Lawyers In Western Orissa Go On Strike

Wednesday 12th of December 2007
Courts in western Orissa were paralysed Wednesday when lawyers struck work, demanding a high court bench in the region to enable people to get justice faster.

Protesting under the banner of the Western Orissa Bar Association (WOBA), they boycotted the revenue and judicial courts in the region's 11 districts, staged demonstrations and also prevented judges and court employees from working.

According to Sirish Ballav Mishra, who is convenor of the central action committee (CAC) of WOBA, the two big towns of Sambalpur and Bargarh were the worst hit.

'We will continue our protest till our demand is met,' Mishra told IANS.

Last month, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wrote to Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court Ashok Kumar Ganguly, requesting him to set up a bench each at Sambalpur and Berhampur. While Sambalpur would serve the western part of the state, Berhampur would cover the south.

Non-finalisation of salary: Teachers pushed to brink

.........ROURKELA : The plight of the teachers of erstwhile municipal schools has once again come to the fore with the death of MS Pali Primary School headmaster Purushotam Rana, a couple of days back. He allegedly died of poverty. Yogesh, Rana’s son claimed that his father was suffering from chronic urological disorder and the end came early as they could not afford treatment. Rana was not paid for the last five months. Rana’s colleagues who share similar economic fate said an ill Rana was passing through a very lean phase. While this remains the plight of such teachers across Orissa, around 53 erstwhile municipal schools’ teachers here are just hoping that good sense will prevail upon the School and Mass Education Department. Sources said envisaging a single pattern of school education, these schools were provisionally taken over by the department on February 28, 2004. But, nearly four years after, the State Government is yet to finalise the ‘service conditions’ which would have enabled them a pay scale at par with government teachers along with other service benefits. Presently, they are getting between Rs 3,000 and Rs 5,500, while their government school counterparts are being paid just the double. As the government is dilly-dallying in finalising the pay, both the schools and teachers are having a rough ride. No wonder, quality school education remains a distant dream. It is showing in the poor school infrastructure. Consider this: Bisra Munda Vidyapeeth (BMV), the alma mater of India’s hockey skipper Prabodh Tirkey and the John ME School, in the common campus of BMV, enrolling future hockey stars can put any authority to shame. Newly-appointed District Inspector of Schools Kapilendra Mishra said efforts would be made to improve the situation.

Huge cache of arms seized

.........SAMBALPUR : In a big haul, police seized around 2,400 rounds of ammunition from Jarang forest and arrested two hardcore Maoists, James alias Pawan Lohar and Uddhaba Putta. While James, 24, is said to be an explosives expert from Ranchi, Putta (20) alias Pandab is a local radical. Police also seized three landmines weighing more than 10 kg each, fuse wires, a GPS (Global Positioning System) gadget, a walky-talky and books. Addressing mediapersons here today, Sambalpur SP Sanjay Kumar said the ammunition, looted from Jharkhand, can cater to a company of police force. The police forces are using 9 mm ammunition manufactured in 2001-02, whereas the seized ammunition were manufactured in 2003. James, founder-member and zonal commander of Sambalpur-Deogarh- Sundargarh committee, was involved in 24 heinous crimes including killing of cops. An expert in making landmine and conducting guerilla warfare, he had been engaged in planting landmines targeting police not only in Orissa but also in Jharkhand. James was imparting training to Naxal recruits in different camps. He had disclosed that he had surveyed the district armoury and a few police stations in order to loot arms and ammunition, Sanjay Kumar said. The other arrested Naxal, Putta, was member of the local guerilla squad (LGS) and was involved in at least 12 cases in Sambalpur.

