Senior Citizens' Issue To Worry India In Coming Years

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

The alarming rise in the number of senior citizens in India is constantly worrying the government of the day with HelpAge India in its latest report saying that this figure has increased at the rate of 36 per cent during 2011 to 2021.

The report said although the senior citizens' issue has become a global phenomenon, yet this will be posing a threat to the governance as well as social structure of India if the pace is not neutralized.

The HelpAge report said the growth in the number of senior citizens in India is so high that it nearly takes twenty years to double. But, in France the growth rate is very slow and it takes nearly 20 years to double the figure. India's pace of growth of in the number of senior citizens will be suicidal for the country, the HelpAge report said and added that their number might increase up to 300 million in a span of thirty years.

In 1950, senior citizens account for barely 5 per cent of the total population of India, while in 2016 the figure rose to 10 per cent and this might rise up to 19 per cent in 2050, the HelpAge report said. The report further said that by 2050, the number of persons in the age group between 60-70 years will be one out of every five in India.

Although India is presently a young nation and the average age of its population is 29 years, there has been a constant rise in the number people aged over 60 years.            

Jumbos Prowl Bantala Region, Forest Staff Shortage Worsens Situation

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

A new but dangerous trend is slowly emerging in Bantala region in Angul district as herds of elephants are heading towards human habitation wreaking havoc among the people.

Shortage of trained forest staff has further worsened the situation. Reports said three forest range officers have been asked to manage the affairs of six ranges coming under the jurisdiction of Angul Forest Division. The situation has come to such a pass that the most vulnerable Bantala forest range has been deprived of a full time forest range officer as the present incumbent Madhab Nayak has been given the additional responsibility of Jarapada forest range, 30 km from Bantala.

A skeleton staff in most forest ranges under Angul Forest Division has severely affected the drive to keep at bay marauding jumbos from human habitation and urban pockets as some forest ranges are headed by Deputy Forest Range Officers.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Vivek Kumar has admitted that the forest division is presently understaffed, but hoped that things will become normal as soon as new postings will be made. He, however, did not clarify when the vacancies will be filled up.   

Earlier, the jumbos were mostly noticed in and around villages situated close to reserved forest areas like Nuakheta, Talagarh, Bargaunia, Maranda and Khinda. The situation has been changed in the recent days as pachyderms, mostly tuskers, are prowling the streets and by-lanes of Bantala, Khalgaon, Sankhapur, Sarangpur, Dhakuta and other areas which are situated away from forest region.

A few days ago, marauding tuskers were seen near Community Health Centre at Bantala sending shockwaves in the minds of doctors and patients as well. This incident has triggered fear among the people of Bantala. Most shopkeepers down their shutters immediately after evening fearing jumbo attack. A month ago, tuskers were seen moving near Bantala Sishu Mandir in the early hours. Although there were no reports of any elephant attack in the area so far, people have become apprehensive that the worst might happen one day as none can guarantee the marauding tuskers will not attack passing vehicles and houses.

The day is not far off when Bantala will experience the same situation like the state capital, Bhubaneswar, where elephants from Chandaka elephant reserve, roam freely in the market places. Bantala is close to Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary, and therefore, Bhubaneswar-like situation might not be ruled out.      

Angul Officials Little Concerned About People's Problems

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

Officials of Angul district administration are allegedly drifting away from their responsibility by failing to resolve issues relating to drinking water, health, education and road connectivity.

The officials' lackadaisical attitude became evident during a high level meeting of Zilla Parishad meeting held at the district headquarters town in Angul recently. People's representatives leveled severe allegations that most officials were not present during the meeting, while important issues like supply of potable water to villagers living in different areas in Angul district were being discussed.

The 53rd general body meeting of Zilla Parishad, presided over by ZP President Ms Babita Pradhan, was attended among others, by Dhenkanal MP Mahesh Sahoo  and MLAs of Talcher, Athamallik, Pallahara and Angul, Braja Kishore Pradhan, Ramesh Chandra Sai, Mukesh Kumar Pal and Rajanikant Singh respectively.

The people's representatives waited for several hours in the ZP Conference Hall to discuss with the officials on the issues concerning the common man in the rural regions of the district, yet none bothered to turn up despite being informed officially several days prior to the said meeting. The MLAs present at the  meeting expressed their discontentment over non-attendance of officials to discuss the issues facing the people living in the rural areas in Angul district.

The angry MLAs were seen shouting urging the government to take action against the erring officials who did not care to attend such an important meeting which was convened to discuss the nagging issues confronting the rural masses in Angul district. Proceedings must be drawn against the officials who had deliberately skipped the meeting, the MLAs said and added that such a practice must come to an end forthwith and the concerned bureaucrats must be given exemplary punishment.

The groundwater table of Angul district especially in Talcher region has gone down to rock bottom level due to excavation of coal and rapid industrialization.  People living in as many as 150 villages in Talcher sub-division are reeling under severe water scarcity. Womenfolks are a distressed lot as they have to traverse miles to fetch potable water for their families.

The Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) who is the main culprit and mostly responsible for escalating water scarcity in Talcher region, has been running away from its responsibility to provide sufficient potable water to the affected denizens.

Till date, the MCL has restricted itself to supplying potable water to some locations through tankers, while large chunk of the affected population are dying for a few drops of water. Their condition become worst during summer as most of them get admitted to hospital due to dehydration.           

  

Solar Energy Can Save Angul From Environmental Hazards, Says iFOREST study

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

A smooth transition of highly polluted Angul district of Odisha to a green economy can only be achieved through solar energy generation, according to a study conducted by International Forum For Environment, Sustainability &Technology (iFOREST).

