Fighting forest fire in night in Banda reserve forest in April 2017

B’ngir migrant missing; father asks for help Monday, 15 October 2018 | PNS | BALANGIR

B’ngir migrant missing; father asks for help

Monday, 15 October 2018 | PNS | BALANGIR

Yet again, the plight of a migrant worker from Balangir district has come to the fore.

According to reports, Gangadhar Sahu (20)of Tengrapathar under the Larambha police station had migrated to Tamil Nadu along with Suresh Sahu, Ranjit Bariha, Daitari Sahu and others of that village in 2017 and one Santosh Behera, a contractor had taken them.

After staying for a few days at Chennai, they started working at an aluminum factory at Coimbatore. However, after the death of then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Jayalalitha, the company was closed and since then there is no trace of Gangadhar.

Yugeshwar Sahu, father of Gangadhar, in his complaint with the Larambha police station, said, “Whenever I tried to contact the contractor, he has been threatening me of dire consequence if I keep pestering him.” He urged the police to take prompt action.

Yugeshwar told that the State Home Department on April 3 last year has also directed to the SP Balangir to take steps in the case.

Meanwhile, All Odisha Other Backward Class Forum chairman Balaram Singh Yadav has demanded immediate steps to trace out of the missing youth and action against the culprit.

Workshop of Pre departure women migrants held in Bolangir;By SudhirMishra/Bolangir

Workshop of Pre departure women migrants held in Bolangir

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20^thOctober2018

Bolangir With a view to inform and enrich the knowledge and entitlements of migrant women workers under the Inter State Migrants Act 1979and how the migrant’s migration (journey) process would be safe and smooth and how women migrants, besides defending themselves, can also act as a sources of help and protection to migrant women in the brick kilns, a one day pre-departure migrant women workers was held at village Dangbahal ,80kmaway from here in  Patnagharh Block  on Friday.

Organized by PalliAlokPathagar with support from Aide et Action,Bhubneshwar,Global Alliance Against Traffic  in  Women(GAATW) and 

others, it was attended by around 70migrant women of nearby panchyats.

While the migrants’ women narrated their plight of excessive hour work, denial of minimum wage, exploitation at brick kiln site, the migrants’ women were informed about the facilities the registered contractor supposed to provide them and they were explained about the card which contains their details, various local and state officials’ number to contact whenever they feel distressed.

In the entire migration process, it has been observed that it is the women and adolescent girl migrants face more exploitation than their male counterpart as they have to look after the household activities there ,besides the exploitation and torture .Hence to sensitize and equip them with relevant information so that they can protect themselves and act as help to other distressed women migrant at brick kiln, this orientation is being held says SarojBarik ofAide et Action, Bhubneshwar

.Barik    explained various provision and narrated the incident how minor girl fight against the rape and torture in brick kilnof AndhraPradesh few years ago.

Among others, Hiralal Mishra, DayaSagar Pradhan,Dinesh Manhira, formerZillaParishadmember KaramSingh Saraf Seshdev Meher, and explained the different entitlements for women migrants and urged them to demand it and make them free from exploitation 

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Drought singes Puja mood in 3 B’ngir blocks

Drought singes Puja mood in 3 B’ngir blocks

Thursday, 18 October 2018 | PNS | BALANGIR

Even as people of Balangir are celebrating Durga Puja with religious fervour, the farmers of Belpada, Muribahal, Bonogomonda and Loisingha blocks have turned to be a worried lot as a drought-like situation has occurred in these areas and paddy crops have been damaged.

According to reports, out of the 14 blocks in the district, Belpada block received 49 per cent deficit rainfall, Muribahal block 41 per cent deficit, Loisingha block witnessed  44 per cent less rainfall. Cracks have developed in the most of the paddy fields in these three blocks.

“If rains don’t occur within four days, paddy crops in certain pockts will be lost,” said Agriculture Deputy Direcor Sridhar Das.

Das, however, disputed the reports of deficit rainfall in Loisingha block saying that there has been a well-distributed rainfall in the block.

Asked how much areas have been affected, Das said “I have asked officials to prepare a report.”

B’ngir Forest Guard suspended Friday, 28 September 2018 | PNS | BALANGIR

B’ngir Forest Guard suspended

Friday, 28 September 2018 | PNS | BALANGIR

   

Balangir DFO Sameer Satpathy has placed Forest Guard Itishree Badhia under suspension for serious negligence and dereliction of duty resulting in the death of a wild elephant.

On September 19th, a male elephant died at Upparjhar in the Balangir Forest Division due to electrocution.

Although initially, it was reported as a female elephant, after postmortem it was known as an adult male elephant.

However, Itishree Badhia told this correspondent, “I have done my duty sincerely and informed the higher authorities about the development at the field. I have already informed about the incident to our association. I want my suspension to be withdrawn.”

Training of Trainers on pre-departure orientation of women migrant workers held in Bolangir.

Training of Trainers on pre-departure orientation of women migrant workers held in Bolangir.

 By

Sudhir Mishra/Bolangir

Bolangir:20th September 2018.

With a view to reduce the exploitation of migrants women and adolescents girl of Western Odisha,by educating them with providing relevent information,a Training of Trainers  on pre-departure of women migrant workers, was held at Bolangir today.

Organisedjointly  by Aide et Action,WOMN , Global Alliance Against Trafficking of Women(GAATW),and Aaina,this  consultation was attended by grassroots trainers from Bolangir,Kalhanadi ,Bargarh,Sonepur, Nuapada, Boudh and other areas.

Out of the total registered migrant around 50 percent or even more constitute migrant women and adolescent girls who faced discrimination and neglect  starting from the beginning of journey,at work site and  staying in brick kiln in terms of wage and other facilities,it was pointed out during the discussion.

A sample survey carried out in six Panchayats of Bolangir, Kalhanadi, Bargarh, Sonepur  district revealed that, majority of women and adolescents girls are migrating against their wishes and due to family complexion.To reduce the vulnerability of women and adolescents girls,we are going to held meeting of migrants women in Panchayat and would sesitize them about their rights and other valuable and relevant information,so that they could feel empowered and also help others in brick-kiln in times of crisis,says Saroj Barik of Aide et Action Bhubaneswar.

These women migrants would be provided a card containing all the details about her and district level information and other details of concerned officials,who can be contacted in case of any problem.

A Panchayat level leadership training for migrant's and adolescents girls would be held in these district of western Odisha would be held soon,for bettment and empowerment of women migrant workers of Western Odisha,informs Prashant Nayak of Western Odisha Migration Network.

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Balangir jumbo dies due to electrocution Thursday, 20 September 2018 | PNS | BALANGIR

Balangir jumbo dies due to electrocution

Thursday, 20 September 2018 | PNS | BALANGIR

Bolangir An adult female elephant was found dead in Upparjhar -Phatamunda road near Kuimunda, around 24km away from here. Initial reports suggested that the elephant was electrocuted as an electricity pole fell down on it while moving in the area. The forest officials dismissed allegations of poaching.

On a tipoff, forest officials, including DFO Balangir Sameer Satpathy, ACF BC Roul and others rushed to the spot and recovered the carcass. “More details would be known after the postmortem report of elephant was available,” clarified Forest Department sources.

It would be pertinent to mention here that in October 2017, a joint coordination meeting of Wesco officials and forest officials of Balangir and Subarnapur districts was held at the DFO office. In the meeting, several vulnerable points where elephant are prone to electrocution were identified.

However, a proposal for corrective actions is now gathering dust in the PCCF office