Balangir based cultural organisation “Bhumika” to host Mathkhai Mahotsav, from January 23 to 27.

Courtesy:- The Telegraph

Balangir-based cultural organisation Bhumika is all set to host Mathkhai Mahotsav, a multilingual theatre festival from January 23 to 27.

The five-day festival will showcase some of the best plays from across the country. Two Hindi and one Marathi play will be part of the fare.

President of the organising committee of the festival, Chitta Ranjan Dash said apart from staging plays from other states, the organisation would try to revive rural theatre, which was dying fast.

“This time we are focusing on the revival of rural theatre. Apart from the plays that will be staged every evening, rural artistes will also be provided the platform to stage their plays,” Dash said. The theatre festival will open with Koshali play Ukhi, written by Vinod Pasayat and directed by Suresh Chandra Sahu.

Pendish theatre group from New Delhi will stage Hindi play Sarkari Feminism written by Anuradha Marwa and directed by Sanjaya Kumar on January 24. On January 25, Marathi play Ajantha written and directed by Milind Inamdar will be staged by Srujan theatre group of Mumbai. On the fourth day of the festival Oriya play Chaitu will be staged by Pyayas theatre group of Rourkela. Nirman Kalamanch of Patna will stage Hari Shankar written by Srikant Kishore and directed by Sanjaya Upadhyaya.

Rural artistes will mostly perform mythological plays that are dying. They will perform plays such as Karna Badha, Laxmi Purana, Sita Chori and Ushabati Harana. On the opening day of the festival, the Natyajyoti flame will be taken out in a procession from the Mathkhai hill near Balangir. “The festival is named after Mathkhai hill as it symbolises the rich heritage of Balangir,” said Byasadev Nanda, secretary of Bhumika.

First Kosli Family Magazine BENI Released

The only Kosli monthly colour family magazine Beni was released at Jayadev Bhawan, Bhubaneswar by Hon. Minister Prasanna Acharya, Sushanta Singh, MLA Bhatli, Prabhas Singh, President, Paschim Odisha Agrani Sangathan, Arvind Padhi (IAS) and other honorable personalities. Thanks to Saket Sahu, Editor of the Beni for sharing this news and pictures.

The print version of January issue is now available in the market

To subscribe the print version please contact:

AJAY PUROHIT, Marketing Executive, 7377586368
or
SUNDAR MANI DASH, Marketing Executive, 9937858775
or mail us at: info@koslibeni.com

ORISSA POLICE KILLED INNOCENT KOSLI PEOPLE IN FAKE ENCOUNTER TERMING THEM MAOIST

Discrimination and brutality against the people of KOSAL (Western Orissa) region by the Orissa state administration is not new..But the atrocities crossed all the limits when Orissa Police indiscriminately fired and killed two innocent Kosli people of Paikmal block in Bargarh District...

It is to be noted that one of the deceased is an activist who was opposing mining on the Gandhamardhan Hills which is sacred to the people of Kosal (western Orissa) and is the only source of lively hood for thousand of tribal people..

On Monday, the SOG and CRPF team combing the jungles near Paikmal block of Bargarh reportedly faced firing. “Our forces had definite information that a Maoist camp was running there. When we raided the camp we were fired at. In the crossfire, two Maoists were killed,” said Bargarh SP Soorya Thankappan.

Three days after a combined team of CRPF and Special Operation Group police in western Orissa district of Bargarh shot dead two people alleging them to be Maoists, the Opposition BJP on Thursday termed it a “fake encounter” after one of the deceased was found to be a block president of the party.

The police recovered two bodies as well as some provisions from the camp.

The deceased were identified Wednesday night as Madhav Singh Thakur, the Paikmal block president of BJP, and Ramesh Sahu, a local youth. Thakur’s body was identified by his family members.

Former state BJP chief Suresh Pujari, who toured the area Thursday morning, alleged that police intentionally killed Thakur as he was opposing mining in Gandhamardan mountain. Pujari, who met Thakur’s family members, asked why the deceased BJP member was not arrested earlier if he was a Maoist.

“Thakur had agitated publicly against mining in Gandhamardan a month ago when CM Naveen Patnaik visited the district. Did the police find out suddenly that Thakur was a Maoist. What is surprising is that the police did not recover any firearms or bullets from the Maoist camp,” said Pujari.

The BJP leader who is now planning to approach the National Human Rights Commission over the “fake encounter” said he found it surprising that the police could recover two bodies.

________________________________________________________________

Below is the report from INDIA TV "India's leading News Channel" :-

Bargarh, Orissa, Dec 31: The Orissa BJP has alleged that two of its activists were shot dead by police in a fake encounter after describing them as Maoists, reports India TV reporter Prasanta Patnaik.

"We have recovered bodies of two Maoists killed during an exchange of fire in Gandhamardan hills near Paikamal on Monday night," Surya Thankapan, Bargarh superintendent of police said.

Describing the slained persons as Maoists, Ms Thankapan said that they had definite information about the close link of the deceased persons with Maoists, who were killed during the cross firing and encounter.

According to Sunakar Sahu, both Madhab and Ramesh who were associated with the BJP had been to Borasambar village in connection with organising a party meeting. While they were trturning by a motor cycle, they were shot dead by the police from a very close range. None of them had any link with the Maoists.

Pradip Purohit , advisor of the Gandhamardan Surakhya Samiti, said that Madhab Singh Thakur is a well known and highly respected social activist who was associated with Gandhamardan Surakhya Samity since long.

