BHUBANESWAR | Monday, June 6, 2011 | Email | Print | | Back
Move to involve school HMs in MDM management stirs hornet’s nest
June 06, 2011 7:35:38 AM
SUDHIR MISHRA | Balangir
The recent decision of the Odisha Government to hand over the mid-day meal (MDM) scheme to School and Mass Education Department from Women and Child Development Department with a view to run it smoothly and avoid corruption has evoked reactions among social activists and teachers.
As per the recent development, the Government decision on the MDM, a joint bank account would be opened in the name of the headmaster and SHG or SMC member where the money will be deposited for MDM management.
MDM management in school is a difficult task. Ultimately, it will create problems for the study in school children, said social activists Khuturam Sunani of Khariar.
“An another important thing is to involve school head masters for management of the MDM is violation of Article 27 of RTE-2009 which states no teacher shall be deployed for any non-educational purposes other decennial population census, disaster relief duties or duties relating to election to the local authority or the State legislature or Parliament,” pointed out Sunani further.
At least one teacher in each primary/upper primary school would be engaged and this would affect the education imparting process in the schools, pointed out Bijaya Bisoi, a teacher.
Achyut Das, a leading social activist and representative of Odisha for the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) too echoed the same concern.
“It appears to be violation of RTE Act to involve teachers in the MDM management. I would draw the attention of the NCPCR in the matter”, he said.
===============================================================================================
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Odisha, C’garh, UP migrants rescued from TN brick kilns May 01, 2011 2:32:25 AM
BHUBANESWAR | Sunday, May 1, 2011 | Email | Print | | Back
Odisha, C’garh, UP migrants rescued from TN brick kilns
May 01, 2011 2:32:25 AM
SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR
In a mind-boggling revelation of the multi-faceted dynamics of the inter-State migration, 522 migrant labourers of Odisha, Chhattisgarh and even from Uttar Pradesh (UP) were reportedly rescued from a brick kilns near Chennai in Tamil Nadu on April 28.
According to reports, the 522 distress migrant workers were rescued from one SLG Brick Kiln in Bonthawakkam village of Ponneri Taluk, 45-km away from Chennai and under Tiruvellur district, following a joint operation launched by the TN Revenue officials, International Justice Mission and Aide et Action on Thursday.
Out of the 522 rescued, 495 are Odias from the migration-prone districts of Balangir, Nuapada, Rayagada and Nabarangpur while 19 are from Raipur (Chhattisgarh) and eight are from UP, including 170 children under the age group of 0-14 years and 59 children between the age group of 15-18 years, informed Aide et Action South Asian Head Umi Daniel.
Majority of them are Dalits, tribals and of other backward classes. There are five tribal families, 57 Dalit families and 82 families belonging to other backward classes, Daniel added.
Due to the untimely rain in Chennai in the last fifteen days, the brick-making was stopped at the worksite and the owner did not pay for the food allowance in the off days leaving them to starve. Even they were kept under captivation by the owner for the last six months, Daniel revealed.
One of the UP workers managed to escape and informed the local Sarpanch, who alerted the district administration and local NGO International Justice Mission and the volunteers of Aide et Action for appropriate action.
Many of them are sick while the children are underfed and malnourished.
After the rescue operation, the local Revenue officials headed by Revenue Division Officer (RDO) Kandhasamy and Tehsildar M Gandhi arranged a health camp to address their immediate health needs besides immediate food and shelter at the nearby higher secondary school there.
It is observed that many labourers are physically tortured as evident from the wounds and scars on their body. As per the revenue officials, the rescued families had got advance money ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 7,000 last year through a middle man of Kantabanjhi block, the migration source area of Balangir district.
Initially, they were promised good pay and food, but were not paid as per the promise and were not even given food for many days.
They also complained that they were not given food for the last fifteen days just prior to the rescue operation and were physically tortured by the goons of the brick kiln owner whenever they dared to go out.
They were made to work late hours in the brick chambers between 6 pm and 4 am and in the day time, they had to frame and dry brick in the sun. Tiruvellur District Collector DP Rajesh declared 371 labourers as bonded labour and issued certificate thereof.
While distributing the release certificates, the Collector said that the loan which the people have borrowed from the brick kiln owners stands nullified and they are free from the bondage.
Under the Bonded Labour (Abolition) Act-1976, there is a provision for providing Rs 20,000 each bonded labourer for rehabilitation.
Ponneri RDO S Kandaswamy said that they would give Rs 1,000 each as immediate relief and the balance amount from the Government of India support for the released bonded labourers will be paid by the Odisha Government once they reach there.
The TN Labour Department has informed its Odisha counterpart while three senior district labour officers have rushed there to facilitate the repatriation of the freed labourers. Both the International Justice Mission and Aide et Action field functionaries in Tamil Nadu are working closely with the Government for the repatriation.
According to latest information, the rescued migrants are being sent to their respective home districts through three special train bogies.
While one bogy will be attached to the Dhanbad Express, another will carry them to Vyjayanagaram to be attached to the Hyderabad-Sambalpur Express and the third bogy will also be attached to the Dhanbad Express.
The 138 migrants of Nuapada district are scheduled to reach Titilagarh on Sunday.
As per the 2001 Census, more than seven lakh population in Odisha has been shown as migrant labourers while informal studies indicate a dismal figure of 20 lakh population as migrants, particularly from western and southern regions of Odisha.
Most of the migrations in these regions are due to debt, distress and non- registration of inter-State migrant workers and thus, giving the middlemen and kiln owners a freehand to extract cheap labour through unscrupulous practice, said Daniel.
He also stated that rapid industrialisation and urbanisation due to neo-liberal policies have also contributed to migration of the poor from rural Odisha.
