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.

Kosal Dal stages rail roko at Balangir FRIDAY, 01 MARCH 2013 19:16 PNS | BALANGIR

 Bhubaneswar  Kosal Dal stages rail roko at Balangir

Kosal Dal stages rail roko at Balangir

FRIDAY, 01 MARCH 2013 19:16

PNS | BALANGIR

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Members of the Kosal Kranti Dal (KKD) led by its president Pramod Mishra and Dolamani Pradhan on Thursday staged Rail Roko at the Balangir railway station protesting against the meagre allocation of funds for the Khurda-Balangir railway line project.

The activists detained the Sambalpur-Rayagada Tapaswini Express and Bilaspur-Raipur Passenger trains.

“The Kosalanchal has been neglected in this year’s Railway Budget. We had demanded Rs400 crore for the Khurda-Balangir railway line, but only Rs60 crore has been allocated. If the yearly allocation goes this way, the project would not be completed in the next hundred years,” said Pramod Mishra.

“The people’s representatives of Balangir and the Kosalanchal region as a whole have failed to represent the case of this area and the State Government has also neglected this area and failed to highlight the problems of this area before the Centre,” he alleged.

“We demand that the Railway Budget be revised with an allocation of Rs400 crore for the Khurda-Balangir railway line project and its completion in three years; otherwise, the project has no future,” he said.

If remedial steps are not taken, there would be a 24-hour Rail Roko, Mishra threatened.

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B’ngir citizens’ body members lock collectorate FRIDAY, 01 MARCH 2013 19:19 PNS | BALANGIR

 Bhubaneswar  B’ngir citizens’ body members lock collectorate

B’ngir citizens’ body members lock collectorate

FRIDAY, 01 MARCH 2013 19:19

PNS | BALANGIR

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Members of the Balangir Citizens’ Committee led by its president Laxmikanta Mahapatra and Bhavani Satpathy on Thursday staged a dharna before the district collectorate and locked the collectrorate protesting against the apathy of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik towards the people of Balangir.

The Citizens’ Committee had sought time to meet Patnaik to discuss the various problems of Balangir. But after trying several times for the purpose, the Chief Minister did not give time for a meeting. “Hence, we have closed the Collectorate today,” said Mahapatra.

“Our major demands are early completion of the Lower Suktel Irrigation Project, establishment of Government medical college at Balangir, construction of bypass road and establishment of a Central University in Balangir,” he said.

Unless the Lower Suktel Project work is started by March 12, the agitation would be intensified, warned Bhavani Satpathy.