Unimaginable ignorance towards KBKK in higher education by Odisha State Government

Friday, June 6, 2008

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Dear Chief Minister, Intellectuals and Journalists of Odisha,

Father bought a sophisticated toy and gifted it to the elder son who knew how to play with it. Looking at that the, younger son, who had the capability to learn but did not know how to play with it, started crying. Noticing it the mother immediately put a Rasagola into his(younger son's) mouth to shut him up. The youngest son was in awe without understanding anything till the end.

In this daily routine of a middle class family, the role played by central and Odisha state governments are like that of the father and the mother and that Bhubaneswar, Berhampur and KBK regions are the respective elder, younger and youngest sons.

The central Government announced an IIT for Odisha and people around Berhampur wanted to establish it in their region, which is all right.

Nonetheless, consistent persuasion of central Govt. and policy makers to have an airport in the vicinity of IIT, the dream of Berhampur region started getting marginalized. Taking into notice the frustration of CM's home district, the state Govt. immediately announced an engineering college in Berhampur opening the Pandora box of the beloved state.

If the state Govt. wanted to establish a new engineering college, it's a very welcome decision. However, it should reflect the practical and social requirements for the whole state.

Except undivided Kalahandi, Balangir, Koraput and Kandhamal (KBKK)districts in Odisha, rest of the undivided districts have at least one government institutions solely funded by state Government like a state university, engineering college, medical college or agriculture college. For many of them second institution through PPP or state Govt. funded are under consideration and few of them are lucky to have 3 government institutions funded completely by the state government.

What these poor undivided KBKK districts did to the Odisha state Government that their demands always fall into deaf ears?

Secondly, state Govt. is not getting enough funds to establish a new state Govt. institute in other parts of Odisha, therefore, it is encouraging private parties to participate through PPP to build higher educational institutes importantly in KBK districts, and none of them have succeeded so far. Then suddenly the same state Govt. is able to announce new Govt. Engineering College in Berhampur ignoring KBKK districts, does not it sound funny?

Are our policy makers mad reasoning PPP mode institutions in Koraput/Balangir and complete state Govt. funded institution in Bhubaneswar/Berhampur?

I am not saying Berhampur does not deserve a state Govt. engineering institute which is like saying Punjab did not deserve an IIT. However, the timing, location and political bargaining have made the present situation so easier that any intellectual could easily realize the ignorance towards KBKK districts by state Govt. is unimaginable and deeply shameful.

If the state Government needed to establish an Engineering institute in South Odisha, wasn't Koraput more suitable choice to satisfy every aspect, or, south Odisha means people of Berhampur and framers of Ganjam district only?

Engineering colleges in smaller towns such as Gunpur (private), Pralakhemundi (private), Sarang (state Govt.) etc are being very much successfully run in Odisha. Amazingly, why can't Koraput/Jeypore, Bhawanipatna, Balangir, or Phulbani, those are considered as major towns in Odisha representing major chunks of regions, make for an engineering institute?

Is it the reason our CM wanted to establish a new engineering college in his home district like our HRD minister and Prime minister tried and exposed them-selves to the whole nation?

Berhampur already has a state university, medical college and a diploma engineering college solely funded by the state Government and there are also few good private engineering institutes in its vicinity.

Do we mean the farmer and economically weaker sections in Berhampur region deserves more a state Govt. engineering institute than the same sections in Koraput, Bhawanipatna, Balangir or Phulbani regions?

Before taking the decision hurriedly, it should have been practical to bring regional balance to all regions regarding solely state funded Governmental institutes to every region in Odisha.

If the state Govt. feels KBKK is only for backwardness and poverty, it's a shame to the state and its people. Balangir, Kalahandi, Nabrangpur regions are top districts in rice production (Balangir and Kalahandi are among top 3). In industries too KBK is not that backward while contributing to her mother state, such as hydroelectricity project like Upper Kolab, Upper Indravati, Balimela, Machhakund,
Duduma etc., aluminium mining and projects in Damonjodi, Rayagada, Lanjigarh, etc, and ferro silicon industries in Rayagada, Koraput etc, in addition to supplying forest resources mainly Kendu leaves, Mahul, bamboos and woods; all of them are equally contributing to the state/nation.

It's the step motherly attitude and ignorance of the state Govt. which is making KBKK more backward.

Is it not the role of the state Government to equalize every region of the state, so that each of them would feel confident and equally participate in state's overall development?

Instead of doing that the state Government is acting like a mother who knows the trick to put a Rasagola into the mouth of those crying children to appease them each time they create a hue and cry about such a situation.

Thank you and best regards

Sincerely

Digambara Patra
American University of Beirut
Lebanon

South Orissa puts on high alert after Maoists threat letter to police

By Anurjay Dhal

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Last updated: 06/11/2008 10:13:49

Bhubaneswar (Orissa): The entire South Orissa on Wednesday put on high alert following a threat issued by the outlawed CPI (Maoists) to blow up several police establishments in Southern Police Range comprising districts Berhampur, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal and Boudh.

The letter assumes significance in the wake of killing of several political leaders mostly belonging to the ruling Biju Janata Dal in Koraput and Malkangiri districts under the South-Western Police range having headquarters at Sunabeda.

An inland letter written in Oriya was received at Bhanjanagar police station in Ganjam district through post. The letter was posted from Saranakula in Nayagarh district and praised the activities of the leftwing guerrillas' outfit, a top Intelligence official revealed here.

The letter has targeted the police and the forest personnel, he added. "We have apprised the matter to the concerned authorities,'' he said, but expressed doubts as to whether the letter was sent by the Maoists. "Some one is likely to dispatch the letter to make mischief", he apprehended.