Madhab had donated over 50 bottles of blood for which he was loved and respected in the area. As Madhab was a good organiser and was involved in Gandhamardan Surakhya movement, the police has intentionally killed him to foil the movement and paving the way for handing over this valuable mountain rich with bauxite and medicinal plants and herbs.

Because of its rich medicinal plants and herbs, people believe that Hanuman had taken this mountain to Lank during the battle with Ravan, to save the life of Laxman who was badly injured by the poisonous weapons of the demons.

Madhab's father also claimed that his son and his friend were totally inocent and had no link with the Maoists, any body and everybody in the area can vouch about it.

If both of them were Maoists , the police could have seized weapons from them . Instead of exhibiting any arms and ammunitions, the police exhibited rice, dal, onion etc. to the astonishment of the local people.

BJP State unit President Jual Oram, told India TV over phone that a five member committee of the party have gone to the area for an on the spot study of the situation about the cause of cold blooded murder in the name of encounter.

He was surprised to learn that the police have branded both the BJP leaders as Maoists, as nowhere the BJP members ever believe in Maoism.

" This is a terror tactic by the Government and the police to keep people away from Gandhamardan Surakhya movement, so that the Government can easily hand over the rich bauxite mines to Vedanta, who are very much interested for this mines.Family members of both Thakur and Sahu have filed F.I.R. with Paikmal police alleging that both of them were killed in cold blood by the police.

Uproar in Orissa Assembly over appointment of Western Orissa development council members

Courtesy:-Orissadairy

Though normal businesses were conducted in the House on Thursday, it experienced noisy scenes for some time as the Opposition Congress Members created disruptions demanding ouster of expert members of Western Odisha Development Council. The uproar forced the Speaker to adjourn the House for 30 minutes from 11.30 am to 12 noon.

The issue of status of present expert members kept the House hot in the question hour as the both the Opposition Congress and the BJP members expressed their dissatisfaction over reply of Planning and Coordination Minister Ananga Udaya Singh Deo on a question of Santosh Singh Saluja. Sri Saluja had wanted to know whether the nominated expert members of WODC required qualifications or not. He had also asked whether works were being allotted on the recommendation of such member or not.

Other Opposition Members including Subal Sahu, Jayanarayan Mishra, Anup Sai and Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo alleged that the expert members who have been nominated to the WODC have no expertise. Rather, the State Government has nominated BJD’s failed members to the posts. They said as per the WODC guidelines the expert members should have expertise in prescribed fields and should belong to concerned districts for which WODC works.

Alleging that some of the expert members have been nominated from outside the WODC area, the Opposition members said the outsiders are taking huge amount as TA and DA causing economic burden to the WODC.

In his reply, as the Minister said that one of the Members is staying in Delhi and he might be given TA and DA, most of the Congress Members rushed to the well of the House and started slogans demanding ouster of the ‘illegally’ nominated members of the WODC.

Issue of Lawyers agitation was also raised in the House. Members cutting across party lines opined that the protest of the Bar Council and the Bar Associations was justified. “If evening courts work for two hour in the evening, it would pose problems for all including lawyers and witnesses. While lawyers would not get time to meet their clients, the witnesses would face security problems especially in Maoist dominated areas,” they said and demanded the State Government should find some alternative to dispose of the cases.

An adjournment motion on ‘spread of cholera causing human tolls and the State Government has failed to contain the situation’ was also debated in the House. Slamming that the Government had no concern for the people suffering and dying in the Cholera in almost all the districts of the State, the Opposition members raised issues like lack of road communication, scarcity of drinking water and vacancies of doctors’ posts are not being full filled by the Government.

On the other hand, the Health Minister informed that a total of 132 people had died in KBK districts and 60 in other districts. “Government had taken timely steps to contain the health situation of KBK district arose out of spreading of diarrhea,” the Minister said.

In the afternoon session Members participated in a discussion on Odisha Municipal Amendment bill placed three days ego.

Malaria cases rise in Balangir

By Sudeep Ku Guru, Courtesy :-The Telegraph

The number of malaria cases reported at the district headquarters hospital here has risen following last week’s sustained rainfall. Choked drains in several places of the town have become the breeding ground for mosquitoes. The biological vector control method has also come to a halt due to want of funds.

Sources said that there was waterlogging in several areas of the town, especially the low lying areas following last week’s rain. Small puddles of water and choked drains in front of houses provided ideal conditions for mosquitoes to breed. Hospital sources said there was an unusual rise in malaria cases during the last few days, but there were no reports of deaths due to the disease.

Swagat Sahu, a local resident, said that three members of his family got malaria soon after the rain stopped and one had to be admitted to the district headquarters hospital.

The use of gambusia fish as part of the biological vector control method has been stopped due to want of funds. A variety of fish called gambusia, also known as mosquitofish, had been pressed into the job in the malaria-prone areas of Balangir district to stop further breeding of mosquitoes back in 2004. It had worked well.

Chief district medical officer (CDMO) of Balangir Purna Chandra Sahu admitted that there was a rise in malaria cases in the hospitals over the last few days. “Yes, there is a rise in Malaria cases over the last few days. Unfortunately the biological vector control method to control the breeding of mosquitoes has stopped. We were initially very enthusiastic about the new method. But, gradually, we realised that there was no special fund provision from the government to maintain a gambusia hatchery. As a result, the tanks dried up and the fish died,” Sahu said.

There were 15 tanks for gambusia in the district. “If a handful of fish is released into ponds or breeding places of mosquitoes like drains, then the larva of mosquitoes will vanish within hours as the fishes eat them,’’ said Sahu.

