFS

Monday, 25 March 2013 | Pioneer | in Bhubaneswar

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PCR Van flagged off in Balangir

Balangir: Balangir SP R Praksh flagged off a new PCR (Police Control Room) Van for better policing in this town on Friday. The van would work for 24 hours with the police personnel being equipped with weapons and lathis to deal with the situation on the spot .

The PCR number is 8280190689 and people can contact the PCR Van for immediate help, said R Praksh

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Nine stolen bikes seized, 4 held in Balangir Balangir:

 Acting on a tip-off, a team of Balangir police led by SDPO Narayan Naik and Town PS IIC Srimanta Barik nabbed Goura Sahu, Siba Niaal, Umakanta Behera and Bhakta Bandhu Panigrahi and seized nine stolen motorcycles from different places.

Bolangir SP Ravi Prakash Flagged up the The PCR van service in bolangir today (22March2013. It willl function 24hours within the Bolangir town limit.Its number is 8280190689.People can contact the PCR van in case of any crime/incident .

Bolangir SP Ravi Prakash Flagged up the The PCR van service in Bolangir today (22March2013. It will function 24hours within the Bolangir town limit.Its number is 8280190689.People can contact the PCR van in case of any crime/incident .

State tops in settlement of forest rights, land pattas

Dear all

I found the news published in the Bhubneshwar edition of English daily “The Pioneer” interesting and  posting it for perusal of all.

Yours

SudhirMishra/Balangir.

State tops in settlement of forest rights, land pattas

FRIDAY, 15 MARCH 2013 19:56

PNS | BHUBANESWAR 

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The State Government while having provided land pattas to 3,27,496 tribals under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) till date, has decided to provide land Pattas to 23,000 tribals very soon.

It may be noted that Odisha has emerged as the top State in terms of FRA settlement and providing land Pattas to the tribals and forest-dwellers under the aegis of the Department of SC & ST Development.

This was revealed at a high-level review meeting on FRA presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday, where Minister of ST & SC Development Lal Bihar Himirika was present. The Chief Minister directed the concerned departments to provide land Pattas to tribals after considering their claims at the earliest.

It was also informed at the meeting that 12,000 landless families have been provided with Pattas under the Odisha Tribal Empowerment and Livelihood Project (OTELP) till date.

For identification of landless tribals under the OTELP, the Government has appointed 550 Community Resource Persons in 30 blocks who have identified 26,000 landless tribal families.

The landless tribals are being provided land under a number of welfare programmes including Basundhara, Mo Jami Mo Diha, OPLE and OGLS coming under the OTELP. The Government has set a target to provide land to five lakh tribal families of 18,000 villages under 118 Tribal Sub Plan Blocks by 2016-17.

This apart, the Government has provided land Pattas with 26,900 acres of land to 17,706 ST families. It has also taken steps for development of the land and houses of these land allotees under various programmes including Indira Awas Yojana, Mo Kudia, Mo Pokhari, MGNREGS and Bamboo Mission.

It was also revealed that the Government has taken up construction works for hostels for tribal students. While construction of 379 hostels was completed in 2011-12, works for 621 hostels are underway of which construction of 350 hostels would be completed before the coming academic year.

Out of the total 1,000 hostels to be constructed during 2013-14, 110 would be earmarked for tribal college students. The process for construction for five urban hostel complexes in Rourkela, Bhubaneswar and Brahmapur has already started.

Balangir BJP hails KV’s appointment

Balangir BJP hails KV’s appointment

Balangir: BJP members in Balangir welcomed the appointment of KV Singh Deo as the State party president with bursting of crackers before  the district Collectorate.

Singh Deo’s appointment would boost the party prospects in the elections, said local party leader Ananta Das. Balangir is the home district of Singh Deo.

DSO protests question paper leak at Balangir

DSO protests question paper leak at Balangir

Balangir: Protesting against the leak of +2 examination question papers, members of the Balangir unit of the All India Democratic Students’ Organisation led by Chitta Ranjan Mishra held a demonstration before the district Collectorate here on Monday .They demanded a high-level inquiry into the incident besides adequate compensation to the students who have suffered a lot due to the question paper leak. Later, they burnt an effigy of Higher Education Minister Badri Narayan Patra.

Tribals threaten to gherao Raj Bhavan on April 4

Bhubaneswar  Tribals threaten to gherao Raj Bhavan on April 4

Tribals threaten to gherao Raj Bhavan on April 4

MONDAY, 11 MARCH 2013 19:32

PNS | BALANGIR

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Protesting against the alleged lack of action of the State Government against the fake ST caste certificate holders and its apathetic attitude towards their genuine demands of tribals, the Odisha Adivasi Kalyan Mahasangh (OAKM) on Saturday threatened to gherao the Raj Bhavan in Bhubaneswar on April 4.

This was decided at an executive body meeting of the Mahasangh presided over by Braja Kishore Singhbhoi here.

