Tag: Odisha

  • Odisha’s Political Puzzle: Who Will Lead BJD After Naveen Patnaik? |

    The Biju Janata Dal’s reliance on 77-year-old Naveen Patnaik in Odisha presents a significant opening for the BJP. Amidst the fervor of the 2024 Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly elections, BJP leaders have stirred a fresh political discourse, questioning Patnaik’s 24-year tenure, his age, health, activism, and potential successors.

    In Odisha, voting is underway for both the 147 assembly seats and 21 Lok Sabha seats simultaneously. Naveen Patnaik’s personal charisma stands as a major asset for BJD amidst the extensive elections spanning four phases between May 13 and June 1. His bid for a historic sixth term as Chief Minister looms large. However, the looming question remains: who will succeed Patnaik? By introducing this uncertainty, the BJP has injected a new dynamic into Odisha’s political landscape.

    VK Pandian’s Non-Oriya Background Poses A Significant Challenge For BJD’s Continuity

    In response to such uncertainties, citizens in markets like Kadligarh in Sambalpur district express support for Naveen Babu but are uncertain about his successor. When asked about his longtime associate VK Pandian, concerns arise due to his non-Oriya background. These responses underscore Odisha’s current political trajectory and future challenges. Both the ruling BJD, under Naveen Patnaik’s 24-year stewardship, and the opposition BJP must confront this reality.

    BJP Struggles to Present a Viable Alternative to Naveen Patnaik

    Meanwhile, the BJP, having entered the campaign arena late after failed alliance talks with BJD, struggles to identify a figure in Odisha who can credibly challenge Naveen Patnaik’s dominance. Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three visits to the state since the election announcement, the party has yet to showcase a clear leader or leadership group in Odisha.

    Patnaik Government’s Policies Mirror Modi Government’s Approach

    Similar to the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, Naveen Patnaik’s administration in Odisha has maintained a strong hold on the women’s vote bank through empowerment and welfare initiatives. Significant budget allocations have been directed towards healthcare, education, self-reliance, and justice. At the BJD’s silver jubilee celebrations in December 2022, Patnaik emphasized that the party’s longevity hinges on prioritizing women’s empowerment.

    BJD’s Commitment To Women’s Empowerment and Representation

    During the 16th Lok Sabha in 2014, BJD MPs rallied support from other political factions for the Women’s Reservation Bill. The party has continued this momentum by fielding 33 percent women candidates in both the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Patnaik’s personal appeal remains a potent political asset, bolstered by his anti-corruption stance.

    Naveen Patnaik’s Embrace Of Oriya Identity And Aspiration

    In response to BJP’s challenges, Naveen Patnaik has championed Odia aspirations and identity. Despite his accidental entry into politics, Patnaik, educated at Doon School and St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, acknowledges Odisha’s unique linguistic heritage as the first linguistically defined state. Unlike many regional leaders, Patnaik has refrained from expanding his party beyond state borders.

  • Two Killed, 8 Missing As Boat Capsizes In Odisha`s Mahanadi River

    The unfortunate incident occurred while the boat was en route from Patharseni Kuda to Banjipalli in Bargarh district in Odisha. 

  • Lok Sabha Polls: In 8th Candidate List, BJP Bets On Turncoats In Odisha, Punjab; Fields Ex-Ambassador From Amritsar |

    The Bharatiya Janata Party has so far announced the names of 118 candidates for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. The party released its eighth list of 11 candidates yesterday which had names of several turncoats and even a surprising name of a foreign ambassador. The list had names from three states – Punjab, Odisha and West Bengal. The list puts BJP way ahead of the Congress as the grand old party is yet to announce names on the majority of seats. The Congress has so far released names of 218 candidates. 

    BJP’s Odisha List

    The BJP nominated Bhartruhari Mahtab from the Cuttack Lok Sabha seat. A sitting MP from the seat on the BJD ticket, Mahtab recently joined the BJP. Mahtab, a six-time MP, had on March 22 resigned from the BJD. Other names in the list include Rabindra Narayan Behera, a former director of the National Informatics Centre, from Jajpur and Sukanta Kumar Panigrahi from Kandhamal. The BJP had earlier announced candidates for 18 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha.

    BJP’s Punjab List

    The saffron party surprised everyone by fielding former Indian ambassador to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu from the Amritsar seat in Punjab. Hans Raj Hans, who lost their party ticket from North West Delhi, has now been fielded from the Amritsar seat. Former AAP MP Sushil Kumar Rinku, who recently joined the BJP, got a ticket from the Jalandhar seat while former Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu got a ticket from Ludhiana. Dinesh Singh Babbu has replaced star Sunny Deol from the Gurdaspur seat. The party also fielded Preneet Kaur, wife of Capain Amarinder Singh, from Patiala.

