South Odisha Cultural Research Centre mooted

Berhampur University has started the process for establishment of ‘South Odisha Cultural Research Centre’ on its campus. It was declared during a two-day seminar on tribal culture of south Odisha organised at the university, which concluded on Sunday evening.

It would be a multidisciplinary centre but would be managed by the post-graduate department of Odia of the University.

Speaking to The Hindu, Debiprasanna Patnaik of Odia department who is playing a key role in the establishment of this centre, said it would promote interdisciplinary studies on the culture of people of the region. There would be research in the fields of anthropology, history, linguistics, psychology and socio-cultural studies of ethnic groups, especially tribal people living in south Odisha.

The centre would utilise the items of historical and cultural importance collected from different parts of south Odisha during past three decades. All these would be part of the museum of the ‘South Odisha Cultural Research Centre’ of Berhampur University. It would help in preservation, documentation and exhibition of these items for the scholars as well as general public.

Attending the inaugural session of the seminar, Berhampur University Vice-Chancellor Deepak Kumar Behera stressed the need of interdisciplinary research on tribal culture of south Odisha. Berhampur University is the only university in south Odisha. Source: The Hindu

NH 26 Jeypore-Koraput stretch in South Odisha in poor condition

Not more than 20 per cent of the six-km road between Jeypore and Koraput on NH 26 in Odisha has been completed since May 2009 though the project was supposed to be completed in two years.

"Being a portion of the NH, thousands of vehicles ply over it every day but it's nightmarish to cross it. We have called bandhs many times and moved officials concerned for speedy repair of the road, but to no avail," said General Secretary of Jeypore Lorry Owner's Association Nari Mohanty.

"It's a death trap. It is difficult to shift patients either to the district headquarters hospital at Koraput or to bigger hospitals in Visakhapatnam and Bhubaneswar," said Sadhu Chattriya, a Jeypore based social activist.

The works department (NH wing) has spent around Rs 10 crore to repair the road, to a Bhubaneswar based contractor and recently his work order has been cancelled as he failed to meet the deadline, an official said.

"The work has been awarded to a local contractor. Very soon work for the NH will begin and we expect it would be completed within six months," said executive engineer of NH wing (Sunabeda) Ramiya Kumar Panda. Source: Press Trust of India  

Chaitra Yatra at Maa Tara Tarini Shakti Pitha

Seminar on 'Internal Security' organised in Berhampur University

Solution to security problems linked to development

In present era, internal and external securities of a nation are interlinked, according to R. Baral, Special Secretary to Home Department of Manipur.

Speaking at a seminar on internal security organised on the campus of Berhampur University by the Centre for Canadian Studies of the university and Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, New Delhi, on Wednesday, Mr. Baral said that apart from security measures, development was the panacea for most security-related problems. It may be noted that Mr. Baral also held the post of Director-General of Police (DGP) in Manipur in the past.

The seminar also had former chief secretary of Odisha, S.B. Mishra, former director of Institute of Mathematics, Bhubaneswar, Swadhin Patnaik, and Vice-Chancellor of Berhampur University, Deeepak Kumar Behera, as guests. The seminar was attended by experts and students from the university and outside.

During his address in the inaugural session, Mr. Baral elaborated causes and effects of insurgency and its impact on internal security in the north eastern region of the country, especially in Manipur. He spoke on various aspects of internal security in the region including the ethnic rivalry.

Citing examples of north eastern States which have international border with countries like Bangladesh and Myanmar, the DGP of Manipur said it was observed that political and socio-economic turmoil in adjoining countries had a great impact on the internal security of the region.

Prof. Patnaik opined that there had been a shift of paradigm regarding internal security at present juncture. “At preset we have to discuss the problems of internal security in connection with the issues related to socio-economic security of citizens.” Mr. Mishra pointed out that although our country was secular as per the constitution, the citizens of the country were yet to become real secular, which was also a major threat of internal security.

