Ray of hope for lighthouses in Odisha

Gopalpur-on-Sea (Berhampur)

If you love spending time on the beach, wait for a spate of exciting activities in the near future. The directorate of Lighthouses and Lightships, Mumbai, has decided to include three heritage lighthouses of Odisha to make them more attractive with beautiful landscape designs, conservation work, development of amenities and cafeterias. Three lighthouses at Gopalpur, Chandrabhaga and Paradip port will be developed as tourist destinations and have additional recreational avenues for which Union tourism ministry will be spending money. The shipping ministry has decided to develop 15 such heritage lighthouses across the coast of India.

Gopalpur, the famous beachfront town near Berhampur city in Ganjam district of Odisha is also a well-known tourist destination. “In the past, we have climbed on the top of the lighthouse, and seen the beautiful Bay of Bengal and the shadow of it on the beach. With the proposal from the shipping ministry to make it more attractive, a lot of tourists will definitely avail the opportunity to explore the British-era wonder,’’ said Manas Panigrahi of Berhampur city, which is also known for its silk saris.

Gopalpur lighthouse came into existence in 1871 for assisting coastal shipping between Rangoon and Coromandal coast ports. The steamer service to Rangoon also touched Gopalpur port in the past. Local residents said due to erosion of the coast in 1943, the lighthouse got heavily damaged and stopped functioning. Later, it remained unused due to World War II. In 1948, a new gas light inside a 500mm lantern was established on a hillock about 1km north from the coast. The present lighthouse was constructed on December 15, 1967.

Tour operator Srikant Mishra from Bhubaneswar is happy that the Centre has considered the renovation and development of the heritage lighthouse. “We often get tourists who want to take beach tourism very seriously and also explore the lighthouses, but there is no amenities for them. The project will help them to spend quality time there. The destinations will be helpful for the niche tourists,” he added.

Some of the major lighthouses included in the programme are the ones at Kanhoji Angre in Mumbai, Kanyakumari, Rameswaram, Mahabalipuram, Chennai, Vishakhapatnam, Aguado, Dwarka and Minicoy. Source: The Telegraph

‘LIKE YOU CAN’T GIVE UP JAGANNATH, WE CAN’T NIYAMGIRI’

Can you give up your Lord Jagannath? Will you stop worshipping your deity? If you can’t, how do you think we will surrender our God Niyam Raja and His abode Niyamgiri to Vedanta?” asked Dambru Majhi, a villager of Kunakadu in Kalahandi district in South Odisha, where the fourth Palli Sabha out of the scheduled twelve was held  in the presence of 21 voters out 22 in  the village.

HOLY HILL NIYAMGIRI IN SOUTH ODISHA 

Two out of the total present were women. Hundreds of Dongaria Kandh women and men of different other villages of Kalahandi and Rayagada districts were present too. Dambru compared his God Niyamraja with the Jagannath and pointed his question to the independent observer PK Jena, who was appointed by the Supreme Court to oversee the process of the meeting in five villages of Kalahandi district in South Odisha.

“We will die like Renda Majhi and Birsha Munda to protect our God and land,” he said valiantly.All the participants of the Palli Sabha presented their statement one by one. The same opposition to the mining plan resonated in the air. “The Government has deprived us of our basic rights to livelihood, health and education. Our source of living is Niyamgiri. There is no hospital here. Niyamgiri heals our diseases by providing us herbs and roots. It gives us food and water. So, how can we allow you to ruin that?”the villagers asked.

Regarding the allotment of land under Forest Right Act (FRA)– 2006, the villagers said that the administration has allotted only one or two decimals of land to some of the households. “We have not placed any claim in the Palli Sabha till now. How did the administration give the entitlement? they asked and claimed that the officials have generated false claims to give small pieces of lands to some villagers to befool them. “We think our signatures have been forged,” they added.

Like in previous Palli Sabha held in the village Tadijhola on July 23 last, the villagers here also demanded a copy of the proceeding of the meeting before signing it. “All the villagers are opposing mining. They claimed that Niyamgiri is source of their lives,” said the observer to media.  “The same feelings prevail in all the villages of Niyamgiri hills and we hope the villages will oppose the mining proposal,” said Green Kalahandi president Siddhartha Naik. Source: The Pioneer 

Were Ganjem in Goa and Ganjam in Odisha linked in ancient times?

 Was the Devi of Ganjem in Goa inspired by Tara-Tarini of Ganjam, Odisha?

