Page 57 - Odisha

1 killed, 6 injured as wild boars go on rampage in Odisha's Ganjam village

A 62-year-old woman was killed and six others were injured when wild boars attacked them in Odisha's Ganjam district on Sunday, police said. The incident happened in Ramapalli village near Kodala in Polasara forest range, they said. People of Ramapalli, Beruabadi and Marudi villages were working in their farmland when they were attacked by the wild boars, said Dilip Kumar Rout, the divisional forest officer (DFO) of Ghumusar South. Bharati Swain succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment at the Kodala Community Health Centre, he said. Those injured were later shifted to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur. The conditions of two of them are stated to be serious, officials said. "The wild boars, which have strayed into the area, have destroyed crops on acres of land," said Debendra Swain of Ramapalli village. The DFO said 30 forest personnel have been deployed to capture the wild boars.

Bypolls in six states: BJP wins in 4 of 7 Assembly seats; loses to TRS

RJD, Shiv Sena (Uddhav) win one each

Odisha by-poll: BJP's Suryabanshi Suraj widens lead over BJD in Dhamnagar

BJP candidate Suryabanshi Suraj widened his lead to 4,845 votes over his BJD rival Abanti Das for Dhamnagar bypoll in Odisha's Bhadrak district, Election Commission (EC) trends revealed on Sunday. According to the EC, Suraj secured 45,321 votes after the 10th round of counting, while Das bagged 40,476. Congress nominee Baba Harekrushna Sethi got 1,895 votes. An election official said a three-tier security arrangement is in place for the counting exercise. A central supervisor, an assistant supervisor and a micro-observer are present along with party agents at the counting centre, the official said. The Dhamnagar seat fell vacant following the death of BJP MLA Bishnu Charan Sethi in September. At least 68.98 per cent of the constituency's 2,38,417 voters had cast their votes in 252 booths of Dhamnagar on November 3. Suraj, son of the deceased MLA, said, I am fighting the election from Dhamnagar as a local who knows about the place and people here. Senior BJD leader and state min

650 Maoist supporters surrender in Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border: Official

As many as 650 active Maoist supporters -- residents of villages along the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border -- surrendered before the police, a senior officer here said. Most of them are members of local village committees or Chetana Natya Mandali a cultural outfit linked to CPI(Maoist) in Swabhiman Anchal of Malkangiri district, once a Red corridor that lay cut-off from mainland Odisha, the police officer said. "The surrendered Maoist supporters hail from remote villages of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. The supporters used to assist the cadres of the banned outfit in carrying out attacks on security forces and civilians, besides other violent activities," said Rajesh Pandit, DIG (south-western range). Raising slogans such as "Maobadi Murdabad, Ama Sarkar Jindabad", the sympathisers burnt Maoist literature, effigies, and uniforms worn by cadres of the banned outfit before surrendering on Saturday. The Swabhiman Anchal, comprising 182 villages, is experiencing a "quick turnaround", with

Political parties in Odisha start preparations for Dec 5 Padmapur bypoll

Political parties have begun preparations for the December 5 by-election in Padmapur assembly constituency in Odisha's Bargarh district. Although no nominee has been decided yet, parties have started tasking senior leaders with selection, and names are being discussed for candidature. The Congress has set up a committee headed by senior leader Kishore Patel for candidate selection, while the BJD is awaiting Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to select a name. The BJP may field its former MLA Pradip Purohit. Odisha's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S K Lohani said the model code of conduct has come into force in the entire district with the announcement of the polls during the day. The seat was laying vacant after the death of BJD MLA Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha on October 3. Lohani said the formal notification on the bypoll will be issued on November 10. As per the schedule, candidates can file their nomination papers till November 17, while the last date for withdrawal of candidatures h

Post-poll violence reported in Odisha's Dhamnagar; 3 injured, house burnt

Ahead of the counting of votes polled in the recently conducted bypoll, violence was reported in Dhamnagar assembly constituency in Odisha's Bhadrak district, leaving at least three people, including a woman, injured and a house burnt, police said on Saturday. Incidents of violence were reported from three different locations in Tihidi block on Friday night and Saturday, they said. A father-daughter duo was attacked with iron rods by supporters of a political party in Talagopabindha village on Friday night. They have been admitted to the Bhadrak district headquarters hospital, an officer said. The injured alleged that party supporters attacked them for voting in favour of another party in the by-election on November 3. They claimed they were earlier threatened against going to cast their votes. An FIR was registered with Tihidi police station and further investigation is underway, IIC Dibyalochan Behera said. In another incident, a person was attacked by supporters of a rival part

Odisha consumer court orders mall to pay Rs 25K for charging for carry bag

The court has directed the shopping mall authorities to release the compensation amount within 30 days from the date of the receipt of the order

President Murmu to visit Jagannath temple in Odisha's Puri on Nov 10

Later in the day, she will visit Jaydev Bhawan and inaugurate Odia textbook for engineering and a portal (e-Kumbh) before flying back to Delhi

Jaipur set to host 11th edition of India StoneMart international exhibition

Scheduled to be held at the Jaipur Exhibition and Convention Centre, Sitapura Industrial Area, from November 10 to 13, the exhibition is considered one of the biggest of its kind in India

Odisha only state to achieve 100% house water connection in 85 towns: CM

As of now, as many as 740 Jal Sathis are managing 8.4 lakh consumers and water charges to the tune of Rs 67 crore have been collected

After Morbi mishap, suspension bridge in Odisha closed for repair works

"The bridge will be closed down for devotees on Tuesday. If the bridge will be found safe, it will be used with a minimum capacity. If needed, the bridge will be completely shut down," said collector