    Why Sandhu From Amritsar?

    The BJP has been actively working to expand its support base among Sikhs, who constitute a majority in Punjab, with hopes of making significant gains in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The party is particularly focused on reclaiming the Amritsar seat, which it hasn’t held since Navjot Singh Sidhu’s victory in 2009. However, Sidhu, now with the Congress party, currently holds the seat, represented by Gurjeet Singh Aujla. Both Arun Jaitley and Hardeep Singh Puri, BJP candidates and current Union ministers, faced defeat in the 2014 and 2019 elections respectively.

    BJP, Congress Candidate List So Far

    On March 2, released a list of 195 candidates. On March 13, it announced the names of 72 candidates. On March 21, the BJP released a list of 9 candidates for Tamil Nadu. On March 22, the party released another name of 15 candidates. On March 24, the party announced the names of 111 candidates and on March 26, the party announced three more candidates – two from Rajasthan and one from Manipur. The party released its seventh list on March 27 which had two names. On March 30, the party released the eighth list of 11 candidates. With this, the party has so far announced the names of 118 candidates. 

    Congress released its first list of 39 candidates on March 8. This was followed by 43 candidates in the second list on March 12, 57 candidates on March 21, 3 candidates on March 24, 46 candidates on March 46, 5 candidates on March 25, 5 candidates on March 26, 14 candidates on March 27 and 5 candidates on March 29. The party additionally announced the name of KV Gowtham from Karnataka’s Kolar on March 30. With this, the party has announced names of a total of  218 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls.

  • 2024 Polls: BJD Announces First List Of Candidates For Nine Lok Sabha, 72 Assembly Seats In Odisha |

    New Delhi: The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) announced its first list of candidates of Odisha for the approaching Lok Sabha elections on Wednesday. Chief Minister of Odisha and chief of the BJD Naveen Patnaik posted on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) to disseminate the names of nine Lok Sabha contenders, earmarked for Sambalpur, Kalahandi, Bhubaneswar, Kendrapara, Nabarangpur, Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj, Aska, and Koraput constituencies. The party also released candidate list for the 72 seats of the Odisha assembly. CM Naveen Patnaik is set to seek re-election from the Hinjili Assembly constituency for the sixth consecutive term. 

    Significant Names In 1st List 

    BJD General Secretary Pranab Prakash Das is set to face Union Minister and BJP candiate Dharmendra Pradhan from Sambalpur. Shortly after joining BJD, Manmath Routray, the son of Congress veteran leader Suresh Routray, was nominated as the Lok Sabha candidate from Bhubaneswar. Anshuman Mohanty, a former Odisha Congress MLA who joined Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on February 16, will vie for the Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat. Other candidates are as follows:

    Pradeep Kumar Majhi – Nabarangpur 
    Dilip Tirkey – Sundargarh  
    Lambodhar Nial – Kalahandi 
    Ranjita Sahu – Aska 
    Kaushalya Hikaka – Koraput  