A professor in Goa University's history department, Pratima Kamat has posed this question after her ethnoarchaeological research into the 'Boat Deities' of the Mhadei River Valley of the Satari and Sanguem talukas of Goa (Tarini and Tar-Vir: The Unique Boat Deities of Goa, 2008) revealed what she terms as exciting new linkages between Goa and Odisha.

Kamat points out that scholars have written about Goa's cultural links with Bengal, especially about the migration of the Gaud Saraswat Brahmins to Goa, but not much about the maritime traditions and heritage with the state's links to Odisha. "Certain cultural similarities are visible in the ethnographical heritage of the two maritime societies, Goan and Odia, located on opposite coasts of the Indian peninsula etched in the early medieval times that are worthy of more intensive research," Kamat states in her study.

Ganjem was a last port of call along the River Mandovi for centuries, but its past is fading with time.

"Unique votive as well as abandoned sculptures of the Devi-in-a-boat are located in the Satari and Sanguem talukas of Goa. These may be compared with a similar Devi-in-a-boat found in some parts of coastal Odisha," says Kamat.a

In addition to iconographical evidence, she points to ethnographical comparisons between the worship of Tara-Tarini/Tara in places like Ganjam, Ghatgaon and Ratnagiri in Odisha, and the votive traditions associated with the Devi-in-a-boat as 'Tarini' in the Satari and Sanguem talukas of Goa.

Kamat draws similarities between the boat festival of Sanquelim, another riverine port like Ganjem, with the Boita Bandana and Bali Yatra of Cuttack, Odisha.

The Goan river, Mhadei and its tributaries are hosts to the Devi-in-a-boat and shaped the region's cultural history as much as River Mahanadi influenced Odisha.

Both states also witnessed the influence of Buddhism and Jainism; have a votive tradition of supplicating the Saptamatrika; enjoy a Shaktipitha status; possess similar maritime traditions, Kamat states in her study.

Referring to the culinary aspect, the Goan patoli and its Oriya country cousin, the endura pitha, Kamat says they suggest another reason to support her research. Source: ToI  

Prime Minister approves airport at Brahmapur including 50 other cities in India

The Union government on June 28 decided to set up 51 new low-cost airports across India including 3 in Odisha at Brahmapur, Raurkela and Kendujhar. This is aimed at giving a boost to the civil aviation sector and increase air connectivity to Tier-II and Tier-III cities. Apart from the low-cost airports, the government has also decided to grant new international airport status to Bhubaneswar in Odisha.

The state-owned airport operator, Airports Authority of India (AAI), would set up these low-cost airports. The decisions were taken at a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister held in New Delhi to finalize infrastructure projects for 2013-14 which was attended by Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Ministers of Power, Coal, Railways, Roads, Shipping and Civil Aviation.

Source: PIB

Berhampur University Celebrates its 18th convocation

Source: The Sambad and The Telegraph

Berhampur students make rich haul of IIT-JEE ranks

Source: The Sambad

Several pilgrims from south Odisha districts stranded in Uttarakhand

Several pilgrims from districts of south Odisha are reported to be stranded in floodwater in some areas of Uttarakhand. According to sources, around 40 of them are from Paralakhemundi area in Gajapati district and around twenty are from Berhampur and Ganjam district. As per unconfirmed reports twenty other pilgrims from Koraput and Malkangiri districts are also stranded in the flood-hit mountainous area. The pilgrims from Gajapati district had reached Uttarakhand for ‘chardham yatra’ that includes visit to Kedarnath and Gangotri area, which were worst affected by the recent floods. They had gone there in two batches of thirty members each. According to the information provided by one of these stranded pilgrims, M. Dharmaraju of R. Sitapur village near Paralakhemundi, twenty pilgrims from Gajapati district had safely returned to Haridwar, while the others were stranded at Uttarakashi, Gangotri and Kedarnath. After receiving information, Gajapati district administration has started collecting information regarding all persons of the district stranded in Uttarakhand. Similar measures have also been initiated by the Ganjam district administration. Meanwhile, the State Home Secretary Upendra Nath Behera declared that Odisha government was making all possible efforts for safe return of Odia pilgrims stranded in Uttarakhand. According to him the resident commissioner of Odisha posted in New Delhi was in touch with Uttarakhand government regarding state of Odia pilgrims stranded there.