US team ready to develop art villages in Dhenkanal

.........DHENKANAL : A group of US development facilitators has evinced keen interest in developing art villages and some backward pockets in the district. The group comprising eight development facilitators and international development experts headed by Dr Neville S. Arachchige Don under the banner of International Research Foundation for Development visited some villages, including Gobardhanpur under Gondia block and Lambodarapur in Sadar block in June and July. Gobardhanpur is known for its tribal jewellery. In the presence of heads of departments, Collector Zamil Ahmed Khan and mediapersons, they invited suggestions for development of the villages and uplift of artists. Now, they have sought project proposals about development needs in the district and skill development of artists whose products are exported to the US and other European countries. They also sought information on development needs in sectors like health, education, drinking water and sanitation. In response, Khan called a meeting of heads of departments, chief district medical officer, social welfare officer, Nabard officials and lead bank manager to discuss the development needs. Later, the administration with support from a leading NGO Mission Reconstruction drew up project proposals and sent them to the US development facilitators. The Collector also sent proposals on development needs in Kankadahada and Hindol blocks. According to Neville, a meeting will be held in Los Angeles in December-end to chalk out a strategy on the project proposals. Khan said as social and economic inequality is far greater in these two blocks, they were selected for comprehensive development.

Resentment over deletion of Surendra Sai's name in govt calendar

Sambalpur, Dec 8 : The absence of the birthday of Veer Surendra Sai, a prominent freedom fighter, in the government calender for 2008, has evoked resentment among the people of Western Orissa here.

Several organisation and intellectuals condemned the deletion of the birthday of Surendra Sai, the first freedom fighter of the nation, from the government calendar and demanded to rectify the calendar with special mention of the hero's birthday.

They said since 2008 was the year of the second birth centenary of the freedom fighter from Western Orissa, who spent more than two decades in exile and died in jail in 1884, his name should have figured in the state government calendar.

''It is an irony that every year his birthday finds a place in the government calendar but it has been deleted in 2008 despite the fact that the hero's second birth centenary falls on January 23, 2008,'' intellectuals said.

The Orissa Sanskritik Samaj, a leading socio-cultural organisation of the state, raised objection over such an ''irregularity'' and drew the state government's attention, including the director of the government press.

The Western Orissa Small and Medium Newspapers' Forum also expressed concern over the issue and demanded the government to take responsibility for such a ''gross mistake''.

''Just a correction or an apology will not be a proper solution.

The persons responsible for such grave mistake should be penalised,'' Forum president Mayadhar Nag and secretary Mahabir Mishra demanded.

Friday, December 7, 2007

Anti POSCO movement gathers more support

It is reported that a number of political parties and people’s organizations in Orissa held a daylong convention to express their support to those opposing the POSCO’s steel project in the state.

Political leaders said that the agitation by people in the POSCO project site was not against the company but for protection of people’s land and livelihood sources. They underlined the need for coming together of various organizations opposing different mineral based industrial projects at Kalinga Nagar, Keonjhar and Retagged districts and the farmers of western Orissa who were opposing diversion of water from Hirakud reservoir to industry to oppose the mindless and anti people industrialization.

The political parties and organizations which participated in the convention include
1. CPI (ML)
2.CPI (ML Liberation)
3. CPI (ML New democracy)
4. Samajwadi Jana Parishad,
5. Visthapan Virodhi Janamanch
6. POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti
7. Paschim Odisha Krushak Sangathan Samanwaya Samiti
8. Jatadhari Banchao Andolan, Loka Shakti Abhijan (Orissa)
9. Lok Mukti Sangathan
10. Basti Suraksha Manch
11. Jeeban Jibika Surakhya Samiti and Lok Pakhya
12. Prakrutika Sampad Surakhya Parishad
13. Mittal Visthapan Virodhi Manch.