    BJD Assembly Candidate List

    Jagannath Saraka – Bissamkatak
    Raghunath Gamango – Gunpur
    Anusaya Majhi -Rayagada
    Debesh Acharya -Bargarh
    Rita Sahoo -Bijepur
    Snehangini Churia -Atabira
    Susanta Singh -Bhatli
    Ashiwni Patra -Jaleswar
    Subhasini Jena- Basta
    Sanjib Mallick-Bhandaripokari
    Prafulla Samal -Bhadrak
    Bishnubrata Routray -Basudevpur
    Sanjay Das -Dhamnagar
    Byomkesh Ray-Chandbali
    Pramila Malik-Bijharpur
    Pranab Balbantra-Dharmasala
    Sujata Sahoo-Jajpur
    Pritiranjan Ghadei-Sukinda
    Sudhir Samal -Dhenkanal
    Prafulla Mallick -Kamakshyanagar
    Nursingha Sahoo -Parjang
    Mukesh Pal-Pallahara
    Sushant Kumar Behera-Chendipada
    Niranjan Pujari -Sonepur
    Nihar Behera -Loisingha
    Saroj Meher -Patnagarh
    Kalikesh Nayarayan Singh Deo -Bolangir
    Tukuni Sahu -Titilagarh
    Rajendra Dholakia-Nuapada
    Nabina Nayak -Umerkote
    Ramesh Majhi-Jharigaon
    Kaushalya Pradhani-Nabarangpur
    Manohar Randhari-Dabugaon
    Pradip Dishari-Lanjigarh
    Dibyashankar Mishra-Junagarh
    Puspendra Singh Deo-Dharmagarh
    Latika Nayak-Bhawanipatna
    Saluga Pradhan-G Udaygiri
    Mahidhar Rana-Kantamal
    Pradip Amat -Boudh
    Debi Prasad Mishra-Badamba
    Debi Tripathy-Banki
    Sauvik Biswal -Cuttack-Choudwar
    Ranendra Pratap Swain-Athagarh
    Pramod Mallick-Niali
    Chandra Sarathi Behera-Cuttack-Sadar
    Arvind Mohapatra-Patkura
    Pratap Deb-Aul
    Dhruba Sahu- Rajnagar
    Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak -Mahakalpada 
    Sunil Mohanty -Puri
    Uma Samantaray -Brahmagiri
    Sanjay Dasburma-Satyabadi
    Rudrapratap Maharathy-Pipili
    Bibhuti Balbantray -Jatni
    Satyanarayan Pradhan-Ranpur
    Ramesh Behera -Daspalla
    Arun Sahoo-Nayagarh
    Bikram Keshari Arukh-Bhanjanagar
    Srikant Sahoo -Polsara
    Latika Pradhan-Kabisuryanagar
    Subhash Behera-Chhatrapur
    Sanghamitra Swain-Sorada
    Naveen Patnaik -Hinjili
    Bikram Panda-Gopalpur
    Biplab Patra -Digapahandi
    Chanmanya Nanda-Chikiti
    Chandrasekhar Majhi -Kotpad
    Raghuram-Koraput
    Manas Madkami-Malkangiri 
    Badrinarayan Patra-Ghasipura

    Odisha Lok Sabha, Assembly Polls

    The Lok Sabha elections in Odisha, encompassing 21 constituencies, will occur across four phases, scheduled for May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in Odisha, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) emerged dominant, winning 20 out of 21 seats, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) securing just one.  

    However, there was a shift in the political landscape during the 2019 elections. The BJD’s seat count decreased to 12, while the BJP made significant progress, claiming 8 seats, indicating a notable surge in the BJP’s influence in the state. Additionally, the Indian National Congress (INC) managed to secure a seat in the 2019 elections.

  • Arabinda Dhali: Odisha: Jayadev MLA Arabinda Dhali quits BJD, to join BJP

    Sitting MLA of Jayadev Assembly seat in Odisha, Arabinda Dhali resigned from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Saturday, ahead of the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha.

    Former state minister Dhali tendered his resignation to BJD Supremo and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

    “I tender my resignation on the dated 01.03.2024 from the primary membership of Biju Janata Dal.You’re requested to kindly accept my resignation. This is for your information and necessary action,” he wrote in his resignation letter.Jayadev Assembly Seat is one of the 7 assembly segments of the Bhubaneswar Parliamentary Constituency.

    While speaking to ANI, Arabinda Dhali said on Saturday that,” I gave my resignation yesterday (01.03.2024) from the primary membership of Biju Janata Dal, sent my letter to honourable CM Naveen Patnaik, and decided to join the BJP. I was in the BJP earlier and now am returning to my home Party. I interact with several leaders of Odisha, including the state BJP president, all are given green signal to join the BJP party. I was inspired by the Honourable PM Modi’s work and Bharat is going to be Viswa Guru. The whole world is giving respect to Narendra Modi. I will dedicate the rest of my life to the BJP and work accordingly for the betterment of the people.”

    He said that he didn’t get the comfort of working in the BJD party, so he decided to join the BJP. He said that, along with him, two thousand workers would join the BJP.Arabinda Dhali is a five-term member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly and, his political career started with the BJP, and he represented Malkangiri in 1992, 1995 and 2000.Later, he joined BJD and successfully contested the Jayadev constituency in 2009 and 2019.

    He had also served as the Transport and Corporation Minister in the BJD-BJP alliance government (2000-2004).

    He left the BJP in April, 2006 with Rama Chandra Panda, a former Deputy Speaker of Odisha Legislative Assembly, and joined the Bharatiya Janshakti Party of Uma Bharatee . Then, in 2008, he joined the Samajwadi Party and later jumped ship and joined Biju Janata Dal.

    Recently, Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi and former Odisha minister Debasis Nayak have also joined the BJP.

  • 16 students injured in lightning strike in Odisha

    PTI

    KENDRAPARA: Sixteen students of a state-run school in Odisha’s Kendrapara district were injured in a lightning strike on Saturday, police said.

