विसकों बुलेटिन -अप्रैल-09

Keep close watch on 6000 extra EVMs , BJP tells EC

BHUBANESWAR ( VISAKEO): While alleging tampering, the Bharatiya Janata Party on April 27 urged the Chief Electoral Officer Alaka Panda to send 6000 extra EVMs to outside State.

A three member delegation of the BJP including Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, Dharmendra Pradhan and Bijay Mohapatra met CEO and apprised her that the ruling BJD is trying to tamper unused EVMs in various parts of the State to ensure its win in both Assembly and Lok Sabha polls that held in two phases.

“We have urged the CEO to send these EVMs to outside State, so that, suspension would be cleared,” senior BJP leader Harichandan told reporters here at Party’s State Headquarters.

The party also demanded a high level impartial probe into the booth capturing incident at Patakura in Kendrapara. “Not only in Kendrapara, the ruling party leaders manipulated voting across the State on April 16 and 23,” BJP national secretary Pradhan added. “An impartial probe could clear all our apprehensions,” he argued.

Meanwhile, BJP’s MLA candidate from Patakura seat in Kendrapara district, Bijay Kumar Mohapatra claimed that BJD chief Naveen Patnaik and his controversial advisor Pyari Mohan Mohapatra jointly mounting pressure on officials to tamper Electronic Voting Machines to ensure the win of BP Agarwal, the regional outfit’s candidate for the said seat.

Mohapatra, a heavy weight of undivided Cuttack district, told reporters here that the ruling Party is making all out effort to ensure his defeat.

“I suspect, efforts are on to tamper EVMs as BJD chief and his advisor providing logistical and other support to the officials including Police,” Mohapatra alleged.

It may be noted here that on April 26, BJP workers had held a demonstration in the premises of Kendrapara College, where poll officials kept about 400 ‘unused and defective’ EVMs . The used EVMs have also been stored in a strong room in the College where counting will be done.

Some officials carried about 400 EVMs in two jeeps and stored them in one of the rooms adjoining the counting room. It cannot be denied that the officials might tamper the EVMs,’’ he alleged.

Sudhashu Sekhar Ray, the election agent of BJP candidate, had also sent letters to Election Commission alleging that the district administration in a clear nexus with ruling party leaders is trying to tamper the EVMs in favour of ruling BJD candidate. He also demanded deployment of Central Forces to guard the strongroom.

Official sources told over phone from Kendrapara that the unused and defective EVMs have been kept in the College to be returned to the State Election Commission. The district administration has also allowed an authorised BJP worker to keep vigil on the strongroom along with the security persons.



BJD’s booth rigging under ECI scanner, Chawala seeks report

BHUBANESWAR( VISAKEO): Call it bad days continuing for the ruling BJD since the end of two phases Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. A day after, BJP petitioned the Election Commission seeking probe into booth rigging in Kendrapara district, the Chief Election Commissioner Naveen Chawla has on April 28 sought a report on booth rigging that was reported from Nayagarh district, a stronghold area of ruling BJD.

The allegation here also against BJD while compliant was an Independent candidate. Sources said that Chawla sought the report after taking the matter as a serious one. Chawala has asked the Chief Election Officer Alka Panda to give the report as soon as possible.

Poll officials were seen booth rigging, alleged Hemendra Chandra Singh, who lodged the complaint. Singh had petitioned the Collector, apprehending foul play in two booths.

Those are 112 and 114 number booths of Kalika Prasad under Nayagarh assembly segment. But no action was taken by the authorities of the District Administration. Thereafter, he had complained to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). CEC in turn has asked the CEO to report back immediately as it is a very serious matter.

The rigging was caught on camera during the second phase of polling held on April 23. It was a footage shot by a local scribe in Nayagarh that shows votes being rigged allegedly by workers of the ruling BJD workers. And all this is in the presence and knowledge of polling officials.