The poet poverty-stricken Komna is pround of

Dec 7,2007

Komna, a remote village in Nuapada district of western Orissa, is often in news for wrong reasons: child labour and deadly epidemics. But another fact for which this village should justifiably be proud of is that it has given the State a great Oriya poet, late Gadadhar Mishra Sharma.
Born on November 7, 1906 in a conservative Brahmin family, the 54-year-old had to receive his primary education in a Hindi medium school as his birthplace at that time was part of Madhya Pradesh. He learnt Oriya language on his own efforts and started writing his feelings and experiences in poetic form, following the path of Oriya poets Radhanath Roy and Gangadhar Meher. He wrote many poems in Oriya language like Bibidhabarna, Rasamanjula, Kusumamala and Sarada Gamana, which established his poetic credentials. He composed eleven volumes of Khanda Kabya, which are compilations of many well-known poems like Mahandi, Jautuka, Premayana, Sura Sauvadra, Ramakatharu and Ramarajya and many other lesser known ones.
Mishra Sharma's writings brought about a great revolutionary change in the minds of Oriyas residing in western Orissa, and gradually he became popular among the Oriyas residing in different parts of the State. His poem Sarada Gamana was included in a book called Kabita Prabsesha, which was included as a part of the curriculum by the Board of Secondary Education, Orissa, for matriculation students.
Mahanadi is one of the great literary contributions of Mishra Sharma. In this poem, he has described the beauty of nature, the birds and the animals visiting the bank of the Mahandi and other rivers. The skillful use of Sanskrit words, Oriya words and dialects of western Orissa in his writings need to be studied carefully by the linguists and researchers of Oriya language to fully understand the impact of his contribution to the Oriya literary traditions.

India successfully tests new interceptor missile

Balasore (Orissa), Dec 6 (IANS): India Thursday successfully tested a newly developed high-speed interceptor missile over the Bay of Bengal , defence sources said.

As a part of an Advanced Air Defence (AAD) exercise, a Prithvi missile modified to "mimic" a hostile ballistic missile was fired from Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea in Orissa, some 230 km from State capital Bhubaneswar , about 11 a.m.

The new missile was fired from Wheeler Island a little over two minutes later and successfully intercepted the incoming target, destroying it over the Bay of Bengal , the sources said.

The AAD tested Thursday was a new missile and not a derivative or an update of any existing missile, the sources added.

It was specially designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for this role.

In performance, the AAD is said to be slightly superior to the US PAC-3 (Patriot Advanced Capability) in interception, altitude and range against incoming ballistic missiles, the sources said.

On Sunday, defence scientists had conducted a mock trial of the AAD system by using an electronic target fired from the ITR.

On Nov 27 last year, defence scientists had successfully conducted a similar Prithvi air defence exercise over the Bay of Bengal by using a modified version of Prithvi to destroy an incoming missile.

Orissa Woman fighting mining operation honoured

Bhopal : A 14-year old struggle against mining giants got a shot in the arm Wednesday after Mukta Jhodia, a tribal woman fighting them in Orissa, won the first Chingari Award meant for women fighting corporate crime.

The award is an initiative of two woman survivors of the Bhopal gas tragedy.

The tragedy occurred Dec 2-3, 1984, when tonnes of lethal methyl isocyanate gas leaked from the now defunct Union Carbide's pesticide plant here, killing more than 3,000 people instantly and maiming several thousand others for life.

Champa Devi and Rashida Bee - who fought relentlessly for justice in one of the longest running battles against corporate crime - have set up the award from the $1,25,000 Goldman Environment Prize they received in 2004.

"This is an award out of an award, and it would be presented every year to a woman taking on corporate giants," said Rashida Bee two days after the 23rd anniversary of the Union Carbide gas disaster.

They handed over a trophy and a citation while writer Jyotsna Kamal presented a Rs.50,000 cheque to Jhodia, who has been opposing Hindalco-led Utkal Alumina's bauxite mining and processing project in Kashipur, Orissa.

"The Chingari Award is particularly relevant at this juncture, when the government has made its intentions of submitting to corporate-led globalisation extremely clear. The coming years will see some of the world's most powerful corporations pitted against some of the most marginalised people - adivasis, dalits and peasants - with the police playing hit men for the investors," said Jhodia.

"Jhodia has been awarded when communities in her home state are threatened with eviction to make way for a range of mining and mining-related industries. A resident of Sriguda Goudaguda village in Orissa's Rayagada district, the 45-year old Mukta has locked horns with a Birla-led mining consortium and has mobilised her community successfully to stave off plans to mine the bauxite-rich plateaus in her motherland", Champa Devi told IANS.

