Page 40 - Odisha

Tata Steel workers hospitalised after steam leak in Odisha Dhenkanal plant

Few workers at Tata Steel Ltd's plant in Odisha's Dhenkanal were "affected", the company said in a statement on Tuesday. "We are saddened to report an accident at the BFPP2 power plant due to escape of steam at Tata Steel Meramandali Works in Dhenkanal, Odisha," Tata Steel said in the statement. "The accident took place at 1pm during inspection work. The workers were shifted to the occupational health centre inside the plant premises and then to Cuttack for further treatment," the statement said. As a precautionary measure, they were rushed in the company's ambulance, accompanied by doctor and paramedics, it added.

One more Coromandel train crash victim succumbs; death toll rises to 289

The toll in the Odisha triple train accident increased to 289 after an injured passenger succumbed in the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack on Tuesday, an official said. The passenger was identified as Bijay Paswan, a resident of Bihar. He was admitted to the Cuttack facility on June 3, a day after one of the worst train disasters in the country took place at Bahanga Bazar station in Balasore district. Paswan was suffering from multiple injuries including one in the spinal cord. He was also suffering from hypertension, a hospital official said. The brother of the deceased said Paswan's health condition worsened on Monday night and he died on Tuesday. The Coromandel Express crashed into a stationary goods train, derailing most of its coaches at 7 pm on June 2. A few coaches of Coromandel toppled over the last few coaches of the Bengaluru-Howrah Express which was passing by at the same time.

Odisha hikes Dearness Allowance of govt employees, pensioners by 4%

The Odisha government on Tuesday announced a four per cent hike in dearness allowance (DA) for its employees and pensioners. The DA for employees and pensioners has been increased to 42 per cent from the existing 38 per cent. A release issued by the CMO said the enhanced DA will be applicable with retrospective effect from January 23 this year and the employees will receive the amount with their June salary. A total of 7.5 lakh employees and pensioners will get the benefit.

For speed and safety on the tracks, Indian Railways has problems to solve

Repairs or maintenance of a railway line is unpleasant news to break to station controllers, who along with officials in divisions, guide thousands of rakes and trains every day

Rly Board posts vacancies in safety category, days after Balasore tragedy

The Railway Board on Monday directed its zones to launch a "special drive" to fill promotional vacancies especially in the safety category, a move that comes amidst criticism over vacant posts in the transportation behemoth following the Balasore three-train accident in which 288 people lost their lives. The internal order, accessed by PTI, has been sent to general managers of all railway zones and states that instructions have been issued by the Board from time to time emphasising the need for filling up promotional vacancies. "It has been reiterated that Railways should ensure making use of all modes of promotions such as Selection/Non-Selection/Trade Test/LDCE (Limited Departmental Competitive Examination)/GDCE (General Departmental Competitive Examination) liberally to fill up the vacancies timely by chalking out a suitable action plan for the same," it said. The order said that zonal railways should have by now assessed their vacancies and planned for filling them up as per the

Chief Secretary asks power distribution cos to address supply problem

Amid statewide protests and gherao of Odisha Energy minister P K Deb's official residence here over frequent power outage during the scorching summer heat, Chief Secretary P K Jena on Monday asked power distribution companies to promptly address the electricity supply problems. Jena also asked the distribution companies to take immediate steps whenever power disruption is reported and to carry out quick restoration work, particularly after nor'wester or any other weather-related incidents. The issue was highlighted following power supply disruption and frequent power cuts in the state capital following June 8 nor'wester. Jena issued the direction at a meeting of top officials of the power distribution companies and energy department. The objective of the meeting was to find a solution to unannounced power cuts at a time when the entire state was reeling under scorching heat. The chief secretary also stressed on proper coordination between the energy department and private power ...