Kalikesh urges PM to include KBK in development plans for Maoist-hit areas

Courtesy:- DailyPioneer

BJD MP from Balangir Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo has approached Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take a call on the KBK region. He said that unless the Prime Minister intervenes in the matter, these areas would continue to rot.

Singh Deo said the eight most backward districts of the world in Odisha’s KBK region need inclusion in Unified Action Plan for Naxal-Affected Regions (UAPNAR), which is a Central Government initiative to tackle the Maoist menace through development programmes.

Singh Deo said the PM is aware that people of KBK are exposed to extremely adverse human development indices and are one of the most deprived communities. He requested the PM to intervene for the inclusion of the KBK region in the UAPNAR so that they are delivered with a semblance of justice.

Where is the Bonus, Mr Minister?

Courtesy:-BizOdisha

An open letter to the Agriculture minister, Govt of Odisha

You have made a statement that the farmers are getting Rs 50 bonus on a quintal paddy. Sadly, that is a blatant falsehood and nothing else.

To

Shri Dr. Damodar Rout Ji
Hon’ble Agriculture, Cooperation, Fisheries and Animal Resource Development Minister
Government of Odisha

Dear Sir,

Pranam !

You are a seasoned politician; a senior member of the present cabinet holding agriculture and cooperation portfolio; and also you claim to be an active farmer. You are the most active member of the present cabinet on various media and public communication platforms. Having all these traits, the farming community expects from you a reflection of the true status of the agriculture sector.

But, I am constrained to allege that, on many occasions, you have belied the trust reposed on you by the farmers. Your statement made on Friday that a bonus of Rs 50 is being paid now, over and above the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of paddy, adds another leaf to that growing list falsehood.

You are grossly wrong in reporting that the farmers are being paid a bonus of Rs 50 on every sell of a quintal of paddy. The farmers are not getting any bonus this year at all and the net sell proceed from a quintal of paddy remains exactly the same as last year.

In addition to the MSP of Rs 950 per quintal, farmers were also getting a bonus of Rs 50 last year. The MSP for this year has been increased to Rs 1,000 per quintal. However, the government is providing no bonus this year. Thus, the effective price that a farmer gets by selling a quintal of paddy still remains Rs 1,000.

Your statement is like an insult to injuries to the farming community which is grappling with increasing adversities. If you have made the statement after ascertaining true facts, then your department and your government has failed to convey the decision - to pay Rs 50 per quintal bonus - to your procuring officers. That shows the incompetence of you and your government. But, if you are not aware of the true facts and still preferred to make an announcement that Rs 50 per quintal of bonus is being paid, then that is no less than brute treachery towards the public in general and farming community in particular.

You definitely owe us an explanation on this guff.

With regards

Bimal Prasad Pandia

The writer is a farmer and development researcher. Please send your comments and suggestions at media@bizodisha.com or bimalpandia@gmail.com

Tel valley civilization: Riverside kingdom traced in copper plates

By:-Riyan Ramanath V (Courtesy:-Indian Express)

BALANGIR: While Gumagad, the first century BC military strategic hub, speaks volumes of a flourishing kingdom in the Tel river valley, a copper plate recently found at Kapsila village in Balangir district hints at existence of several kingdoms on either side of the valley.

Historians, who recently evinced interest in exploring more facts about the valley civilisation, opined that further excavation can unravel the history buried under the earth. This copper plate was interestingly found near the archaeological site of Kharligad near Gumagad.

Utkal University Archaeology Prof Sadasiva Pradhan, who got the copper plate from a Brahmin, said it contains information regarding the civilisation. He, however, had sent it to eminent epigraphist Sadananda Agrawal for deciphering.

According to Agrawal, as per the information on the copper plate, the civilisation dates back to the 8th century AD.

“The Udayapur area, the capital of Rashtrakuta kings who ruled the valley, is still dotted with standing structure and ruins. These are mostly found at Amathgad. Ruins of a medieval fort too exist here,” said Agrawal.

Earlier, Prof Pradhan had excavated the Gumagad site, where he found a strategic military hub of the first century BC. It was set up by a contemporary of King Kharavela.

Studying further into the formation on copper plate, Agrawal said that a king called Khadgasingha had donated a village Remudaka (modern Remanda) in Saintala. This also throws light on the civilisation.

He feels that further excavation by expert archeologists with the government’s support would shed more light on the civilisation.

The other four copper plates found earlier at Terssingha village also spoke of the Tel valley civilisation.

Those plates had information regarding the two capitals – Udayapur and Parbatadwaraka – which were under the rule of Rashtrakutas and local chieftains belonging to different clans.

Gandhamardan: A nature's paradise endangered by the White Gold Craze

By:-Basudev Mahapatra & Bibhuti Bhusan Pati

Courtesy:-HotnHitNews.com

"The 213MT bauxite reserved in Western Orissa's Gandhamardan hill range has still remained an allurement to the corporate players engaged in aluminium production and export. The hill range has again come in news after Vedanta pursued its proposal with Government of Orissa for mining in Gandgamardan after being denied of Niyamgiri. Knowing that the hill range turned into a battle ground between people and the corporate house BALCO over the issue of mining where people had the victory, companies are still in queue to get a lease to dig out bauxite from the core of the hill that hosts thousands of rare medicinal plants, herbs and shrubs, twenty two major water streams and four all weather waterfalls and a thick and diverse vegetation offering direct livelihood to more than 20000 families and an indirect livelihood to lakhs of families living around the hill range. The fresh queue of companies has again threatened Gandhamardan and the unique bio-diversity it hosts. When the companies are putting all their efforts to get a mining lease from the government of Orissa, people living around Gandhamardan are getting ready to make history repeat if the government of Orissa takes any decision against their wish."

