PANCHAYAT ELECTIONS TO BE IN 5 PHASES IN RAYAGADA

VISIT OF SR. ADVISER PLANNING COMMISSION TO RAYAGADA

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Sri. Mohanty, IAS ( AP) Sr. Advisor Planning commission visited Rayagada district today along qwith Sri. Arbind Padhy, IAS Director Special projects Panchayat Raj dept. Govt of Odisha, visited Rayagada today. They visited the Kolnora and Rayagada blocks and saw various works under the MGNREGS, IAP and other schemes. The Sr. Advisor planing commission was very pleased to see the check dam cum foot bridge projects executed by the Watershed dept out of Integrated Action Plan( IAP) which has proved to be very useful in easing the situation due to prevalence of drought this year. Director Special Projects advised to take up horticulture crops with the water that is made available for irrigation by these projects and make a model livelihood plan out of it, in all such places where check dam has been built.

In the afternoon they also visited the Gumma and Kumbhikota Gram Panchayats of Rayagada district and saw NREGS and IAP owrks there. One such Pipe water scheme has been executed by RWSS on a hilltop habitation in the Champikota village which has been praised by all. It is an endeavor of the district administration to make visible impact in the interior areas through various flagship programs of the government, particularly MGNREGS and IAP. Hence many important projects were taken up in remote and interior areas after assesing the felt need.

The district administration has taken up area opening projects which on olves making alternayive conectivity to areas which otherwise would be accesible only by a circuitous route. Two such projecys were seen bu the senior advisor planning commission, one at chekaguda the foot suspension bridge and the other road opening from Kumang to Nisikhal. These projects would not only redice the distance, but also open up the economy of the area.

IRRESPONSIBLE REPORTING BY A DAILY REPORTER CREATES PANIC IN THE STATE

A leading daily of Odisha carried a headline in today that 'ADM, BDO and JE have been kidnapped' in the Chandrapir block of Rayagada district, which incidently is the most naxal affected block in the district. This sent a panic wave in not just the district, but also in the entire state and ripples are felt in the state capital as well. Infact yesterday itself the electronic channel of the same media group carried a news item that the BDO Chandrapur has been kidnapped. Within hours the district police inquired and found that the news item is false and all concerned, including the media persons were informed accordingly. However inspite of this the media group in its daily has carried in the front page headline news of abduction of BDO, ADM and JE, which is nothing but a clear case of irresponsible reporting.

It is said that this irresponsible reporting from the reporter daily has been critized by the members of the press themselves, who are told to have said that this is a an attempt of individual reporter to gain public attention by engaging in sensationalism, unmindful of the effect it will have on the relatives of those who are falsely said to have been kidnapped, in particular and govt officials and people in general.

This episode further brings to fore the issue of standards and accountability of media perssons.A senior citizen in Rayagada has said that media has a very important role to play in a democracy and all sorts of freedom is given to them. However with this kind of mindset, the freedom is more often than not, misused.
People in general, in the district, are seen to be very angry about this behaviour from the otherwise reputed media house and there is demand to call for their explanation by the government.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARENESS CAMP IN RAYAGADA

An entrepreneurship awareness camp was organised by the District Employment office in UGMIT Polytechnic in Rayagada today.

LABOUR UNREST SOLVED IN JK PAPERMILL

The deadlock due to the labour unrest that was going on for more than 10 day in JK paper mill finnaly came to an end on 25th Dec. After rounds of meetings and negotiations between the managent and one contractual labour union, the matter could not be solved. Initially the demand was of wage parity between the contractual and regular unskilled labour. From the earlier daily wage rate of 102 odd plus 7 more in form of subsidies, the labour unions demanded a wage hike of Rs. 200, taking the daily wages to more than Rs. 300. For a week there was no decision. The district administration had intervened through the District Labour officer, making it very clear that it will only facilitate the negotiations and limit its role to checking whether minimum wages and entitlements are given or not. The district administration had made it very clear that it wont decide anything about the quantum of hike and as a bench mark, it suggested the minimum wage that is given in MGNREGS, i.e Rs. 125.

The district administration intervened directly for three times to solve the deadlock, which was getting worse, with the labour union representatives taking law in to their own hands and physically obstructing willing workers and even housemaids of officers from entering the premises. The situation changes only after a stern warning from the side of the district administration, that those involved in lawlessness will be taken to task, irrespective of its repercussions on the industrial climate.

After coming down their initial stand of not accepting anything less than equal pay for daily wage contractual labourers with those of regular ones, the discussion then finally came to deciding the wage hike. after series of negotiations it was finally agreed by both the sides that the daily wages will be hiked to Rs. 150, which happens to be the highest in the area and on an agreement that there wont be any more hike even if the minimum wage is revised by teh government and it happens to be below this agreed hike.

Sub Collector Rayagada, Sri. Mishra and dist labour officer played a major role in in diffusing the crisis.

EX MLA RAYAGADA AND VETERAN CONGRESS LEADER RAMCHANDRA ULAKA PASSES AWAY

Sri. Ramchandra Ulaka, Ex MLA Rayagada and a senior congress leader passed away at a ripe age of 78 in Bhubaneshwar yesterday, due to cardiac stroke.
Sri. Ulaka had was 6 time MLA and 2 time MP. He was also a cabinet minister for two terms. He was born in a small village in Kalyansinghpur block and rose to the ranks by sheer hard work. His political career started in 1962 when he was elected to the Loksabha and continued in active politics till his death.
Collector Rayagada visited the family and paid his respects to the dpearted soul. "The district has lost a great son, one who had guided its development during his long political career. This void is difficult to fill", he said.
People from all walks of life are expressing their condolences to the bereaved family and are paying homage to this great tribal leader.
FOSM pays tribute to this great soul.