DIG, South Police Range , RP Koche, Ganjam SP Nitinjit Singh, Berhampur SP S Devadutta Singh and Kandhamal SP Nikhil Kanodia, however, refused to comment on the letter. Sources said police were put on alert in the border areas of Kandhamal and Nayagarh districts. Additional forces were deployed in Bhanjanagar and Surada police stations.

While at least two platoons of police forces deployed at Bhanjanagar, one company of Central Reserve Police was deployed at Surada. Police were conducting combing operations at Bhanajanagar after the recent Maoist strike in Nayagarh.

The Maoists had gunned down at least 13 police personnel and looted huge quantities of arms and ammunition on February 15 at Nayagarh. Gosama hilltop bordering southern districts of Ganjam and Kandhamal, some 300 kilometers southwest of State Capital of Bhubaneswar was in news following the red mayhem in Nayagarh.

Meanwhile, senior cops also fear that if primitive action was not taken it would be difficult task for the security forces to control the increase of extremism in Phulabani and Kandhamal, "If things are not checked at this juncture, the district would soon take the place of Chattisgarh's Bastar district," says a senior police official quoting in condition of anonymity.

Phulbani surrounded by dense jungles from all sides Deogarh, Gajapati, Rayagada, Nayagarh and Ganjam.

The difficult terrains of Kandhamal bordering four the leftwing ultras stronghold districts except Nayagarh have come in handy for the ultras to strengthen their base over the past two years. Kandhamal has porous borders at Adaba in Gajapati, Gunupur in Rayagada, Soroda in Ganjam and from all corners of Deogarh district.

Baliguda Town

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Raikia Town Map

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Phulbani Town

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Leopard cub finds love in animal keeper

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Sampad Mahapatra

Thursday, May 29, 2008 (Nandankanan Zoo (Orissa))

A male leopard cub rescued from a jungle is now under special care at the Nandankanan Zoo near Bhubaneswar. The infant which was brought to the zoo in an extremely weak condition is doing much better now thanks to the medical attention and regular feeding.

But more than anything else, it's the loving care of the animal keeper who's playing the mother that has kept the tiny big cat in good health and humour.

''In the last few years, we have reared seven leopard cubs but this is too young and with hardly any immunity. We are ensuring that it does not attract infection and gets proper food,'' says Bijay Mohapatra, Range Officer, Sanctuary Management, Nandankanan.

And the animal keepers too are happy.

''This leopard cub was found moving alone in a forest in Phulbani by kendu leaf pluckers. Now it's under special care at the Nandankanan zoo,'' says Bijay Majhi, Animal Keeper.

The cub is now being given lactogen and multivitamins. But more than anything else, it seems the motherly care of the animal keeper has made the difference.

Bijay Majhi has reared 4 leopard cubs before, but this one is special.

''The cub believes that I am its mother and I too reciprocate. If I don't treat him as my child, it won't survive,'' he says.

Soon, it will be in the company of six other adult leopards who were also rescued from the wild and brought up here. But for now, it's enjoying the time spent with Bijay.

Road being readied to combat Naxalites

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Monday June 2 2008 11:27 IST

Express News Service

SAMBALPUR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will lay the foundation stone for strengthening of the road proposed to pass through the Naxal-infested districts of the State at Rairakhol.

The road, which will enter the State from Ranchi in Jharkahnd will connect Vijaywada in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

The road will pass through 12 Naxal-affected districts of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Deogarh, Sambalpur, Angul, Balangir, Kandhmal, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri and will help in facilitating movement of security and usher in development of the areas.

Proposal of the seven-metre wide, double lane 1,215.2 km road had been submitted to Centre by the State three years back at an estimated cost of Rs 849 crore, work on which has already been initiated in Motu region in Malkangiri district.

The proposal will see strengthening of 228.8 km of NH, 870.4 km of State Highway and 116 km of other roads including those under Rural Development Department.

The total work has been divided into 10 sectors of which Motu-Malkangiri is 98 km, Malkangiri-Jeypore 107 km, Jeypore, Rayagada via Koraput 131 km, Rayagada-Digapahandi 177.3 km, Digapahandi-Aska 22.6 km, Aska-Phulbani 125 km, Phulbani-Boudh 69.5 km, Boudh-Deogarh via Kiyakata-Rairakhol-Naktideul-Chendipada 198 km, Deogarh-Keonjhar 124 km and Keonjhar-Rairangpur connecting Jharkhand border 167.8 km.

Kandhamal may recive more than normal rainfall

Monsoon brings mixed bag for districts

Statesman News Service
BHUBANESWAR, June 2: Trend analysis and projected scenarios reveal that under the impact on climate change nine districts of Orissa may receive more than normal rainfall while the remaining 21 will get less than normal rains.
Though these findings are not exactly related to the ensuing monsoon, studies on impact of climate change indicate this trend said Mr AK Singh , deputy director ICAR and Mr DP Ray, vice chancellor of OUAT here today.
Coastal Orissa districts as well as a few like Mayurbhanj, Kalahandi and Kandhamal are likely to get more than normal rainfall, they noted.
The trend analysis and projected scenario reveal that rainfall in the state has been increasing annually, however, the increase is not uniform, they said.
The pattern that comes out of these projections is that the state will receive 96 per cent of the rainfall during the first three months of June to August while September will be a dry spell.
The experts have already prepared a few contingency plans keeping in view the climate changes that are taking place. These plans have been submitted to the state government. It will come in handy to agriculturists of the state. The contingencies relate to both heavy monsoon-flood related situations and dry spell or drought like situations.
"Orissa is not a dry land region yet its productivity is very much similar to dry land areas," said Mr Singh while emphasising on importance of water harvesting.
The two discussed several areas related to climate change and its impact on agriculture which ranged from lower quality of rice production, reduced yield to the broader aspects of impact on livelihood and food security.