"The mother of a married son and a daughter, Mukta has been a key source of inspiration and awareness among Kashipur's tribal communities. A fiery speaker, she has tirelessly travelled to tribal villages around Rayagada, often on a bicycle with her husband or son, informing them about Birla's plans to exploit their 'bheeta mati' (home and hearth)," Champa Devi said.

A six-person jury, led by Mahashweta Devi, screened 10 nominations from rural areas around the country, and short-listed four women.

Other jury members included Ajitha George from Jharkhand, S. Usha from Kerala, Sujata Gothoskar and Mira Sadgopal from Maharashtra, and Pamela Philipose from New Delhi.

Leaders of a farmers' body in Orissa Tuesday refused to talk with a ministerial team that had gone to meet them to discuss industrial use of water from the state's Hirakud dam.

Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik had deputed state revenue minister Manmohan Samal, steel and mines minister Padmanav Behera, road and transport minister Jaya narayan Mishra and agriculture minister Surendra Nath Nayak to talk with agitating farmers in western Orissa.

The ministers Tuesday arrived in Sambalpur, some 300 km from the state capital, and contacted some of the farmer leaders for discussion, Paschim Orissa Krushak Sangathan Samanwaya Samiti (POKSS) leader Lingaraj told IANS.

'We refused to talk to them because their intention was not clear,' he said.

'We got a letter from the administration that says that the team wants to discuss with us about the use of dam water for industrial use,' Lingaraj added.

The government seems to be more concerned for industries than farmers, he alleged. That is why we refused to meet the team, he said.

Hundreds of farmers have been opposing industrial use of water from the 25.8-km long Hirakud dam - one of the longest dams in the world, located about 15 km from Sambalpur.

Farmers have been holding rallies in the state's western districts under the banner of POKSS. They built a 15-ft long and five-ft high brick wall near Jamadarpali airstrip located close to the Hirakud dam Sunday.

The wall, described as 'chasi rekha' (farmer's line), has been built near the pipes Vedanta Resources Plc has constructed to draw water from the dam for its plant in Jharsuguda district.

Vedanta is building a $2.1-billion greenfield aluminium smelter plant together with an associated 1,215 MW captive thermal power plant.

The company will draw at least 172 cusecs of water per day from the dam, which could provide irrigation to at least 17,200 acres, Lingaraj told IANS.

'The state government is already diverting irrigation water from the dam to at least eight industries,' he alleged.

As a result, more than 50,000 farmers in the command areas do not get water for their farms, the farmer leader said.

The government had decided to divert more water from the dam for mega industries in the region in the coming days, Lingaraj alleged, adding that would deprive more farmers of water.

The state government has already permitted 20 more industries to draw at least 348.755 cusec of water in the coming days, he alleged.

'We will not allow any industry to use the dam water for industrial purposes,' Lingaraj said.

'The wall we have built is to stop Vedanta from drawing dam water. The fight is not against Vedanta alone but also against all upcoming industries that are planning to draw water from the dam,' he added.

More than a dozen people were injured last week when police baton charged thousands of farmers attempting to enter a prohibited area of Hirakud dam while protesting the alleged diversion of irrigation water to industries.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had ordered a probe into the police action and had announced that his government would not divert irrigation water from the dam for industrial purposes.

He also offered to talk to farmers opposing use of water from Hirakud dam for industrial purposes.

'The government is ready to discuss with western Orissa farmers,' Patnaik said here Monday.

'We will not divert water meant for agriculture for industrial use,' he asserted.

'First we will use water for irrigation. If there is a surplus, then we will decide how they can be used best,' he said.

Water new hurdle for Orissa's industrialisation drive

BHUBANESWAR: The industrialisation process in Orissa which has attracted investment proposals worth over Rs 4 lakh crore, was facing a new problem, water.

After land and mines, it was water that emerged as a major hurdle before the government to implement several projects, officials in industries department said.

The recent farmers' agitation in western Orissa has come as a major headache for Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik who immediately announced several measures to assure farmers that no one could divert water meant for irrigation,'' a senior official of the department said.

