SULIA JATRA IN BALANGIR ON JAN 3 Sunday, 01 January 2017 | PNS | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar

SULIA JATRA IN BALANGIR ON JAN 3

Sunday, 01 January 2017 | PNS | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar

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This year, annual Sulia Jatra would be held on January 3, the first Tuesday of the Odia Pausha month, at Khairguda in Kultapda gram panchyat under Balangiri district’s Deogan block, 20 km from here.

Notably, tribals have been worshipping Sulia Budha at the village by the side of Sulia Dangar hill for more than a hundred years ago, said Zilla Adivasi Kalyan Sangha secretary Niranjan Bisi.

According to a legend, the Sulia Puja was being observed on the top of the mountain in earlier times. Once, the priest had forgotten to bring one of the puja pots. When the priest went to bring the pot, all the deities were sitting at a meeting then.

The deities wanted to know why he visited again. When the priest explained about his visit, the deity threw away the pot and told him to worship there where it falls. Since then, the festival is being worshiped at the village. Prior to the day of Sulia Jatra, the worshiping of deity is held at the mountain top in the night around 2/3am by tribals in naked body. The Puja is known as Nishi Puja and conducted by the priest and two other tribals, said Bisi.  Every year, hundreds of birds and animals like hens, pigeons, goats, sheep and buffalos are sacrificed on the occasion of the Sulia Jatra. Non-tribals too offer animals after their “wishes” are fulfilled by the blessings of Sulia Budha, the presiding deity.  Besides Khairguda, (popularly known as Badkhala), the puja is also conducted at other five others places, Kumria, Chantipali of Gudvella block, Mirdhapali in loisingha block, Kharlikani and Barpudgia in Balangir block. However, like every year, rationalists have been demanding stopping of animal killings at the Sulia Puja. Unfortunately, this demand has still remained unheard of. 

“We are observing festivals as per our traditional rituals. Animal killings have been going on inside the forest once a year for more than a hundred years ago. Others should not interfere in the tribal rights and customs,” said Bisi

A preparatory meeting for the festival would be held very soon, informed Bisi.

DEAD RBT MIGHT HAVE SUFFERED HEART FAILURE’ Sunday, 01 January 2017 | SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar

DEAD RBT MIGHT HAVE SUFFERED HEART FAILURE’

Sunday, 01 January 2017 | SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar

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The carcass of a Royal Bengal Tiger (RBT) found in the Jhalialiti beat under the Chandali Reserve Forest under the Lathore range on December 28, has brought the plight of wild animals like RBTs  to the fore in the western parts of Odisha, much to the dismay and disbelief of wild animal lovers here and in the State.

The body of the RBT was found at a place just near the Nuapada district border and 105 km from the district headquarters here.

 “We got information about the carcass of RBT around 4.30 pm on December 28. Immediately I directed the field staff to rush to the spot and check the report and after that the dead body was brought to Lathore Forest Range of Bolangir Forest Division,” said Balangir DFO and Wild Life Warden Rashmi Ranjan Nayak.

The length of the tiger was 9 feet 3 inch (from nose tip to beginning of tail and the tail was 3 feet 1 inch and its pug size was 13.5 cm and 14 cm. Its age was 12 years, he added.

A team of seven veterinary doctors comprising Dr Subash Samanta, Dr K Marandi, Dr SK Naik, Dr Sujit Kumar Satpathy, Dr Ashok Kumar Dash, ADVO GK Sahu and CDVO SK Dash conducted post mortem in the presence of Honorary Wildlife Warden of Balangir Dr Dolagobind Bishi and Sudhir Kumar Mishra and local representative of National Tiger conservation Authority (NTCA) as per the guidelines of NTCA.

After the postmortem was conducted, the tiger’s body was consigned to flames as per the standard operating procedures of NTCA. The death of the RBT raised suspicions and many theories here.

However, according to sources, preliminary postmortem investigation indicates that the death of tiger is due to “suspected congestive heart failure”. We have collected samples of various body parts of the RBT and it would be sent to further examination to Bhubaneswar, said Dr GK Sahu. The exact cause of death would be known only after its final report, he adds further.

“There were some reports about the movement of RBT in the district. In the last Tiger Census we had submitted the pug mark of RBT to the State authorities. However, the State authorities rejected that sample of pug mark,” said DFO Nayak.

The appearance of RBT just on the border of Nuapada district indicates that most likely it have come from Sunabeda Sanctuary of Nuapada district.