The silver jubilee of the movement against mining of bauxite in Gandhmardan hill range didn’t come with a taste of success achieved by the people and the activists, but with another call for the local people to get up once again for the protection of the hill that provided livelihood to lakhs and played a major role in balancing the local ecology. It’s already 19 years since the last movement could compel the state government to stop mining in the hill range. The Gandhamardan Surakshya Yuva Parisad People’s Movement has already celebrated its silver jubilee. Yet, even today Gandhamardan resounds with the slogans like “BALCO hatao, Gandhamardan bachao!” [Ban BALCO, save Gandhamardan]. Players of the last movement still chant - “Let land go, life go, but long live Gandhamardan. After BALCO, NALCO had also eyed upon the 213 Million Ton bauxite reserved in Gandhamardan. But apprehending that a quick persuasion of the mining proposal would convert the whole affair into a misadventure, NALCO preferred maintaining silence even though its proposal is still in the queue.

Inspired by the huge reserve of bauxite, Officials from NALCO visited Gandhamardan hill range on March 23, 2007 being accompanied by the then Chief Secretary of Orissa and other higher officials to discuss mining in Gandhamardan. As a reaction Tankapani village saw a rather huge congregation of people on April 1, 2007 followed by another on May 3, 2007. Reminded of the agitation against BALCO, NALCO retraced its steps. Now, the new owner of BALCO – Vedanta is again excited to venture into Gandhamardan for mining of bauxite from the belly of the hill range. The conspiracy is never-ending. After being denied the Niyamgiri hills, Mukesh Kumar – the CEO of Vedanta – met the officials of Orissa Mining Corporation to give all OMC officials a big shock who advised Mukesh Kumar not to rather ask for Gandhamardan as it would put the company in a much bigger trouble than what it experienced at Niyamgiri. Immediately, on the 27th of September 2010, the Gandhamardan Surakshya Yuva Parishad, a conservationist outfit dedicated to protect Gandhamardan, arranged a public meeting to make the people aware of the developments. In the present scenario, companies like Vedanta et al are only too anxious to mine and lift the 213 million tonnes of bauxite lodged inside Gandhamardan. And, as a counter the local populace is up in arms spreading awareness and organising the mass for a protest in the form of a huge agitation on the 1st of January 2011. According to Dhiren Mohanty, the Convener of Gandhamardan Surakshya Yuva Parishad, the forthcoming agitation is going to take the shape of a gigantic agitation that is going to put an all time end to the operations by the Gangs 213 MT. The Parishad has decided to submit a memorandum to the governments at the Centre and State demanding protection and security of Gandhamardan. They propose to place before the government a demand that any further requests for mining in Gandhamardan by any company be rejected summarily by OMC. Gandhamardan is a 90 km long and 20 km wide hill range spread over Padmapur in Baragarh district and Patnagarh subdivision in Bolangir district. It is a part of the Eastern Ghat mountain range of Western Odisha and is popular in many other names like ‘Vindhya Giri’ and ‘Gandhagiri’. 800 meters above sea level, it is located between 82-54 East longitude and 20-54 north latitude. According to records, the annual rainfall here is approximately 1363 mm. The total hill range has 20 thousand hectares of tropical forests and land divided into two forest divisions – Bolangir Forest Division and Bargarh Forest Division. The northern portion is in Bolangir district while the western part lies in Bargarh district. The initial satellite map survey showed that Gandhamardan had 840 streams. Due to environmental catastrophe resulted by BALCO’s test mining in the eighties hundreds of natural springs faced an abrupt unnatural death. At present only 152 small springs making 22 major streams and four waterfalls do remain. These streams are not rain-fed but they are the main source of water for the two important rivers of Western Odisha— Anga and Suktel. If the water sources from the Gandhamardan hill range die out, then, inevitably, the process of desertification would be expedited in the already famine prone districts of Bolangir, Nuapada and Kalahandi. BALCO had come in search of bauxite deposits in Gandhamardan after completely destroying the hydrological stability and sanctity of another important mountain ‘Amar Kantak’ in Madhya Pradesh – the source of the waters of the Narmada, the Sone and the Mahanadi rivers. The destruction of Amar Kantak to feed its one lakh tonne aluminium plant at Korba in Madhya Pradesh was a high cost to pay for the reserves. In 1978-79, after BALCO abandoned Amar Kantak Hill range in Madhya Pradesh, the then Central Cabinet Minister for Mines, Biju Patnaik showed it the way to the holy hills of Gandhamardan in Odisha. In the eighties, the Congress Party and the then Chief Minister of Odisha J. B. Patnaik were only too eager to act on a deal with BLACO. In 1983, the then union minister for mines N.K.P. Salve along with CM J.B. Patnaik laid the foundation stone for BALCO’s mining project in Gandhamardan that was to mine bauxite worth 1500 crores of rupees. BALCO promised to give employment to hardly 2000 local people with the requisite qualification and experience. This was a mockery on the local people who were poor tribals and hardly had any education and experience of bauxite mining. Political leaders and the representatives of BALCO could not find any solution to the problem that day. Questions from the local public rendered them answerless and compelled them to turn back. The J.B. Patnaik Government tried to use coercion to suppress the voice of the people. But they could not contain the seeds of dissatisfaction that started taking roots. Two specific incidents inflamed people to join the movement to save their hill god from the brutalities by a company named BALCO. One, the test blast in the Gandhamardan hills that shook the ancient Nrusinghanath temple to such an extent that the Garuda Stambha collapsed and tremors were felt both in distant villages including the two major centres of religious belief Hari Shankar and Nrusinghanath. Cracks due to the