Republic Day Celebration At Bantala

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

The 73rd Republic Day was celebrated at Bantala in Angul district in Odisha today. The function was attended by BJP Zilla Parishad candidate Durga Pradhan, among others.

Anshuman Mohanty, Class-VI student of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya(JNV), Champatimunda, in Angul district recited the National Anthem Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka Jaya Hai Bharata Bhagya Bidhata…….Jaya Hai, Jaya Hai, Jaya Hai, Jaya Jaya, Jaya, Jaya Hai.

Others who attended the programme were Shibaram  Choudhury, Mihir Sahu and Pankaj Sahu.

3-Tier GP Poll: Digital Campaigning In Disarray In Odisha

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

The candidates and political parties relying heavily upon digital poll campaigning in Odisha in the ensuing three tier panchayat poll due in February, have expressed apprehension that their electioneering may fall through due to absence of mobile network in interior villages.

The poll guidelines said that the candidates must not take out election rallies and refrain from congregating supporters in view of surging Omicron in the state. The guidelines issued by the election commission also strictly directed the political parties and their aspirants to embark upon door to door campaign  comprising not more than five people including the candidate.

In this backdrop, most candidates contesting from benighted places in districts like Angul, Dhenkanal, Bolangir, Koraput, Kalahandi and Rayagada of Odisha have expressed fear that they might not put forth their viewpoint before the electorate to garner votes due to lack of mobile and internet connectivity. Candidates in the fray for Sarpanch and Zilla Parishad in Angul district maintained that most parts in the interior pockets in Tikarpada, Jagannathpur, Tulka, Dalki and Labangi areas in Angul district are unreachable through mobiles. The digital campaigning will always remain a dream for them, they added.

Statistics said Kandhamal is worst hit as far as mobile connectivity is concerned. The report said nearly 1000 villages in the above mentioned districts in state do not have connectivity and added that out of 100 nearly sixty persons have access to internet connectivity that to not very often.

 

 

 

  

 

 

False Promise Fallout: Poll Boycott Gains Ground In Athamallik, Pallahara Sub-Divisions In Angul

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

Boycott of three-tier panchayat poll is gaining ground rapidly in Athamallik and Pallahara Sub-Divisions in Angul district as most villages in these regions are beset with problems as their chosen political representatives never cared to solve them.

Latest reports said that people of Taptajharani, Bandabhuin and six villages of Luhasinga gram panchayat in Pallahara and Athamallik Sub-Divisions respectively have declared that they will refrain from voting as their basic problems have not been looked into by the elected candidates.

The villagers said Sarpanches and Zilla Parishad members used to dole out false promises to resolve their problems during campaigning in every five year, but they forget all the assurances given to the villagers after gaining power.

Villagers of Taptajharani alleged that years have gone by but none of their representatives fulfilled their promises to resolve water scarcity issue of their village. The village has one tube well for over 120 families and most often it becomes defunct, the villagers said and added it was set up several decades ago.

'We fetch water from a rivulet which is contaminated with wastes of wild animals. We have no option than to use water from the stream to quench our thirst. Our chosen representatives have betrayed us for decades and the time has come to give them a fitting reply', the villagers reasoned.

Earlier, six villages of Luhasinga gram panchayat in Athamallik Sub-Division have decided to boycott poll protesting negligence by elected representatives who never cared to solve the road connectivity problem for years. The villagers alleged that they are deprived of healthcare facility due to poor road connectivity. Patients and pregnant women die during monsoon as they could not be shifted to hospitals due to absence of road, Luhasinga villagers said and added that officials from the administration never visit their place to understand for themselves how miserably they are living in far off regions.      

Coal Washing Units Contribute To Talcher Pollution

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

Coal washeries have posed severe environmental hazard to the Black Diamond township, Talcher, which is already at the receiving end from twelve open cast mines.

The mining township has been reeling under air, water and sound pollution since excavation of coal mines were under taken on a massive scale. The washeries have now added to the dimension of contamination  in the region which has multiplied the problem for the inhabitants.

Sources alleged that the coal mining authorities prefer private concerns for washing coal on a huge scale who flout environmental norms. The private firms have set up washing plants near educational institutions  and stacking coal close to main thoroughfares in the township that has further compounded the level of pollution.

Coal heaps near the human habitation have contributed to the health hazard as a large chunk of the population of Talcher town suffering from skin ailments and respiratory complications. The groundwater has been contaminated due to excessive digging of coal mines. The water table has also gone down to rock bottom level bringing more miseries to the people.

The regional pollution control officials are allegedly not taking any action against the firms which are responsible for increasing the level of pollution in Talcher.       

Katrang Villagers Adamant On Relocation

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

The ongoing tussle between the villagers of Katrang under Purunakote police station in Angul district and the forest officials seems to have reached a flashpoint as both are stuck to their viewpoint over relocation of the village to make way for Satkosia Tiger Reserve.

While the villagers are adamant that the administration must provide them suitable land for shifting to a new place, the forest officials have offered them nearly Rs 20 lakh for each family as a package for relocation. Katrang is an interior hamlet situated in the core area of Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary. This village is sparsely populated with nearly one hundred tribal families.