Prof. Behera cited examples of tribal community living in remote areas and advocated growth with equity to be a major factor behind enhancement of internal security. Source: The Hindu

Tata Steel again revises Gopalpur plan

Drops plan to establish hot rolling mill 

Why Odisha government & political leaders are silent?

Jamshedpur: Stuck amid demand by locals for jobs in the company, Tata Steel which in early 2011 had decided to put up a 50,000 tonne per annum (tpa) ferroalloy plant and a 0.5 million tonne per annum (mtpa) hot rolling mill (HRM) at Gopalpur in coastal Ganjam of south Orissa, has now decided to pursue only the ferroalloy plant, provided it receives cooperation of the locals.

Tata Steel had in the 1990s thought of putting up a steel plant at Gopalpur and had acquired more than 4,000 acres for the project but lack of infrastructure, including availability of water at the location, had later dissuaded it to go for it.

Instead, it had in early 2011 thought of investing Rs 1,000 crore in a 50,000 tpa ferroalloy plant and a 0.5 mtpa hot rolling mill (HRM).

“When we go somewhere, expectation always is jobs; now if it is a very big project, you can take care of everyone; if it is a small project then you can take care of some people; so that is what is happening; we have to manage expectations (of the locals for jobs), we are in discussion,” said managing director TV Narendran.

Narendran, who spoke exclusively to FE recently at the inauguration of the “At-in-Industry Camp 2014” here, said the company was in the process of requesting the local community to allow it build the ferroalloy plant so that the company could internally make a case or justification to build “something bigger” at a future date. Source: financialexpress

Commissionerate of Police may alleviate law and order problems in Berhampur

The proposal to create a police commissionerate at Berhampur is hoped to solve the problem of dearth of adequate police staff for this crime-prone area. It may be noted that a few days ago Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had declared that the State government had decided to create three police commissionerates -- in Berhampur, Sambalpur and Rourkela. But no gazette notification for the purpose has been made. It is hoped that the new government formed after the elections would implement this proposal. At present, Odisha has only one commissionerate of police which has Bhubaneswar and Cuttack under its jurisdiction.

As per the detailed proposal regarding this proposal of commissionerate police system for Berhampur, it would have 1,796 posts for police personnel. It means it would need creation of 733 new posts for police personnel for the proposed commissionerate of police for Berhampur.

During an informal chat, city Superintendent of Police (SP) Aniruddha Singh said it would surely enhance policing as the staff would be properly divided and deployed for different jobs. In place of single SP heading the Berhampur police district, there would be two DCPs of SP rank who would be headed by a commissioner of DIG or IG rank. The DCP for the headquarters would deal with different official works like granting of licences, intelligence gathering, issues related to human rights, accounts etc while the other DCP would be totally involved in policing.

The extra staff needed when the city has a police commissionerate will include one more official of SP rank, two of additional SP rank, three of DSP rank, 12 more inspectors, 70 sub-inspectors, 120 Assistant sub-inspectors, 91 constables etc. There would be need for more than 50 new ministerial staff to relieve pressure on police officials related to office work so that there would be more time for policing.

Three police stations which are now under Berhampur police district like those at Jarada, Digapahandi and K.Nuagaon would be under Ganjam police district after this transformation. The Chamakhandi and Arjyapalli marine police stations which are now under Ganjam police district, would come under Berhampur police commissionerate.

Long-pending demand

It may be noted that since long there was demand for creation of a police commssionerate in Berhampur. Several organisations of the city as well as South Odisha Students Association (SOSA) had made this demand. “Although a woman like me does know the intricacies that this change would bring in, we hope it would enhance policing in the city and reduce menace of criminals,” said Pranita Das, a housewife of the city. Former secretary of Berhampur Bar Association, Manoj Patnaik is of the opinion that commissionerate for Berhampur should not become only a change for name sake. It should bring in real changes in policing which will benefit the general public, he added.  Source: The Hindu