100s attend all-faith prayer in memory of Odisha train accident victims

Hundreds of people from Odisha's Bahanaga took part in an all-faith prayer meeting in memory of the 288 people who lost their lives in the Balasore train accident on June 2. Odisha energy minister PK Deb, who was also present on the occasion on Monday, prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. The prayer meet was held near Bahanaga High School where bodies of passengers of the ill-fated Coromandel Express were kept. According to Jaykrushna Sarangi, one of the organisers of the prayer meet, the objective of performing Dasaha Karma (10th-day ritual) on Sunday and Ekadashas (11th-day ritual) on Monday was for the salvation of the deceased. Since we do not know the religion of the deceased, we decided to organise the all-faith prayer meet, he said. The prayer meet will continue for three days. Hundreds can pay tributes to the departed souls and offer prayers for the recovery of injured, said social activist Sarat Raj. There are also plans to light 5,008 Dias and perform a Maha .

Odisha CM sanctions Rs 183 cr projects in local bodies of 10 districts

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has approved Rs 183.81 crore in the second phase in favour of 42 urban local bodies covering 10 districts

Ahead of Rath Yatra, Puri police prohibits drones near Jagannath Temple

Ahead of Lord Jagannath's annual Ratha Jatra on June 20, Puri police has banned flying drones near the 12th century shrine, an official said on Monday. The restriction will be in force till July 1, the official said, adding legal action will be taken against defaulters. Unregulated drone use by inexperienced people poses a risk to the safety of devotees. We had earlier initiated legal action against a few for violating the rules, a senior official of Puri police said. The advisory was issued keeping in view the safety and security of Srimandir, Sri Gundicha temple, chariots of deities and devotees. Since Sri Jagannath Temple is declared as a Red Zone as per provisions of The Drone Rules 2021, no one is allowed to fly the gadgets over the temple premises, the advisory said, adding that no operator should fly a drone without a valid UIN (unique identification number) issued by the DGCA (Director General of Civil Aviation). The order said drone operators will be responsible for any .

Statsguru: Odisha three-train accident brings focus back on safety

The latest Budget shows that expenditure on railways has crossed Rs 5 trillion. The money spent on capital expenditure is close to 50 per cent, compared to around 37 per cent in 2017-18

Triple train tragedy: Odisha govt's quick action saved 1200 lives

The locals of Bahanga area are the first ones who responded to the accident and started a massive rescue operation without waiting for anyone

Odisha CM Patnaik drops Higher Education Minister after 'poor' review

"CM Patnaik reviewed the performances of all departments from May 22 to June 2 wherein, it was found that the performance of Higher Education Department was at the bottom of the list", said report

Balasore train tragedy: School building which served as mortuary demolished

"Parents and children have refused to come to Bahanaga High School citing that dead bodies were kept there. The District Magistrate visited yesterday. This is all a superstition"

Jaipur Foot offers prosthetic limbs to victims of Odisha train accident

The makers of 'Jaipur foot' has offered to provide prosthetic limbs to those who have lost their legs in the recent Odisha train accident Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS) founder D.R. Mehta, in a letter to the Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnav, has offered to serve the amputee free of cost, a release said. In his letter, Mehta said the artificial limb fitment facility will be provided at its Khrodah centre near Bhubaneswar free of cost. All such passengers, who lost their limbs in the tragic rail accident, would be able to get the fitment three months after the amputation as it takes about months for the wounds to heal, he said. Alternatively, the BMVSS mobile workshop at Khodarh would reach the various towns and villages in Odisha to serve the amputees, thus they would be able to get the limb fitment at their doorsteps, he added.

All not well with railway system, Odisha accident wake up call: CPI-M

The government has gone overboard in creating a "hype" that the Railways has become a smart and speedy mode of transport but all is not well with the system and the Odisha accident is a wake up call, the CPI-M has said. The Left party also said a "legitimate" question is being raised on why Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has not resigned following the June 2 train crash in Odisha's Balasore. Several opposition parties have asked for Vaishnaw's resignation since the accident. The crash involving the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and a goods train killed 288 people and injured over 1,000. "At the political level, a legitimate question raised is why the Railway Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, has not resigned owning moral responsibility for this worst railway accident in the last two decades," the latest editorial of the party's mouthpiece 'People's Democracy' said. "In 1956, Lal Bahadur Shastri had resigned as railway minister f