Odisha govt officer held for possessing crypto worth over Rs 1.75 crore

The Odisha Police on Saturday arrested a government engineer after cryptocurrency valued at over Rs 1.75 crore was found in his possession, officials said. The arrested Additional Chief Engineer (Planning, Monitoring, Design & Investigation) under Rural Water Supply and sanitation was to retire on Monday. He was arrested on the charge of possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. A vigilance court remanded him to jail custody for 14 days. The cryptos were found in a raid on the additional chief engineer by the Vigilance Department in a corruption case, they said. The raid which began on Friday continued on Saturday. As soon as the officer and his family found the investigators at their doorstep, they tried to destroy evidence of the cryptocurrency they possessed, said an official statement. The investigators carried out simultaneous searches of his properties across Khurdha, Sambalpur and Bargarh districts after search warrants were issued by a judge. Th

CM Patnaik inaugurates Odisha Travel Bazar, state's flagship exhibition

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday inaugurated Odisha Travel Bazar, the flagship annual exhibition of Odisha Tourism

SAIL inks pact with AAI for initiation of commercial flights from Rourkela

State-owned SAIL on Friday said that it has entered into a pact with Airport Authority of India (AAI) for facilitating the start of commercial flights from Rourkela in Odisha. Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) has signed the operation and management contract with AAI through its unit Rourkela Steel Plant. The public sector enterprise had in 2018 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for use of its own airport, under the regional connectivity scheme UDAN, for operation of commercial flights. The civil aviation ministry has rendered financial support for the upgradation of this airport. The Odisha government will deliver security, fire and ambulance services besides assisting with other local clearances. AAI, on behalf of SAIL - Rourkela Steel Plant, will operate and manage the airport. Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) -UDAN, a flagship project of the central government launched by the civil aviation ministry, envisages enhancing the regional air connectivity by providin

Drones to monitor illegal prawn ponds in Odisha wetlands in 4 districts

The Orissa High Court on Wednesday accepted a proposal submitted by Amicus Curiae Mohit Agarwal for the deployment of drones to monitor illegal prawn culture ponds or gherries encroaching wetlands in at least four coastal districts of the state. "A division bench headed by Chief Justice S Muralidhar has accepted my proposal and has directed the state government to provide necessary infrastructure and funds to deploy drones for monitoring the illegal gherries, which are coming up even within 24 hours of their demolition by the authorities," Agarwal said. The districts in which the drones will be deployed are Balasore, Kendrapara, Puri and Ganjam and the state government has been asked to submit an affidavit in this regard by the next date of hearing on December 5, Agarwal said. The Amicus Curiae had made the proposal for the deployment of drones after it was revealed from different affidavits made by the district administrations that physical deployment of police force is unable to .

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launches 'Safal' common credit portal for farmers

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday launched a common credit portal SAFAL' (Simplified Application for Agricultural Loans) for the welfare of farmers. The facility will enable farmers and agri-entrepreneurs to access more than 300 term loan products of over 40 banks, the chief minister said while launching the portal. It has also been integrated with Krushak Odisha and will have access to 70-plus model project reports. The application can revolutionise credit provisions for farmers and agri-entrepreneurs, he said. Expressing satisfaction over the launch of the portal, Patnaik said that the application is a one-stop solution for farmers and agri-entrepreneurs to avail formal sector credit from public and private sector banks, Regional Rural Banks, State Cooperative Banks, and Small Finance Banks. The portal will ease the loan application process benefiting both the farmers and banks significantly, the chief minister said. It will also reduce information asymmetry by se

Indian Super League 2022-23: Odisha FC registers 1st home win of the season

Odisha FC secured all three points against Kerala Blasters with a dramatic 2-1 comeback win in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Kalinga Stadium here on Sunday

NCMC reviews preparedness for possible cyclonic storm over Bay of Bengal

Union Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba reviewed the preparedness of Central ministries, agencies and state governments to deal with the situation arising out of Cyclone Sitrang in the Bay of Bengal

Possible cyclone likely to hit Bengal, Odisha on Oct 25; warning issued

A low-pressure system over the Andaman Sea is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm and reach West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts on October 25, causing wind gusting to 110 km per hour, the IMD said on Friday. Sanjib Bandopadhyay, the deputy director-general of Regional Met Centre in Kolkata, said that the system is likely to cause light to moderate rain in Gangetic West Bengal, with isolated heavy rain in the coastal districts of South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur. He said that it is likely to cause light to moderate rain in Kolkata on October 24 and 25. "Wind speed of 45 to 55 km gusting to 65 kmph will occur in the coastal districts of South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur on October 24, while on October 25, wind speed will reach 90 to 100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph," he told reporters here. Wind speed of 30 to 40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph will occur in Kolkata and adjoining districts of Howrah and Hooghly, he said. "It will not be a super cyc

Odisha, W Bengal mobilising resources as possible cyclone approaches

Odisha is bracing for heavy rainfall early next week under the impact of a possible cyclone in the Bay of Bengal, which is likely to skirt the state and move towards West Bengal and Bangladesh, the IMD said on Friday. The West Bengal government has initiated the process of evacuating people from low-lying areas in several districts, officials said. The weather system, which is presently in the form of a low pressure area over the North Andaman sea and adjoining areas, is likely to take shape of a depression on Saturday and a deep depression on Sunday, before intensifying into a cyclonic storm on Monday, and move in north and north-east direction towards West Bengal and Bangladesh, the IMD said. The cyclonic storm is expected to be christened Sitrang', as suggested by Thailand. Odisha's Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Pramila Mallick said that instructions have been issued to all the districts and coastal region authorities to deal with any eventuality. The system is likel