    Lightning struck the 11 kv power line near Kudanagari Adarsha Vidyalaya in Garadpur block, and the impact was such that the students who were in a room of the school’s hostel also experienced shocks, they said.

    Among the students, two were boys and 14 were girls. They were all students of classes 6 and 7.

    The injured students were taken to the community health centre, and at present, all of them are out of danger, said doctor Prasant Kumar Jena who treated them. 

    KENDRAPARA: Sixteen students of a state-run school in Odisha’s Kendrapara district were injured in a lightning strike on Saturday, police said.

    Lightning struck the 11 kv power line near Kudanagari Adarsha Vidyalaya in Garadpur block, and the impact was such that the students who were in a room of the school’s hostel also experienced shocks, they said.

    Among the students, two were boys and 14 were girls. They were all students of classes 6 and 7.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The injured students were taken to the community health centre, and at present, all of them are out of danger, said doctor Prasant Kumar Jena who treated them. 

  • Even contaminated water is a luxury in tribal villages of Odisha’s Kandhamal

    By IANS

    KANDHAMAL/RAYAGADA (Odisha): ‘Come to learn, go to serve’ reads the front wall of Bikapanga Upper Primary School in Tumudibandha block of Kandhamal district. Only 32 children study here from Class 1 to 8, yet those few are forced to ‘serve’ themselves as facilities are hard to come by.

    The school does not have access to safe drinking water, and the boys and girls have to fetch water from the nearest canal if they want to use the toilet. “We have not seen any improvement in facilities, though the school was established in 1977. Even a tube well is not present,” lamented Arjuna Majhi, the parent of a student.

    Water scarcity is a common thread running through the tribal villages of Kandhamal. To alleviate suffering, the Odisha government had promised tap water connections under the centrally sponsored Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to all schools and anganwadi centres by 2022. However, that promise is yet to be fulfilled.

    Manoj Kumar Samantaray, a Bhubaneswar-based researcher on water, sanitation and hygiene, was unsurprised by the slow pace of the JJM. “Providing safe drinking water to tribal villages through the JJM is a complex task. There are several challenges on the way, including geographical barriers, lack of infrastructure, limited awareness, cultural barriers and funding constraints. Only by understanding and addressing the specific challenges faced by each community can the scheme become successful,” he said.

    When asked about the infrastructure gap, Kandhamal District Education Officer Pramod Kumar Sadangi told 101Reporters that all efforts were being made to ensure water supply to schools. “Wherever required, immediate action will be taken to repair and rebuild water infrastructure. Schools have been closed from April 21 onwards to ensure the safety and health of students as day temperatures have soared to 38-41 degree Celsius,” he said.

    Meanwhile, Arjuna, who is also the president of Bikapanga school management committee, said the problem was not restricted to water availability. “Students from Class 1 to 8 are put up in the same place as only three classrooms are present in the school. Of them, two are in a dilapidated condition. Despite approaching the authorities several times, no action has been taken.”

    A pailful of grievance

    Sumitra Majhi (36) has been trekking 2.5 km to fetch water for so many summers now that it is difficult to keep a count. “Water is a privilege. We women have to walk long distances even for a pail of water,” said Sumitra, a resident of Sapari in Tumudibandha block.

    The hilly and forested Sapari tribal hamlet is home to 165 people in 38 households, but it never had access to safe drinking water. The two tube wells in the vicinity are defunct. “Tube wells stopped working in 2019. Our repeated requests to fix them were simply ignored. The authorities should prioritise this matter as access to safe drinking water is a fundamental right,” said Swarnalata Mallick, the sarpanch of Kurtamgarh gram panchayat under which Sapari falls.

    However, Kedendi Majhi, a ward member from Sapari, blamed the sarpanch. “There is no response to our requests to repair the defunct tube wells. What shall we do?” he asks. In response, Though Mallick said the problem would be addressed at the earliest, she did not provide any information about the progress of repair work.

    “Every summer, we hope against hope that this struggle will not repeat. We have to struggle for every drop of water,” rued Digamandala Majhi of Gunsupa. The villagers, mostly from the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group of Kutia Kondh, are forced to walk up to a km to fetch water from a puddle.

    “The villagers boil the contaminated water, but there is always a health risk,” said Dibakar Sabar, an activist from Jana Jagarana Mancha.

    Fed up with the annual struggle, women and teenage girls in hundreds had gathered for a rally at Tumudibandha and Kotagarh block headquarters on March 22, seeking safe drinking water and better anganwadi facilities.