LINK TO RI, ARI, AMIN RECRUITMENT EXAM ADVERTISEMENT RAYAGADA

VISIT OF DIG AND COLLECTOR RAYAGADA TO VILLAGES WITH CASES OF DEATHS AND SEVERE ILLNES DUE TO CONSUMPTION OF SALAPA

Collector Rayagada, along with BDO and Tahsildar Kolnora and with officials of Excise dept, visied the cluster of villages from where cases of severe illness and deaths due to consumption of contaminated Salapa were reported. The villages are Kumbhaiguda, Rodangi, Bada Khilapadar, Gundumai.

Earlier in the day, Sri. Soumendra Priyadarshi, IPS, DIG SWR also visited the area and assessed the situation in the villages showing cases of such severe illness. He also visited the patients in DHH Rayagada and interacted with them and their relatives.

Collector Rayagada visited the bereaved families and ensured them all the required support from the district administration. The BDO Kolnora has been instructed to extend benifit under National Family Benefit Scheme and to refer the case to Sub Collector Rayagada for widow pension.

 After local inquiry with the relatives of the deceased and the villagers in the locality including public representatives and SHGs, it has been seen that the incident has been due to consumption of Salapa, a toddy like liquid. The excise squads have taken some samples of the Salapa pots tied to the Salapa tree, wherein it was founds that it contained roots of some trees, locally called as Chera, which is used to ferment the Salapa, in Sunlight. This Chera at times becomes contaminant and results in food poisoning. There has been so far no indication towards any illegal distillation or circulation of spurious liquor in the locality in this matter.  However Collector Rayagada said that all angles are being examined and the root of this menace will be traced out.Meanwhile condition of those admitted in DHH Rayagada and MKCG medical college Berhmapur, is said to be stable.

CONSUMPTION OF CONTAMINATED SALAP ( TODDY LIKE INTOXICANT) LEADS TO DEATH AND SEVERE ILLNESS IN KOLNORA

The district administration its its letter to the Commissioner-cum-Secretary Excise dept has informed that it received reports of severe illness of some people of Badakhilapdar village in Kolnara Block reportedly due to consumption of Salap along with Meat during a Bhoji ( ceremonial feast) after completion of thrashing of paddy yesterday.

Of the 9 patients that were admitted to District Headquarters Hospital Patnanu Lanta, 26 years (Gold Smith) S/o Patnanu Anand Rao, and Lacha Peribaka (45 Years), S/o Diudu Peribaka expired. Of the rest 7 , two patients namely Sri Ramachandra Achary(35 Years), Sri Prunachadra Kondagori (50 years) have already been shifted to MKCG Medical College Hospital, Berhampur for higher treatment.

 Massive enforcement measures have been ordered in that area by Collector Rayagada. The officers of excise and police department have formed squads and are monitoring the entire area. On the basis of reports received so far from the villages and also from the relatives of the patients its revealed that the cases of sever illness have occurred due to consumption of Salapa along with Meat and Rice.

 The Sub-Collector, Rayagada who was directed by Collector Rayagada to move to the area and take stock of the situation visited the Badakhilapodar village along with SDPO and Kolnora IIC and inquired in detail about the incident. His observation is that the patients,who are admitted to DHH , Rayagada, had consumed the Salapa from one particular source and the extracted Salap might have been contaminated. This has been testified by the villagers in the locality during his visit. The situation is under control and there have been no further cases as such. However, all the officers in that area have been instructed to monitor the situation closely.

 So far there is nothing to indicate that this incident has occurred due to consumption of illicit liquor. However, deaths of persons due to this and subsequent development are being monitored closely and necessary steps to keep the situation under control. Also the charge of Excise Superintendent has been given to Sub-Collector,Rayagada which was earlier with Deputy Superintendent of Excise, Rayagada . These facts have also been appraised to he office of Hon'ble CM and to the Revenue Divisional Commissioner, Southern Division.

ODISHA SAHITYA AKADEMI CONDUCTS SAHITYA SAMMELAN IN RAYAGADA

A Sahitya Sammelan ( Lieterary Symposium) was conducted in the town of Rayagada Municipality today. The sammelan was to be inaugurated by the Hon'ble Minister for SC/ST development, Sri. Lal Bihari HImirika, but because of important assembly work, he could not attend. The function was graced by the presence of eminent literary figures from Odisha, such as Prof. Tikayatrai whose was Chairman of the Odisha Bhasha Pratishtan. Collector Rayagada was the guest of honor.

 The sammelan included deliberations on the literary matters, followed by a Kavi Sammelan. The theme this time was ' tribal cultural and languages'. The speakers deliberated in length on matters related to development of Odia language and culture. The speakers reiterated their demand for recognition of Odia as a classical language.

 Collector Rayagada stressed the need to develop and protect tribal languages and for the asme, he informed that a society has been formed named, 'Kui Sanskruti Nehi Kutumi', with the help of eminent citizens well versed with the Kui language of the Kandha tribals, spoke over large tracts of Rayagada, Koraput, Kalahandi and Kandhamal. The primary task of the society is to collect various tribal literature, including folklores and songs and publish them. Another major task is to decide about the script of the Kui language.