tremors were so strong in many places that the utensil and other household materials fell down making people feel absolutely insecure. Secondly, the catch dam made by BALCO at Manabhanga in the name of supporting irrigation turned out to be a sham as instead of building anything beneficial for the public, it submerged about 30 acres of fertile land and the famous orchards of Madhuban – the primary source of livelihood for the people of 5 Gram Panchayats. These two incidents fuelled the movement against BALCO and made it more poignant. The local people were petrified by the tremors that shook their homes and created cracks in their walls. The mass dissatisfaction took a fierce shape in the Nrusinghanath temple congregation and the seed of an organised movement to save Gandhamardan was sown here in February 1985. The news of Paikamal agitation did spread like wildfire to the districts of Bolangir, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Kalahandi, Nuapada and even to the neighbouring state, Chhatisgarh. In the summer vacation of 1985, a group of NSS volunteers of Sambalpur University had camped in the Gandhamardan hills. The campers observed the situation and could feel the impending danger to Gandhamardan and the complete ecosystem if mining was to continue in the region. Some of the campers formed a group for the protection of Gandhamardan. In an organised manner they spread awareness amongst the people of that area. On the 14th of August 1985, 19 young men joined hands to form the Gandhamardan Surakshya Yuva Parishad and shouted with the slogan that echoed in every household - “Amar dabi maan Sarkar, BALCO asura nai darkar”, which means - Government must concede to our demand; we do not need BALCO monster! The reverberation reached the government and BALCO was forced to move out and the people’s movement won the battle. After several rounds of discussions with the people of the area to motivate them in support of BALCO, the then Chief Minister Janaki Ballhav Patnaik realised the significance of Gandhamardan and its links with the life and sentiment of the people. In meetings between the public, the representatives of BALCO and Chief Minister Janaki, the BALCO officials were at a loss to answer the public questions raised by the Chief Minister. In an endeavour at justice, J.B. Patnaik withdrew the permission given to BALCO on 15.09.1989 to mine Gandhamardan. Yet the people didn’t forgive the government led by JB and, as a consequence, Congress lost in the 1990 assembly elections. Soon after he acquired the chair of Chief Minister, Biju Patnaik once again headed for Delhi to chart out the mining of Gandhamardan and also to establish an Alumina Plant there. This he did as per the advice of some political colleagues and bureaucrats. But after studying the files from the days of JB Patnaik, he realised the blunder he was about to make. Sticking to the promises he made to his electorate, he scratched the MOU signed with BALCO in the floor of the assembly. That day Biju Patnaik addressed a huge bicycle rally by the people of Western Odisha in Bhubaneswar and said; “I am the leader of the people. The wish of the people is what I wish. I killed Monster BALCO forever”, remembers Kuna Purohit, coordinator of Gandhamardan Surakshya Yuva Parishad. A retired officer of Orissa Mining Corporation remembers the scintillating agitation of Gandhamardan and says, ‘Mining in Gandhamardan can become a nightmare for any company. Mining Projects should not be encouraged here. Rather, the protection of Gandhamardan is an absolute necessity. Gandhamardan is not merely an assembly of rocks, springs, plants and bauxite, but the representative of nature, age old legends, history, architecture, tradition, philosophy, science and tourism. It provides livelihood to over one lakh people directly. It exhibits an unprecedented amalgamation of the Aryan-Dravidian and the Vaishanavite – Shaiva traditions. Gandhamardan has its sacred place in the Puranas and the Ramayana. In 1413 AD, king Baijaldev of Bolangir and his queen had built the Nrusinghanath and Harishankar temples on either sides of the hill. The temples are unique because the idol of “Bidal Nrusingha” worshipped in the Nrusinghanath temple is not seen anywhere else in India, also the Vaishnav God Hari and the Shaiva God Shankar are worshipped in this sacred place. Scholars from across the country and abroad visit Gandhamardan to study Indian medicinal science, culture, tribal life etc. Mining in Gandhamardan will destroy all it is worshipped for and will also ruin the social and economical backbone of over one lakh people. The every day earnings of the people here is possible due to the commerce of medicinal plants, firewood, forest and agricultural produce from the Gandhamardan. Mining will certainly squeeze the life blood out of this place and force the rich identity and civilization to die out. Instead, it could be developed as a hot spot of eco-tourism.” Manoranjan Ray, a scholar from Mumbai how doing a research on the legends and history of Gandhamardan says that ‘this mountain range nestles about 18 historical forts. It is said that the Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna had established a school here. Certain stone edicts suggest that the Chinese traveller Hueng Sang had visited Gandhamardan. Even sant Kabir had spent a period of his life in this place. The hut where he lived stands a silent testimony to that. The religious sentiments of the people around and Chhatisgarh have also a close association with Gandhamardan, which is popularly known as the abode of Gupta Ganga. Apart from this, Gandhamardan is an ecological wonder. It is a host to many herbs and plants that are either extinct elsewhere or are on the verge of extinction’. While explaining the specialties of Gandhamardan for the world of Ayurveda and nature therapy, Principal of Sri Sri Nrusinghanath Ayurvedic College and Hospital Dr Sushil Kumar Mahapatra says, ‘Gandhamardan hosts approximately three thousand or more species of medicinal herbs and plants. A survey conducted between 1990 and 1995 by noted botanists Dr. M. Brahma and Dr. Hari Om Saxena revealed that 784 species of plants thought extinct on the earth existed in Gandhamardan. British botanist H.H. Hines had conducted another research here between 1921 and 1925 and discovered varieties of plants and noted down their unique medicinal properties. In 1950, famous Ayurvedic doctor Herbert Moony reported the existence of 1247 variety of herbs and creepers that were almost extinct. In 1963-64, the Botanical Survey of India reported the presence of 2400 varieties of precious medicinal plants and 300 different varieties of rare herbs and creepers. In its report, the Regional Plant Research Centre has published that Gandhamardan is a boon for Ayurvedic Science and treatment as it is unique and there is no second to it exists elsewhere in India. The medicinal properties of Satabari, Panibel and Pancharistha herbs found in the Gandhamardan are just superb in terms of medicinal value and quality. Therefore, one should not even entertain the thought of mining in Gandhamardan.’ Department of Forests and Environment, Government of Odisha in its annual financial report 2009-10, (page 12) has published that “there are 225 different varieties of near-extinct plants in the Gandhamardan. Over and above this, 136 varieties of very rare species of Orchids are found here. 3000 hectares of forest land around the Gandhamardan have been reserved for preservation and medicinal plant culture. With aid from the Ministry of Health, Government of India, a conservation project worth lakhs of rupees is in operation here. Conservation of bio-diversity and medicinal plants has been undertaken in over 1000 hectares of forest land under the project. The project has involved the people of 25 neighbouring villages.’ A decade long struggle from 1982 to 1991 to save the land, water and forest of Gandhamardan ended with promises from the then leaders like JB Patnaik and Biju Patnaik. People were assured that mining would be completely fore banned in this area. But the craze for aluminium worldwide has again allured the governments and Indian leaders to build up nexus with corporate players and dig bauxite out of Gandhamardan by destroying an ecological heaven on the earth. In this regard, a memorandum was submitted to the President and the Prime Minister in September 2010 by a stalwart of the Gandhamardan Protection Movement (in the eighties), Prasanna Sahu alias Swami Somabesh. ‘Then the leaders were listening to the demands of people and realised the arguments behind the demands. Two of Odisha’s Chief Ministers JB Patnaik and Biju Patnaik went by people’s demands and cancelled the proposals of mining in Gandhamardan. Now the leaders have not remained the same. People’s desire and voice have become secondary in front of political aspirations of leaders’, says Swami Somabesh while stapling his two page appeal addressed to the president of India. Through these years, the scenario has changed. Corporate invasion has been allowed in the name of economic liberalisation and development putting in place a feudalistic system of Governance under the mask of democracy. Loyalty of leaders has shifted its focus from people to their political masters. The craze for investment and industries has opened up opportunities for corporate players who have rushed in to loot the resources at the cost of common man’s livelihood. In spite of being elected by people, the government of Orissa has successfully alienated itself from people and has ordered its police to spray bullets on people and mercilessly combat all people’s movements raised to safeguard and execute their own rights given by the constitution of India. Inspired by the changed situation, at least ten companies have applied to mine bauxite in the sacred hill of Gandhamardan. Crazy to sign MoU and show a bigger figure and investment mobilised, the government and its mining leasing and distribution agency OMC have put all the application in queue. On the other side, people living around Gandhamardan are again coming together to face any consequence to save their soul and god Gandhamardan. At one end, the allurement of investment and promises made to the corporate houses; and an ecological heaven and livelihood of lakhs of people at the other. Interestingly, and ironically, the MLAs, MPs and Ministers who started their career in politics with such movements like the anti-BALCO movement of the eighties have sacrificed their voice against a ministerial berth or to prove their loyalty to the party chief. In such a situation, Gandhamardan sees no hope in its political products. But the hope lies with lakhs of people living in and around gandhamardan for whom the thick forest cover on the hill is the primary source of livelihood. Hope lies with Iswar Birja and Jambabati Birja who lost everything – their land, the job of Iswar Birja and many more – just to save Gandhamardan from the corporate brutality. ‘We succeeded once in protecting Gandhamardan and will do anything to protect it if anybody ventures to destroy it for mining. The government can’t go against our wish because we are also a part of the government’, says Jambabati Birja. Gandhamardan is not just a hill covered by thick vegetation or just a deposit of bauxite. It is central to a system that rules the local ecology. So mining in the hill will not only destroy the forest that bears thousand varieties of species but will ruin the water sources and economic backbone of local people. So, before taking any decision about mining in Gandhamardan the government should give a look at the earlier movements and take into consideration the emotional attachment of people with the hill and its bounty of nature. But the question is, whether the government led by Naveen Patnaik will behave as a people’s government or will stand by the corporate players and ignore people’s voice and their demands. It’s to be seen if 213MT bauxite and the promises of investment by a few profit monger corporate players allure the government or the people’s demand to protect their livelihood source compels the corporate loving Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to leave Gandhamardan to remain the nature’s paradise. However, when the government is already in trouble for violating the norms of Forest and environment Act to favour corporate houses at Niyamgiri and POSCO project area, any step for mining in Gandhamardan would make history repeat and prove to be another nightmare for the government and the corporate houses involved in it as it happened with the government led by Janaki Ballhav Patnaik and the BALCO.