Some villagers said they knew how people of Raiguda went to through the travails of relocation. They have to struggle for several months to get basic amenities.

Sources at district administration indicated that the process of relocation of Katrang is being done and the villagers are being persuaded to shift to other places. Asanabahali village, also situated in the core area, is being shifted due to the tiger reserve, the sources said and added that earlier Raiguda village was relocated for such purpose.

Worthwhile to mention that the forest staff of Angul, Dhenkanal, Athamallik and Athagarh divisions have mounted search operation in Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary to trace the tigress which has gone missing since November last year. The female RBT's images could not be captured by powerful cameras fitted at different locations in the jungle fuelling speculation that the big cat has either been killed or died following protracted illness due to injuries. Officials of Angul Wildlife Division, however, are optimistic that the tigress would be found soon.

Local NGOs working for conservation of wildlife opined that missing of only RBT for months has blurred the image of Tiger Reserve and Satkosia's status as such could not be tenable now. It is high time that the wildlife wing must take the initiative for translocation of RBTs from other states for keeping the status of a Tiger Reserve alive, they added.      

GP Poll In Angul District: Candidates Likely To Face Hostile Voters As Basic Issues Ignored

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

With campaigning slowly picking up for panchayat poll in Angul district, candidates are expecting a hostile electorate who are facing hardship as basic issues like communication, drinking water, health and pollution are never resolved by their chosen representatives during their tenure.

Angul, one of the industrial hubs of Odisha and eastern India, is grappling with a major issue relating to safe motorable highway. The four lane work of National Highway 55 which passes through Angul town has been virtually abandoned. Gone are the days when it was a sprawling highway being praised by motorists and commuters as well. Potholes, ditches and broken path now resembles the highway which is the lifeline of Odisha. The Sambalpur-Cuttack NH 55 connects two major industrial cities of the state.

NH-55 with garbage all around near Hulurisinga square  

The four lane work has started in 2018 and was due to be completed in 2020. But, nearly fifty percent of the total work has been finished till date. Most of the work has been abandoned, reason of which is best known to the construction company.

The construction company brasses have become so powerful that they did not care the admonition of no less than the Deputy Speaker of Odisha Legislative Assembly Rajanikant Singh. Singh who is also the Member of Legislative Assembly(MLA) of Angul assembly constituency, had given the road construction company three month's ultimatum to finish the work, but to no avail. Angul District Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain, while reviewing the four lane work at a high level meeting recently, had also directed the road construction company to expedite the work. But, there was no positive response from the company.

Over a dozen casualties have occurred in the past six months due to worst road condition which can never be categorized as an important highway that passes through an industrial hub linking two trade centres of Odisha.

The broken standpoint at Bantala

The government is boasting that it has successfully solved the drinking water issue in villages by linking households with pipes. The reality, is however, different. A visit to Bantala Gram Panchayat will change one's perception in this regard. The standpoints for drinking water are damaged as the project was abandoned. People of Bantala have been facing scarcity of potable water for years, but the elected representatives, especially the Panchayati Raj Institution(PRI) members, were never worried about the issue.

The health sector in the district is in a shambles as news reports on the alleged mismanagement in DHQ hospital in Angul are splashed in the national as well as regional media. Recently Angul hospital hugged the headlines in the newspapers after some journalists were manhandled for exposing hospital management on different issues. The medical college and hospital in the black diamond township,  Talcher, is yet to start due to utter negligence of authorities.

And last but not the least is the ever-present pollution issue that was never dealt properly to minimize the impact. People of Talcher lost hearth and home for coal but none cares as they are dying for a few buckets of potable water. Reports said over 200 villages surrounding open cast mines in Talcher sub-division are facing acute shortage of drinking water. Womenfolks have to traverse several kilometers to fetch water for their daily household need. The people's representatives have turned a blind eye to their problem as they allegedly dole out false promises every five year to mitigate their suffering.

Poor Road Connectivity: Athamallik Villagers To Boycott Panchayat Polls

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

People of six villages of Luhasinga gram panchayat in Athamallik sub division in Angul district have decided to boycott the panchayat polls next month protesting lack of road connectivity to their villages.

Aggrieved villagers of Kendupati, Jodapadar, Ranamunda, Dalki and Bankual alleged that years have elapsed, yet neither the elected members nor the authorities cared little to improve the condition of road communication to their villages.

' We are leading a cursed life. During monsoon the condition of patients becomes horrible as ambulances could not reach the villages due to poor road connectivity. There is nothing as existing road. It is interspersed with potholes, boulders and mud', they said.

Villagers of Dalki said they used to carry pregnant women and patients needing immediate treatment on slings to take them to primary health centres situated several kilometers away from their houses as ambulances could not reach due to mud and slippery road condition.   

Most of the villages lying in the interior pockets of Athamallik are inhabited by poor people belonging to tribal communities and they lack basic facilities like motorable road, drinking water supply and electricity. Neither the panchayati raj institution members nor the elected MLAs and MPs are concerned about the condition of poor people living in these villages surrounded by dense forest and hillocks.