Nayagarh Collector, who is the District Election Officer (DEO), has gone on leave and official sources said that he has been asked to join immediately. The Sub Collector and the Returning Officer (RO) has been asked to present the CD for inspection.
Meanwhile, in what could be a major set back for the BJD chief Naveen Patnaik and his controversial advisor Pyari Mohapatra, the Kendrapara Police in its initial confidential report, confirmed the presence of BJD MLA from Rourkela Sarada Nayak and son of BP Agawal, the BJD nominee at a polling booth in Patakura Assembly segment, where violence reported during the second phase polling on April 28.
A DSP rank officer quoting the report told over phone from Kendrapara that it was looking for two vehicles, which sped away from the scene and also for Agarwal’s son. The vehicles used by them are being traced said the report.
The report also confirms the initial stand taken by the Election Commission that BJD MLA Nayak and others had ‘no business’ to be visiting the polling booth. It is violation of the Code, the CEC Alaka Panda had observed, saying notices had been served Mr Nayak.
Now police report too confirms that Nayak and others including BJD candidate’s son had gone to the polling booth where they were confronted by a mob. While BP Agarwal’s son and a few others had managed to flee the place, Nayak was accosted by the mob.
They had apparently rushed to the booth after receiving complaints about rigging by their opponents. Two cases have been registered, said the police report. Interestingly as per police report, Nayak lodged a FIR first and the BJP polling agent did so subsequently. Nayak had also alleged that he had been assaulted.

Trail of Swamiji murder case differed
PHULABANI (VISAKEO): The trial of the shocking murder of Hindu seer Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati has been differed on April 28 till an unspecified date. The case was to be taken up by the court here but it was deferred due to absence of the Judge CR Dash.
Seven arrested accused persons were present under tight security in court . But they returned to the district jail. The accused persons included Goranath Challanseth who was a panchayat samiti member of Kotagarh block who told reporters at the court that he was innocent.
Another young accused Bijay Kumar Sanseth also made a similar statement.
The accused persons ~ Goranath Challanseth, Bijay Kumar Sanseth, Durjyadhan Sanmajhi, Munda Badmajhi, Bhaskar Sunamajhi and Budha Naik have been arrested under Sections 449, 302, 380, 120(B)/34 IPC and 25/27 Arms Act. Crime Branch police has filed a 160 page charge sheet against these accused, Mr Mrutyunjay Naik, counsel for the accused informed.
It may be noted here that the Hindu seer was gunned down along with four of his disciples at Jalespeta Ashram on 23 August 2008. The killing sparked off a communal carnage in Kandhamal and a few other districts.


Call it more defeat than victory for Naveen’s BJD
BHUBANESWAR (VISAKEO): BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik might take few more glasses of imported wine at lavish Naveen Niwas after the regional outfit’s Milita Vijay Abhijan Samavesh with the help of NCP and Left, on April 3 turning a great flop show.

The BJD boss, who is making desperate effort to save his seat in the wake of the spilt in 11-year old alliance with BJP in Orissa, received a major set back, when he got information about NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s absence in the meeting that held here at PMG square.

Pawar while succumbing to Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi’s pressure skipped the meeting citing technical fault in his flight and addressed the gather over phone from Nashik in his home State of Maharashtra.

The high-voltage drama that certainly shocked the veteran Left Comrades like Prakash Karat and AB Bardhan, who were camping here to gather support for the so-called Third Front with the help of BJD. The BJD chief, who patronized the meet, was most shocking one after Pawar skipped the meet.

So, to pacify public and avoid any cracks, CPI national secretary D Raja told the joint public meeting that Pawar would address them over phone. Thereafter, NCP Orissa chief Prasanta Nanda held a cell phone near the microphone as Pawar was heard saying that he could not attend the gathering due to a problem in the aircraft that was scheduled to fly him.

Interestingly, NCP is holding country’s Aviation Ministry while party boss could not arrange a second plane for him after first developed a snag. NCP general secretary and chief spokesperson D P Tripathy told reporters here, "Efforts to arrange another plane was not successful.Political observers attributed Pawar’s move as outcome of Congress pressure.

The second blow was small gathering at the venue. As many as five political parties hosted the meet but a paltry number of people were seen at the site, sweeping smile from the face of the organizers.