Childhoods of hunger and want.....

Written by :- HARSH MANDER Courtsey :- The Hindu In much of rural India, hunger is still an everyday reality and often the only way out is debt-bondage…

Memories of a childhood lived with hunger are stark, and heartbreakingly different from those of all other children. Bansi Sabar from Bolangir in Orissa recalls that his father toiled hard from morning to evening as a bonded halia. He used to eat in his employers' home and would get 15 kg paddy for the whole month. “Whatever food I bring home is always insufficient for you,” his father would cry out in frustration. His mother, though sickly, used to gather different green leaves, flowers, kardi (smooth bamboo), tamarind and mangoes from the forest, which they ate with water-rice. “That was almost all water with a few grains of rice floating in it,” commented Bansi wryly. Many days they had to sleep hungry. Similarly, Drupathi Malik's mother used to collect all the rice they could manage to get in a day and put it in a container, mix it with salt and all the members except her would sit to eat from the same container. She explains that there was never much to justify use of different plates. Their father would allow the children to eat more and later any left over rice or water was eaten by her mother.

A heart-touching saga of the sufferings....

Even more harrowing for a parent than to send out a small child to work, is to send him into debt bondage, which is still not uncommon in many parts of rural, and especially tribal India. Indradeep earned his own food as soon as he was four years old, as a bonded kutia in the sahukar's home in Bolangir. He rose early to graze cows and bullocks and carry food to the fields, all seven days a week, every month of the year without any break. In return, his employers gave him tea and mudhi in the morning and a meal at noon and 12 kilograms paddy for a year as remuneration. As he entered his 21st year, not much had changed except that he graduated into an adult bonded worker or halia.

Indradeep in time married, and only one son, Sadhu, survived. Whenever they would walk past the village school, he noticed how his little son gazed at it with interest and longing. He resolved that whatever it cost him, he would not send his son out to work as a bonded child labourer — as generations in his family had done before him, as long back as they could remember. Instead, he and his wife would willingly shoulder his burden and send him to school. Life held together for them until Sadhu reached 14 years, and had passed Class 7.

Disaster again struck, when Indradeep was diagnosed with TB and nearly died. He was admitted in hospital for prolonged treatment. They sold the little gold which his wife wore in her ears, which had helped bail them out often in the past, when they had mortgaged it for loans at the doorstep of the moneylender. They also mortgaged her gold nose-ring. In the end, Indradeep could survive only with a blinded eye and a crippled body, with loss of normal functioning in one side of the body and heavy burdens of debt. He could no longer depend on his own hard labour, which had been his only wealth.

His young son realised that it was his turn now to assume his responsibilities, which he did readily. On his own, Sadhu took the decision of quietly dropping out of school when his father was admitted in the hospital, and went to work like his father in the fields of landlords, and he grazed their cows. He then got in touch with other people in the village who regularly migrated, and left for the brick-kilns in Hyderabad when he was 14, for an advance of Rs. 900. He has continued to migrate in bonded conditions after that every year. Slowly they were able to repay the loans and sustain themselves. We were witness to his tearful departure one year, when he migrated for an advance of Rs. 8,000. Before leaving, he gave Rs. 500 to his parents and released her mother's nose jewel from mortgage for Rs. 1,000.

It still weighs heavily on Indradeep's heart that the boy could not study. But he is proud that his son is responsible and caring, “He does not waste even a single rupee on himself, and saves it all for his family.”

In this way, each generation valiantly but hopelessly battles hunger, both for the generation that has passed, and the one that is to come.

Another farmer commits suicide in Sambalpur

Farmer suicide is now becoming a common phenomenon in KOSAL (Western Orissa) region ... More than 100 farmers have reportedly killed themselves in this current year and as usual the Govt of Orissa is denial mode and is Sleeping...

________________________

Courtesy:- Pioneer

A small farmer of Mura village under Nua Tihura Gram Panchayat of Maneswar block Janardan Barik (42) committed suicide on Saturday night by hanging from a tree in a nearby forest.

Sources said, the villagers saw the body hanging from the tree and informed the police and local administration. The reason behind the suicide is said to be crop failure.

As per information, the farmer Janardan Barik who committed suicide on Saturday night has 3.12 acres of parental property and he cultivates two acres out of it. Rest 1.12 acre is cultivated by his brother. Besides, Janardan also cultivated another one acre taking on rent. This area comes under Maneswar block of the district and has been affected by drought as there was no sufficient rainfall this season. The villagers also met the Collector twice earlier to narrate their problems.

Janardan is survived by wife, one daughter, two sons, one brother and parents. His elder daughter is studying in +3 first year in a local college and two sons are in +2 first year and 9th class respectively.

The BDO of Maneswar block B Sai who conducted the preliminary enquiry said that the exact reason behind the suicide was yet to be ascertained. “It can be told only after the joint enquiry only,” the BDO said. However, he admitted that the family was a poor one and he took Rs 10, 000 from the cooperative bank as agriculture loan. He has also got some private loan for the same purpose, he added. But the family comes under BPL category and gets Rs. 2-a-kg rice every month, the BDO informed. “We have given Rs. 5, 000 from the Red Cross fund immediately to meet the funeral expenses,” he informed.

Looking at the growing numbers of suicide by the farmers, the people here have demanded before the State Government to come to the rescue of the farmers suffering from crop loss particularly in the drought-hit areas.

Coincidentally, the Krishak Sangathan is holding a two-day meeting here to discuss the problems of the farmers when the unfortunate incident took place.

Balangir Girl Prajna In Kaun Banega Crorepati -4

Prajna Paramita Guru from Balangir, Kosal belongs to a KBC family. Her uncle participated in Season 1 and wasn't able to cross the fastest finger first. He then came back in Season 2 and won Rs 6,40,000 from it. Prajna Paramita Guru's father also participated but wasn't able to made it to the hot seat. Prajna Paramita Guru is a lecturer in an Engineering College. She holds a B.Tech degree in Electronics and Telecommunication.