NGOs working for the uplift of tribal community in the region alleged that officials are hardly seen visiting these villages. They further alleged that everything is maintained in pen and paper, but in reality no welfare activities are undertaken in the region.

  

Is Similipal Going Satkosia Way?

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

Is Similipal Tiger Reserve going Satkosia way? This apprehension has become evident among nature lovers and environmentalists as well in Odisha following alarming decrease in numbers of Royal Bengal Tigers(RBTs) in Similipal National Park over the years since its inception in 1980.

Media reports said Similipal National Park's number of tigers has come down to 28 from 101 in a decade. While the number of tigers was 101 in 2006, this has declined to 28 in 2019. The reports said that the national park in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha was once reputed for being a home to second largest number of tigers in India after Jim Corbett National Park.

The sorry state of affairs in Similipal has unnerved environmentalists in Odisha who have expressed fear that the national park might face the same fate as Satkosia Tiger Reserve in Angul district where the only tigress living in the sanctuary is missing for over two months triggering apprehensions that the animal has been poached or died of ailment. Although forest officials of Angul Wildlife Division said that the tigress was wounded, the cameras fitted at number of places inside the sanctuary could not have the footage since November 2021.

Sources said the Centre as well as the State have spent nearly Rs 70 cr in the past decade for tiger conservation in Similipal, but to no avail. The national park is spread over 2750 sq km and is recognized as a biosphere by UNESCO.

Environmentalists said this is high time that punitive measures be taken against forest officials responsible for the decline in number of tigers over the years. They must explain the factors that led to the alarming decline and what went wrong when both the Union and State governments are pumping in crores of rupees for conservation of the big cats in the national park.

Recently leopard hide were seized from Betnoti area in Mayurbhanj district. The animals were shot dead by poachers. Sources confided that an inter-state racket has been active in the region hunting animals on a spree.     

Satkosia: Scrapping Of Tiger Reserve Status Gains Momentum As Lone RBT Not Spotted Yet

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

Environmentalists have demanded that the status of Tiger Reserve given to Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary be scrapped immediately as the lone tigress has either been killed or died due to illness.

The tigress was not found in the surveillance cameras fitted in dense forest locality in the sanctuary  since November 23 last year. While officials of Angul Wildlife Division maintained that the female RBT is alive and moving all around the jungle, they however have failed to answer why the powerful camera lenses could not capture its image nearly two months after it has gone missing.

The wildlife officials including Divisional Forest Officer(DFO) have been stressing that there is every possibility that the maimed tigress might have taken shelter under bushes in the interior jungle pockets in the sanctuary for which it has remained out of camera range. They said efforts are on to find out the tigress as forest staff has fanned out to possible hideouts where the big cat might be resting due to illness.

Environmentalists alleged that officials of wildlife forest division in Angul were never concerned about the wellbeing of the lone tigress moving in and around the sanctuary for quite some years. They further alleged that the Government of India has been pouring huge sum amounting to crores of rupees for ensuring safe habitat for RBTs in Satkosia after it was declared a Tiger Reserve 14 years ago, but precious little has been done in this regard. The environmentalists leveled severe allegation that the earmarked sum for conservation of tigers was squandered away and misappropriated.

Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary in Angul district is spread over 795 sq km and was bustling with 18 RBTs in 2004. But, the tiger census conducted in 2018 confirmed that only one tigress was surviving. Nature lovers at Tainsi, Purunakote and other areas in Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary have been alleging that the forest officials never initiated efforts to identify the reason behind the animal's illness and did not try to attend to the ailing animal by qualified Vets.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had twice tried to relocate two RBTs, Mahavir and Sundari, in Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary in 2018 for conservation of big cats, but it was not successful due to several factors. While Mahavir, which was brought from Kanha national park died, Sundari was relocated back to its parent location at Bandhavgarh as it turned man eater. A team from Madhya Pradesh tranquilized Sundari at Purunakote forest after a number of attempts to tame it.  

 

     

Banarpal ZP Poll Analysis: Smooth Ride Neither For BJD Nor For Congress

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

Electioneering is hotting up in Banarpal block in Angul district which will go to polls in February 16 to elect panchayati raj institution members. Political observers maintained that it might not be a smooth ride either for Deputy Speaker of Odisha Assembly and sitting BJD MLA of Angul Rajanikant Singh or for District Congress president Biplab Jena.

Both Singh and Jena belong to Kulad village under Banarpal block and carry on the legacy of their fathers who were elected as MLAs from Angul assembly constituency from BJD and Congress parties. Singh's father Adwait Prasad Singh was also one of the important ministers in Odisha ruling party's Cabinet.

Banarpal comes under Angul and Chhendipada assembly constituencies having 35 gram panchayats. Of the 35 seats, Angul and Banarpal blocks have 17 and 18 respectively. In addition to this, it also comes Dhenkanal and Sambalpur Parliamentary constituencies. Therefore, this region is politically more sensitive than other areas in Angul district.