The failure of the Government’s social security measures and rising unemployment pushing large scale of migration to various cities in and out of Odisha.
There is huge gap between the policy initiatives and the ground reality. There is also no clear-cut policy on migration both at the national and State levels besides the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act-1979.
As this Act only deals with the problems of inter-State migrants where as there are huge number of migrants within the State who are not covered by any special Act or policy and are languishing due to exploitation, observed Daniel.
==============================================
Odisha, C’garh, UP migrants rescued from TN brick kilns
May 01, 2011 2:32:25 AM
SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR
In a mind-boggling revelation of the multi-faceted dynamics of the inter-State migration, 522 migrant labourers of Odisha, Chhattisgarh and even from Uttar Pradesh (UP) were reportedly rescued from a brick kilns near Chennai in Tamil Nadu on April 28.
According to reports, the 522 distress migrant workers were rescued from one SLG Brick Kiln in Bonthawakkam village of Ponneri Taluk, 45-km away from Chennai and under Tiruvellur district, following a joint operation launched by the TN Revenue officials, International Justice Mission and Aide et Action on Thursday.
Out of the 522 rescued, 495 are Odias from the migration-prone districts of Balangir, Nuapada, Rayagada and Nabarangpur while 19 are from Raipur (Chhattisgarh) and eight are from UP, including 170 children under the age group of 0-14 years and 59 children between the age group of 15-18 years, informed Aide et Action South Asian Head Umi Daniel.
Majority of them are Dalits, tribals and of other backward classes. There are five tribal families, 57 Dalit families and 82 families belonging to other backward classes, Daniel added.
Due to the untimely rain in Chennai in the last fifteen days, the brick-making was stopped at the worksite and the owner did not pay for the food allowance in the off days leaving them to starve. Even they were kept under captivation by the owner for the last six months, Daniel revealed.
One of the UP workers managed to escape and informed the local Sarpanch, who alerted the district administration and local NGO International Justice Mission and the volunteers of Aide et Action for appropriate action.
Many of them are sick while the children are underfed and malnourished.
After the rescue operation, the local Revenue officials headed by Revenue Division Officer (RDO) Kandhasamy and Tehsildar M Gandhi arranged a health camp to address their immediate health needs besides immediate food and shelter at the nearby higher secondary school there.
It is observed that many labourers are physically tortured as evident from the wounds and scars on their body. As per the revenue officials, the rescued families had got advance money ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 7,000 last year through a middle man of Kantabanjhi block, the migration source area of Balangir district.
Initially, they were promised good pay and food, but were not paid as per the promise and were not even given food for many days.
They also complained that they were not given food for the last fifteen days just prior to the rescue operation and were physically tortured by the goons of the brick kiln owner whenever they dared to go out.
They were made to work late hours in the brick chambers between 6 pm and 4 am and in the day time, they had to frame and dry brick in the sun. Tiruvellur District Collector DP Rajesh declared 371 labourers as bonded labour and issued certificate thereof.
While distributing the release certificates, the Collector said that the loan which the people have borrowed from the brick kiln owners stands nullified and they are free from the bondage.
Under the Bonded Labour (Abolition) Act-1976, there is a provision for providing Rs 20,000 each bonded labourer for rehabilitation.
Ponneri RDO S Kandaswamy said that they would give Rs 1,000 each as immediate relief and the balance amount from the Government of India support for the released bonded labourers will be paid by the Odisha Government once they reach there.
The TN Labour Department has informed its Odisha counterpart while three senior district labour officers have rushed there to facilitate the repatriation of the freed labourers. Both the International Justice Mission and Aide et Action field functionaries in Tamil Nadu are working closely with the Government for the repatriation.
According to latest information, the rescued migrants are being sent to their respective home districts through three special train bogies.
While one bogy will be attached to the Dhanbad Express, another will carry them to Vyjayanagaram to be attached to the Hyderabad-Sambalpur Express and the third bogy will also be attached to the Dhanbad Express.
The 138 migrants of Nuapada district are scheduled to reach Titilagarh on Sunday.
As per the 2001 Census, more than seven lakh population in Odisha has been shown as migrant labourers while informal studies indicate a dismal figure of 20 lakh population as migrants, particularly from western and southern regions of Odisha.
Most of the migrations in these regions are due to debt, distress and non- registration of inter-State migrant workers and thus, giving the middlemen and kiln owners a freehand to extract cheap labour through unscrupulous practice, said Daniel.
He also stated that rapid industrialisation and urbanisation due to neo-liberal policies have also contributed to migration of the poor from rural Odisha.
The failure of the Government’s social security measures and rising unemployment pushing large scale of migration to various cities in and out of Odisha.
There is huge gap between the policy initiatives and the ground reality. There is also no clear-cut policy on migration both at the national and State levels besides the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act-1979.
As this Act only deals with the problems of inter-State migrants where as there are huge number of migrants within the State who are not covered by any special Act or policy and are languishing due to exploitation, observed Daniel.
==============================================
Friday, June 3, 2011
Fast-growing parthenium poses health risk in Balangir June 04, 2011 12:05:44 PM
BHUBANESWAR | Saturday, June 4, 2011 | Email | Print | | Back
Fast-growing parthenium poses health risk in Balangir
June 04, 2011 12:05:44 PM
SUDHIR MISHRA | Balangir
Much to the chagrin of the environmentalists, parthenium grass is growing fast and spreading to greater areas in Balangir town here. The grass is conspicuous wherever you go, be it inside the district headquarters hospital (DHH), PHD Office, inside the Ayurvedic College or any open field in the town.
Parthenium or congress grass or carrot weed is one of the most noxious weeds of the world belonging to the family of sunflower (asteraceae). It was accidentally introduced in India in the late 1950s. It now spreads over most part of the country sharing the niche of other plants.