Source: The Hindu

Flood fury in South Odisha districts

Major South Odisha colleges including Khallikote College to loose Autonomous tag? Odisha Government tight lipped

South Odisha gets technical education boost

ITI, Berhampur

The Odisha Government is planning to start two new polytechnics in Gajapati and Kandhamal districts and increase the number of seats in the ITIs at Berhampur and Chhatrapur in Ganjam from this year. The objective is to boost technical education in southern Odisha. The new polytechnics would function at Paralakhemundi and Phulbani in Gajapati and Kandhamal districts respectively. Sixty students each would take admission in the civil, mechanical, electrical and electronics and telecommunication streams in each polytechnic course, official sources said. The buildings of the new polytechnics are nearing completion and are likely to be handed over next month. The Government, however, is yet to appoint teachers for the new institutes. “We expect the Government to appoint teachers before the commencement of classes on August 1,” said the in-charge of the polytechnic and ITI Phulbani Principal, D. P. Patnaik.

Meanwhile, the Government has increased the number of seats in the Government-run ITIs in Berhampur and Chhatrapur in Ganjam by 340 and 378 seats respectively. The seat strength was doubled in the fitter, electrical, welder and electronics streams in ITI Berhampur, while three new trades — instrumental, mechanics and welder — have been introduced at ITI Chhatrapur, besides doubling the seats in the existing disciplines — mechanics, electrical and electronics. The total strength has now been increased to 1,300 and 567 in ITI Berhampur and Chhatrapur respectively, said ITI Berhampur Principal Rajat Panigrahi. He said infrastructure was being provided to accommodate the increased number of students. The Government has already provided instruments worth around Rs 80 lakh to the institutes. Two new buildings were set up on their premises at an expenditure of Rs 65 lakh.

Source: The Hindu

Maa Tara Tarini hill shrine to get new Rope-way

Tara Tarini hill shrine near Berhampur in Ganjam district is all set to get a new ropeway to the hill top shrine. According to authorities of the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB), a test run of this new modernized ropeway had started from May 14. After completion of one month of test run, there would be a proper security check and date of its inauguration would be fixed. It may be noted that a Kolkata-based company had started a ropeway to the hill top in 2007. In August 2012 this company withdrew from the project. Now Usha Breco Pvt. Ltd, Ghaziabad has established this ropeway at the Tara Tarini hill shrine near Berhampur on the lines of the modern Ropeways at Mansa Devi in Haridwar. According to the secretary of the TTDB, Pramod Panda, the ropeway had remained defunct since August 2012. Source: The Hindu

College in South Odisha that has never seen a student pass out

By: Hrusikesh Mohanty

Berhampur: It's a college where no student has passed since its inception. The state government-run junior science college at Jeerango in Gajapati district retained its dubious distinction with the nil result in Plus II (science) examination this year too.

As many as 20 out of 27 students took the examination this year. No student of the college has passed in last five years since its first batch sat the examination in 2009, official sources said.

The college was established in 2007 with Central government funds to facilitate education of mostly Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Scheduled Caste (SC) children. Altogether 14 students had taken the exam in 2009 (first batch). While five students had appeared in the subsequent year, four and six students took the exam in 2011 and 2012, respectively, sources said.

College authorities attributed the nil result to lack of permanent staff. Only two lecturers (botany and mathematics) from Khallikote junior college, Berhampur, teach the students three days a week while one Odia lecturer from SKCG College, Paralakhemundi, is the in charge principal. "There are no teachers to teach chemistry, physics, zoology and English," said in charge principal KC Padhy.

Though there are several rooms in the college, but it is going without a laboratory, power and telephone. "We have written letters for appointment of permanent faculties in the college to higher education department," said collector (Gajapati) Basudev Bahinipati.

"I have also raised the issue at principals' conferences. I also apprised officers of higher education department of the lacunae after becoming in-charge principal in February," said Padhy. The collector has suggested the government to hand over the college to SC & ST Development Department. "As most of the students are from SC and ST communities, it is better to hand over the college to the department concerned," Bahinipati said. ToI 

Comments in the Times of India 

Mahendra Kumar Nayak (Bhubaneswar)

13 Followers

2 days ago

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A shameful story. The Principal, other lecturers should not defend themselves. Despite the shortcomings if they had treated the students as if their own child the results would have been different. All other colleges where students are coming out successful are having some or the other problem, still they are able to come out successful. On the other hand I am not arguing that facilities should not be provided to the college.