“All the Constitutional benefits provided to tribals have been usurped by non-tribals and fake tribal certificate-holding people. Though we have been demanding immediate cancellation and dismissal of the fake caste certificates on many occasions, there has been no action in this regard which has forced us to resort to agitation,” said OKAM secretary Niranjan Bisi.

“Though, we have submitted a list of fake caste certificate holders to the Government since last seven years, no positive steps have been experienced so far in this regard,” said Bisi. 

While the OKAM has identified 370 fake caste certificate holders in Balangir district, there are 204 such persons in Bargarh distgrict, 154 in Subarnapur, 889 in Kandhamal, 157 in Kalahandi and 480 each in Nabrangapur and Koraput districts, said Bisi. 

“As per one of the directions of the Supreme Court, the fake ST caste certificates are to be cancelled within three months of the complaint and all fake ST tribal employees are to be dismissed from service. But the Government of Odisha is not acting expeditiously in dismissing such employees who continue to enjoy the benefits meant for tribals. In fact, the Government is taking a lenient view on the fake caste certificate holders,” Bisi said.

He further said, “The Governor is the custodian of tribal rights in the State. We will submit our demands and request the Governor to intervene in this issue and provide justice to tribals.”

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Padayatra for protection of forest inGandhmardarn region.

Padayatra held to protect G’mardan from forest fire

Padayatra held to protect G’mardan from forest fire

Saturday, 09 March 2013 17:10

PNS | BALANGIR

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With a view to sensitising people about the danger from forest fire and checking pollution from polythene, besides protection of forest in the Gandhamardan region, a two-day Padayatra was undertaken by the Gandhamardan Suraksha Action Committee (GSAC) in eight villages of Nandupala gram panchayat located in the Gandhamardan foothills near Harishankar, 80 km from here.

“We took out the Padayatra on March 6 and 7 in the villages of Nandupala gram panchayat in Khaprakhol block to sensitise villagers about the threat to the Gandhamardan forest from fire and pollution from polythene. Our aim is to make the villagers aware about the need for forest protection,” said GSAC president Tikendra Jaal.

With the beginning of the Mahua flower season, people collecting the flowers are burning Mahua leaves thereby damaging the areas and causing wide-scale forest fires, he pointed out. Moreover, the pollution from polythene materials used by visitors is threatening the ecology of the area.

The polythene containers strewn all over the area make their way to agriculture field and become a major problem for farmers, Jaal said further.

GSAC members also sensitised women SHG members on these issues on the International Women’s Day on Friday.

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Bjiu birthday observed in Balangir

Bjiu birthday observed in Balangir

Balangir: The birth anniversary of former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik was observed here on Tuesday. BJD members led by district vice-president Bhavani Hota garlanded the Patnaik’s statue at the Children’s Park. Hota, Harerkushna Sarangi and other leaders recalled Patnaik’s efforts to make Odisha the country’s number one State.

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Bijubabu’s birth anniversary was also observed at Titilagarh in Balangir district. A huge procession of BJD workers led by Abhimanyu Sahu and Pramod Pradhan was taken out through the town. After garlanding of Patnaik’s statue, a meeting was held at the local Dharmshala. Sahu and Pradhan spoke about Bijubabu’s towering personality.

Pro-Suktel demo marks RDC visit in Balangir SATURDAY, 02 MARCH 2013 17:33

 Bhubaneswar  Pro-Suktel demo marks RDC visit in Balangir

Pro-Suktel demo marks RDC visit in Balangir

SATURDAY, 02 MARCH 2013 17:33

SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR

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The agitation in favour of the Lower Suktel Irrigation Project was revived on Friday with members of the Lower Suktel Action Committee opposing the visit of newly-appointed RDC (Northern) G Srininvas here to make a review of various development works.

As the RDC arrived at the DRDA office, action committee members led by its president Gopalji Panigrahi, Santosh Singh Deo and Girish Singh Deo raised slogans against his visit. The activists wanted a discussion with the RDC and sought to know the reason for non-commencement of the Lower Suktel Project. However, they were taken into preventive custody by the police.

District Collector Debraj Mishra told his officials not to allow media persons to meeting. However, ADM Sadhab Minz told reporters that the RDC has come to Balangir on his first visit and he would review the ongoing development programmes and acquaint himself with the issues of the district, including Lower Suktel.

“We were arrested by the police while agitating peacefully before the DRDA office, which is undemocratic,” said Gopalji Panigrahi to the media.

Interestingly, to sensitise the villagers about the Lower Suktel Project, a Lower Suktel Rath was launched on Friday and it moved in the town before being taken to rural areas in the afternoon.

Later in the evening, RDC Srinivas invited a six-member delegation of the Lower Suktel Action Committee to discuss the issue. “We informed the RDC about the project. He was unaware of the developments. The RDC requested us to put on hold the proposed agitation from March 12. Unless the district administration starts project work by the 12th of this month, we will resume our agitation.” said Panigrahi.