Leopard, Elephant Deaths In Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary Affect Biodiversity

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

The Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary in Angul forest division has been witnessing tragedies involving deaths of wildlife species over the years and more recently, the list has been expanded with the death of a leopard and an elephant.

The leopard was trapped in a poacher’s snare and died while being treated. But, the death of the animal  is shrouded in mystery as it was widely believed that it died due to wrong tranquilizing method. Although forest officials of Angul wildlife division have denied that the leopard did not die due to tranquilization, the death of the animal was talk of the town that something fishy happened while it was rescued from the booby trap.

As the hue and cry over the death of leopard was slowly dying down, the carcass of an adult male elephant was found in the wildlife sanctuary further aggravating the situation. Obviously, the twin incidents raised serious questions on the efficiency of Angul wildlife officials who drew flak from different quarters of the society including nature lovers and environmentalists.

Booby traps, electrocution from illegal live wires and shooting and poisoning of wild animals in Satkosia Wildlife  sanctuary has always been the cause of concern for forest officials as well as nature lovers of this region as such incidents are growing day by day. The wildlife division officials in Angul said they have been doing their best to prevent such occurrences by intensifying day and night patrolling and conducting raids in the hideouts of poachers, but it is still becoming tougher to put a check on the illegal act. Nature lovers and local community workers said the forest officials of Angul wildlife division take little initiatives to engage the villagers living in Satkosia region by encouraging them to participate in community engagements.

Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary is Odisha's unique biodiversity region which is a home to rare wildlife species, but of late this has become a graveyard for elephants and leopards. Wildlife experts suggest that that Angul wildlife division must take measures to discourage poaching by deploying mobile units at night when snares are mostly set by poachers. The officials have to involve local volunteers by paying them incentives for their services, the experts said and added that the forest staff must be equipped with GPS, cameras etc for such activities.

The experts expressed their apprehension that if the deaths of elephants and leopards continue to occur, then Odisha’s reputation will severely suffer at international level and this trend will impact upon eco-tourism, let alone long-term damage to the ecosystem. The experts further said deaths of animals in Satkosia have exposed the mismanagement of human–wildlife coexistence in the region.

Steps must be taken for protection of rare wildlife species in Satkosia through strategic, well-resourced approach, the experts said and added that patch work will not sustain for a long time.

Bihar Election Result: Beginning Of The End Of Democracy???

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

Bihar Assembly election results have surprised one and all, but barring the stakeholders in the BJP-led combine at the Centre. This election was held amid allegations by the Opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi that the BJP dispensation at the Centre has indulged in Vote Chori(Vote theft) by tampering electoral rolls and illegally inserting names of fake voters in the list.

It is known to all that the NDA government doled out Rs 10,000  to women under the scheme Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana shortly before and during the election in Bihar. The schme was introduced in the state for empowerment of women by providing them self employemnt. They were immediately given Rs 10000 and the Nitish dispensation also promised them to financial assistance up to Rs 2 lakh in six month's time.

Reports said over 1.4 crore women got Rs 10000 immediately and the Nitish government ensured that they get the sum without fail even during the election process. The opposition parties did raise a hue and cry over the flagrant violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC), but it was alleged that the Election Commission did not pay any heed to their contention. It did not take any action against the ruling alliance and kept mum throughout, the leaders alleged.

Opposition leaders like RJD'S Manoj Jha and Ashok Gehlot wrote to the Election Commission raising objection on the blatant violation of MCC by the NDA government with distribution of Rs 10000 to women during the poll, but to no avail.  Political analysts and critics pointed out that the cash transfers were aimed at buying votes and it was timely done to influence female voters of Bihar. They argued that the high voter turnout of women has proved it that Rs 10000 has played a decisive role in the election outcome.

Prashant Kishor, noted psephologist and also known as an election strategist, who formed a political party 'Jan Suraaj' and fought Bihar election with vigour and vitality but drew a blank. Kishor's party did not get a single seat in Bihar election. But, he has not backtracked from his earlier statement. Kishor has vowed to change Bihar, the mindset of Biharis at any cost even if it takes another five years. The noted political strategist has alleged that Rs 10000 played a vital role to increase the vote share in Bihar poll. He further said although it is not the only factor but other factors including the promise of Rs 2 lakh to women after the election has become a decisive one for the ruling alliance in Bihar.

No Level Playing Field:

Distribution of money just before and continuing throughout the poll process has definitely neutralized the level playing field as the welfare scheme has been converted into electoral leverage for ruling alliance in Bihar. The Election Commission which always boasts that it strictly maintains the level playing field in the polls, has become meaningless after huge money was pumped into the electoral process in the guise of welfare scheme for the women. The timing clearly suggested the ulterior motive by the ruling alliance to influence women voters who constitute fifty percent of total voters of the state.

Opposition leaders have alleged that it is an institutional failure of the part of Election Commission who did nothing to contain such a flagrant violation of MCC. The Election Commission has failed to upheld democratic norms, the leaders said and added that it has completely failed to live up to the situation as a guardian of democracy.