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kamal (Delhi) replies to Mahendra Kumar Nayak17 mins ago

Instead of shooting the principal of the college why not the so called intelligentsia of Odisha asking for better facilities and staff for this college from the state government, which has always been showing discrimination towards the colleges of South Odisha. The people of the State must think, is it really possible to ensure good result with only two lecturers in hand? Are the colleges in Bhubaneswar performing with having same type of problems? It is difficult to understand that what type of plight the students of the backward districts of south Odisha are facing? therefore, intelligentsia of the state should force the state govt. to give more attention, staff and facilities to the colleges in the backward districts of south Odisha instead of bashing the principal and temporary staff of the college.

To read comments more in ToI click this link: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/College-that-has-never-seen-a-student-pass-out/articleshow/20401468.cms 

E-district project to all Odisha districts after successful implementation in Ganjam and Mayurbhanj

BERHAMPUR: The Odisha government has decided to extend the e-district project to all districts by this year end after its successful implementation in Ganjam and Mayurbhanj. "The project was implemented in the two districts on a pilot basis last year. It will be rolled out in the other 28 districts soon," Information and Technology (IT) secretary MS Padhy said in Berhampur.

Padhy was in Berhampur to attend a workshop on National e-Governance Plan (NeGP), jointly organised by the department of information and technology and Odisha Computer Applications Centre (OOAC).

Through the e-project, certificates like caste, residence, solvency, income and legal heir are being received online in both the districts. To quickly deliver the services and ensure transparency, the Centre has decided to implement NeGP across the country.

Under the project, the revenue circles are connected with tehsil offices and common service centres (CSCs), set up by private entrepreneurs. People can apply for certificates from, any CSC and receive it within a week without even going to the office, Padhy said.

District collectors, sub-collectors, tehsildars from Ganjam, Gajaati, Kandhama, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangapur, Malkangiri, Kalahandi and Nuapada districts participated in the workshop. ToI

HOW SU-JOK THERAPY HELPS IN CURING NECK PAIN? By: Dr. R. P. Sahu

Neck pain or a stiff neck is a common problem now days and generally there is nothing to worry about.  The pain and stiffness usually gets better after a few days of home treatment and is not a sign of a more serious neck problem or underlying condition.

You can get a painful or stiff neck if you sleep in an awkward position; use a computer keyboard for a prolonged period of time.

Anxiety and stress can also sometimes cause tension in your neck muscles, which can lead to pain in your neck.

Treatment of neck pain at home

Whatever the cause of neck pain or a stiff neck, generally doctors advice to carry on with your normal daily activities and to keep active.

What other treatments one can try for neck pain at home?

• Try holding a hot water bottle or heat pack to your neck - this can help reduce the pain and any muscle spasms.
• Sleep on a low, firm pillow at night - avoid using two pillows because it may force your neck to bend unnaturally.
• Check your posture - bad posture can aggravate the pain and it may have caused it in the first place. Find out how to sit correctly.
•  Avoid driving until the pain and stiffness have gone - it may prevent you turning your head to view traffic.
• If your neck is stiff or twisted, try some simple neck exercises - gently tense your neck muscles as you tilt your head up and down and from side to side, and as you carefully twist your neck from left to right. These exercises will help strengthen your neck muscles and improve your range of movement.
• 
  
• Nerve or bone problems in the neck 
• Sometimes, neck pain is caused by the 'wear and tear' that occurs to the bones and joints in your neck. This is a type of arthritis called cervical spondylosis.

Cervical spondylosis occurs naturally with age. It does not always cause symptoms, although in some people the bone changes can cause neck stiffness. Nearby nerves can also be squashed, resulting in pain that radiates from the arms, pins and needles and numbness in the hands and legs.

The following picture shows the area where the problem is and on which area we should give treatment.

 

To find out the exactly curing point on must use a diagnostic stick provided it should not be sharp (match stick, ball pen etc.) as shown in picture. Diagnostic stick is as :

The assumed area must be pressed upon with equal force without too much of strength. Cure point is always highly painful. No sooner you find the painful point, you can continue massage of the point by rotating the stick clockwise and anti clockwise, while pressing against the point somewhat harder. The cure point must be fully massaged out till residual pain disappears and gets replaced with a feeling of warmth in it. This process we can do 2 to 3 time a day.

After the above process for continue stimulation we will apply live seeds like Methi, Mug ….. on those affected area asshown in the following picture.

