Event

Berhampur, Jan 18 (LocalWire):The government-run-Industrial Training Institute (ITI) in Berhampur is now converting normal bicycles into e-cycles run by chargeable battery, free of cost!

Around 50 people have shown their interest to turn their bicycles to e-cycle in the institute after it launched the initiative last Tuesday.

“The institute is developing e-cycles with a cost of Rs 9,000 to Rs 10,000 which is cheaper than the market price”, said Rajat Kumar Panigrahy, the Principal of the ITI.

“We have decided to develop at least 100 such cycles free of cost with the first come, first service basis” he added. The cycle will have two options for operation -by charging battery and by paddling, he added.

It’ll help in skill enhancement of the students and encourage them to use e-cycle.

Apart from being eco-friendly, the e-cycle also helps teenagers, mainly college going students, who travel long distances.

“We have seen many students, who are below 18-years coming from far off distance to the institute. They don’t hold a license to ride motorbikes.

The e-vehicle, which travels at a speed of 30-km per hour once charged full, will be helpful to them”, he added.

LocalWire

Berhampur, Jan 17 (LocalWire): Tourism will get a boost in Tampara further. The picturesque lake near Chhatrapur, about 25 km from Ganjam district will get a facelift.

The Berhampur Development Authority (BeDA) has finalized the second phase projects of worth around Rs 8 crore. The project will be implemented in coastal circuit development under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme of the Central government.

Several things will be developed under the project. These include landscaping, trekking, food court (second in the series), tourist reception center, entrance gate and a jetty.

“The tender has been finalized and work order handed to the contractor. The project should be completed within 11 months,” told BeDA vice-chairman Chakravarti Singh Rathore to Localwire.

The first phase of the project is currently underway and expected to be completed by the end of next April.

The infrastructure development work under the first phase includes landscaping, widening of the road from National Highway to the lake, food court, illumination and sitting facilities, he added.

Berhampur MP Chandra Sekhar Sahu in the BeDA meeting on Thursday stressed on the timely completion of the project.

Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahy, Berhampur MLA Bikram Panda and Chhatrapur MLA Subash Behera was also a part of the meeting.

Two years ago, the government had sanctioned Rs 33.43-crore under the scheme for developing tourism facilities of the lake.

Efforts are on to develop Tampara Lake into a major tourist destination. Water sports were introduced last month.

Tourists can now enjoy Jetski rides, double side banana boat, bandwagon, water zorbing paddle boat and speed boating, sources said.

LocalWire

Berhampur, Jan 15 (Localwire) People of the South India origin here celebrated the beginning of the three-day festival of Pongal with their relatives and friends.

The women drew colourful rangoli outside of their decorated houses to welcome the newly harvested rice, prepare Pongali, a special delicacy and distributed among relatives after offering to the god.

The three-day Pongal festival which began yesterday is known as the mother of the festivals by the Telugu community here.

The first day of the festival was celebrated as Bhogi, while the second day is being celebrated as Pongal, also known as Makar Sankranti today.

With a sizeable Telugu population in this Odisha-Andhra border town, the festival is being celebrated every year with pomp and gaiety. In several places, Odiya people also joined with the Telugus to celebrate the festival.

“Pongal is the biggest annual festival of the Telugu people and they celebrate it across the country, ” said Satya Narayana, president of Andhra Bhashabhivardhani Samajam (ABS).

Chandra Sekhar Sahu, MP, and Bokram Kumar Panda, MLA, both from Berhampur joined the festivities with the Telugu community here.

Besides Berhampur, Pongal is also being celebrated with traditional fervour in other Telugu dominated villages in and around Gopalpur, Chhatrapur and Chikiti in Ganjam district. On the eve of Pongal, people in different localities lit the traditional bonfire to mark the Bhogi.

Andhra Bhashabhivardhani Samajam has organised the Sankranti Sambaraalu (Pongal celebration) here.

“We have been celebrating Pongal here with Telugu community participation in large numbers for last two years, ” ABS president said. The aim is to protect the Telugu cultural, he added.

“Pongali”, a special delicacy prepared with the newly harvested rice, dal, jaggery, dry fruits, sugar and milk was distributed on the occasion.

Pongal is celebrated to thank the Sun God. The Pongali, cooked in a new clay pot, is offered to the Sun God.

“Pongal is the auspicious day for us and the day to evoke the forefathers of the family and an occasion to offer them food,” said Shankar Rao, a resident of the city.

After Shankranti, and Kanuma, the last day of the Pongal will be celebrated on Thursday.

Kanuma is basically a festival of the farmers when the cattle and the cattle sheds are cleaned. Since very few Telugu people have cattle, so the celebration of Kanuma is not that big, ” said A. Srinibash Rao, a Telugu youth.

Localwire

Berhampur, Jan 14 (LocalWire): The members of a weavers organization here have been providing free rice and dal to the needy of their community for the last 15 years.

The Devanga Welfare Association also started providing oil and clothes to them from this year.

Each family has been provided rice (7 kg), dal (2 kg), edible oil (1 liter), sugar, suji, atta (one kg each), a saree, dhoti, a blanket and required spices, All Odisha Devanga Mahasangh president T. Gopi, said.

The free ration and other daily essentials have benefited 56 poor weaver families in Silk City.

Cash assistance of Rs. 160 was also given to each family, Gopi said.
The main objectives were to ensure that no one from our community stays in hunger, he said.

Gopi said the association members started distribution of free ration first in 1985 that too to only ten families after collecting donations.

Association chairman N. Rama Rao said they have formed a committee that examines the financial condition of the families and prepare the list of beneficiaries before food items are provided.

The silk city is home to around 2,000 weaver families. Some of them have left their traditional occupation as they are unable to make their ends meet through weaving.

The association members said they keep the money collected from the well-established weaver families in fix deposit and use it to purchase the rations.

Apart from the food security programme, the organization has also been extending helping hand to the poor students by supporting them with study materials.

This year, the organization has provided study materials to 90 school and college-going students of the community.

LocalWire