Students scared to join school which turned into morgue for train accident

Students of Bahanaga High School in Odisha are scared to return to their classes in the building which was turned into a temporary morgue after the triple train crash which killed 288 passengers. Soon after the crash on June 2, shrouded bodies were carted to this 65-year-old school building. Such is the reluctance of the young students and their parents to come back to a building associated with tragic mass death that the school management committee (SMC) has pleaded with the state government to demolish the building as it is old. Younger students are scared, admitted Bahanaga High School Headmistress Pramila Swain, adding that the school planned to conduct spiritual programmes and follow some rituals to help them overcome their fears. She said some senior students and NCC cadets from the school had even joined the rescue work. Balasore district collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde, who visited the school on Thursday on the directions of the school and mass education department,

19 Bihar passengers missing, 50 dead in Odisha train accident, says DMD

At least 19 people from Bihar, who were on board the Coromandel Express, are still missing after the train accident in Odisha's Balasore district on June 2 in which 288 people were killed, said the state Disaster Management Department (DMD). The missing 19 Bihar passengers on board the Coromandel Express include four from Madhubani district, Darbhanga (2), Muzaffarpur (2), East Champaran (2), Samastipur (2), Sitamarhi (1), Patna (1), Gaya (1), Purnea (1), Sheikhpura (1), Siwan (1) and Begusarai (1), said a statement issued by the Disaster Management department. "At least 50 people from different Bihar districts have reportedly died and 43 sustained injuries in the Odisha train accident," the statement issued on Wednesday night said. Of the 50 people from Bihar who died in the train accident, nine are from Muzaffarpur district, Madhubani (6), Bhagalpur (7), East Champaran (5), Purnea (2), West Champaran (3), Nawada (2), Darbhanga (2), Jamui (2), Samastipur (3), Banka (1), Bewguisarai

Goods train kills six labourers sheltering under it in Odisha's Jajpur

At least six labourers were killed and two others critically injured in Odisha's Jajpur Keonjhar Road railway station after being run over by a goods train on Wednesday, an official said. The labourers had sheltered from heavy rain under the goods train when it started rolling. "There was a sudden thunderstorm. The labourers were working at a railway siding where a goods train was standing stationary. They sheltered under it but unfortunately, the goods train which did not have an engine attached to it started moving causing the accident," said a railway spokesperson. As a result, six of the labourers were killed and two were injured, he added. The injured persons were admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack. In a statement, the East Coast Railway said, The contractual labourers engaged by a contractor for railway work took shelter under the stabled rake to get protection from the wind and rain of Norwester near Jajpur Keonjar Road (station). The reserve rake with

Odisha train crash: Rlys use AI-powered portal to identify unclaimed bodies

The Railways is using an artificial intelligence-powered website and SIM card triangulation to identify the unclaimed bodies of the Odisha three train crash victims. Of the 288 people killed in the accident on June 2, as many as 83 bodies remained unclaimed as of Wednesday, officials said. The Railways initially called a team from the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to the site to take thumbprints of the dead to ascertain their identity. "That did not work out since in most cases the skin of the thumbs were damaged and prints were difficult to take. Then we thought of identifying the bodies using Sanchar Saathi which is an AI-based portal," an official said. The recently launched Sanchar Saathi web portal was put to use to identify 64 bodies and it was successful in 45 cases, officials said. Sanchar Saathi allows customers to know the mobile connections issued in their name and also track and block their lost smartphones. This artificial intelligence-based portal

Up Coromandel Express leaves Shalimar 5 days after Balasore accident

: Five days after the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express met with an accident in Odisha's Balasore killing 288 people, the Up train chugged off from Shalimar station here at 3.25pm on Wednesday, five minutes behind the scheduled departure time. As soon as the train pulled in on platform 2, there was a mad scramble to get into the general compartment and soon every nook and cranny of the two general second class coaches got filled up with people and their luggage. Ranjit Mondal, whose son has been missing since the June 2 accident, boarded the train to go to Bhubaneswar to look for his son again. Mondal from Sandeshkhali said his 18-year-old son Dipankar had boarded the ill-fated train with his friends to look for a job in Chennai. His phone has been ringing since the accident but no one is picking it up. I spoke to him minutes before the accident. He is yet to be tracked and I decided to look for him again, he said. Swati Chamoli, who is also travelling in the train, said, I'm ..