What is most disturbing is that if the practice of distribution of money before and during elections will not be checked, then the democratic values will be eroded to the core and the ruling alliance will go on a buying spree of voters to cling to power for ever. The Opposition leaders of the country must come under one umbrella to save democracy in India or else they must remain prepared to be decimated by the ruling alliance for ever through money power. This is a wake call for them, and they must act in unison to tackle the menace.

BJD Supremo Naveen Patnaik Loses Sheen As Vote-Puller?

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

The BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik has lost his sheen as a vote-puller. Political pundits say that Nuapada by election result has clearly shown this. They said the leader who once ruled Odisha for twenty four years with unblemished record is slowly fading into oblivion.

Political analysts said BJD struggled to put in place all the strategy it had despite the wrangling in the party. The campaign by its senior leaders including its supremo did not get the desired mileage it had expected, political observers said and added that factionalism had already taken a huge toll of BJD's credibility among the voters.

Congress has shown that it has improved slightly finishing ahead of the BJD in the poll. It was BJP vs Congress and not BJD as it were over the years. The BJD is no longer a dominating political force in Odisha and Congress has shown its mettle that it will challenge BJP in the forthcoming elections in the state if not in national context. The fact that Congress has finished in the second position clearly showed that it effectively managed to garner anti-BJD votes in its favour.

The Nuapada result has become a morale booster for Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi as he has shown political acumen in Western Odisha. The victory for BJP can be seen as an endorsement of policies by the public, political observers said. BJD's poor performance and finishing third in the poll result has raised serious questions among the public about its future as a party to be reckoned with, the observers opined. They further observed that given the present trend, the future political battles in the state could well be confined within BJP and Congress and no longer BJD which was once a ruling party for 24 years.   

Bonded Labourers Issue Remains Invisible In Odisha's Nuapada By-Poll

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

The issue of bonded labourers in Nuapada seems to have gone out of reckoning. As the D-day approaches for Nuapada by-poll in Odisha, parties are more inclined to woo voters by allegedly rewarding or paying them to cast votes in favour of their candidates than concerned about the issue of migrant labourers and their fate. The heavyweights of ruling BJP, BJD and Congress have already descended on the campaign trail but the issue of bonded labourers or migrant workers is out of view.

The by-election is believed to be a three-cornered contest between BJP, BJD and Congress. Political analysts are of the opinion that the parties in the fray might experience a roller coaster ride. The situation is evenly balanced, they opined. But, the candidates contesting from Nuapada constituency seem to be little bothered about why over 30000 families from the district have gone out of the state to work in brick kilns and construction sites in Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Tamilnadu, Maharashtra and Gujarat to earn their livelihood. They try their best to dodge any question relating to unemployment crisis in the district.

Nuapada district in Odisha has a population of over 6 lakh according to 2011 census. The literacy rate in the district is nearly 49 percent. Statistics say that nearly 40 percent of agriculture land is irrigated although over 80 percent of the population depend on agriculture. The Upper Jonk irrigation project is in limbo as this has made little progress over the years. The political representatives have allegedly not cared for early completion of the irrigation project. They severely lack political will and more concerned about how to nurture their vote bank to be in the saddle, social activists working at the grassroots in Nuapada alleged.   

Shyamsundarpur Case: Angul Police Still Clueless On Minor Girl's Rape, Murder

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

Police are yet to find out the clue for the alleged rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl who belonged to Shyamsundarpur village under Sadar police station limits in Angul district. The gruesome incident occurred on September 8, 2025. The girl's body was recovered by the police from a rivulet near the village.

There was no information on the postmortem report and viscera and the police are tightlipped on the matter. The residents of Shyamsundarpur and nearby villages had staged road blockades and have met Angul SP Rahul Jain demanding early action, but to no avail. In the meanwhile, media reports have claimed that the crime rate in Angul district has maintained an upward trend in the past few months.

Angul SP Rahul Jain has taken the onus of investigation on his own to nab the criminals who are involved in the the gruesome murder of the the 11-year old girl belonging to Shyamsundarpur. Jain said the culprit will be brought to book soon, but over one month has elapsed and the police are yet to find out the person who was responsible for the cold blooded murder of the innocent girl. According to the statistics, Home Department of Odisha has revealed that 2,826 rapes and 1,362 murders had occurred in 2023. In 2024, the raped cases rose to 3,054 and there were 1,258 murders.

The Pari case in Nayagarh had drawn the attention of the country in 2020. Although the case had baffled the police, after a thorough investigation a special court convicted and sentenced the perpetrator in 2024.

Angul is the highly industrialized and crime ridden district in the state. The industrial town has recently seen a spate of outsiders hailing from Bihar, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh who are selling tea and doing petty business. They have chosen Angul as their place of work for the reason that this district has a number of industries and offers opportunities for whatever business they take up. But, there are instances in which some outsiders from these above mentioned states have been rounded up by the police for involvement in crimes in the district. Recently, there has been a spurt of bike theft in most parts of Angul district and in most cases the culprits are yet to be nabbed.     