Political analysts are of the view that infighting among the BJD leaders and workers in Chhendipada and Angul assembly constituencies is slowly becoming evident which will be detrimental to the prospects of ruling party in Odisha. This infighting has sent a wrong signal to other political camps such as BJP to take advantage in politics converting the ill-will into votes in favour of the party, the analysts said.

BJP leaders from Garh Santry said time has come for their party to capture as many seats as possible in the three tier panchayati raj election in Banarpal block. They said the political equation will be changed drastically as voters are preferring BJP than Congress or BJD. The undercurrent is there and it is quite evident that this time BJP will call shots, they added. 

Nature Lovers Delighted As Angul Dist Forest Cover Increases

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

Forest cover in the industrial district of Angul in Odisha has increased, according to the latest Forest Survey Of India report. This news has been widely acclaimed by local nature lovers as well as environmentalists.

The report said the forest cover in Angul district has increased from 1004 sq km to 1031.62 sq km in two years. The survey report from the autonomous agency in Dehra Dun, however, indicated that there is a decline in forest cover in the adjoining Dhenkanal district. Nearly 10 sq km forest area has been depleted in the past two years, the report said but added that the reason behind the decrease could not be ascertained.

The latest report from the authoritative organization has surprised nature lovers as well as forest officials that Dhenkanal district which was once vibrating with lush green forest, is no longer a reality.

Meanwhile, Odisha Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra has approved the annual plan outlay of Rs 1241 cr in CAMPA's steering committee meeting in Bhubaneswar for regeneration of forest in the state. It was decided that nearly ten thousand Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Van Suraksha Samities (VSS) in the state will be engaged in forest management such as afforestation, protection of habitats, soil conservation and prevention of forest fire.

Attending the meeting, Principal Chief Conservator Of Forest Sisir Kumar Rath said afforestation  will be done in 15,000 ha at a cost of Rs 69 cr. He said services of VSS will be roped in for the mammoth task.   

ZP Poll: Two Cornered Contest Likely For BJD-BJP

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

The Zilla Parishad(ZP) poll in Angul district, in all probability, will be a two cornered contest for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Biju Janata Dal(BJD) candidates, poll analysts said.

They said that the saffron party this time has chalked out strategy for an impressive show at the hustings . Top party brasses have asked leaders like Sajib Sahu and Durga Pradhan, who have joined the saffron party after being disgruntled over years with BJD leadership, to lead the show at their respective regions to ensure votes at any cost. While Sahu is the former BJD MLA of Athamallik, Pradhan is the former vice chairman of Angul block. 

The observers said BJP has been trying to give its best performance in the coming exercise. In the last panchayat election, BJP had bagged 12 ZP seats of the total of 28. Party sources said Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is hell bent to win as many seats as possible as this has become a prestige issue for him. He has given strict instructions to the party workers and local leaders to outshine the rival BJD leaders in the poll.

Sources said Union Minister's wife has been meeting BJP leaders and workers in Angul district to discuss about the strategy to garner more support of the people and convert their goodwill to votes at ZP election. Although Angul district is known to be a pocket borough for BJD, infighting among party workers and MLAs not keeping well with Dhenkanal MP Mahesh Sahoo has created chinks in the party's armour. 

Political pundits maintained that the saffron party has been trying to cash in on from the adverse situation BJD is facing when the grampanchayat polls will be held next month.

The Congress in Angul district, like other areas of Odisha, has become a party without rudder, the political analysts said and added it might take the position of a poor third at the hustings.    

Talcher Rani Park Parishad Members Prefer Nalco Deer

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

Even as officials of Angul Forest Division and Wildlife wing are preparing to relocate deer from Nalco Township Deer Park to Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary, office bearers of Rani Park Unnayan Parishad in Talcher have submitted a memorandum to Talcher Sub-Collector that Rani Park will be the safest habitat for the animals.

In the memorandum, the office bearers of the Parishad reasoned that earlier Odisha Government had directed Angul district administration to initiate measures for relocation of nearly 50 deer from Nalco park to Rani Park for enrichment of flora and fauna in the only biosphere in the environmental hotspot. Rani Park provides much needed relief to the denizens of Black Diamond Township who are leading a life of depression following widespread contamination of air and water.

As Rani Park is being developed as place of tourist attraction, relocation of deer from Nalco Township Park will boost its prospects on this score, the Parishad members argued.

Official sources said that Angul DFO(T) has initiated measures for early relocation of deer from Nalco Township to Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary. The animals will be kept in an enclosure in the natural surroundings of the sanctuary for a certain period for acclimatization and providing protection from other wild animals, the sources added. Official sources said enclosure will act as safe captivity for deer as these animals were never accustomed to the life of challenge in the dense forest locality.

The relocation has been necessitated after Central Zoo Authority urged Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) to expedite the process as Nalco authorities have contravened wildlife Act by keeping deer in Township Park over years.       

Unseasonal Rain, Hailstorms Damage Farm Products, Farmers Hard-hit In Angul District

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

Farmers in Angul and Athamallik blocks are hard hit following unseasonal heavy downpour accompanied by hailstorms that destroyed crop and vegetable.