While opposition of local people to land acquisition process had already delayed implementation of Posco project in Jagatsinghpur, the district officials in Keonjhar were also worried about arranging land for Arcelor-Mittal's 12 mtpa greenfield project.

This apart, the land acquisition for Tata Steel's six mtpa project at Kalinga Nagar in Jajpur had sparked a nationwide protest following killing of some people in police firing last year.

The people of Sundergarh district led by BJP's national vice-president and MP Jual Oram were also agitating against the state government's move to sanction prospective license (PL) to Posco for mining at Khandadhar iron ore reserve.

Similarly, Vedanta Alumina Limited is also facing local people's ire over mining bauxite at Niyamgiri hills, considered as eco-fragile.

Worried over agitation against land acquisition and mining, steel giant Arcelor-Mittal has sought a tie-up with the state owned Orissa Mining Corporatoion (OMC) to ensure uninterrupted raw material linkage, a senior official said.

The farmers' agitation opposing use of Hirakud reservoir for industrial use had added to the woes of the government.

Official sources said proposals for at least 10 major industries includiung some power units could not materialise unless they drew water from Hirakud reservoir.

The industries which would be affected if water supply from Hirakud was denied, include Bhusan Steel, Vedanta Alumina Limited, Mahanadi Coalfield, Posco, a cement manufacturing unit, a paper unit and many small units.

Apart from this, Kalinga Nagar industrial complex which housed nearly 20 steel units like Tata Steel, Jindal Stainless, Nilachal Ispat Nigam Ltd, Mesco and others would also face water crisis, if they were denied water from the river Brahmani.

While Steel and Mines Minister Padmanabha Behera said the government would soon evolve a strategy to provide water to both agriculture and industries, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik made it clear that agriculture would get priority over industries regarding water related issues.

The Western Orissa Krushak Surakshya Samanawya Samiti (WOKSSS), an organising fighting for farmers' rights, has said it would not allow any industry to draw water from Hirakud.

''Let the government increase water bearing capacity of the reservoir first and then talk of allowing water to industries,'' WOKSSS leader Lingaraj said.

The post of Resident Commissioner, Government of Orissa, New Delhi is declared equivalent in status and responsibility to the post of Commissioner-cum- Secretary to Government provided in the IAS cadre of the State.

According to a release Shri Upendra Prasad Singh, IAS ,Commissioner-cum-Secretary to Government, Steel & Mines Department is allowed to remain in additional charge of the office of the Commissioner-cum- Secretary to Government, Energy Department vice Shri L.N. Gupta,IAS transferred.

Shri Laxmi Narayan Gupta, IAS at present Commissioner-cum-Secretary to Government, Energy Department is appointed as Resident Commissioner, Government of Orissa, New Delhi until further orders.

The post of Resident Commissioner, Government of Orissa, New Delhi is declared equivalent in status and responsibility to the post of Commissioner-cum- Secretary to Government provided in the IAS cadre of the
State.

Shri Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra, IAS who has been appointed as Resident Commissioner, Government of Orissa, New Delhi vide G.A. Department Notification is appointed as Commissioner-cum-Secretary to Government, I.T Department until further orders.

The additional appointment of Shri Surendra Nath Tripathi, IAS as Commissioner-cum-Secretary to Government, I.T Department shall stand terminated from the date Shri P.K. Mohapatra, IAS takes over.

Shri Vir Vikram Yadav, IASwho is under orders of transfer as Executive Director, Orissa Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Bhubaneswar and ex-officio Additional Secretary to Government, H & UD
Department is appointed as Director, Rural Development and ex-officio Additional Secretary to Government, Rural Development Department.

The post of Director, Rural Development is declared equivalent in status and responsibility to the post of Additional Secretary to Government provided in the IAS cadre of the State.

The appointment of Shri Vir Vikram Yadav, IAS as Executive Director, Orissa Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Bhubaneswar and ex-officio Additional Secretary to Government, H & UD Department is hereby
cancelled.

Sri Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra, IAS as Resident Commissioner, Government of Orissa, New Delhi is hereby cancelled.