In fact, by hosting the meeting on Ram Navami Day, the BJD wanted to send a message that it was not anti-Hindu but leaders like Prakash Karat of the CPI (M), AB Bardhan(CPI), DP Tripathy( NCP) and leaders of Forward Bloc, jointly sounded secular card while attacking BJP and Sangh Pariwar.

Left comrades like Karat, Bardhan and Raja were expected huge crowd and were left high and dry with such a poor turn out, a CPI (M) leader added. BJD leaders blame it for the left parties, saying the day and time was not proper for such a meeting.

As it was Ram Nabami, an auspicious day the candidates and their supporters of 77 Assembly and 11 Lok Sabha were busy in filing nomination papers in various district headquarters, no body turned up along with their supporters.


Nab Swamiji’s killers, Rajnath tells Naveen

PHULABANI (VISAKEO): The BJP president Ranjanth Singh vowed to identify and punish those who had conspired and killed Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati.

Addressing an election meeting at Baliguada in the sensitive Kandhamal district on April 3, Singh asserted that he had repeatedly asked Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to take action but the later had failed to do so.

Clearly trying to cash in on the murder of Saraswati which had resulted in a large scale violence in August 2008, Singh said: "If voted to power the BJP will identify and arrest the real culprits."

At his public meeting in Baliguda, Singh claimed that the BJP was growing in strength after the BJD had betrayed it. "We will repeat what had happened in Karnataka," he said.

He told the gathering that the BJP had promised to provide rice at Rs one per Kg, Wheat at Rs five per kg and free salt to the poor.

Ashok Kumar Sahu, president of the state Hindu Jagaran Samukhya and BJP nominee for Phulbani Lok Sabha seat, state BJP president Suresh Pujari and others addressed the election meeting. Sahu dwelt at length on the murder of Saraswati.

Pyari’s game plan stands expose as party MLA caught

PATAKURA (VISAKEO): During a poll meeting at Patakura Assembly Constituency in Orissa’s Kendrapara district, BJD so-called super power Pyari Mohapatra had admitted that he played a key role in restricting Bijay Mohapatra from entering into State Assembly decades back.

On April 23, Mohapatra, fondly called as Sahid Nagar uncle, made desperate efforts to use both his party men and police to manipulate voting during the second phase polls, where BJP candidate Bijay fighting a crucial battle of his last part of his political career.

Though Pyari proposes to defeat Bijay Mohapatra but God disposes his wild decision and exposed all his game plan after the arrest of party MLA from Sarada Prasad Nayak on the charge of creating disturbance at booth no -222 of Talakusuma High School under Patkura Assembly constituency.

Sources said some BJD supporters led by Nayak and Sanjaya Agrawalla, son of BJD candidate Bed Prakash Agrawalla misbehaved with the presiding officer, security forces and locals at Talakusuma on Thursday.

Later, furious locals assaulted the MLA and gheraoed him. As a result there was tension between BJD and BJP activists. After the situation worsened, the police had to resort to a mild lathi charge. The police arrested Nayak and seized a car, said Returning Officer Sisisrkanta Panda.

“Police have arrested Nayak under the provisions of Representation of People’s Act,” police said. The Talakusuma polling booth, where the incident occurred, is the native village of BJP nominee who exercised his franchise in the booth.

The Kendrapara strongman told over phone that BJD nominee Agarwal had hired goons with an aim to create trouble across the Patkura Assembly constituency to intimidate the voters to vote for the BJD.

At Talakusuma, the arrested MLA and the son of Bedu Babu were the prime accused in fermenting trouble . They forcibly entered the polling booth and threatened the voters of dire consequence if they vote against the BJD, Mohapatra claimed