“Its adaptability is amazing. Probably its long flowering pattern extending up to six to seven months is regulating the factor.
Neither ornamental nor edible, the weed is a curse of nature for human beings and other wild animals,” says a Lecturer in botany Aswini Rath. The parts of the weed, including the pollen, contain toxins called sesquiterpene lactones having parthenin and other phenolic acids (eg anisic acid, caffeic acid etc).
Direct contact induces severe skin allergy known as parthenium dermatitis in exposed parts, affecting hands, face, neck and even eye lids. Its management needs long-term corticosteroids administration in the patient. It is also known to cause asthma, bronchitis and hay-fever in man and livestock, Rath says further.
The plants should be uprooted before flowering and buried or killed with suitable weedicides or burnt to get rid of it, Rath opines. CDMO Dr PC Sahu says the weed causes skin allergies and aggravates asthma. But when asked about the fast growing weed inside the hospital premises, Sahu said, “I would certainly take steps to clear it very soon.”
Massive public awareness and participation is very essential for the eradication of the obnoxious plant.
Fast-growing parthenium poses health risk in Balangir
June 04, 2011 12:05:44 PM
SUDHIR MISHRA | Balangir
Much to the chagrin of the environmentalists, parthenium grass is growing fast and spreading to greater areas in Balangir town here. The grass is conspicuous wherever you go, be it inside the district headquarters hospital (DHH), PHD Office, inside the Ayurvedic College or any open field in the town.
Parthenium or congress grass or carrot weed is one of the most noxious weeds of the world belonging to the family of sunflower (asteraceae). It was accidentally introduced in India in the late 1950s. It now spreads over most part of the country sharing the niche of other plants.
“Its adaptability is amazing. Probably its long flowering pattern extending up to six to seven months is regulating the factor.
Neither ornamental nor edible, the weed is a curse of nature for human beings and other wild animals,” says a Lecturer in botany Aswini Rath. The parts of the weed, including the pollen, contain toxins called sesquiterpene lactones having parthenin and other phenolic acids (eg anisic acid, caffeic acid etc).
Direct contact induces severe skin allergy known as parthenium dermatitis in exposed parts, affecting hands, face, neck and even eye lids. Its management needs long-term corticosteroids administration in the patient. It is also known to cause asthma, bronchitis and hay-fever in man and livestock, Rath says further.
The plants should be uprooted before flowering and buried or killed with suitable weedicides or burnt to get rid of it, Rath opines. CDMO Dr PC Sahu says the weed causes skin allergies and aggravates asthma. But when asked about the fast growing weed inside the hospital premises, Sahu said, “I would certainly take steps to clear it very soon.”
Massive public awareness and participation is very essential for the eradication of the obnoxious plant.
‘Criminals, Maoists to be dealt with firmly in Balangir’ June 04, 2011 11:44:17 AM
BHUBANESWAR | Saturday, June 4, 2011 | Email | Print | | Back
‘Criminals, Maoists to be dealt with firmly in Balangir’
June 04, 2011 11:44:17 AM
PNS | Balangir
Tackling law and order, traffic and Maoist problem would receive top priority. Criminals would be sternly dealt with, said new SP of Balangir district Abinash Kumar here on Thursday.
“We shall see to it that no innocent person is harassed. Let the community get the benefits of community policing police, he told the media.
The police-public relation would also be improved further. “We appeal to people to inform us whenever any incident takes place and not to take law into their own hands as the police will definitely act,” Abinash Kumar said. He also urged the mediapersons to share information with the police for prompt and appropriate action.
“Many people have complained to me about the chaotic traffic problem of Balangir town, and I will definitely look into it,” he said.
He also said that he would see to it that dances in the forthcoming Sitaalsashti Yatra are performed as “permitted by law.”
“We will tackle the Maoist problem in the district though better intelligence collection, besides winning the hearts of people by providing them all the benefits of Government programmes, Kumar said further.
‘Criminals, Maoists to be dealt with firmly in Balangir’
June 04, 2011 11:44:17 AM
PNS | Balangir
Tackling law and order, traffic and Maoist problem would receive top priority. Criminals would be sternly dealt with, said new SP of Balangir district Abinash Kumar here on Thursday.
“We shall see to it that no innocent person is harassed. Let the community get the benefits of community policing police, he told the media.
The police-public relation would also be improved further. “We appeal to people to inform us whenever any incident takes place and not to take law into their own hands as the police will definitely act,” Abinash Kumar said. He also urged the mediapersons to share information with the police for prompt and appropriate action.
“Many people have complained to me about the chaotic traffic problem of Balangir town, and I will definitely look into it,” he said.
He also said that he would see to it that dances in the forthcoming Sitaalsashti Yatra are performed as “permitted by law.”
“We will tackle the Maoist problem in the district though better intelligence collection, besides winning the hearts of people by providing them all the benefits of Government programmes, Kumar said further.
Distress migration afflicts Odisha’s child labourers November 15, 2010 9:12:57 AM
Dear all,
I had covered the distress migration of children in a story in the Pioneer in November,15,2010.I enclose the story for your perusal.
with best wishes
yours
SudhirMishra/Pioneer/Balangir
=======================================================================
BHUBANESWAR | Monday, November 15, 2010 | Email | Print | | Back
Distress migration afflicts Odisha’s child labourers
November 15, 2010 9:12:57 AM
SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR
Even as the entire nation observed the Children’s Day on Sunday, sending the message that a child is the future of the nation and need to be nurtured and grown properly, hundreds of children from western Odisha migrated with their parents to work in inhuman conditions for prolonged hours in the brick kilns and in other spheres in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and other States.