Treatment with Su jok is easy, cheap and friendly. One can try this in addition to normal medical care.

 .......To know more about Neck Pain and its cure please cont.. Dr. R. P. Sahu ( Ph. no: 09437462621Berhampur, Odisha)

.........You may also share your valuable input directly to the author through email- rps_bps@yahoo.com

Museums in Berhampur city (South Odisha) wallow in neglect

As International Museum Day is celebrated across the world on Saturday, a museum run by the state government here lies in utter neglect.

In fact, very few people of the Silk City know the existence of the district museum at Jaya Prakash Nagar here. Without having its own building and necessary infrastructure, the museum functions from a rented house. It has changed its location ten times since it was established in 1976 at the industrial estate at Ankuli on the outskirts of the town. It was moved to Jaya Prakash Nagar last year, sources said.

Locals said the district museum had very few exhibits. It only has a few stone-carved idols, brass metal works, tribal weapons and models of wild animals. District culture officer Krushan Chandra Nishank said there was a proposal to shift the museum to the proposed Sanskruti Bhawan at Hillpatna area in the town. But construction work for the building is yet to start.

Berhampur MLA R Ch Chyaupatnaik said about one

acre land had been acquired for the Sanskruti Bhawan. The government had also sanctioned Rs 5 crore for the project. "The road and building department would soon start the work," he added.

"Once the museum is shifted to a permanent venue, we will collect valuable exhibits from the public as well as from other museums," Nishank said.

Meanwhile, Berhampur University authorities said they were not getting funds from either the state or the Centre to run the varsity museum. It has several rare books, tribal ornaments from southern Orissa districts including Kandhamal, Koraput, Malkanagiri, Rayagada and Gajapati, and ancient palm-leaf manuscripts. "We run the museum from our own resources," vice chancellor J K Mohapatra said. Source: ToI

Cargo handling commences at Gopalpur port(Berhampur) in South Odisha

Cargo handling has formally commenced in the Gopalpur port. According to authorities of the Gopalpur Ports Limited (GPL), cargo handling is under way at one berth of the port, which is now completely ready to accept ships. At present, cargo handling is being done on trial basis. At present, a single ship is being loaded with illuminate cargo of Odisha Sands Complex (OSCOM) of Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL). The cargo is to be exported to South Korea. The Odisha Sands Complex was a major user of the seasonal anchorage port in the past. The GPL sources said they had sent notifications to shipping companies and possible users informing them that one of its berths was ready to handle cargo. On completion of ongoing works, the port would have three berths. According to the authorities, construction work and other infrastructure development measures are progressing as per schedule. The GPL is also constructing 11 groynes as part of its corporate social responsibility. More than 80 per cent of the work on these groynes has been completed.

In 1987, the Odisha government had established the port as a seasonal anchorage port. In 2006, the government handed over the port to the GPL for its expansion and management. The GPL had entered into an MoU with the government to take over the port and develop it into a major all-weather facility on Build-Operate-Own-Share-Transfer (BOOST) basis.

Source: The Hindu, The Sambad

Review meeting held at Berhampur on law and order situation of Tara Tarini Shakti Pith

A meeting of Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB) was held on 8 May in Berhampur under the Chairmanship of Revenue Divisional Commissioner Southern Division and Chairman TTDB Shri Bikash Mohapatra to review the ongoing developmental works and law and order condition at Tara Tarini Hill Shrine.

After reviewing the current law and order situation at the Shrine area the Chairman directed the Ganjam Collector (In-charge) Shri Lingaraj Rath to expedite the establishment of a police station at the Hill Shrine.

Evaluating the on going developmental works the Chairman clarified that the R&D department Govt. of Odisha would soon start the construction work of a Reception Centre, Bus Stand, Prasad Mandap and lavatory complex at the Shrine. The Tourism Department, Govt. of Odisha has already sanction Rs. 86 lakhs for this purpose.

It was also decided that the ambitious parking project on the hill top area connecting the Ghat road to the Path Way will commence soon at a cost of Rs. 4 crores. This project will create more space for parking of vehicles near the shrine on the Tara Tarini Hill top.

As per the decision the ropeway modernization work undertaken by Usha Breco Pvt. Ltd will be completed soon and opened for public use. The RDC directed the Sub-Collector, Chhatrapur, to check the safety standards and other details according to govt. rules before giving clearance.  Notable, Usha Breco Pvt. Ltd has established this ropeway at the Tara Tarini hill shrine on the lines of the modern Ropeways at Mansa Devi in Haridwar.

