Girls high schools ready, water supply not ensured

Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: Construction of new schoolbuildings and hostels in the seven most affected blocks of the riot-hit Kandhamal district is nearing completion.However, the major area of concern for the district administration is water supply to these and hostels as there are no dedicated water sources near these upcoming educational institutes.As these new schools are scheduled to start from the ensuing academic session, steps are afoot to supply water to these institutes and their hostels through borewells and the Rural Development Department has promised to ensure water supply within a month, Kandhamal Collector Krishen Kumar told a review meeting on the progress of Chief Minister’s special package for the district here, recently.In the aftermath of the communal violence last year, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced a special package including seven new girls high schools for seven most affected blocks of K. Nuagaon, Tumudibandha, G. Udaygiri, Tikabali, Kotagarh, Khajuripada and Phiringia. These blocks do not have girls high schools.The Chief Minister had also sanctioned a B.Ed college for the district. The Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Caste Development Department made a budgetary provision of Rs 1.5 crore for the proposed teachers . Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Baliguda, has floated tenders which will be finalised soon, he said.The proposal to upgrade the Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Phulbani, to a centre of excellence is put on hold as the principal said that he had received separate funds for opening new trades, including information technology, plumbing and increasing the intake capacity of existing trades.The District Collector sought a fresh instruction from the Government on the proposal. He also requested the Chief Secretary to reconsider the decision to keep the proposed institute under Employment Mission for skill upgradation of self-help groups. He further said that eight new tehsils had been created and tehsildars posted. Steps have been taken to recruit staff and infrastructure development of the new tehsils.The proposal for creation of 41 new revenue inspector circles is pending for approval of the Revenue Department, he told the meeting.


CRPF to be withdrawn from Kandhamal by month-end

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BHUBANESWAR: Much to the chagrin of the State Government, the Centre turned down its request for continued deployment of the Central para-military forces in the communally sensitive Kandhamal district.As per the latest communique of the Home Ministry to the State, the seven companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) deployed in Kandhamal will be withdrawn by the end of this month.Earlier, the Home Ministry had directed the CRPF headquarters for withdrawal of its existing force from Kandhamal by May 26. The Ministry, however, deferred the date of shifting to May 30 for some unknown reasons, official sources said.Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took up the issue with the Home Ministry requesting not to withdraw the Central forces as four relief camps are still operating in the district and those taking shelter in relief camps are not prepared to return home.Although peace has returned to the district which has not seen a single untoward incident even during the , the decision for withdrawal of Central forces has unnerved the district administration.Highly placed sources in the Home Department told this paper that arrangements are underway for deployment of Orissa State Armed Police (OSAP) in place of CRPF. The Government is well prepared to take over the security measures in the district after withdrawal of the Central forces, the sources said.There were 42 companies of CRPF in the district till January. However, the Centre started withdrawing para-military forces from the district in phases leaving 20 companies till the end of elections. Immediately after the elections, 13 companies were withdrawn.The Home Department sources said that redeployment of Central forces for anti-Naxal operation in Kandhamal district is likely and the Government expects an early decision from the Centre.

American radio stations to raise money for Kandhamal victims

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By: Babu Thomas
Thursday, 21 May 2009, 16:10 (IST)
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An organisation that represents Christian religious broadcasters on television and radio in America plans to raise money to rebuild the houses of Kandhamal victims.

Ron Harris with National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) grieves that in Orissa's Kandhamal last August Christians were being killed, churches razed down and homes burned "many times with Christians inside the homes."

Harris laments that "some of the people are still homeless from what took place in the summer and early fall."

"They need their homes, and they need their churches. Some are still living in tents and out in the woods, and we need Christians to come alongside," he urged.

The NRB through the Gospel for Asia (GFA) ministry will help revamp the houses of Christians who were attacked after the murder of a Hindu religious leader.

Despite Maoists claiming repeated responsibility for the slaying, Hindu extremists accused Christians and destroyed their homes, forcing over 50,000 to flee for refuge.

Harris feels the project apart from constructing buildings will also unify and embolden the Christians "in areas where they are often persecuted."

Both GFA and NRB appealed to radio and television stations in U.S. to raise money for this project scheduled for June and July. They estimate that $ 40,000 raised by a station can restitute an entire community including its church building.

"That would be a worthy goal for a station to throw out there to their listeners. We can rebuild a whole community and their church in a place where Christians are persecuted; we can come alongside them and encourage and strengthen them," Mission Network News quoted him saying.

To enhance the initiative, the NRB will provide stations with web site banners, web pages, and their own toll-free number.

Kandhamal turmeric price at all-time high

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PHULBANI: Deficient rainfall in Kandhamal is likely to affect the turmeric output this year. Due to rising temperature, the soil has become hard making it difficult for the farmers to dig out the rhizomes. Being a delicate crop, turmeric needs to be cultivated and harvested with care to avoid damage to the rhizomes. As a rain-fed crop, turmeric needs a well-distributed annual rainfall of 250-400 cm for successful production.In the wake of increasing profit margin in turmeric cultivation, the acreage has been increased to 15,000 from 12,000 in the district and more than 60,000 farmers are into it. The crop fetches around Rs 60 crore to Rs 70 crore annually.This year, market price of Kandhamal turmeric is at its all time high. Unlike previous years, when it was sold at Rs 30 to Rs 35 a kg, this year the price has been fixed at Rs 40 to Rs 45.Recently, a private entrepreneur signed an MoU with the district administration to purchase 8,000 quintals of turmeric from the district farmers after paying Rs 2 extra per kg against the prevailing market price. The farmers had hoped that this would help them compensate their loss incurred during the riots. However, the rains have played the spoilsport.Kandhamal turmeric has spread its aroma worldwide in the last few years. To boost turmeric cultivation in the district, the Jawahar Rojgar Yojana was implemented in Phringia, K.Nuagaon, Raikia, Daringbadi and G.Udaygiri blocks in 1995 at a cost of Rs 3.10 crore. In 2004, organic turmeric project was implemented in these blocks at the cost of Rs 4.80 crore. Following these two projects, around 400 varieties of turmeric have been developed in the district which are being exported to Holland, England and Germany.