Intermittent rain continued in most parts of Angul district at the time of writing this piece. This is the third time in a span of two months that  torrential rain accompanied by gales and thunders lashed the region breaking the backbone of farming community causing widespread damage to crop and vegetation.

Although revenue officials did not confirm the colossus loss of crop and vegetation in the region saying the impact of hailstorms and rain over farm produces is being estimated, farmer groups said continuous downpour over days during harvesting of paddy crop has destroyed everything. 'They will not get even a few kilograms of paddy from several acres of land. The paddy fields resemble ponds following heavy rain for days. Crops float on water mocking at them', the farmer groups said sorrowfully.

Vegetable growers as well as crop producers in Bantala and Athamallik region alleged that the revenue officials seemed to be little interested to assess the crop damage and provide immediate financial assistance as compensation. They said the delay in compensation provision will further aggravate their situation.

Extensive damage to vegetable crops has cast adverse impact on local market. Essential commodities are sold at skyrocketing prices forbidding middle class and small income groups to visit markets and if they did then they are left with no choice but to buy products of their choice in very less quantity. 

Abandonment Of NH-55 Bypass: Powerful Road Construction Co Cares Little

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

The road construction agency does not seem to be paying heed neither to the instructions of Angul district administration nor the Deputy Speaker of Odisha Assembly nor Dhenkanal MP nor Union Transport Ministry to expedite completion of four lane bypass route from Panchamahala to Banarpal.

Half finished flyover at Saradhapur on Angul-Bantala road

The work for ambitious four laning of NH-55 that connects two business centres of Odisha of the eastern India, Cuttack and Sambalpur, is going on a snail's pace since 2018. It was scheduled to be completed by 2020, but barely fifty percent of the four lane work of the highway is finished till date. The purpose for which the bypass route, connecting Panchamahala to Banarpal, has not been fulfilled yet as nobody knows when the bypass route will become a reality to contribute to easing of traffic.

The bypass route is heaped up with soil and the flyovers are half-finished, standing as if they are mangled steel and concrete structures abandoned years ago.

Angul District Collector Siddharth Shankar Sswain, in the recent past, has time and again convened meetings of the concerned officials and engineers urging them for early completion of the bypass route. Yet, the meetings did not bear any fruit.

Panchamahala-Banarpal bypass route lies abandoned

Deputy Speaker of Odisha Assembly Rajanikanta Singh, who is also Angul MLA, has reprimanded the construction agency to complete the work in three months or action will be taken against them. The given time frame has surpassed, yet the agency did not seemed to be little worried.

Sources said the agency has been resorting to dilly dallying tactics by using Corona and Omicron pandemic as shields to justify elongation of four lane work. The contractual company has also alleged that resource crunch is one among the prime reasons for delay in work. This allegation seems to be baseless as the Union Government has already announced that there is no shortage of funds for construction of four and six lane roads including expressways.  

Dhenkanal MP Mahesh Sahoo had met Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadakari in New Delhi in December 2021 to urge him for exercising his influence for early completion of four lane work. Gadakari, it is learnt, that he has given strict instructions to the construction firm to finish the work at the earliest. Nearly a month has elapsed, yet the construction company does not seem to be woken up from its slumber.

One can gauge how powerful is the construction agency that even takes the direction of Union Ministry carelessly. Denizens of Angul urged the Union Ministry to take immediate action against the road construction company which is responsible for devastating road traffic situation in the district. The road construction company has left Sambalpur-Angul-Cuttack NH-55 horrible and it is not motorable. Over 20 persons were killed in road accidents in the past three years especially for delay of four lane work.      

Encroachment, Water Issue Delay Talcher Fertilizers Revival

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

Revival of Talcher Fertilizers in Angul district might be delayed due to a number of hassles including encroachment in the plant area and supply of water to the plant from the second largest river of Odisha, Brahmani.

A high level delegation headed by the State Industries Secretary recently discussed at length on the possible measures to be initiated for revival of Talcher Fertilizers and extended the completion deadline of July 2023 to September 2024.

Sources said that as the urea producing industry was lying defunct for over decades, a large portion of its area in the township, railway and pipeline corridors are under encroachment. In addition to this, the demand of local youth for employment in the fertilizer industry has become an uphill task for the officials to find out suitable solution to the tangle.

The high level delegation also included top officials of water resources department, IDCO, IPICOL, OPTCL and Angul District Collector.

It is worthwhile to mention here that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone for the revival of Talcher Fertilizers on September 22, 2018. Modi had then declared that the industry will be revived within three years and priority in employment will be given to the locals. However, the revival is being delayed due several factors including the above mentioned problems.

Talcher Fertilizers will be revived at a cost of Rs 13,777 crore and its annual output will be 12.7 lakh tonne. This urea producing industry will use coal gasification technology due to abundance of coal in Talcher region. Sources said that the government is yet to give the green signal for using Brahmani water for industrial purpose.     

Poachers Target Leopards After Tigers

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

Leopards will be wiped out from Odisha forest reserves soon unless immediate foolproof measures are initiated by the forest department to contain killing of the wild animal.