In this meeting the Chairman also said that the Solar Light project which was pending nearly for a year will be expedited. Rs. 50 lakh has been sanctioned by the Govt. of India for this project, he informed.

In this meeting the Chairman closely monitored the law and order situation at Tara Tarini shrine area and security of the pilgrims coming to this Shakti Pith. He said that an unfortunate incident of sexual assault has happened in the recent past at a distance of around 5 kms from the holy Shrine.

He directed the District Collector and SP to keep strict vigil in the entire holy Shrine area and ensure the security of the devotees coming to the Shakti Pith.

He said the upcoming police station near the shrine will further strength the law and order situation in the Shrine area.

Along with the RDC, the OMFED CMD Shri Sanjeev Kumar Mishra, Ganjam Collector In-charge Shri Lingaraj Rath, officials of Ganjam District, Tahsildar Purushottampur, Secretary and other officials of TTDB were also present in the meeting.

Ram Prasad Tripathy, PRO, Tara Tarini Development Board, Berhampur, Odisha

Odisha Government stonewalls Berhampur varsity’s reforms attempt By Sisir Panigrahy

The State Government’s claim to make Odisha an ideal destination of education in the country sounds hollow if one goes by the case of Berhampur University whose bid to open new departments fell flat for the former’s stoic silence. Though the funds sanctioned by University Grants Commission (UGC) for the purpose have returned, the Government continues to be in a stupor.

According to sources, the UGC had approved the university’s proposal to start post-graduate courses in Geophysics, Pharmacy, Microbiology, Hindi and Education during 11th Plan period.

The UGC had also sanctioned funds for the courses. But, the courses could not be started as the State Government did not extend its approval by the end of 11th Plan period in March 2012.

As per the rules, the UGC provides funds for these new departments for a period of three years and after that the State Government takes the responsibility of other requirements like staff and infrastructure. Despite regular correspondence of the university authorities with Higher Education Department for four years, there was no response from the State Government.

As a result, not only the aspirants of higher studies in these subjects are deprived of the benefit, the university has also lost the UGC funds sanctioned for starting the courses. “We are trying to pursue the matter with the State Government to do the needful,” said BP Ratha, Registrar of the University.

In the absence of regular courses in these subjects, students of the area are forced to take up self-financing courses in some of the subjects by paying huge fees elsewhere. The students alleged that due to apathetic attitude of the State Government, no new department has been opened in Berhampur University in the last two decades. Recently, the university had opened just one pharmacy department in self-financing mode.

On the other hand, university sources alleged that Government releases just ` 30 crore annually to meet the salary expenses of faculty and other staff. “After meeting these expenses, hardly any fund is left to enable the University to take up reform works like opening new courses or building new infrastructure,” said an official.

Meanwhile, former deputy speaker Ram Chandra Panda in a letter to the Government has urged it to look into the matter and pursue it with the UGC again. Source: New Indian Express 

SOG training hub to come up in Koraput soon: DG

Odisha Police is on a public relation drive. After having persuaded members of Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangh to quit the struggle and join the mainstream, its eye is on the villagers of Narayanpatna, the heartland of rebellion over land alienation.

On Thursday, Director General of Police Prakash Mishra led the exercise as police distributed sports kits, educational articles, TV and DTH connection among villagers at a meeting held in Narayanpatna.

Police said the sports items are meant to engage the youths constructively in the Maoist-hit areas while books and learning materials are aimed at motivating children to take to studies to keep them way from negative impacts of the Maoists’ activities.

What were the TV and Dish TV connection for? The exposure to media will enable the villagers from these backward areas to know that underdevelopment is the cause of Maoism.

Over 1000 inhabitants from 20 villagers attended the meeting attended by ADG (Intelligence) Abhay and Koraput SP Awinash Kumar.

Later talking to mediapersons, the DGP said an anti-extremist training school and a training hub for Special Operation Group will be established at Koraput soon. Land for the institutions has been identified near the railway station in the town. Of 19 districts affected by Maoism, 11 have already been brought under police control.

“Situation in Rayagada and Kandhamal is gradually improving. Maoist problem at Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Balangir and Bargarh districts is largely because of Left wing extremism in neighbouring Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh,” the DGP asserted. Source : New Indian Express

Berhampur bids tearful adieu to daughter Goddess Budhi Thakurani; Famous Carnival of Thakurani Yatra comes to an end