    Meanwhile, Ajit Kumar Behera, Executive Engineer, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation, Kandhamal, told 101Reporters that sarpanches have been told to identify locations where hand pumps needed repair or new tube wells should be dug. “This will help us allocate resources effectively and efficiently as two mega water projects serving more than 100 villages each are on the anvil. We are currently finalising tenders for single-village projects and soon work will begin on them,” he informed.

    Decoding data

    A recent study by Atmashakti Trust and its allies on the status of safe drinking water in 9,856 villages in 15 districts of Odisha paints a scary picture. As many as 9,37,152 households and 32,960 tube wells were included in the survey, which found that four out of every 10 houses lacked access to safe drinking water. Four out of every 10 tube wells and almost half of the hand pumps surveyed were defunct. In terms of percentage, 40.55 per cent households had no safe drinking water access, whereas 40.93 per cent tube wells and 48.6 per cent hand pumps were defunct.

    According to the government data, only 45 per cent of rural households in Odisha have piped water access. “The government claims water sufficiency, while villagers continue to struggle,” said Rayagada-based Debendra Suna, another activist from Jana Jagarana Manch.

    In Baladia village of Rayagada, over 80 households make do with one tube well and solar hand pump. The tube well cannot lift water from the rocky soil, despite digging to a depth of 60 to 80 ft. “Animals drink water from the canal, but it is our only source of water. It is unfit for consumption, but we have no choice. During rains, we get sick from drinking this muddy water,” said Satya Praska (28), a ward member from Baladia.

    Things are worse in Nunduruguda, where villagers depend on chuan (puddle-like surface water source) to meet their water needs. “This is the only water source at our disposal. When one chuan dries up, we dig another near a canal or riverbed. When all sources dry up in summer, we have to walk to the neighbouring villages,” says Jayanta Urlaka (32). They store water in huge clay pots in summers, but it will last only for 10 to 15 days.

    “Gruelling summer will only accentuate the crisis in water-starved villages unless the government takes swift action,” warned Laxmidhar Singh, a member of the Indigenous Peoples Forum.

    Helpline of no help

    A dedicated helpline number 1916 is run as a part of the Buxi Jagabandhu Assured Water Supply to Habitations (BASUDHA) scheme, said Hadibandhu Behera, a former chief engineer with the RWSS. “Mobile vans to repair defunct water infrastructure are also present.”

    However, people are largely unaware of it. “I am hearing about this helpline for the first time. If the government had informed us, we would have definitely made use of this facility,” said Digamandal Majhi, a resident of Deredi in Kandhamal. At the same time, Santanu Patra, who works with Jeevika Suraksha Mancha, reminded that there are several remote tribal villages without mobile network coverage.

    The state government is primarily focusing on the BASUDHA scheme, and has constructed new water supply systems, repaired existing ones, and set up water treatment plants in different parts of the state.

    Under the JJM, the government aims to provide tap water connections to every rural household by 2024. For this, the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department have proposed a budget allocation of Rs 5,750 crore under the JJM, Rs 4,002 crore under the BASUDHA scheme, and Rs 1,000 crore under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund for the upcoming financial year.

    KANDHAMAL/RAYAGADA (Odisha): ‘Come to learn, go to serve’ reads the front wall of Bikapanga Upper Primary School in Tumudibandha block of Kandhamal district. Only 32 children study here from Class 1 to 8, yet those few are forced to ‘serve’ themselves as facilities are hard to come by.

    The school does not have access to safe drinking water, and the boys and girls have to fetch water from the nearest canal if they want to use the toilet. “We have not seen any improvement in facilities, though the school was established in 1977. Even a tube well is not present,” lamented Arjuna Majhi, the parent of a student.

    Water scarcity is a common thread running through the tribal villages of Kandhamal. To alleviate suffering, the Odisha government had promised tap water connections under the centrally sponsored Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to all schools and anganwadi centres by 2022. However, that promise is yet to be fulfilled.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Manoj Kumar Samantaray, a Bhubaneswar-based researcher on water, sanitation and hygiene, was unsurprised by the slow pace of the JJM. “Providing safe drinking water to tribal villages through the JJM is a complex task. There are several challenges on the way, including geographical barriers, lack of infrastructure, limited awareness, cultural barriers and funding constraints. Only by understanding and addressing the specific challenges faced by each community can the scheme become successful,” he said.