“I have no other option but to migrate with my parents due to poverty and food insecurity and my parents cannot afford my education,” said Tapaswini Parta of Talijuri village after returning from Andhra Pradesh in June.
Every year, around 40,000 children migrate from the district alone, help their parents in the brick kilns, perform all sorts of hazardous works living in perilous conditions and facing exploitations of all kinds, physical, mental and other abuses, revealed Santosh Padhy of Action Aid.
Constituting important parts of Pathuriaa, the unit of migrating family, comprising wife, husband and children, the below14-year-old children accompany their parents to the brick kiln sites to work as carriers of raw bricks and other household chores there. Nuankhai, that marks the beginning of festivity in the western Odisha, also begins the process of migration.Migration is going on in this region for the last four decades and to accompany their parents, the children also migrate with them.
“It is disgusting that distress migration, especially child migration to the brick kilns, going on from the region for the last few decades should be stopped. The civil society organisations should rethink and redraft their strategies to prevent this,” Action Aid regional manager Amar Jyoti Nayak had observed few months ago while speaking at the Balangir Zilla Lok Sammelan.
Notably, Balangir district is not the lone case of child migration. It is also taking place in Nuapada district and Padampur subdivision in Bargarh district, ironically dubbed to be the rice bowl of Odisha, Nayak rued.
Every year, out of the 30,000 people migrating from Nuapada district, 13 per cent are children. The number usually goes up in a drought year, said Abani Mohan Panigrahi of Lok Drusti, Khariar. A survey by the Lok Drusti in 2004 revealed that 1, 4455 people, including 1,036 children migrated from 120 villages in Nuapada district.
Such a migration is also continuing from Gaisellete, Jharbandh, Paikmaal and Padampur subdivision in Bargarh district.
According to a report of the Samuhik Marudi Pratikar Udyaam, Padampur, around 20,000 people migrate from western Odisha and other parts of Chhattisgarh every year. Those who migrate to other parts of western Odisha to harvest paddy, also carry their children. And, those who migrate to Raipur (Chhattisgarh) to pull rickshaw to earn their livelihood, also carry their children. One-fourth of the total migrant constitutes the children.
Migration has become a big business in western Odisha. As the poor get a huge amount of money at a time, they are migrating. The total advance amount given by the dalals/sardar in Nuapada district amounts to around 5.6 crore in 120 villages. In Balangir district, the amount involved in the annual migration process is around `100 crore.
As the child migrates with their parents and stays there for minimum six months, it results in disruption of studies and school dropouts.
After returning, it is difficult to get enrolled again and the child is forced to earn his livelihood as a daily wager.
The Government is making tall claims of providing education to all and to enroll the children for which the Sarva Sikshya Abhijan (SSA) has been launched, yet large numbers of children are migrating every year resulting in dropouts.
To take care of the education of the migrant children, the Residential Care Centers (RCC) were opened in 2002 on experimental basis in Balangir district with the participation of Community Based Organisations (CBOs) where the children stayed and pursued their studies.
Buoyed with the success, it was extended to Nuapada and Bargarh districts with active involvements of the CBOs/NGOs and participation of the community. However, after the initial good response from the SSA, it became a mere official formality by opening of the centres too late and keeping non-migrant children there.
Migration cannot be stopped and steps should be taken to streamline the process. Residential Care Centres (RCC) should be opened before November and managed with participation and involvement of the community and function properly to check child migration. It should not be treated as an official centre with the block level resource coordinator and SI, but the community to be involved sincerely.
If the centers are opened by October and with involvement of the community, a migrant parent would believe and leave his/her children there rather than believing in the words of the officials.
Last year, 49 RCC centres were opened in Balangir district and a total of 1,342 students were there.
The centres were opened in February and were managed by the Village Education Committee (VEC), said an SSA official here.
This year we expect to open the RCC centres by the first week of December, the officials informed further.
The Right to Education Act in its clause 5.2 states, “whereas child is required to move from one school to another, either within a State or outside for any reason whatsoever, such childshall have a right to seek transfer to any other school excluding the school specified in sub-clauses (iii) and (iv) of clause of clause Section 2, for completing his or her elementary education”.
“There should be inter-State collaboration between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to provide admission of migrated children in the schools of migrating State”, opined Santosh Padhy.
There should be comprehensive intervention in streamlining the migration process, reducing exploitation and ensuring education for the children through the RCCs. A direct dialogue should be made with the principal employer and the brick kiln owners to avoid exploitation and distress condition through middlemen, opined Saroj Barik of ADHAR.
A comprehensive detailed mapping of the migrant children must be done in the western region so that the exact number of children migrating could be known and intervention be developed, Padhy quipped.
I had covered the distress migration of children in a story in the Pioneer in November,15,2010.I enclose the story for your perusal.
with best wishes
yours
SudhirMishra/Pioneer/Balangir
=======================================================================
BHUBANESWAR | Monday, November 15, 2010 | Email | Print | | Back
Distress migration afflicts Odisha’s child labourers
November 15, 2010 9:12:57 AM
SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR
Even as the entire nation observed the Children’s Day on Sunday, sending the message that a child is the future of the nation and need to be nurtured and grown properly, hundreds of children from western Odisha migrated with their parents to work in inhuman conditions for prolonged hours in the brick kilns and in other spheres in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and other States.
“I have no other option but to migrate with my parents due to poverty and food insecurity and my parents cannot afford my education,” said Tapaswini Parta of Talijuri village after returning from Andhra Pradesh in June.
Every year, around 40,000 children migrate from the district alone, help their parents in the brick kilns, perform all sorts of hazardous works living in perilous conditions and facing exploitations of all kinds, physical, mental and other abuses, revealed Santosh Padhy of Action Aid.