Reports said the Special Task Force (STF) has seized as many as 25 hides of grown up leopards last year from traders and poachers active in different forest regions. Poachers arrested by forest officials revealed that the leopards are hunted from Athamallik, Boudh, Kandhamal, Nayagarh and Athagarh forest regions in Odisha.

They said the skins are sold at very high prices in national and international markets and added that an inter-state racket is active to carry out the trade with utmost precision.

Bidyadhar Naik, a leopard hide trader from Kandhamal district who was nabbed by STF recently, admitted that the poachers are targeting leopards as the number of tigers and dwindling. He said earlier Royal Bengal Tigers were hunted down as their skins were more lucrative than leopards.

STF sources said a power syndicate is active in West Bengal and North Eastern States of India and added that the hides of leopards are smuggled to China, Nepal and Bangladesh. They said the skins are in high demand in China.

Odisha forest officials posted in Wildlife Sanctuaries are allegedly hand in glove with the animal hide traders who influence these officials in a number of ways. Social activists associated with nature organizations in Angul alleged that how come the forest officials posted at wildlife forest ranges could not arrest poachers when the STF could. They said the forest officials must take the responsibility of saving the lives of leopards when these species are fast becoming extinct.

   

 

  

Uncertainty Over New Power Plant Unnerves TTPS Employees

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

The uncertainty over the commissioning of a new power plant in place of the old Talcher Thermal Power Plant(TTPS), closed since March 2021, has unnerved over 1500 employees.

The National Thermal Power Corporation(NTPC) authorities have been stressing since the closure of TTPS that a new mega power plant with two units of 660 MW each will come up soon. Yet, nobody is sure when work for the new plant will begin. The process for such work has not been initiated so far.

Nearly 15000 families were depending on the power plant for their livelihood. Their survival is at stake now. A number of contractual workers of the abandoned TTPS said with distress:' We contributed our bit to efficient functioning of the power plant over years. The plant is now closed. We have lost livelihood. The NTPC authorities have been saying a new mega plant will come up, but when?'

The employees of the decommissioned power plant alleged that they were not given gate passes nor salary since October 2021 and added that they have been kept in dark by the authorities. Who know what the future has in store for them, they shied.

A top source of NTPC when contacted said 'as the new power plant will have two big units involving huge investments, therefore things will naturally be delayed. But, the government has already made up its mind to set a new plant at Talcher shortly.'

Worthwhile to mention that TTPS was closed down for not adhering to environmental norms and other nine parameters that usually govern the functioning of thermal power plants all over the country.  

 

 

Royal Bengal Tigers In Peril

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

A disturbing report has surfaced that over 100 Royal Bengal Tigers(RBTs) have either been poached or died due to ailments in different wildlife sanctuaries in India last year.

According to data available by Wildlife Protection Society Of India a good percentage of RBTs perished due to poaching, but it stressed that death of majority of the big cats were natural. The report said Madhya Pradesh has incurred the bad name by registering deaths of as many as 32 RBTs last year.

In the case of Odisha, although the agency has not given any adverse report on casualty status of RBTs, the recent disappearance of the only tigress from Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary in Angul district has not gone down well with nature lovers and environmentalists alike. As the surveillance cameras fitted inside the sanctuary could not capture the footage of the tigress since three months ago, nature lovers are apprehensive that the big cat is no more.

However, Saroj Panda, DFO, Angul Wildlife Division, is hopeful that the tigress has not gone anywhere nor missing and it is premature to come to a conclusion that the animal has died or killed.

Recent reports suggest that poachers are active in Similipal National Park in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. The Special Task Force team have seized hide of leopard from two poachers who admitted that they have been killing the animal for selling their skins at lucrative prices for quite some time.

According to National Tiger Conservation Agency (NTCA), the poachers have resorted to killing of leopards as the number of tigers are dwindling. The report said as many as 23 hides were seized in Odisha in the past nine months. The NTCA report further said that during 2012-2020 as many as 857 RBTs died due to several factors including poaching. 

Hidisingh Irrigation Project In Limbo As BJD Leaders Indulge In Panchayat Poll Gimmick

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

As the Panchayat election is drawing near, several leaders of the ruling Biju Janata Dal(BJD) have embarked upon laying foundation stones of various projects in Angul district to send a message to the electorate that they are the leaders who are concerned with their wellbeing, although the reality is different.

Media reports said Deputy Speaker of Odisha Assembly and Angul MLA Rajanikanta Singh laid the foundation stone of different projects at Baragaunia, Badakantalkul, Nuakheta, New Raiguda and other places under Bantala police station in Angul Sub-Division recently to woo voters in the upcoming Panchayat poll.

Singh laid the foundation stones for two bridges to be built over Nuaghai Nala and Aandhari Nala at Nuakheta-Badakantakul and some development projects at New Raiguda. He also attended two programmes at Bargaunia and Badakantakul under Odisha government's most ambitious Mo School project for transformation of educational institutions.

It is a fact that several irrigation projects in Bantala region in Angul district are in limbo due to lack of political will of the representatives they have chosen to deliver the goods. None of the leaders of the ruling clique seemed to be little worried over the matter, but as the panchayat poll is drawing near, they are out to prevail upon the voters to get their support for their aspiring cronies who are likely to be fielded.