Interestingly, the tiger’s body was intact with no sign of either abrasion or cut mark on the body and in other parts and any sign of poisoning. It was well grown tiger. As the tiger was old and weak it is likely to have suffered a congestive heart failure and died there.

According to sources, a tiger may travel more than 100 km in day and operates in a territory of 250sq area kilometer. If it gets food and shelter, normally he does not come out. This tiger which was 12 years might not be able to kill animals for preying and strayed to human habitation in search of easy food and suffered an attack.

With this death of the tiger, the total number of RBTs in the State has gone down to 39 from 40.  The State Government should strengthen the mechanism to monitor the movement of tigers in the State, failing which such type of tiger deaths cannot be ruled out in future, said the animal lovers.

REASON OF TIGER DEATH NOT YET CONFIRMED Friday, 30 December 2016 | PNS | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar

REASON OF TIGER DEATH NOT YET CONFIRMED

Friday, 30 December 2016 | PNS | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar

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Forest officials are yet to ascertain the exact reason behind the death of a male Royal Bengal Tiger in the dense forest on Balangir-Nuapada border on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, after the postmortem, forest officials have burnt the tiger’s carcass suspecting it might have died due to anthrax. Balangir DFO Rashmi Ranjan Nayak said probe is on to find out the cause of the big cat’s death. The tiger’s carcass had been found under the Jhalialiti Forest Beat House of the Lathor Forest Range. Locals had found the carcass with blood oozing out of its mouth.

ROYAL BENGAL TIGER CARCASS FOUND IN BALANGIR DISTRICT Thursday, 29 December 2016 | PNS | BHUBANESWAR | in Bhubaneswar

ROYAL BENGAL TIGER CARCASS FOUND IN BALANGIR DISTRICT

Thursday, 29 December 2016 | PNS | BHUBANESWAR | in Bhubaneswar

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At a time when animal lovers are unhappy over fast extinction of big cats, spotting of the carcass of a Royal Bengal Tiger in a jungle in Balangir district has made them to think over the Government’s sincerity in protecting wild animals.

According to information, some locals found the carcass near Chaulamunda village on the Balangir-Nuapada border on Wednesday afternoon and informed forest officials. Then, a team of forest officials recovered the body and sent the same for postmortem.

While the officials were yet to ascertain the reason behind death of the tiger and from where it could have come, some locals stated they had seen the tiger many times.

“The carcass indicates that some tigers are still living in nearby jungles. But it is disappointing that the forest officials have no knowledge about them,” said some villagers.

STOP REDUCTION OF PADDY IN NAME OF FAQ’ Thursday, 29 December 2016 | PNS | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar

STOP REDUCTION OF PADDY IN NAME OF FAQ’

Thursday, 29 December 2016 | PNS | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar

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Members of the Balangir Zilla Krushak Surakshya Sangathan led by its president Arun Mishra in a memorandum to the district administration has demanded an end to deduction of paddy of farmers in the name of Katni.

It has been a quite common affair in the mandis (paddy procurement centres) operated by Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society to deduct at least five kg of paddy per quintal of the farmers in the name of Fair Average Quality (FAQ). In some mandis, the deduction per quintal is as high as 10 kg to 15kg.

As a result farmers are facing loss and resorting to distress sale of paddy.

In view of good paddy production this year in the district, the limit of selling of 12 quintal paddy per acre should be raised to 14 quintal, demanded the Sangathan in the memorandum.

The district administration should take action against those persons purchasing paddy from farmers below the declared minimum support price (MSP), demanded the Sangathan further.

Moreover, the paddy procurement policy should be decided at district level keeping in view of the crop cutting report of the district.

The district administration should take necessary steps to ensure work and livelihood for the poor labourers who couldn’t get work due to effect of demonitisition in the forthcoming Rabi season. The Centre should approve the demand of Odisha Government to declare the enhanced MSP for paddy, demanded the memorandum.

Moreover, in the recent demonitisition process as agricultural labourers, farmers and other unorganised sector labourers were mostly affected, special compensatory measures be taken for them and the weekly withdrawal limit from the banks should be raised to Rs 50,000, demanded the Sangathan.

A view of Bolangir town in early morning of winter.;photograph taken around 5.30am ;By Sudhir Mishra/Bolangir

The beautiful Dusk.BySudhirMishra/Bolangir;13thDecember2016.