Constituting important parts of Pathuriaa, the unit of migrating family, comprising wife, husband and children, the below14-year-old children accompany their parents to the brick kiln sites to work as carriers of raw bricks and other household chores there. Nuankhai, that marks the beginning of festivity in the western Odisha, also begins the process of migration.Migration is going on in this region for the last four decades and to accompany their parents, the children also migrate with them.
“It is disgusting that distress migration, especially child migration to the brick kilns, going on from the region for the last few decades should be stopped. The civil society organisations should rethink and redraft their strategies to prevent this,” Action Aid regional manager Amar Jyoti Nayak had observed few months ago while speaking at the Balangir Zilla Lok Sammelan.
Notably, Balangir district is not the lone case of child migration. It is also taking place in Nuapada district and Padampur subdivision in Bargarh district, ironically dubbed to be the rice bowl of Odisha, Nayak rued.
Every year, out of the 30,000 people migrating from Nuapada district, 13 per cent are children. The number usually goes up in a drought year, said Abani Mohan Panigrahi of Lok Drusti, Khariar. A survey by the Lok Drusti in 2004 revealed that 1, 4455 people, including 1,036 children migrated from 120 villages in Nuapada district.
Such a migration is also continuing from Gaisellete, Jharbandh, Paikmaal and Padampur subdivision in Bargarh district.
According to a report of the Samuhik Marudi Pratikar Udyaam, Padampur, around 20,000 people migrate from western Odisha and other parts of Chhattisgarh every year. Those who migrate to other parts of western Odisha to harvest paddy, also carry their children. And, those who migrate to Raipur (Chhattisgarh) to pull rickshaw to earn their livelihood, also carry their children. One-fourth of the total migrant constitutes the children.
Migration has become a big business in western Odisha. As the poor get a huge amount of money at a time, they are migrating. The total advance amount given by the dalals/sardar in Nuapada district amounts to around 5.6 crore in 120 villages. In Balangir district, the amount involved in the annual migration process is around `100 crore.
As the child migrates with their parents and stays there for minimum six months, it results in disruption of studies and school dropouts.
After returning, it is difficult to get enrolled again and the child is forced to earn his livelihood as a daily wager.
The Government is making tall claims of providing education to all and to enroll the children for which the Sarva Sikshya Abhijan (SSA) has been launched, yet large numbers of children are migrating every year resulting in dropouts.
To take care of the education of the migrant children, the Residential Care Centers (RCC) were opened in 2002 on experimental basis in Balangir district with the participation of Community Based Organisations (CBOs) where the children stayed and pursued their studies.
Buoyed with the success, it was extended to Nuapada and Bargarh districts with active involvements of the CBOs/NGOs and participation of the community. However, after the initial good response from the SSA, it became a mere official formality by opening of the centres too late and keeping non-migrant children there.
Migration cannot be stopped and steps should be taken to streamline the process. Residential Care Centres (RCC) should be opened before November and managed with participation and involvement of the community and function properly to check child migration. It should not be treated as an official centre with the block level resource coordinator and SI, but the community to be involved sincerely.
If the centers are opened by October and with involvement of the community, a migrant parent would believe and leave his/her children there rather than believing in the words of the officials.
Last year, 49 RCC centres were opened in Balangir district and a total of 1,342 students were there.
The centres were opened in February and were managed by the Village Education Committee (VEC), said an SSA official here.
This year we expect to open the RCC centres by the first week of December, the officials informed further.
The Right to Education Act in its clause 5.2 states, “whereas child is required to move from one school to another, either within a State or outside for any reason whatsoever, such childshall have a right to seek transfer to any other school excluding the school specified in sub-clauses (iii) and (iv) of clause of clause Section 2, for completing his or her elementary education”.
“There should be inter-State collaboration between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to provide admission of migrated children in the schools of migrating State”, opined Santosh Padhy.
There should be comprehensive intervention in streamlining the migration process, reducing exploitation and ensuring education for the children through the RCCs. A direct dialogue should be made with the principal employer and the brick kiln owners to avoid exploitation and distress condition through middlemen, opined Saroj Barik of ADHAR.
A comprehensive detailed mapping of the migrant children must be done in the western region so that the exact number of children migrating could be known and intervention be developed, Padhy quipped.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Exclusive Balangir Haat to come up in BhubaneswarBHUBANESWAR | Thursday, June 2, 2011 | Email | Print | | Back Exclusive Balangir Haat to come up in Bhubaneswar June 02, 2011 8:04:11 AM
BHUBANESWAR | Thursday, June 2, 2011 | Email | Print | | Back
Exclusive Balangir Haat to come up in Bhubaneswar
June 02, 2011 8:04:11 AM
PNS | Balangir
The first ever visit of State Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy to Balangir began with interaction with farmers and a promise to open a Balangir Haat (market) at Bhubaneswar to prevent the distress sale of vegetables, tomato, and mango within a month, besides directing the official to visit the field and attending the grievance of farmers.
Accompanied by Principal Secretary RL Jamuda, Director Agriculture RS Gopalan and Director of Horticulture and Watershed, Maharathi listened to the farmers’ complaints. The majority of complains of farmers were related to distress sale of paddy, tomato, vegetables, hike in subsidy for digging well, shortage of paddy seed and revival of cold storage.
“No new paddy seed is arriving here. Farmers have to wait for hours to get a bag of paddy in Puintala block. With a bag of paddy what will he do?,” asked ex- MLA Muralidhar Guru to the delegation.
Besides the official sale centre, the sale centre opened under the Chief Minister’s package is yet to function. Those who have opened sale centres are yet to get their commission of last year, alleged a few farmers.
