27th August 2010
Phulbani, Orissa: Four people died and 98 others were taken ill, 11 of them seriously, after being affected by diarrhoea in Orissa's Kandhamal district, official sources said.
The deaths were reported since last one week in five remote villages under Daringibadi public health centre, additional district medical officer (ADMO-Public Health), Jatin Patnaik said.
The disease had taken an epidemic form in Hatimunda village in Hatimunda GP where one person died and about 20 others were affected.
In Kallingi village under Tajungia GP the disease has claimed two lives including a woman and affected 25 others.
Similarly, in Danekbadi village under the same GP a girl identified as Sasmita Baliarsingh died and seven others were affected.
At least 26 people including a number of children in Badangia villagia under Sirkaburga GP and 20 persons in Gadapur village under same GP 20 people affected with the disease during the period, hospital sources said.
Health teams from Daringbadi, Balliguda and mobile health unit of an NGO were pressed in to service. Preventive measures were taken in all the affected villages and situation is stated to be under control, Patnaik said.
All the water bodies in the affected villages have been disinfected and sufficient medicines distributed.
Consumption of contaminated water from unhygienic sources in absence of safe drinking water owing to defunct tube wells is said to be the cause of the disease, Patnaik said.
Orissa in possession of large bauxite reserve
Rejection of environment clearance by Centre to Vedanta's mining project has brought to focus the high quality bauxite deposits in Orissa, considered to have the fourth largest bauxite reserve in the world.
The total reserves of bauxite in the mineral-rich state are estimated at 1,530 million tonnes, spread over different sectors, industry sources said.
According to conservative estimates, about 20 million tonnes of bauxites are distributed in Keonjhar, Sundergarh and Phulbani districts, they said.
The remaining reserve is under the thick blanket below the thin capping of soil and laterite in Bolangir, Bargarh, Kalahandi, Rayagada and Koraput districts.
There are altogether six leases, four in Keonjhar and Sundergarh producing annually 17,000 tonnes and used in iron and steel making, official sources said.
The other two leases owned by public sector Aluminium behemoth NALCO in the Panchpatmali deposit of Koraput district
produce 2.4 million tonnes.
The state has decided in principle to lease out the bauxite mines to the prospective entrepreneurs through Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) with the condition that they will set up alumina and aluminium industries in the state.
OMC also entered into an agreement with Utkal Aluminium Ltd for setting up an alumina plant in Rayagada district, official sources said.
However, most of the bauxite deposits are located in tribal-dominated areas, which makes it tough to obtain forest and environment clearane for carrying out mining operations, they said.
The Centre yesterday announced the decision to reject environment clearance to Vedanta's bauxite mining project in
Niyamgiri area of Kalahandi district on the ground that there
has been serious violation of Environment Protection Act and
Forest Conservation and Rights Act.
Orissa government had signed an MoU with Vedanta for setting up an integrated Alumina and Aluminium complex along with the associated captive power plant in the state.
A company official said the MoU also included supplying 150 million tonnes of bauxite for Vedanta's alumina refinery at Lanjigarh.
Vedanta is currently operating its alumina refinery with outsourced bauxite.
In view of the hurdles before proposed mining in Niyamgiri, the official said, the state government is actively considering allocation of alternate source of bauxite to it's alumina refinery
The total reserves of bauxite in the mineral-rich state are estimated at 1,530 million tonnes, spread over different sectors, industry sources said.
According to conservative estimates, about 20 million tonnes of bauxites are distributed in Keonjhar, Sundergarh and Phulbani districts, they said.
The remaining reserve is under the thick blanket below the thin capping of soil and laterite in Bolangir, Bargarh, Kalahandi, Rayagada and Koraput districts.
There are altogether six leases, four in Keonjhar and Sundergarh producing annually 17,000 tonnes and used in iron and steel making, official sources said.
The other two leases owned by public sector Aluminium behemoth NALCO in the Panchpatmali deposit of Koraput district
produce 2.4 million tonnes.
The state has decided in principle to lease out the bauxite mines to the prospective entrepreneurs through Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) with the condition that they will set up alumina and aluminium industries in the state.
OMC also entered into an agreement with Utkal Aluminium Ltd for setting up an alumina plant in Rayagada district, official sources said.
However, most of the bauxite deposits are located in tribal-dominated areas, which makes it tough to obtain forest and environment clearane for carrying out mining operations, they said.
The Centre yesterday announced the decision to reject environment clearance to Vedanta's bauxite mining project in
Niyamgiri area of Kalahandi district on the ground that there
has been serious violation of Environment Protection Act and
Forest Conservation and Rights Act.
Orissa government had signed an MoU with Vedanta for setting up an integrated Alumina and Aluminium complex along with the associated captive power plant in the state.
A company official said the MoU also included supplying 150 million tonnes of bauxite for Vedanta's alumina refinery at Lanjigarh.
Vedanta is currently operating its alumina refinery with outsourced bauxite.
In view of the hurdles before proposed mining in Niyamgiri, the official said, the state government is actively considering allocation of alternate source of bauxite to it's alumina refinery
Maoist posters against I-day celebrations appear in Kandhamal
PHULBANI (Orissa): Suspected Maoists put up posters and banners at several places in Orissa's communally sensitive district asking people to boycott Independence Day celebrations.
The posters bear messages asking people to observe a bandh from August 7 to 16.
Maoists posters were mostly seen in three blocks of Kotagarh, Daringbadi and Raikia in the district, the police said.
The bandh is believed to be observed in protest against the killing of Maoist leader Azad in an encounter.
They have allegedly threatened some teachers and school management to close their educational institutions and not to observe Independence Day celebration.
The ultras have also blocked the village road near Kahamguda village and five points near Gugurmaha, Ora and Marlang.
The posters bear messages asking people to observe a bandh from August 7 to 16.
Maoists posters were mostly seen in three blocks of Kotagarh, Daringbadi and Raikia in the district, the police said.
The bandh is believed to be observed in protest against the killing of Maoist leader Azad in an encounter.
They have allegedly threatened some teachers and school management to close their educational institutions and not to observe Independence Day celebration.
The ultras have also blocked the village road near Kahamguda village and five points near Gugurmaha, Ora and Marlang.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)