M3 trying to postpone polls in Kandhamal, alleges Sangh Pariwar
PHULABANI(VISAKEO0: M3, read Mukhyamantri( Chief Minister), Missionary( Church) and Maoists(Rebels), are jointly trying to disrupt polls in Orissa’s riot hit southern districts of Kandhamal, alleged RSS and its affiliated bodies on April 13. Sangh Pariwar leaders led by Priyanath Sahu, State joint general secretary of Biswa Hindu Parishad said here at a Press conference in Phulabani district headquaters.
The leaders were addressing the press to vent their anger as the district aministration with direct instruction from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, chasing BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate Ashok Sahu.
When the BJD chief realized that his party losing ground in the district during his visit to Raikia, the most communally sensitive area, he roped into the outlawed leftwing guerrillas and the Missionary to postpone the polls.
“We consider Ashok Sahu as Lion of Kandhamal and his arrest could further create tension, for which Naveen Patnaik would be remaining responsible,” Sahu along with the leaders of RSS and Hindu Jagaran Samukhya said.
The leader made it clear that Sahu would not surrender to the police in connection with an FIR lodged against him in Raikia Police Station for his communally hatred speech on April 5. The administration had slapped a case against Sahu under Section 125 of The Representation of The People Act, 1951 (promoting enmity between classes in connection with elections) and Section 153 (A) of IPC (promoting enmity between classes).
When contacted Sahu, the former additional DGP of Assam said, "Let the police arrest me from the rally if they want. But they should be responsible for the consequence if people react."
"The police held some of my friends in Odagaon area of Nayagarh district on Sunday night and unnecessarily detained them thinking that they will be able to arrest me with the help of my supporters," Sahu said.
He said efforts were on to obtain an anticipatory bail from Orissa High Court.Police raided some places at Raikia and Phulbani on Sunday, but failed to trace Sahu.
Meanwhile, acting tough for his alleged hate speech, Election Commission on Sunday directed the district magistrate of Kandhamal to add two more sections - Section 505 and Section 295 - under IPC in the criminal case against Sahu.
Taking strong exception to the EC directive, Sahu said the commission had gone out of the way to take stern measures against him.
While Sahu termed the hate case against him as "politically motivated, BJP alleged it was part of a conspiracy against party candidates and activists to disturb their campaigning.
However, sources said pressure is mounting on the Election Commission to stop elections. Tremendous force from a few minority groups is on to postpone the elections as situation is not conducive. Second, the Kandhamal district administration is hounding to arrest Sahu.
Minority groups led by leading NGO activist Teesta Setalvad is pressing the Election Commission to postpone the elections as situation is not conducive and at least names of 22,000 Christian voters are eliminated from the voters list.
However the District Administration of Kandhamal has proved the allegation wrong as no proof was placed to coroborate the allegations. And all the Central Observers has reportedly favored elections in Kandhamal as the administration has made all the arrangements for free and fair poll.
Alka Panda, Chief Electoral Officer has also favored elections in Kandhamal as she is also convinced about the arrangements. Officers connected with management of elections apprehend another riot like situation if the elections will be postponed in the mid way. Kandhamal will be going for elections on 16 April, which has 3 Assembly and 1 Lok Sabha segment.


UBSS distributes relief materials in tornado hit Rajkanika

RAJKANIKA (VISAKEO) : Utkal Biparna Sahayata Samiti distributed relief and render medical services in natural calamity hit Rajkanika block of Orissa’s costal districts of Kendrapara.

UBSS volunteers, besides more than 50 RSS workers distributed food materials, clothes, medicines, water and other commodities in Dasabhagaria, Manaidiha and Mangalpur villages under Bharigada Panchayat, Ganja, Sevasahi, Bagabuda, Dalikenda, Barada, Mahurigaon, Govindapur, Koranda, Kalikapur under Rajkanika area. Vibhaga Karyabaha Biswambar Pani, RN Patra, Manas Ranjan and Abhaya Pati were among those monitoring the relief work.

The Samiti volunteers were also in rescue operation and clearing roads, where trees were being failing due to high speed wind that claimed more than 16 lives and left injured more than 500 while spreading panic in the entire costal region close to Bay of Bengal.

More than 15 villages in 7 Panchayats have been badly hit due to the high voltage storm. Power and tele communication has also been cut off. Roads connecting Bharigada to Rajkanika, Rajkanika to Olavar and Kantapada Bazar to Sevasahi and Bagabuda, are being cut off due to falling of trees and electrical polls.

According to locals, In Bharigada Panchayat, as many as 228 families in two villages have been badly affected while two have been killed and 40 other injured. Under Bagabuda Panchayat, 700 families of three villages have been affected while death toll stands at 4 and injured 17.