    When asked about the infrastructure gap, Kandhamal District Education Officer Pramod Kumar Sadangi told 101Reporters that all efforts were being made to ensure water supply to schools. “Wherever required, immediate action will be taken to repair and rebuild water infrastructure. Schools have been closed from April 21 onwards to ensure the safety and health of students as day temperatures have soared to 38-41 degree Celsius,” he said.

    Meanwhile, Arjuna, who is also the president of Bikapanga school management committee, said the problem was not restricted to water availability. “Students from Class 1 to 8 are put up in the same place as only three classrooms are present in the school. Of them, two are in a dilapidated condition. Despite approaching the authorities several times, no action has been taken.”

    A pailful of grievance

    Sumitra Majhi (36) has been trekking 2.5 km to fetch water for so many summers now that it is difficult to keep a count. “Water is a privilege. We women have to walk long distances even for a pail of water,” said Sumitra, a resident of Sapari in Tumudibandha block.

    The hilly and forested Sapari tribal hamlet is home to 165 people in 38 households, but it never had access to safe drinking water. The two tube wells in the vicinity are defunct. “Tube wells stopped working in 2019. Our repeated requests to fix them were simply ignored. The authorities should prioritise this matter as access to safe drinking water is a fundamental right,” said Swarnalata Mallick, the sarpanch of Kurtamgarh gram panchayat under which Sapari falls.

    However, Kedendi Majhi, a ward member from Sapari, blamed the sarpanch. “There is no response to our requests to repair the defunct tube wells. What shall we do?” he asks. In response, Though Mallick said the problem would be addressed at the earliest, she did not provide any information about the progress of repair work.

    “Every summer, we hope against hope that this struggle will not repeat. We have to struggle for every drop of water,” rued Digamandala Majhi of Gunsupa. The villagers, mostly from the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group of Kutia Kondh, are forced to walk up to a km to fetch water from a puddle.

    “The villagers boil the contaminated water, but there is always a health risk,” said Dibakar Sabar, an activist from Jana Jagarana Mancha.

    Fed up with the annual struggle, women and teenage girls in hundreds had gathered for a rally at Tumudibandha and Kotagarh block headquarters on March 22, seeking safe drinking water and better anganwadi facilities.

    Meanwhile, Ajit Kumar Behera, Executive Engineer, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation, Kandhamal, told 101Reporters that sarpanches have been told to identify locations where hand pumps needed repair or new tube wells should be dug. “This will help us allocate resources effectively and efficiently as two mega water projects serving more than 100 villages each are on the anvil. We are currently finalising tenders for single-village projects and soon work will begin on them,” he informed.

    Decoding data

    A recent study by Atmashakti Trust and its allies on the status of safe drinking water in 9,856 villages in 15 districts of Odisha paints a scary picture. As many as 9,37,152 households and 32,960 tube wells were included in the survey, which found that four out of every 10 houses lacked access to safe drinking water. Four out of every 10 tube wells and almost half of the hand pumps surveyed were defunct. In terms of percentage, 40.55 per cent households had no safe drinking water access, whereas 40.93 per cent tube wells and 48.6 per cent hand pumps were defunct.

    According to the government data, only 45 per cent of rural households in Odisha have piped water access. “The government claims water sufficiency, while villagers continue to struggle,” said Rayagada-based Debendra Suna, another activist from Jana Jagarana Manch.

    In Baladia village of Rayagada, over 80 households make do with one tube well and solar hand pump. The tube well cannot lift water from the rocky soil, despite digging to a depth of 60 to 80 ft. “Animals drink water from the canal, but it is our only source of water. It is unfit for consumption, but we have no choice. During rains, we get sick from drinking this muddy water,” said Satya Praska (28), a ward member from Baladia.

    Things are worse in Nunduruguda, where villagers depend on chuan (puddle-like surface water source) to meet their water needs. “This is the only water source at our disposal. When one chuan dries up, we dig another near a canal or riverbed. When all sources dry up in summer, we have to walk to the neighbouring villages,” says Jayanta Urlaka (32). They store water in huge clay pots in summers, but it will last only for 10 to 15 days.

    “Gruelling summer will only accentuate the crisis in water-starved villages unless the government takes swift action,” warned Laxmidhar Singh, a member of the Indigenous Peoples Forum.

    Helpline of no help

    A dedicated helpline number 1916 is run as a part of the Buxi Jagabandhu Assured Water Supply to Habitations (BASUDHA) scheme, said Hadibandhu Behera, a former chief engineer with the RWSS. “Mobile vans to repair defunct water infrastructure are also present.”

