layman's space

Saturday, 20 January 2018   |   AJIT PANDA   | NUAPADA | in   Bhubaneswar 1 2 3 4 5 Fluoride has become a menace for the people of Sandhibahal and Dangbahal gram panchayats under the Bijepur Assembly constituency in Bargarh district, which is going for a by-election. Most people here are suffering from a silent killer disease called fluorosis, but the pre-election propaganda by different political parties does not reveal that they are in anyway concerned at all of this long standing problem of the people. Take the case of Jamutbahal, Jadamunda and Banchhanagar villages of Sandhibahal panchayat, where people irrespective of their ages have been affected by the dreaded disease. The official website on the National Rural Drinking Water Projects (NRDWP) of the Union Ministry of Drinking Water Supply (MDWS) reveals that six out of ten drinking water sources of the Jamutbahal village are not fit for drinking. But due to non-ava...

Tuesday, 09 January 2018   |   AJIT PANDA   | Naupada | in   Bhubaneswar 1 2 3 4 5 Motiram Bemal of Nuamalpada village died four years ago after remaining crippled for a few years due to fluorosis. “I was six-month pregnant when he left us. We are Sukhbasis (don’t have land or any other assets), not even a house to stay. How can I feed my two children without Government support,” asks Motiram’s wife Gayatri (28). She says that her application for widow pension has not yet been sanctioned by the block office. “Please help me get my widow pension, take pity on these two little orphans,” pleads Gayatri. Gharmani Bemal of this village is already 75. She cannot walk properly without the support a walking stick. Her pension application is also pending with the block authorities for past several years. Impact of fluoride is clearly visible on Dhwaja Hans, a 12-year-old boy of this village. He has been issued a ‘handicapped’ ce...

Tuesday, 12 December 2017   |   AJIT PANDA   | NUAPADA | in   Bhubaneswar 1 2 3 4 5 The Education Volunteer (EV) concept of the Karrtabya, a NGO, is working well to enhance the attendance of students as well as teachers and quality of education in some primary schools of Thuamul Rampur block in Kalahandi district. The EVs are local boys trained by the NGO in education pedagogy. They have been allowed by the Government to teach in primary schools. Their presence in schools has forced the Government teachers to come to schools regularly. "Initially the Government teachers were very much reactive, but support of the administration and later by the concerned villagers created pressure on them to change their attitude," said Khirendra, a volunteer. "The endeavour has been taken under South Odisha Initiatives under the Odisha Livelihood Mission, funded by the Tata Trust. Through the initiatives, it is sought to intervene in three...

Saturday, 09 December 2017   |   AJIT PANDA   | NUAPADA | in   Bhubaneswar 1 2 3 4 5 Despite repeated complaints on irregularities in the MGNREGS funds by the local tribal inhabitants in the Nuapada district, the administration continues to lend a deaf ear. “Why the district administration does not act against corruption,” asked Lakhman Majhi of Talakot village in Nuapada district. Lakhman had drawn attention of the BDO of Sinapali block last year repeatedly using grievance redressal mechanism of NREGS requesting an inquiry into the misappropriation of about Rs 87 lakh, but to no avail.  People of the village by performing social audit of three projects implemented under the NREGS in their village had found that Rs 2.87 lakh had been misappropriated.  “There is a mention of a work named improvement of road from Talakot Bhansipada to Chachrapada in NREGA website with an expenditure of Rs 1,88,964 on wage paymen...

Monday, 04 December 2017   |   AJIT PANDA   | NUAPADA | in   Bhubaneswar 1 2 3 4 5 Brajamohan Hans of Boden block in Nuapada district applied for information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act to the Public Information Officer (PIO) of Boden block office in 2014. He was entitled to get information free of cost as he is of BPL category, but the PIO asked him to deposit a whopping Rs 46,547 towards the cost of information fees. Hans submitted his appeal before the appellate authority, but instead of providing information, the BDO requested him to take back his application. Hans has gone for the second appeal, which has not been heard even after three long years. Khirasindhu Sagaria, also BPL, is waiting for getting information from the PIO of District Watershed Mission, Nuapada for more than three years. The case is pending with the State Commission till now. In two other cases related to the district Collectorate a...

Saturday, 25 November 2017   |   PNS   | NUAPADA | in   Bhubaneswar 1 2 3 4 5 A meeting and a demonstration were held in front of the Khariar block office in Nuapada district on Friday reiterating the demand for a separate Kosal State. The meeting held by one of the leading proponents of Kosal State, the Kosal Rajya Andolan (KRA), which is spearheading the moment since 2009. “Creation of a new State named Kosal comprising the geographical region included under the Western Odisha Development Council (WODC) is possible under Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution. The Government must initiate action in this regard,” said KRA president Nataraj Mahapatra. A memorandum addressed to the President of India was submitted to the local BDO. It stated that the demand is genuine in all other respects, geographical, historical and cultural, etc. “In term of area, we have 55,000 square km with a population of more than 10 million, who speak ...

Friday, 24 November 2017   |   PNS   | NUAPADA | in   Bhubaneswar 1 2 3 4 5 Yet another farmer of Nuapada district committed suicide by consuming pesticide on Thursday. The deceased Jharpod Sabar (60) belonged to Kotamal panchayat of Khariar block. “He was very much disturbed due to loss of his crop. Paddy crop failed earlier due to lack of water followed by loss of cotton due to rain in October,” said his son. Jharpod was taken to the Mission Hospital at Khariar, where he was declared brought dead. Following the incidence, a road block at Khariar staged by the BJP demanding compensation to the deceased farmer’s family. The district administration paid Rs 10,000 from the Red Cross fund and Rs 2,000 under the Harishchandra Yojana. This was the sixth case of farmers’ suicide in Nuapada district during the current Kharif season.