Under Kanatapada Panchayat, 30 familles from one village affected, where one person killed. Similarly, under Jagulaipada Panchayat, 200 families of one village affected, where three persons killed and 50 injured. Dalikenda Panchayat was partly affected but three persons killed here. Two persons also killed in Mahurigaon and one in Arsa.

Naveen-Pyari tampering EVMs in Kendrapara, claims Bijay

BHUBANESWAR (VISAKEO): BJP’s MLA candidate from Patakura seat in Kendrapara district, Bijay Kumar Mohapatra on April 27 claimed that BJD chief Naveen Patnaik and his controversial advisor Pyari Mohan Mohapatra jointly mounting pressure on officials to tamper Electronic Voting Machines to ensure the win of BP Agarwal, the regional outfit’s candidate for the said seat.

After petitioning Chief Electoral Officer Alaka Panda, Mohapatra, a heavy weight of undivided Cuttack district , told reporters here that the ruling Party is making all out effort to ensure his defeat.

“I suspect, efforts are on to tamper EVMs as BJD chief and his advisor providing logistical and other support to the officials including Police,” Mohapatra told reporters at BJP’s State Headquarters’ here.

It may be noted here that on April 26, BJP workers had held a demonstration in the premises of Kendrapara College, where poll officials kept about 400 ‘unused and defective’ EVMs . The used EVMs have also been stored in a strong room in the College where counting will be done.

Some officials carried about 400 EVMs in two jeeps and stored them in one of the rooms adjoining the counting room. It cannot be denied that the officials might tamper the EVMs,’’ he alleged.

Sudhashu Sekhar Ray, the election agent of BJP candidate, had also sent letters to Election Commission alleging that the district administration in a clear nexus with ruling party leaders is trying to tamper the EVMs in favour of ruling BJD candidate. He also demanded deployment of Central Forces to guard the strongroom.

Official sources told over phone from Kendrapara that the unused and defective EVMs have been kept in the College to be returned to the State Election Commission. The district administration has also allowed an authorised BJP worker to keep vigil on the strongroom along with the security persons.


Orissa on alert to spoil infiltration of Tamil Tigers

KENDRAPARA/BALASORE (VISAKEO): Indian Coast Guard personnel manning Orissa’s coast have stepped up security measures on the seawater by intensifying sea surveillance as there is every possibility that the members of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), by following the sea route, might sneak into the State coast from the war zone of Sri Lanka.

Coast Guard personnel have intensified patrolling in the sea after Sri Lanka Army advanced towards the north eastern part of the country and captured many important areas of LTTE. Ships, speed boats with modern equipment, helicopters have been deployed to guard the Indian sea water, particularly in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Andaman Nicobar, official sources said on April 27.

"To mitigate possible threat of cross border activities, our Coast Guard ships are patrolling round the clock and keeping strict vigil on the State's coast. We have also deployed helicopters to guard the coast," said a Coast Guard official.

Notably, the Coast Guard personnel had recently organised a meeting among the fishermen and other people staying along the coastal areas. The fishermen were advised to keep strict vigil on suspicious vessels plying over the Bay of Bengal and to inform the Coast Guards the same. Besides, all suspected ships and fishing vessels are being meticulously searched by the Coast Guard personnel, he added.

The Coast Guard personnel have also provided some Distress Alert Transmitter (DAT) to the marine fishermen with an aim to save their life during the exigency period and also to seek marine fisher folk's involvement in guarding the 480 km long stretch along the State coast, which has become vulnerable to the intruders to enter into the mainland via sea route, said the official.