Reacting to complaints of distress sale of tomato, onion and other vegetables, Maharathi announced that a Balangir Haat would be opened at Unit –1 in Bhubneshwar within a month where farmers would sell their produce directly and get benefit. He also assured that adequate amount of seed would be sent to the district by June 15.
Reacting a to a complaint that farmers in Puintal block have not received their compensation amount, Maharathy directed the District Collector to disburse it within three days so that farmer could procure seeds and other items.
A new dress code is also in the offing for the village agriculture workers and it would be implemented within a year, informed Maharathi and directed the VAWs and other officials to treat the farmers with dignity and listen to their grievances with patience. A direct communication line would be opened between the farmers and the Ministry, he informed further.
In 1996 during the severe drought, the district administration decided to construct a tank by the side of each tube well so that a person taking water from tube well would pour some water in it and the cattle and other animals would drink water from there. However, the scheme failed with structures either damaged or non-existent, Minister was told.
The farmers said that the Government has decided to provide 90 per cent subsidy if four farmers in a cluster dig deep bore well but a deep bore well is making a tube well dry. So they suggested to the Minister to rethink over it.
To provide solution to the problem of harassment by banks in opening of account, Director Agriculture RS Gopalan directed the District Collector to take necessary steps to open zero balance account in the bank and action against them not cooperating. Gopalan also assured that the defunct seed processing unit in the district would be made functional in a month. A total of 35 farmers were honoured with shawl and citation on the occasion.
________________________________________
Email | Print | Rate: 1 2 3 4
Exclusive Balangir Haat to come up in Bhubaneswar
June 02, 2011 8:04:11 AM
PNS | Balangir
The first ever visit of State Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy to Balangir began with interaction with farmers and a promise to open a Balangir Haat (market) at Bhubaneswar to prevent the distress sale of vegetables, tomato, and mango within a month, besides directing the official to visit the field and attending the grievance of farmers.
Accompanied by Principal Secretary RL Jamuda, Director Agriculture RS Gopalan and Director of Horticulture and Watershed, Maharathi listened to the farmers’ complaints. The majority of complains of farmers were related to distress sale of paddy, tomato, vegetables, hike in subsidy for digging well, shortage of paddy seed and revival of cold storage.
“No new paddy seed is arriving here. Farmers have to wait for hours to get a bag of paddy in Puintala block. With a bag of paddy what will he do?,” asked ex- MLA Muralidhar Guru to the delegation.
Besides the official sale centre, the sale centre opened under the Chief Minister’s package is yet to function. Those who have opened sale centres are yet to get their commission of last year, alleged a few farmers.
Reacting to complaints of distress sale of tomato, onion and other vegetables, Maharathi announced that a Balangir Haat would be opened at Unit –1 in Bhubneshwar within a month where farmers would sell their produce directly and get benefit. He also assured that adequate amount of seed would be sent to the district by June 15.
Reacting a to a complaint that farmers in Puintal block have not received their compensation amount, Maharathy directed the District Collector to disburse it within three days so that farmer could procure seeds and other items.
A new dress code is also in the offing for the village agriculture workers and it would be implemented within a year, informed Maharathi and directed the VAWs and other officials to treat the farmers with dignity and listen to their grievances with patience. A direct communication line would be opened between the farmers and the Ministry, he informed further.
In 1996 during the severe drought, the district administration decided to construct a tank by the side of each tube well so that a person taking water from tube well would pour some water in it and the cattle and other animals would drink water from there. However, the scheme failed with structures either damaged or non-existent, Minister was told.
The farmers said that the Government has decided to provide 90 per cent subsidy if four farmers in a cluster dig deep bore well but a deep bore well is making a tube well dry. So they suggested to the Minister to rethink over it.
To provide solution to the problem of harassment by banks in opening of account, Director Agriculture RS Gopalan directed the District Collector to take necessary steps to open zero balance account in the bank and action against them not cooperating. Gopalan also assured that the defunct seed processing unit in the district would be made functional in a month. A total of 35 farmers were honoured with shawl and citation on the occasion.
________________________________________
Email | Print | Rate: 1 2 3 4
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
BHUBANESWAR | Monday, July 12, 2010 | Email | Print | | Back PIL filed as higher education in a shambles in Balangir Pioneer News Service | Balangir
BHUBANESWAR | Monday, July 12, 2010 | Email | Print | | Back
PIL filed as higher education in a shambles in Balangir
Pioneer News Service | Balangir
After the sorry state of primary education, it is the same state of affairs with higher education in Balangir due to shortage of lecturers and non-appointment of principals.
Seeking appointment of lecturers and principals in different colleges of the town to impart higher education to students properly, PIL has been filed in the Odish High Court by general secretary of the All Kosal Students’ Union Dolamani Pradhan.
According to the petition, Balangir-based Rajendra College, once the premier higher educational Institution of this entire region, is now in a shambles with vacant posts of lecturers and the principal.
Against the sanctioned posts of 64 lecturers, there are only 22 lecturers now posted in the college. And out of them, two teachers have been transferred and another is on long leave, leaving only 19 teachers in the college, which imparts education to students from the Plus-2 level to that of postgraduation.
The Government Women’s College also suffers the same fate. Against the sanctioned 32 lecturers’ posts, as many as 18 posts are lying vacant. Ironically, at least two posts sanctioned in the department of Economics since last five years has not been filled. Moreover, there is no principal in the college.
The Balangir College, established in 1982, also has a similar situation. Functioning in an old and unsafe building in a daily market, it has only six lecturers against the sanctioned strength of 12.