Hidisingh Medium Irrigation Project(MIP) was conceived over decades ago, yet there is no headway due to lack of political will. The file, sources said, is gathering dust due to lack of environmental clearance. It was decided that the loss of forest due to the irrigation project will be compensated by adequate afforestation in Angul, Deogarh and Dhenkanal forest divisions. Yet, it is alleged that the work for the project is going at a snail's pace.

The irony is that the leaders themselves vie with each other to rake up Hidisingh MIP issue at the hustings when casting of ballots comes near, be it in assembly or parliament. But, they tend to forget the issue altogether as soon as the poll heat is over.

Reports said Talcher MLA Braja Kishore Pradhan and Pallahara MLA Mukesh Pal are on a spree to inaugurate Community Halls and other utilities at different panchayats keeping an eye on the ensuing panchayat election.

Dhenkanal MP Mahesh Sahoo has also not left himself behind in the race in view of the upcoming panchayat poll. Sahoo attended a function for upgradation of the vegetable market at NTPC in Kaniha possibly with the intention of earning the goodwill of small time traders and farmers of Kaniha region who hail from different panchayats. Poll analysts maintained that their goodwill can be converted into votes for his candidates who will be in the fray.

Bantala Panchayat Poll Scenario: Aspirants Woo Voters With Life-size Posters

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

The New Year has provided much needed opportunities for aspirants of the ensuing Panchayat polls in Angul district, particularly in Bantala region, by putting up posters and banners to greet voters.

They have resorted to the tactic to woo gullible voters in the villages to cast their ballot in their favour, political observers maintained.

The village squares and important intersections of semi-urban and rural localities in the district are virtually bedecked with large posters. Although the election commission is still undecided on the possible dates for the Panchayat polls in the State, sources close to the poll body have indicated that the schedule might be announced in the second week of January.

However, uncertainty still looms large over the announcement of the poll dates due to rising cases of Omicron in Odisha.

Political observers have maintained that the prevailing pre-poll scenario can be described as 'Poster War' among the aspiring candidates. Such practice among the aspirants has given rise to ill feelings which has resulted in defacing and tearing of banners and posters displayed at prime locations in the gram panchayats all over the district.

The observers said poll violence has already set in the relatively calm village surroundings. They advised the district authorities, particularly the police, to deploy reinforcements to contain such violent activities so that the ensuing poll scenario is not vitiated.

    

Meanwhile, the fresh list of reservation for urban body polls has been published. The list has been published after doing away with the reservation for Other Backward castes (OBCs). The industrial district of Angul has two municipalities i.e Angul and Talcher and Athamallik has the status of Notified Area Council (NAC).

Inordinate Delay In NH 55 Four Lane Work Becomes A Curse For Angul People

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

The four lane work of Cuttack-Sambalpur NH-55 has been continuing for the past three years since 2018, yet there seems to be no end to it due to sheer negligence of National Highway and Transport ministry.

Although the deadline for completion of the work was slated for 2020, nearly half of the four lane work has been completed till date. The NH 55 has now become a misnomer being interspersed with ditches  causing a number of accidents in the past three years. The motorists as well as the commuters face a lot of hardship while negotiating the worst ever road in their life.

Sources said the construction agency engaged by the NH authorities on contractual assignment has stopped the work alleging nonpayment following resources crunch due to several factors including the pandemic.

Protesting against the lackadaisical attitude of the highway authorities, Angul-Dhenkanal Bus Owners had discontinued bus services between Angul-Dhenkanal-Cuttack and Bhubaneswar in the last week of December 2021 as a mark of protest against the inhuman act. They have warned that they will carry on the strike for indefinite period if the authorities did not relent.

Dhenkanal MP Mahesh Sahoo had met the Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in December to urge him to take immediate action on the matter. Gadkari, it is believed, that he has directed the officials concerned to expedite the four lane work of NH 55. But, the miseries of commuters are yet to be over. Earlier, Deputy Speaker of Odisha Assembly and Angul MLA Rajanikanta Singh had urged the administration to speed up the four lane work, but little progress has been made so far.

Meanwhile, the PWD authorities have not shown their interest to take up rebuilding of Panchamahala-Banarpal stretch of the NH 55 in Angul district which is in ramshackle condition. The 15-km stretch of the highway is unfit for even walking, let alone driving bikes, cars and other vehicles. Numerous ditches and potholes on the highway are responsible for taking precious lives following fatal accidents. Most bikers and pedestrians have lost their lives during rainy season as most parts of the 15-km stretch of the highway get submerged in water.

The construction of Banarpal-Panchamahala bypass route is going on at a snail's pace for years. The flyovers are yet to be ready nor the bypass road, further delaying the purpose for which this has been proposed.         

Lone Tigress Goes Missing In Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary?

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

The whereabouts of the lone tigress in Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary in Angul district is shrouded in mystery after it could not be traced in cameras fitted in the jungle since over two months.