Ban dampens Akshya Tritiya in Orissa
BHUBANESWAR (VISAKEO): Election ban has come as a damper for the celebrations of Akshya Tritiya on April 27. Though elections are over by 23 April, the ban still continues in the state.
So the official celebrations of Akshya Tritiya were done at a low key. Arabinda Padhee, Director Agriculture said “how can we forget our long traditions adding celebrations were done in all the 48 Agriculture Districts along with farmers”.
Akshaya Tritiya is mainly celebrated as an agricultural festival in Orissa. After taking bath in early morning, farmers wear new clothes and in new baskets carry seeds to their fields.
The seeds are sown in the fields after offering prayers to Goddess Lakshmi for bumper crop. At the end of the day a completely vegetarian feast is prepared in every home.
In coastal Orissa, Akshay Tritiya is called as “Muthi Anukul”. And Western Orissa the day begins with “Muthi Chhuan” and eating of green leafy vegetable is forbidden on this day.
For last few years the State Government is celebrating Akshya Tritiya in a big way. With Dr.Padhee at the helm in agriculture production, Orissa this year expects to grow 10 million ton of food grains, revealed an official of the Directorate of Agriculture.
In fact Dr.Padhee is the prime mover of a frenetic growth of agriculture in Orissa, which was all along dubbed as the most backward state so far agriculture production and productivity is concerned. Orissa is now on the top of mechanization of agriculture in the country and fertilizer use has grown at a much faster pace, said another official.
“Within last 2 years use of fertilizer use has grown from 47 kilogram per acre to 62 kilogram per acre in the state’, said he. Now Orissa is harping on SRI method of rice cultivation, which has picked up very well in various parts of the state.
So taking the help of Pani Panchayats and Self Help Group (SHG)s there is a move to set up SRI Groups for facilitating the process in the state, said an official.
Charms of Chandrabhaga Beach (With Pix) (Tourism)
KONARK (VISAKEO)
Odisha is truly blessed with sea beaches, a long coast line entertains its visitors in several ways, somewhere there are ports, somewhere fishing communities, somewhere you get totally lost in the maze of a crowd and yet the beach can be clean, secluded, romantic and quiet too, like Chandrabhaga.

Chandrabhaga beach lies on the Marine Drive from Puri to Konark. Miles of casuarinas jungles shield the blue surfing sea and gives delightful openings for the passers-by to stop and admire the sea. The road goes through the Balukhand sanctuary that also abounds with small and attractive swamp deer, called Baliharina and other deer species.

The rustling of the breeze through the casuarinas is the only sound that is heard apart from the wave after wave that come with a resonance. Here there are no hawkers troubling you for your money selling sea products, pearls, shells or eatables too much. No clutter too in the shape of empty bottles, plastic pouches or dirty streaks of running water from nearby hotels. For there are no habitation close to the sea shore. The vehicles that drive through the sanctuary on the Marine Drive are barred from blowing their horns. So no distraction, no pollution on that score as well.

At Chandrabhaga, sunsets are truly a delightful experience altogether. The pearly sands warm up to the gently falling glow and the waves dazzle with a diamond of rainbow hues on their head. The sky turns into a vast canvas for the swift strokes for the inimitable paintings. One can simply stay on like that without any conversation.

Chandrabhaga Beach is located three kilometers from the famous Sun temple at Konark. It has significance as a pilgrim center. Every year in February, during the auspicious Magha Saptami day, lakhs of believers throng this beach for a dip in the Bay of Bengal at day break, to worship the Sun as a deity on his birthday and also to pay homage to their ancestors.

There is a legend connected with the place. There lived a saint named Sumanyu on the seashore. He had adopted a girl and she turned out to be an exquisitely beautiful woman. There was a river called Chitrotpala nearby where she went to bathe with her friends. Once, the Sun God spotted her and was enamored by her ravishing beauty. He became extremely impatient to get her hand as his consort, and came in the guise of a Brahmin and expressed his desire to her. The girl spurned his offer and recognized him as Surya, Himself. She tried to escape and when she could not run away she jumped into the sea. When Sumanyu heard this he became enraged and cursed the deity that the holy temple that was being erected at Konark would be defiled and that the devotees never worship him in any temple but only in the open on a sea beach. Since Chandrabhaga committed suicide on the Magha Saptami, the day is observed as holy and devotees throng here. The gathering is called Chandrabhaga Mela in her honour. Chitrotpala River too was renamed as Chandrabhaga which has shrunk to a small sacred tank now.

There is another legend that says that there was a demon called Arka and Surya was troubled by him in the nearby Maitreya forests. On this day they had a duel here and finally Lord Surya killed the demon. The day is thus sacred and after a dip in the Chandrabhaga and the sea one offers prayers to the deity here. The place is called Arka Kshetra for that reason.