The iFOREST study report published by Sustainability Innovations and Advisories Private Limited said renewable energy (RE) in the form of solar energy will have considerable bearing on green manufacturing industries in the district.

Reservoirs and dams like Rengali and Derjang in Angul district provide ample opportunity for floating solar projects, the study said and added that the energy can be harnessed from rooftops and utilisation of wasteland through reclamation of mining land in the future.

The extensive study on Angul district said renewable energy is the need of the hour and added that this will be crucial for the highly industrialized Angul district which is in the grip of air, water, sound and land pollution.

The National Institute of Solar Energy has already chalked out projects for such purpose, the study said and added that NHPC has signed an agreement with the Green Energy Development Corporation of Odisha Ltd (GEDCOL) in January 2022  for generation of 500 MW floating solar projects on different water bodies in Odisha. The iFOREST study said the government is planning to install 300 MW of floating solar project and hoped that Angul district will witness considerable investment in energy sector in the next decade.

Poachers Kill Tusker In Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary, Role Of Forest Officials In Question

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

The Man-Elephant tussle has again come to a flashpoint after a tusker was electrocuted near forest beat under Pampasara range in Satkosia wildlife sanctuary in Angul district two days ago. The electrocution was done with the help of a booby trap that was laid on the ground.

While Divisional Forest Officer Dr Saroj Panda emphasized that the culprits will be brought to book soon, he was silent about how the poachers clandestinely laid down the trap bypassing high tension overhead electricity lines to materialize their plan. Panda and other forest officials did not think it fit to explain about the laxity on patrolling which is being undertaken on a regular basis to thwart any attempt of poaching of animals including the jumbos in Satkosia wildlife sanctuary.

Villagers at Jagannathpur alleged as the incident has occurred a few metres away from the forest beat house, the employees and officials who were present on duty on that fateful day must be investigated to find out the truth. The forest officials have been stressing that foot and patrolling on vehicles are taken up regularly, but how come they could not get slightest indication that the poachers have laid down traps to kill animals, the villagers questioned. They further said that the role of forest officials must be taken into account keeping in view of the incident that occurred in Athagarh forest division in which forest officials were involved in poaching of tuskers.

Worthwhile to note that over 100 km long overhead electricity lines across Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary have been posing a constant threat to the lives of animals particularly jumbos which are vulnerable due to their height. As the overhead lines are hanging precariously, the elephants come in contact with live wire and get killed. The electricity wing with the help of forest department has so far succeeded in insulating nearly 20 km of overhead lines. But, there is no confirmation either from the electricity or forest officials when the rest part of the overhead lines will be insulated or replaced by cables. 

Bantala Nodal High School Losing Credibility Among Students, Parents

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

Bantala Nodal High School in Angul district is losing credibility among students and guardians due to shortage of teachers over the years.

The school is going without a headmaster for months and the post of PCM teacher has fallen vacant for over two years. The authorities, it is alleged, have not yet decided to appoint a headmaster ever since the incumbent retired. The PCM teacher was deputed elsewhere two years ago without minding about the consequences it will have on teaching.

The school Managing Committee sources said resolutions were passed and forwarded to appropriate authorities for early posting of headmaster and required teaching staff, but to no avail. The sources said the sitting MLA Rajanikant Singh has also been requested to look into the matter, but it has gone unheeded.

Shortage of teaching staff has allegedly cast it adverse impact on attendance as a number of students have preferred to take admissions in nearby educational institutions for better schooling. Guardians alleged that it is true that the school has been transformed under 5T, but teaching has become a victim. The high school which was built in 1960, has acquired a new avatar of late, but the days are not far ahead when it will be left with a few students, they said wryly.

The Managing Committee sources further complained that teaching staff apart, the posts of clerk and night watchman have also fallen vacant for over seven years. While the clerk has been deputed to other school, the night watchman is posted at Block Education Office in Angul, the sources added.    

Farmers' Awareness Programme On Aromatic Crop Production

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

Scientists urged farmers of the state to boost their yield with the adoption of modern technology and take up cultivation of aromatic plants for a number of benefits.

A farmers' awareness and training programme was jointly organized by scientists of National Institute of Plant Biotechnology (NIPB), New Delhi and Central Institute of Aromatic Medicinal Plants, Lucknow at Pabitra Mohan Institute of Technology (PMIT), Talcher on July 11 and 12.

Speaking on the occasion as Chief Guest, former Union Minister of State for Agriculture Dr Debendra Pradhan, urged the farmers to adopt novel technologies for multiplying agricultural production for a sustainable growth of the agrarian sector. Dr Pradhan lauded the efforts of the scientists of NIPB who have been striving their best to develop novel methods for boosting crop production in the country. He said raising of aromatic plants help protect other crops from being destroyed by animals.

Chairperson of Vikash Trust, Mridula Pradhan, urged women cultivators to acquire the know how to benefit immensely in farming and said they must take the lead. Principal scientist of Central Institute of Aromatic Medicinal Plants, Dr Prashant Kumar Rout, explained how farming of aromatic plants, lemon grass, pamarosa and Tulsi will greatly benefit the agrarian community in the state.

The programme was graced by Director, NIPB, Ajit Kumar Shasany, Principal Scientist Ashwini Nanabare, scientists of Krushi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) of Dhenkanal and Angul districts, Bimalendu Mohanty and Debashish Mishra and Science Communicator Laxminarayan Boxi.

Nearly 200 farmers were distributed with mango saplings, high yielding paddy and lemon grass. The programme was moderated by Satya Prakash Nayak with the cooperation of PMIT staff.