Besides, the continuous neglect of the second Sanskrit College of Odisha, established in 1908, has pushed it to the verge of closure. The only degree Ayurvedic College of the district also suffers from shortage of lecturers as it now functions with only 12 lecturers against the sanctioned strength of 28. Besides seeking appointment of lecturers, principals in the colleges, petitioner Dolamani Pradhan has sought strict implementation of a transfer policy of lecturers.
The All Kosal Students’ Union general secretary has filed the PIL through advocate Ashis Mishra, urging the HC to direct the Government to take appropriate steps in this regard with a stipulated time.x
================================================================================
BHUBANESWAR | Thursday, July 15, 2010 | Email | Print | | Back
Special drive to boost moong cultivation in Balangir
Pioneer News Service | Balangir
It’s common to find farmers sowing seeds of various crops in order to meet our food requirements, which ultimately leaves the soil dry and barren.
But the pulse crop, moong or green gram takes care of human beings, animals as well as mother earth. It provides natural proteins and other vital minerals which are easily digested and absorbed. Its parts are also used as cattle feed. Cultivation of this crop improves soil health as its roots contain Rhizobium nodules which fix nitrogen in the soil. Although moong dal is a part of common man’s diet and cultivated in large areas of Balangir district, its productivity has been abysmally low.
According to official sources, cultivation of pulses was taken up in 70,835 hectares in the kharif season in 2008 which rose to 74,733 hectares in 2009. We have planned to cultivate 76,000 hectares during the Kharif season this year, informed an official.
Moong or green gram cultivation was taken up in 36,185 hectares of land in 2008, which rose to 38,750 hectares in 2009. We have planned to cultivate 39,000 hectares during the Kharif season this year, he added. However, even as moong cultivation is taken up in many areas of the district, the production has been quite low. Thanks to less use of fertilizer, cultivation in marginal land and absence of improved practices.
To boost moong production in the district, a special drive under the Accelerated Pulse Production Programme (APPP) has been taken up in 2,000 hectares of Agalpur and Balangir blocks where farmers would be provided with critical inputs besides seeds of improved variety, informed an official. Besides increasing the production, this crop is going to enhance the soil fertility of the cultivated land while providing nutrition items at the doorstep simultaneously, added an official here.
============================================================================================
BHUBANESWAR | Friday, July 23, 2010 | Email | Print | | Back
Paddy crop to suffer if Balangir doesn’t receive enough rain
PNS | Balangir
Hundreds of farmers of Balangir district and elsewhere in the State are a worried lot as Monsoon rain plays hide-and-seek with them, bringing agricultural operations of paddy and other crops to a virtual grinding halt.
Balangir district recorded an alarming 67 per cent deficient rainfall in June, receiving only 69 mm rainfall against the normal 217mm. However, in July, although the rainfall is so far 220 mm, it is much behind the average 338 mm for the month.
If one goes by the average rainfall, it would not give a clear picture. The weekly rainfall received and its analysis is most important. In the first week of July, the district got 66 mm of rainfall and in the next week 125 mm. However, in the third week, only 22 mm of rainfall was recorded.
Transplanting and Beushaning operations of paddy crop have been withheld due to the absence of the required rain. Unless there is rainfall within next seven days, there would be moisture stress of paddy field and subsequent wilting of the plants, explained an official here.
Kharif paddy was targeted to be taken up in 1,88,300 hectares in the district, while cultivation has been undertaken in 1,08,000 hectares. Unless there is adequate rainfall within next seven days, the situation could be worse, pointed out president of Zila Krushak Mahasangha Sudhir Parischha
However, in this backdrop, cultivation of non-paddy crops like cotton, maize, groundnut and pulses have been taken up in 68,000 hectares.
=================================================================================
BHUBANESWAR | Tuesday, July 27, 2010 | Email | Print | | Back
Farmers’ training on e-pest surveillance held in Balangir
Pioneer News Service | Balangir
To acquaint farmers with the process of e-pest surveillance a training programme was organised by the district agriculture office at Dhandamunda of Khaprakhol block on Sunday, with 45 progressive farmers of the block attending it.
Expert Gagan Bihari Bhol spoke e-pest surveillance of Kharif 2010 while DK Pradhan dwelt on integrated pest management, Hemsagar Majhi on integrated disease management and Gouri Nanda on the methodology of survey. Horticulturist of Patnagarh BK Pattnaik also attended the programme.
The training was also aimed at acquainting the farmers to take advantage of the electronic media for information about pest attack and management methods so that after getting the report of pest attack, quick steps can be taken to minimise crop loss due to pest attack in paddy cultivation.
The progressive farmers would receive pest advisory direction from the Odisha University of Agriculture and technology (OUAT) and pass on the message to their fellow farmers of his area. The e-pest surveillance project is operating in Balangir district for management of major pests and diseases of paddy. The detailed advisory would go to the District Agriculture Officer (DAO), who would implement it through the extension functionaries, said an agriculture official.
=========================================================================================
PIL filed as higher education in a shambles in Balangir
Pioneer News Service | Balangir
After the sorry state of primary education, it is the same state of affairs with higher education in Balangir due to shortage of lecturers and non-appointment of principals.
Seeking appointment of lecturers and principals in different colleges of the town to impart higher education to students properly, PIL has been filed in the Odish High Court by general secretary of the All Kosal Students’ Union Dolamani Pradhan.
According to the petition, Balangir-based Rajendra College, once the premier higher educational Institution of this entire region, is now in a shambles with vacant posts of lecturers and the principal.
Against the sanctioned posts of 64 lecturers, there are only 22 lecturers now posted in the college. And out of them, two teachers have been transferred and another is on long leave, leaving only 19 teachers in the college, which imparts education to students from the Plus-2 level to that of postgraduation.
The Government Women’s College also suffers the same fate. Against the sanctioned 32 lecturers’ posts, as many as 18 posts are lying vacant. Ironically, at least two posts sanctioned in the department of Economics since last five years has not been filled. Moreover, there is no principal in the college.