There is also a legend about Samba, the son of Krishna , who was cursed by his father and was rendered ugly. Samba was advised by Narada to come here in penitence and worship Lord Surya every day by standing waist deep in the water and meditate in the cool climate of the Maitreya vana. He did so for 12 years and finally the Sun was pleased and restored his lost looks. Since Samba sat in Padmashana (legs folded inward and arms on the knees) when he meditated here, the place is also called Padma Kshetra.

On this day, the sun begins his north ward journey and looks most beautiful. Surya is believed to be another form of Lord Vishnu and like the latter the Sun moves swiftly. Vishnu has 360 names to justify the days in a year.

There are several sites of interests as well like the temple of Baliharachandi where the sand dunes through the emerald waters of the sea are a fit sight for a picture post card. There are ruins of Buddhist monuments as well. But this is certainly a blissful place to relax and unwind being so close to the city and yet so distant for its ambience.




Rainwater Harvesting Can Solve the Water Crisis of Orissa (Article)
By Bikash Kumar Pati
Orissa is bestowed with huge potential of water resources. The state receives 231 BMC (Billion m3) of rainfall annually. The average annual precipitation of Orissa is around 1500 mm. and 80% this occurs during June to September. Most of the rainfall in Orissa is due to southwest monsoon. The state experiences about 70 rainy days during monsoon. Despite all those, the state has experienced 12 years of flood and 5 years of drought within last 18 years (Between 1990 to 2008). When flood was common in coastal plain, drought was in upper terrain. But with the changing scenario, both drought and flood are common in almost all parts of the state. 10 districts of Orissa had experienced flood up to 1991 and after 1994 more and more districts figured in the list. The height is that, in the year 2007, 27 districts out of 30 in Orissa experienced the flood.

Around 80% of rural population in Orissa depends upon ground water for drinking and domestic purposes. At the same time, due to change in the pattern of rainfall, people have started shifting from rain fed agriculture to seasonal irrigated hi-yielding agriculture. This is again increasing the consumption of ground water like anything. Massive industrialization in Orissa is another additional threat to ground water, as industries like steel plants are run with precious ground water in Orissa. The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has clearly indicated that the ground water of 24 out of 30 districts in Orissa is depleting. The ground water aquifers in many regions of our state have already gone dry. Shockingly, these aquifers have been sucked dry not to provide water for drinking and domestic use, but to meet the demand of agriculture and small industries. As if all this was not enough, large industries have now joined the race to dry up the ground water aquifers.

The above mentioned crisis clearly indicates the lack of management of rain water in the state. The rain water causes a lot of health hazards directly and indirectly in the flood and post flood situations besides the drinking water problem. During the summer (Earlier it was for two months and now it is for almost 6 months), people of Orissa faces acute water scarcity due to lack of proper management of rain water during rain. Rainwater, being the only means of fresh water for us, tangible step is yet to be taken to harvest that.

Rain water has been successfully harvested in many states of India and especially in urban set-ups; people are effectively harvesting rain water to meet the water requirement for the entire year. If we look at the national perspective, rain water harvesting is mandatory in 11 states and Orissa does not figure in the list.

Rainwater harvesting may be defined as any human activity involving collection and storage of rainwater in some natural or artificial container either for immediate use or use before the onset of the next monsoon. Rainwater harvesting as defined above was followed both at individual and community levels from times immemorial to obtain high-quality water for domestic, agricultural and other uses. Rain water harvesting is not a new concept in our state. If we look at the traditional land and water management practices, we can find ancient rainwater harvesting methods of water supply – both for drinking and domestic as well as for irrigation. But those declined when the civilised government took over the self-appointed task of supplying water trough tube wells and pipe from long distances extracting the ground water.

Rain water harvesting can be done either for ground water recharging or for storing the water to meet day to day water requirement and even both the things. When we talk about ground water recharging, basically focus lies on ensuring sustainability of the sources and augmenting water availability. Another added advantage is there of ground water recharging - that is ensuring the water quality. This concept is not new and in Ghaga Village of Hayana it has been effectively solved the water quality problem.