Although wildlife officials of Angul forest division did not seemed to be worried over its disappearance, local animal lovers are apprehensive that as the big cat is not spotted in high resolution cameras for quite some time, this might result in the end of the tiger population in the sanctuary.

The disappearance of the tigress comes to the fore at a time when a decomposed carcass of a bison was found at Tulka forest region in Purunakote range recently. The wildlife officials are tightlipped what led to the death of the bison which is listed as endangered species. They, however, maintained that the post mortem report might throw light on the death of the animal.

Social activists and environmentalists associated with different nature lover institutions in Angul said the Satkosia Wildlife sanctuary which was once bustling with Royal Bengal Tigers(RBTs) and other extinct species, is almost bereft of the big cats. They said there were efforts in the past to increase the number of RBTs in the sanctuary, but the wildlife officials had failed miserably in their endeavour.

Wildlife officials in the past had tried their best to bring in a pair of RBTs from Madhya Pradesh. But, their effort came to nought after one tiger was killed by poachers and the other one was sent back to the parent jungle after it turned man eater.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Saroj Panda told the media that it is premature to say that the tigress has disappeared from its habitat. He said as the whole of sanctuary is not under camera surveillance, there is a possibility that the movement of the tigress could not be snapped. 'We have started investigation into the matter and our teams are fanning out to different locations to locate the tigress. The prevailing biting cold wave condition in the jungle region might have prevented the old tigress to move frequently', Panda added.

Local animal lovers and environmentalist alleged that the wildlife sanctuary has been witnessing death of several endangered species like antelopes, bison, wild boars and reptiles in the past and Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary is no longer a safe habitat for the species.

Series of deaths of wildlife species in Satkosia region have given rise to speculations that adequate measures for protection and conservation of animals in the sanctuary have not been initiated.  

Sources alleged that the wildlife officials are little concerned over foolproof management of the issue. It is further alleged that poachers are on the prowl in Satkosia region and the biosphere. The sources alleged that booby traps are used for killing animals for their horns and skins as these are of medicinal value and sold at high prices. The horns of antelopes and bison are used for preparing medicines. Therefore, these are in  great demand both at home and abroad.

The sources said that in most cases, the Wildlife Institute of India(WII) were kept in dark and added that detailed probes were never taken up.

  

Industrial Behemoths Contaminate Brahmani, Tikira Rivers In Angul District

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

Brahmani, the second largest river of Odisha, and Tikira considered as the lifelines for the denizens of Kaniha block in Angul district, have become contaminated due to discharge of industrial effluents.

Locals alleged that mostly the industrial waste is discharged from the power behemoth National Thermal Power Corporation(NTPC) that contains radioactive ingredients and other lethal chemicals. Fly ash slurry of NTPC Captive Power Plant(CPP) and turbine oil of Regali hydel project flow into the Brahmani river causing immense damage to water quality making it unfit for human consumption.

Villagers of Baruan, Tolakbeda, Bijigola, Burubahal and Samal alleged that they are affected with skin diseases and other ailments as they take bath and use river water for their daily needs. A large number of dead fish are seen floating on river waters and this a regular sight, the villagers said. Dwindling supply of fish has affected fishermen community who lost their avocation due to contamination of water.  

The district administration, the villagers alleged, has turned a deaf ear to their complaints. 'No action has been taken against the erring industrial concerns for violating environmental norms. The officials of  Regional Pollution Control Board at Angul are hand in glove with the polluters. They refrain from taking exemplary action against them', the villagers further alleged.

They alleged that pipe water projects in the above mentioned villages have become useless as the industrial authorities supply contaminated water from river Brahmani. 

Athamallik:Will Sanjib Sahu's Joining BJP Damage BJD Prospects In Panchayat Polls?

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

As the Panchayat elections are drawing near, all eyes are riveted on the political scenario of Athamallik region from which the former Biju Janata Dal(BJD) legislator Sanjib Sahu who has recently joined Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) along with his bandwagon.

Sahu had remained disgruntled over the years for allegedly being sidelined by top BJD leaders including the party supremo and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. It was alleged that Sahu was among the leaders who were responsible for carrying out the midnight drama in the State Capital Bhubaneswar to oust Chief Minister some years ago while he was on a tour abroad.

Political analysts said it is premature to say if Sanjib Sahu could lead the saffron party to win Athamallik seat, but added that this would be definitely be a prestige issue for the seasoned leader who had successfully led BJD in the region for years.

Top brasses of BJP in the meanwhile, has indicated that the party will fight polls in Athamallik assembly constituency under the leadership of Sanjib Sahu in the upcoming Panchayat and Urban polls. If media reports are to believed, then Sahu has even hinted that the saffron party has reposed faith on him in this aspect and he is given a free hand to go in for permutations and combinations to hit the jackpot. He has even declared that his party will win five out of seven zones in the upcoming Panchayat elections under his leadership.

Political analysts maintained that by exiting BJD and joining BJP, Sanjib Sahu and his supporters have successfully made a dent in the electoral prospects of his erstwhile party, but it is still premature to conclude that he will downcast the image of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik who is popular to the core.