The Balangir College, established in 1982, also has a similar situation. Functioning in an old and unsafe building in a daily market, it has only six lecturers against the sanctioned strength of 12.
Besides, the continuous neglect of the second Sanskrit College of Odisha, established in 1908, has pushed it to the verge of closure. The only degree Ayurvedic College of the district also suffers from shortage of lecturers as it now functions with only 12 lecturers against the sanctioned strength of 28. Besides seeking appointment of lecturers, principals in the colleges, petitioner Dolamani Pradhan has sought strict implementation of a transfer policy of lecturers.
The All Kosal Students’ Union general secretary has filed the PIL through advocate Ashis Mishra, urging the HC to direct the Government to take appropriate steps in this regard with a stipulated time.x
================================================================================
BHUBANESWAR | Thursday, July 15, 2010 | Email | Print | | Back
Special drive to boost moong cultivation in Balangir
Pioneer News Service | Balangir
It’s common to find farmers sowing seeds of various crops in order to meet our food requirements, which ultimately leaves the soil dry and barren.
But the pulse crop, moong or green gram takes care of human beings, animals as well as mother earth. It provides natural proteins and other vital minerals which are easily digested and absorbed. Its parts are also used as cattle feed. Cultivation of this crop improves soil health as its roots contain Rhizobium nodules which fix nitrogen in the soil. Although moong dal is a part of common man’s diet and cultivated in large areas of Balangir district, its productivity has been abysmally low.
According to official sources, cultivation of pulses was taken up in 70,835 hectares in the kharif season in 2008 which rose to 74,733 hectares in 2009. We have planned to cultivate 76,000 hectares during the Kharif season this year, informed an official.
Moong or green gram cultivation was taken up in 36,185 hectares of land in 2008, which rose to 38,750 hectares in 2009. We have planned to cultivate 39,000 hectares during the Kharif season this year, he added. However, even as moong cultivation is taken up in many areas of the district, the production has been quite low. Thanks to less use of fertilizer, cultivation in marginal land and absence of improved practices.
To boost moong production in the district, a special drive under the Accelerated Pulse Production Programme (APPP) has been taken up in 2,000 hectares of Agalpur and Balangir blocks where farmers would be provided with critical inputs besides seeds of improved variety, informed an official. Besides increasing the production, this crop is going to enhance the soil fertility of the cultivated land while providing nutrition items at the doorstep simultaneously, added an official here.
============================================================================================
BHUBANESWAR | Friday, July 23, 2010 | Email | Print | | Back
Paddy crop to suffer if Balangir doesn’t receive enough rain
PNS | Balangir
Hundreds of farmers of Balangir district and elsewhere in the State are a worried lot as Monsoon rain plays hide-and-seek with them, bringing agricultural operations of paddy and other crops to a virtual grinding halt.
Balangir district recorded an alarming 67 per cent deficient rainfall in June, receiving only 69 mm rainfall against the normal 217mm. However, in July, although the rainfall is so far 220 mm, it is much behind the average 338 mm for the month.
If one goes by the average rainfall, it would not give a clear picture. The weekly rainfall received and its analysis is most important. In the first week of July, the district got 66 mm of rainfall and in the next week 125 mm. However, in the third week, only 22 mm of rainfall was recorded.
Transplanting and Beushaning operations of paddy crop have been withheld due to the absence of the required rain. Unless there is rainfall within next seven days, there would be moisture stress of paddy field and subsequent wilting of the plants, explained an official here.
Kharif paddy was targeted to be taken up in 1,88,300 hectares in the district, while cultivation has been undertaken in 1,08,000 hectares. Unless there is adequate rainfall within next seven days, the situation could be worse, pointed out president of Zila Krushak Mahasangha Sudhir Parischha
However, in this backdrop, cultivation of non-paddy crops like cotton, maize, groundnut and pulses have been taken up in 68,000 hectares.
=================================================================================
BHUBANESWAR | Tuesday, July 27, 2010 | Email | Print | | Back
Farmers’ training on e-pest surveillance held in Balangir
Pioneer News Service | Balangir
To acquaint farmers with the process of e-pest surveillance a training programme was organised by the district agriculture office at Dhandamunda of Khaprakhol block on Sunday, with 45 progressive farmers of the block attending it.
Expert Gagan Bihari Bhol spoke e-pest surveillance of Kharif 2010 while DK Pradhan dwelt on integrated pest management, Hemsagar Majhi on integrated disease management and Gouri Nanda on the methodology of survey. Horticulturist of Patnagarh BK Pattnaik also attended the programme.
The training was also aimed at acquainting the farmers to take advantage of the electronic media for information about pest attack and management methods so that after getting the report of pest attack, quick steps can be taken to minimise crop loss due to pest attack in paddy cultivation.
The progressive farmers would receive pest advisory direction from the Odisha University of Agriculture and technology (OUAT) and pass on the message to their fellow farmers of his area. The e-pest surveillance project is operating in Balangir district for management of major pests and diseases of paddy. The detailed advisory would go to the District Agriculture Officer (DAO), who would implement it through the extension functionaries, said an agriculture official.
=========================================================================================
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Rally against child labour held in Bolangir.
Sensitization rally against child labour,flagged off in Bolangir. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ June 12,2026. Bolangir;Chief Development Off...
-
Bolangir; 21 th November 2018 By Sudhir Mishra/Bolangir New aspirant for BJP Bolangir MPseat comes up . ====================... -
FOREST FIRE, HABITAT LOSS: WILD CATS PERISHING Wednesday, 29 May 2013 | SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar 1 2 3 4 5...