Despite knowing the benefits of rain water harvesting, no tangible step has been taken yet to execute the process. Though the intellectuals verdict is that rain water harvesting is the need of the hour. But no such step has been taken to either make it a mandate in urban set-up or to aware the rural community regarding its importance. People those are completely dependant on ground water are yet to know its value. Though in urban set-ups like Bhubaneswar, the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has made inclusion of rainwater harvesting mechanism in the plan mandatory, but there is virtually no monitoring of the plan execution and follow-up action and there are instances of major violations by builders. Even there is around 38% water loss due to leakage in water supply in Bhubaneswar city, whereas the national average is 21.62% (In Class-1 cities). The authority is heading towards Naraz barrage to meet the additional water loss (16% Approximate), which can easily be covered-up through rain water harvesting. If this is the situation in state capital, the situation of other urban areas can easily be realized.

If we look at the water requirement of the state, according to Water Resources Department of Government of Orissa, it is 54.99 BMC (Billion m3) per year during 2001 and projected 84.463 BMC (Billion m3) per year during 2051 covering the requirements like domestic, agriculture, industry, environment and others. Comparing the requirement and availability of water through precipitation i.e. 231 BMC (Billion m3), it can be easily estimated that how rain water harvesting can solve the problem and suffice the water requirement. The only bottleneck is the will to go about the task with a firm belief that it is possible. With the strong belief, a coordinated effort by all segments of government machinery along with strong legislation to both execute and monitor the process can save the state from severe water crisis in future.

(The writer works with Regional Centre for Development Cooperation)


No takers for OAS officers in Orissa (Editorial)

Wanted to be an OAS, forget it. Young meritorious aspirants eyeing for State Civil Service in Orissa are the most disillusioned lot. Thanks, the indifferent attitude of the Government of Orissa, for last 9 years not a single eligible person has been able to get into Orissa Administrative Service (OAS).

Vacancies notified in a year are supposed to be filled up through both direct recruitment and departmental promotion. 50 per cent of the vacancies are filled up by direct recruitment and rest is by departmental promotions.

The vacancies occurred till 1997 were filled up through direct recruitment in 2000 after so many tussle and behind the scene wrangling. Since then not a single new direct recruit OAS officer has been appointed in the state.

The Chief Minister has always harp his policy to take the administration to the door step. But the fact is otherwise as in field level administration is slowly and steadily distancing from the people.

In a district, an OAS officer is handling 3-4 assignments and he has little time to do the justice for his entire jobs.

In 2006, the process to fill up vacancies through direct recruitment began, which faced rough weather. Orissa Public Service Commission (OPSC), which is handling the recruitment of State Civil Services, interpreted the judicial pronouncements wrongfully.

This has resulted in confusion worst confounded ever in the history of administrative management. And young aspirants are rushing to courts for respite so number of cases are piling up in the Orissa High Court and State Administrative Tribunal (SAT). Now it has been decided to go for Main Entrance Examination (MEE) once again.

So the hapless aspirants, who faced MEE in 2006, have to once again sit for the test. This has created tremendous pressure on the aspirants, who were waiting for receiving appointment letters. One can expect this type of treatment in Orissa only, where the recruitment agency is managed by inefficient bosses, alleged many aspirants.


The Orissa Public Service Commission would host a fresh Main Examination for the Orissa Civil Services Examination from July 22. The examination will continue till August 20. With this, about 4,560 eligible candidates would appear their Main Examinations.

The move of the Commission came following the May 21 directive of the Orissa High Court, which had asked for a fresh and composite Main examination by cancelling the previous one in which 3,730 candidates had appeared.

The Court had ordered to conduct the examination within three months. Earlier, a second Main test, ordered by the State Administrative Tribunal, was stayed by the High Court on March 26.

Last year, after the preliminary examination for 380 posts of Orissa Civil Services was held, the Commission brought out a list of 3,730 candidates eligible for the Main examination. As per the regulation, for one post, at least 12 candidates have to be selected for the Main test which put the number at 4,560. Later, 3,730 candidates appeared for the OCS (Main) Examination.