layman's space

  Rs 5L rehab to electrocution victim’s kin Friday, 01 April 2022  |  AJIT PANDA  | NUAPADA         SHARE       T T   T T     0   The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday directed the Odisha Chief Secretary to pay Rs 5 lakh as compensation to the next of kin of deceased Khusiram Majhi of Tengnabasa village under Lakhna police station area of Nuapada district, who was killed due to electrocution on July 12, 2019. The Commission has also issued summons to the SP Nuapada and the Principal Secretary, Energy Department for personal appearance before it for not initiating action against the officials who were found responsible in the case. The Commission had received a complaint on July 13, 2019 from one Dilip Kumar Das, a human rights activist of Bhawanipatna, alleging that Majhi had died due to electrocution on account of negligence by the Wesco. Considering the prayer for intervention, the commiss...

  NHRC seeks ATR from Nalgonda DM, SP Thursday, 10 March 2022  |  AJIT PANDA  | NUAPADA         SHARE       T T   T T     0   The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought an Action Taken Report (ATR) from the Collector and SP of Nalgonda district of Telangana, regarding engagement of a minor boy of Odisha in a brick kiln and keeping him hostage. NHRC passed the order based on a complaint filed by human rights activist Dilip Dash of Bhawanipatna. Dash alleged that the 14-year-old victim Dash alleged the 14-year-old victim Ballav  Harijan alias Deep (from SC Community) of Dedenga village of Komna Police limits area in Nuapada district had been kept hostage at brick kiln of Nabad Enkena in Cherlapali village of Nalgonda district in Telangana since 20 days and the brick kiln owner Nabad Enkena demanded Rs 2 lakh to release the boy. Ballabh went to the brick kiln along with his elder sister Jamini and h...

Millers don’t provide gunny bags to farmers to pack paddy Thursday, 18 November 2021  |  AJIT PANDA  | NUAPADA https://www.dailypioneer.com/2021/state-editions/millers-don---t-provide-gunny-bags-to-farmers-to-pack-paddy.html SHARE       T T   T T     0   Farmers all over Nuapada district are worried this year due to increase in price of gunny bags. "Cost of a gunny bag last year was Rs 18, but this year the price has doubled," says Sanjay Tiwari, a farmer and convenor of the Krushak Sakti Sangathan. The cause of concern for farmers is that the millers do not provide gunny bags for packing farmers' paddy although they get requisite number of gunny bags from the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC) for the purpose. There is a provision for use of two new gunny bags and two old gunny bags for packing of paddy required for one quintal of rice. Two new gunnies used for paddy packing are subsequently used by millers for delivery of ...

Odisha forums launch ‘Commons Climate Connect’ Monday, 01 November 2021  |  AJIT PANDA  | NUAPADA SHARE       T T   T T     0   https://www.dailypioneer.com/2021/state-editions/odisha-forums-launch----commons-climate-connect---.html In the first week of November, world governments will gather in Glasgow for the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) to identify climate change action targets and spearhead new projects to meet objectives under the Paris Climate Accords. Three Odisha-based organisations – The Water Initiatives, SWATI and the Foundation for Ecological Security – have seized upon the occasion to launch “Commons Climate Connect” with support from the US Consulate General in Hyderabad. Commons Climate Connect will mount a social media campaign that will push COP26 to address conservation as a means to combat climate change.  “This initiative will call on the negotiating parties...

No food security, houses for Nuapada’s poor Wednesday, 29 September 2021  |  AJIT PANDA  | NUAPADA https://www.dailypioneer.com/2021/state-editions/no-food-security--houses-for-nuapada---s-poor.html Laxmi Mirdha lives with her husband Tulas and two children in a dilapidated house in Supli village of Chilabhat GP of Nuapada block. They are migrant workers. They have already taken Rs 40,000 from a labour contractor in advance to work in a brick kiln in UP. "We will migrate in December, but before that we wish that the sarkar provides a ration card under PDS for my husband and children, I have a ration card in my name and am getting only 5 kg rice," says Laxmi. She is not sure whether her name has entered into the priority list of PAMY. "Who knows, Government officials do not listen to our grievance; it depends on their mercy," she adds. Chandrika Satnami and her husband Brijlal live with their daughter in a mud house in Dharambandha. "We have approached everyone ...

Pollution, blasting: Nuapada locals want stone quarry shut Friday, 24 September 2021  |  AJIT PANDA  | NUAPADA https://www.dailypioneer.com/2021/state-editions/pollution--blasting--nuapada-locals-want-stone-quarry-shut.html A stone quarry located in Rishigaon Mauza of Khariar Tehsil in Nuapada district, Rishigaon Stone Quarry IV, has become a cause of concern for local residents. They are demanding immediate closure of the quarry as the validity period of the consent to operate (CTO) obtained from the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) by the lessee has already expired. "There are many problems which are totally overlooked by the authorities," rued villagers. "The greenery around the village is totally lost; you will find layers of dust everywhere. Furthermore, the village commons which once indirectly supported our livelihood are no more in our control. The most dangerous impact of the stone quarrying, however, is the vibration of blasting that is affecting ou...

Nuapada widow deprived of Govt benefits Wednesday, 22 September 2021  |  AJIT PANDA  | NUAPADA https://www.dailypioneer.com/2021/state-editions/nuapada-widow-deprived-of-govt-benefits.html Santara Shabar, a poor widow of Ranimunda village, Khariar block of Nuapada district and her husband Gokul were working in a brick kiln in Hyderabad, where Gokul died due to ill health.  She tried to obtain a death proof from the local administration but failed. A year and a half has passed since her husband's death, but she is still running from pillar to post to get a death certificate. In the absence of Gokul’s eath proof, Santara is unable to get widow pension and NFBS. She had applied for registration of her husband’s death in Khariar tehsil under the ORBD Act. However, after a month and a half, the Tehsildar said the death could not be registered here as the report submitted by the Child Development Project Officer mentions that Gokul died when he migrated. "We could have reg...