    However, people are largely unaware of it. “I am hearing about this helpline for the first time. If the government had informed us, we would have definitely made use of this facility,” said Digamandal Majhi, a resident of Deredi in Kandhamal. At the same time, Santanu Patra, who works with Jeevika Suraksha Mancha, reminded that there are several remote tribal villages without mobile network coverage.

    The state government is primarily focusing on the BASUDHA scheme, and has constructed new water supply systems, repaired existing ones, and set up water treatment plants in different parts of the state.

    Under the JJM, the government aims to provide tap water connections to every rural household by 2024. For this, the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department have proposed a budget allocation of Rs 5,750 crore under the JJM, Rs 4,002 crore under the BASUDHA scheme, and Rs 1,000 crore under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund for the upcoming financial year.

  • Political parties start preparations for Dec 5 Padmapur bypoll

    By PTI

    BHUBANESWAR: Political parties have begun preparations for the December 5 by-election to Padmapur assembly constituency in Odisha’s Bargarh district.

    The seat fell vacant after the death of BJD MLA Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha on October 3.

    Sources in major political parties of the state said lobbying for the bypoll ticket is underway.

    The Congress has set up a committee headed by senior leader Kishore Patel for candidate selection, while the BJD is waiting for Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to select a name.

    According to the sources in the saffron party, the BJP may field its former MLA Pradip Purohit.

    Odisha’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S K Lohani said that the model code of conduct has come into force in the entire district with the announcement of date for the poll on Saturday.

    Lohani also said that the formal notification for the bypoll will be issued on November 10.

    As per schedule, candidates can file their nomination papers till November 17, while the last date for withdrawal of nomination has been fixed as November 21.

    Votes will be counted on December 8.

    BHUBANESWAR: Political parties have begun preparations for the December 5 by-election to Padmapur assembly constituency in Odisha’s Bargarh district.

    The seat fell vacant after the death of BJD MLA Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha on October 3.

    Sources in major political parties of the state said lobbying for the bypoll ticket is underway.

    The Congress has set up a committee headed by senior leader Kishore Patel for candidate selection, while the BJD is waiting for Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to select a name.

    According to the sources in the saffron party, the BJP may field its former MLA Pradip Purohit.

    Odisha’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S K Lohani said that the model code of conduct has come into force in the entire district with the announcement of date for the poll on Saturday.

    Lohani also said that the formal notification for the bypoll will be issued on November 10.

    As per schedule, candidates can file their nomination papers till November 17, while the last date for withdrawal of nomination has been fixed as November 21.

    Votes will be counted on December 8.

  • Demanding recognition of Sarna religion, tribals threaten stir in 5 states from Nov 30

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: Thousands of tribals from Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam and different parts of West Bengal congregated in Kolkata on Friday, demanding recognition of the Sarna religion by the Centre.

    The tribals, who demonstrated under the banner of Adivasi Sengel Abhiyan (ASA), threatened to intensify their stir from November 30 if the Centre does not hold talks with them or fails to give reasons for denying the recognition.

    “Tribals who worship the nature are neither Hindus, nor Muslims nor Christians. Their population is more than Jains and Buddhists, but their choice of religion is not recognised,” ASA president Salkhan Murmu, a former BJP MP from Odisha, told PTI.

    “If the Centre fails to meet our demand by November 20, there will be ‘chakka jam’ in five states on November 30,” he said.

    The protest will affect 50 districts and 250 blocks in these five states, he claimed. Murmu said they would not go for the protest if the rights of the tribals under Article 25 of Constitution are ensured.

    Leaders of several tribal organisations from the Jungle Mahal region of West Bengal also took part in the demonstration at Rani Rashmoni Avenue in the heart of Kolkata. Their rally affected the traffic in the city, which is already in the festive mood ahead of Durga Puja.

    The demonstrators entered the city from Howrah, across the Hooghly river, creating congestion in large parts of central Kolkata amid the rush on the last working day before the Durga Puja holidays, police said.

    KOLKATA: Thousands of tribals from Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam and different parts of West Bengal congregated in Kolkata on Friday, demanding recognition of the Sarna religion by the Centre.

    The tribals, who demonstrated under the banner of Adivasi Sengel Abhiyan (ASA), threatened to intensify their stir from November 30 if the Centre does not hold talks with them or fails to give reasons for denying the recognition.

    “Tribals who worship the nature are neither Hindus, nor Muslims nor Christians. Their population is more than Jains and Buddhists, but their choice of religion is not recognised,” ASA president Salkhan Murmu, a former BJP MP from Odisha, told PTI.

    “If the Centre fails to meet our demand by November 20, there will be ‘chakka jam’ in five states on November 30,” he said.