Prajna won 3,22000 only.

Video's of Prajna :-

36 km in 16 yrs! Tardy progress in Khurda Rd-Balangir Railway line

With the Indian Railway Board sitting over the proposal of the East Coast Railway (ECoR) since three years the much needed Khurda-Road-Balangir railway line has made a tardy progress much to the chagrin of the people of the State.

“Its’ shocking to know that though the project was sanctioned in 1994-95, the Indian Railways have funded only 36 km till date,” reveals Minister of Planning and Coordination Ananga Udaya Singh Deo.

“While 0-36 km was sanctioned 16 years ago, 36-112 km connectivity proposal is yet to be sanctioned,” rued Singh Deo.

IRB is sitting over the proposal of ECoR since 2007 to sanction 36-112 km rail line with a cost of `316.67 crore, revealed sources. The ECoR submitted the proposal on January 25, 2007 and pursuing the same for last three years with the IRB. Singh Deo in a letter to the IRB Chairman has requested to sanction the proposal and earlier he has also talked to him on this count.

As Khurda Road-Balangir Railway line is the most important connectivity between coastal and western Odisha, the Minister was all along bating for the same, said sources in the ECoR. With the snail’s pace the project is moving, its’ project cost is bound to go up from the present level of `1,000 crore, said an official in the Department of Commerce and Transport.

According to the ECoR, earthwork and construction of bridges in 0-36 KM is in progress and it is expected that it will be commissioned in 2010-11.

However 36-112 KM stretch fate is unclear with the apathy of IRB, lamented the official. Indian Railway authorities have been approached by the Government of Odisha to sanction `300 crore in 2010-11 for the project, where as Rs 120 crore has been allotted by the Ministry of Railways (MOR).

Jayanti Mahanand of Balangir an inspirational young talent

Courtesy:- Indian Express

BALANGIR: With a pencil between two fingers of her right toe, she flawlessly drew on the theme of ‘sanitation and health education’ much to the surprise of people around her.

The 12-year-old Jayanti Mahanand was born with smaller arms. However, this did not quell her appetite for art. She says that she had always been spellbound by pictures. She has been drawing since the age of three. Her ability to draw with her legs was noticed at the Sishu Utsav, a Sarva Sikhsha Abhiyan (SSA)-sponsored programme, held here recently on the Town Girls High School premises. She was one of the participants in the painting contest in the junior category. She completed the painting in less than half-an-hour, well before other competitors.

Not just a good painter but Jayanti has also been a good student throughout. She writes her examinations with her right leg and even for drawing straight lines, Jayanti does not require a scale. “I can write and draw anything with my right foot,” she says. She aspires to be an artist in future.

District Project Coordinator of SSA Abhimanyu Behera said they were encouraging such talents and the SSA would provide all possible support to these children.

“Jayanti has a rare talent and we discovered her during the Sishu Utsav. We are planning to raise some funds for her so that she gets to hone her skills,” said Behera.

Peanut seller Haladhar Nag carves niche for himself as poet of Kosli language

Courtesy:- The Telegraph

Report by SUDEEP KUMAR GURU

From a peanut seller, 60-year old Haladhar Nag has managed to carve a niche for himself in the literary field of Orissa, as a Koshali poet. Even the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has made a documentary film on his life and works.

Known as Koshali Kuili, he is often compared with legendary poet Gangadhar Meher. Clad in a dhoti and vest, he leaves his audience spellbound wherever he goes — be that Shantiniketan or Hyderabad, Raipur or Pithoda.

His initial works were in Koshali folk literature.

“Till 1990, I wrote Lokgeet, Samparda and Krushnaguru which are the roots of the Koshali literature. It was after 1990 that I shifted to writing poetry in Koshali language. After 20 years, my writings in Koshali have been recognised worldwide. Famous publishing houses have come forward to publish most of my works,” Haladhar said.

The themes of Haladhar’s works vary from mythological to social, political and even scientific events. His mythological works include Mahasati Urmila andTara Mandodari while his works on social issues include masterpiece like Achhia (inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s fight against untouchability). But the work that has left a lasting impression on everybody is Bacchhar, which has been admired most till date. Bacchhar is about how the year was divided into six parts and seasons came into being on earth. Interweaving scientific and social themes, he tells a story in exotic verses that is a real masterpiece. He is presently working on Sri Aurobindo’s supra-mental consciousness. Dr Laxminarayan Panigrahi, who teaches Oriya language and literature in the Ghess College, said that he had been working in the project with Haladhar for the last twelve years.

“We have read and discussed Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri several times to understand the philosophy of super-mind. Haladhar has only written a draft text of the manuscript, which is not in verse form,” he said.

Haladhar’s other major works include Siri Somalai, Veer Sundar Sai, Karamsani, Rasia Kavi (biography of Tulasidas) and Prem Paechan. Most of these works have made their places in the first volume of Haladhar Granthabali. The second volume of Haladhar Granthabali will soon be available in the market, he said.

The great Oriya poet Gangadhar Meher also lived in Barpali, which is only a few kilometres away from Haladhar’s village.

Haladhar, however, does not want people to compare him with great poet Gangadhar Meher. “More than a poet, Gangadhar Meher was like an institution in the field of Oriya literature,” he said. “People keep referring to me as the second Gangadhar Meher. But I do not like the idea of comparing myself with the great poet. I do not want to be known as the second Gangadhar Meher. I just want to live and die as Haladhar Nag. If people remember me even after my death, they should do so only by my name,” he said.