Opposition's Vote Chori Allegation Rocks Indian Polity

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

Leader of the Opposition (LOP) Rahul Gandhi at a press conference in August this year has levelled serious charges against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that it is involved in 'Vote Chori'(vote theft) in a number of constituencies in the country. Gandhi alleged that it was most glaring in Karnataka's Mahadevpura.

This explosive allegation of the LOP of India has shocked everybody as Gandhi alleged that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is hand in glove with the BJP to indulge in large scale manipulation or tampering voter rolls.

The Allegation: Gandhi has alleged that the voter rolls were manipulated with insertion of duplicate names, addresses not found or fake. He alleged that the act was approved by the ECI. Gandhi alleged that glaring discrepancies were found in Aland in Karnataka and Rajura in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district and claimed that there was mass deletion and manipulation of voter names.

However, the ECI has brushed aside the allegations as misleading and baseless. It said it was never possible to delete names online as the whole process involved verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) after serving notice to the voters. The ECI has even dared Gandhi to file an affidavit or apologize to the nation  and made it clear that there was no third option for him. But, the ECI's direction to Gandhi to file an affidavit or apologize has not gone down well with other political parties and even intellectuals who had decried its very motive. 

Political Upsurge:

The BJP leaders have alleged that the leader of the Opposition is acting in an irresponsible manner. They alleged that Rahul Gandhi is subverting Indian democratic system and deriding the election officials who have toiled hard to ensure free and fair elections in the country. Contrary to this, Gandhi's claims are backed by exact figures of irregularity in a number of states like Karnataka and Maharashtra. The BJP overlooks this.

Indian Democracy In Peril?

Experts are of the opinion that whether proven or not, Gandhi's allegations have far reaching consequences  in the Indian polity. This is likely to erode the public faith in the electoral system if left unresolved. One will observe that the vote chori has become an issue with the Opposition parties in India as the leaders have become united demanding action against the ECI. Observers have maintained that a third party audit must be done to study in detail the claim of Congress on the matter as it is of very severe nature.

Whatever be the situation, Gandhi's allegations on the fairness of the electoral system has put question marks on the credibility of ECI. It is the foremost duty of the ECI to come forward on its own to put to rest the aspersions cast on it. It is advisable for ECI to try its best to convince the Indian citizens that their right to vote has not been compromised in any way. 

How Beneficial Next Gen GST Will Be For Common Man?

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

The Next Gen GST or GST 2.0 has become effective with the sole intention of providing relief to the common man of the country. The reforms in tax slabs have been carried out after long eight years. During these eight years, Indian citizens, particularly the common man, virtually paid through their noses for goods and services. The Opposition leaders of the country have been demanding the scrapping of GST terming it as Gabbar Singh Tax as prices of essential commodities skyrocketed due to implementation of different slabs such as 5, 12,18 and 28 percent.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has finally bowed down to the pressure of the Opposition leaders particualary that of Rahul Gandhi of Congress party to carry out reforms for the benefit of poor people of India. PM Modi in his address to the nation has described the reforms as 'Bachat Ka Ustsab' or a celebration for savings. But, only time will tell how the savings of the poor people are protected with the implementation of the Next Gen GST.

What Is GST?

It stands for Goods and Services Tax and was introduced in the country by the Modi Governemnt in 2017. At that time it was widely broadcast, telecast and written that the government had introduced the measure as part of one nation one tax system. But, over the years, the GST turned out to be very complicated for small time businessmen and traders in the country due to multipliticity in slabs. The government imposed taxes on essential food items rising their prices enormously. It was widely believed that the Modi Government was in favour of corporate friends and the GST was implemented in the country with the sole purpose of protecting their interest.   

What Is Next Gen Reforms?

The Central government has declared that the reformes will provide relief to consumers, particulary those who are coming under lower income and middle class. It said a number of items such as food, milk and paneer, household essentials, health-care goods, and education-related items will now become cheaper.  The reduction in tax system will also benefit agriculture and rural sectors in the country, the government said.

According to the government, GST reduction on different goods will encourage more people to purchase more and this will increase demand leading to growth of the economy. The Finance Minister has said the rate cuts will inject about Rs 2 lakh crore into the economy.

Revenue Loss To Govt:

Both the Centre and state governments will incur losses due to rate cuts which is roughly estimated to be nearly Rs 50,000 crore annually. Economists said that there is likelihood is that the rate cuts will affect the structures upstream. They said transition from one slab to another involves issues that will affect the  traders, retailers as well as manufacturers for updating systems acquired under older rates. Swift actions are needed to resolve the disputes leading to rate cuts of goods and services.

Everybody knows that the Modi Government has announced the rate cuts of essential goods and services keeping an eye on Bihar election in two months and subsequent polls later in other states. This move might be populist, but everything depends on how the measures are implemented to benefit the poor.

Conclusion

Finally the corrections to the GST has been made and this is an welcome move by the Modi Government at the Centre. The tax system has been simplified to provide relief to the citizens, mostly the common man.

Despite the reforms, the government has to ensure the implementation of the Next Gen system has to benefit across society, particularly the marginalized sections of the society. The reformative measures have to be carried out well, with good intent and put into good practice.