    The protest will affect 50 districts and 250 blocks in these five states, he claimed. Murmu said they would not go for the protest if the rights of the tribals under Article 25 of Constitution are ensured.

    Leaders of several tribal organisations from the Jungle Mahal region of West Bengal also took part in the demonstration at Rani Rashmoni Avenue in the heart of Kolkata. Their rally affected the traffic in the city, which is already in the festive mood ahead of Durga Puja.

    The demonstrators entered the city from Howrah, across the Hooghly river, creating congestion in large parts of central Kolkata amid the rush on the last working day before the Durga Puja holidays, police said.

  • Sick Padma Sri awardee ‘forced’ to dance inside hospital

    By PTI

    BHUBANESWAR: Members of the Paraja tribal community in Odisha have called for action against a social worker who allegedly forced its icon, Padma Sri awardee Kamala Pujari, to dance inside a hospital in Cuttack before she was discharged.

    The incident came to light after a video, in which the elderly woman was seen dancing in the ICU of a government hospital, went viral.

    PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the footage. The social worker, Mamata Behera, was also seen dancing with her.

    “I never wanted to dance but was forced to do it. I repeatedly denied, but she (Behera) did not listen. I was sick and got tired,” Pujari told television channels in Koraput district from where she hails.

    Collector & DM visited SCB Medical College today to ascertain the health conditions of Padmashree Kamala Pujari and interacted with her & discussed with attending doctors. Dr Abinash Rout, AO of SCB was present during this visit. pic.twitter.com/qedUbcgOtg
    — Cuttack DM (@CuttackDM) August 27, 2022
    Harish Muduli, president of the tribal community’s association ‘Paraja Samaja’, said its members will hit the streets if the state government fails to take action against the social worker.

    Pujari, who was awarded the Padma Sri in 2019 for promoting organic farming and preserving over 100 varieties of indigenous seeds of different crops including paddy, was admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack with kidney problems.

    Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had wished her speedy recovery. The incident occurred prior to her discharge from the hospital on Monday. The hospital authorities said Pujari was admitted to a special cabin and not in the ICU.

    “The woman who allegedly made Pujari dance used to visit her at the special cabin,” said Dr Abinash Rout, the registrar (administration) of the hospital.

    Pujari’s attendant Rajeeb Hial said she does not know Behera, who had also clicked several selfies with the Padma Sri awardee. Behera, on her part, claimed she had no bad intention behind the act, and just wanted to “shun Pujari’s laziness”.

    Pujari belongs to the Paraja community, a major Scheduled Tribe of Odisha, which comprise around 4 per cent of the state’s tribal population.

    BHUBANESWAR: Members of the Paraja tribal community in Odisha have called for action against a social worker who allegedly forced its icon, Padma Sri awardee Kamala Pujari, to dance inside a hospital in Cuttack before she was discharged.

    The incident came to light after a video, in which the elderly woman was seen dancing in the ICU of a government hospital, went viral.

    PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the footage. The social worker, Mamata Behera, was also seen dancing with her.

    “I never wanted to dance but was forced to do it. I repeatedly denied, but she (Behera) did not listen. I was sick and got tired,” Pujari told television channels in Koraput district from where she hails.

    Collector & DM visited SCB Medical College today to ascertain the health conditions of Padmashree Kamala Pujari and interacted with her & discussed with attending doctors. Dr Abinash Rout, AO of SCB was present during this visit. pic.twitter.com/qedUbcgOtg
    — Cuttack DM (@CuttackDM) August 27, 2022
    Harish Muduli, president of the tribal community’s association ‘Paraja Samaja’, said its members will hit the streets if the state government fails to take action against the social worker.

    Pujari, who was awarded the Padma Sri in 2019 for promoting organic farming and preserving over 100 varieties of indigenous seeds of different crops including paddy, was admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack with kidney problems.

    Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had wished her speedy recovery. The incident occurred prior to her discharge from the hospital on Monday. The hospital authorities said Pujari was admitted to a special cabin and not in the ICU.

    “The woman who allegedly made Pujari dance used to visit her at the special cabin,” said Dr Abinash Rout, the registrar (administration) of the hospital.

    Pujari’s attendant Rajeeb Hial said she does not know Behera, who had also clicked several selfies with the Padma Sri awardee. Behera, on her part, claimed she had no bad intention behind the act, and just wanted to “shun Pujari’s laziness”.

    Pujari belongs to the Paraja community, a major Scheduled Tribe of Odisha, which comprise around 4 per cent of the state’s tribal population.