31 December 2010

Central team admits huge crop loss in Nabarangpur

December 31, 2010. The Pioneer, Bhubaneswar. BASANT RATH | Nabarangpur The Central team visited several places in Nabarangpur district to assess the paddy and maize crops damage caused by untimely heavy rain. The team, which reached on Wednesday, held discussions with the officials of the Administration and Agriculture Department here. District Collector Sibabrta Dash said the unseasonal rain during October-December damaged more than 52 per cent of paddy and maize crops. Paddy crop in 55,000 hectares of land out of 1 lakh hectares under cultivation in the district and maize in 33,000 hectares out of 58,000 hectares were damaged, he said. Deputy Director of Agriculture Bimbadhar Sahu submitted a detailed report of the survey conducted by his department that said that in the gross cropped area in the district 2,30,791 hectares there are 58,860 marginal farmers, 98,100 small farmers, and 29,430 large farmers while there are 9,810 landless farmers. Later, hundreds of farmers headed by Municipal chairman Prahalad Tripathy, Jayadev Parida, and former Umerkote MLA Dharmu Gand submitted separate memorandums to the four-member Central team led by Director, Crop Division, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation MC Diwakar. The farmers demanded that the Government purchase all types of paddies from them at the minimum support price. Since whatever paddy that they have been able to harvest after the rains is not expected to fulfil the fair average quality (FAQ) norms fixed by the Government, they demanded that the paddy procurement norms be relaxed to prevent farmers’ suicide in the coming days. The Central team is making assessment to consider the demand of the State Government for Central assistance to provide relief to the peasants. The Centre has already released `400 crore and `600 crore for the farmers of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, respectively, who are also affected due to unseasonal rains. On Thursday, the team visited villages of Gela Dadbaguda, Turinjiaguda, Sindhiguda, Kangara under Nandahandi block, Farmers at many places waited for the team with decomposed harvested paddy and maize in hand. They urged the team to make arrangements so that they can get relief for their losses at the earliest. Speaking to reporters during the visit, Diwaker and other team members admitted that it is evident that there has been heavy crop loss. They said the team would apprise the Centre of the situation so that farmers could get proper relief. Though the State Government has announced a `900-crore package for the farmers, the farmers’ organisations across the State are not satisfied with it and no relief has been distributed to the farmers till date.

27 December 2010

Tension in Nabarangpur over blasphemous Xmas greeting

The Pioneer, Bhubaneswar December 27, 2010 Basant Rath | Nabarangpur Some controversial greeting cards on Christmas created a huge outrage in Nabarangpur. The greeting card was misinterpreted by the Christian community and they resorted to huge protest and blockade on Saturday. Local BJD MLA Manohar Randhari sent greeting cards to people of Christian community on Christmas. He had a noble intention indeed, but some vested interests played spoilsport and created trouble. The printing press that printed the greeting card goofed up. It downloaded a controversial picture from Internet in which Jesus Christ was holding cigarette in one hand and a beer can in the other hand. When people noticed the picture, they got upset and the news spread like wildfire. People from the minority community blocked the roads in the town. They were heavily armed and some of them were in inebriated condition. The police had a tough time to restore law and order in the town. Later, MLA Randhari expressed regret for the incident and said that he never intended to hurt anyone's sentiments. He also decided to visit the churches to tender an apology. But at 12 pm some of the protesters opposed his entry in the church, they further demanded the arrest of MLA. The aggrieved protesters shouted slogans in filthy languages and abused the police. ADM, Narendra Pradhan, directed for clamping of Section 144 of CrPC to maintain peace in the locality, and district Superintendent of Police, Nitin Sekhar deployed four platoon of force in the town and in front of the church. In the evening Jeypore MLA Rabi Narayan Nanda, district BJD president Bhudan Jagya Samiti chairman, Jayadev Parida, and other district party functionaries met at the Circuit House conference hall and said political parties should not be try to aggravate the issue. Meanwhile, local MP and State Youth Congress president Pradip Majhi after a meeting said the party would hold peaceful demonstrations before the 10 blocks in the district and submit memorandums addressed to the Governor through the BDOs demanding arrest of the MLA. Among others, Kodiganga former MLA Sadan Nayak and district Youth Congress president Bhima Harijan were present. In another citizen committee meeting presided over by ADM Narendra Pradhan, in which SP Sekhar was present the Bishop of the church said he has forgiven the concerned person.

19 December 2010

Nabarangpur hosts five-day National Integration Camp

The Pioneer, Bhubaneswar December 19, 2010 7:16:06 AM PNS | NABARANGPUR The five-day-long National Integration Camp, organised by the district administration for the first time in the district, was inaugurated at the Mondei Field here on Friday. District Collector Siba Brata Dash inaugurated it by lighting the ceremonial lamp flanked by SP Nitin Kumar, local MLA Monahor Randhari, Municipality Chairman Prahalad Tripathy, ADM Narendra Pradhan and DIPRO Bhujang Bhusan Rao. In his inaugural speech Dash said, such camps promote unity in diversity among the youth of our nation and the youth of different regions and religions are brought together for a cultural exchange. He also appealed the participants to contribute their mite to the nation building. MLA Randhari and Chairman Tripathy said, the camp will create opportunities for the young participants from different parts of the country to live, interact and learn together in an environment of mutual love and respect and also understand and appreciate people living in different parts of the country. BJD Umerkote rally against fuel price hike Umerkote: The BJD on Saturday staged a rally here to protest the hike in fuel prices. Party workers, led by local MLA Jagabandhu Majhi, pedalled to the Tehsil office from the old bus-stand and submitted a memorandum addressed to the Governor to the Tehsildar. Vehicular traffic was disrupted for an hour from 11 am as the agitators blocked the Umerkote-Nabarangpur main road. Effigies of Prime Minister Monmohoan Singh and Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi were burnt. Among others, Umerkote NAC chairman Jhadeswar Mohanty and ex-chairman Rabana Rao, Kalu Panda, V Buji and Kurma Rao were present. Guv inaugurates girls’ hostel at Umerkote NABARANGPUR: Governor Muralidhar Chandrakant Bhandare visited Bhamini under Umerkote block on Friday and inaugurated a100-bedded Government Girls’ Hostel. He then visited the SHG stalls and interacted with the SHGs and expressed satisfaction at their performance, prosperity and capacity building. He also interacted with the farmers and students. The students apprised the Governor of the requirement of a generator, computer and text books. Bhandare announced that in a short period, he would provide generator, computer and adequate books to the school. The Governor also distributed forest land pattas, old age and widow pensions. Among others, Collector Sibabrata Dash, SP Niti Sekhar, ADM Narendra Pradhan, Sub-Collector Nanda Kishor Sethi, DWO Mukund Nial, DSW Kanan Kumari Das and DIPRO Bhujang Bhusana Rao were present. Youths from West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Malkangiri, Koraput and Rayagada districts are the participants along with the host district. The camp will conclude on December22. The participants from the States performed folk songs and dances. The dances in colourful and traditional attires enthralled the audience. Yoga, spiritual discourse, outdoor activities, group discussion and trekking are the main attractions of the camp.