Jagatsinghpur

Woman gets her first pension, garlands officer for instant justice

January 23, 2020 By Amarnath Parida Leave a Comment

Jagatsinghpur, Jan 23 (LocalWire) An elderly woman was so happy to receive her first pension in Jagatsinghpur district that she garlanded a senior officer in full public view for providing her instant justice, an eyewitness said on Thursday.

62-year-old Gandhei Sethi, a resident of Nandan village under Tirtol block was running from pillar to post to get her included in the list of the beneficiaries of Madhu Babu pension scheme.

Under the scheme, the state government provides financial assistance to poor elderly people.

Recently Sethi had met Sangram Kumar Mohapatra, the district collector and narrated her plight.

Mohapatra promptly ordered the concerned officials to consider her case and provide her pension.

After getting the first monthly pension of Rs.500, the woman plucked all the flowers of marigold plants she has grown in her backyard and prepared a garland.

Holding tears of happiness in her eyes, the woman went to the venue and garlanded the district collector in full public view, when he was attending a meeting.

LocalWire

Special: Family continues to search for son missing since 2009

January 21, 2020 By Amarnath Parida Leave a Comment

Jagatsinghpur, Jan 21 (LocalWire) A family in Jagatsinghpur district continued to search for their son who disappeared more than a decade years ago from a ashram where he was working.

A resident of Lachmakana village under Erasama police station area, Senapati was an accountant at the Trahi Achyuta Ashram at Jhintisasan.

He went missing in 2009.

His parents had lodged a complaint with Balipatana police accusing the Ashram godman of abduction.

It’s been several years long investigation, but the parents still to get answers.

Mayadhar, the missing man’s father alleged that the police did not act as ashram godman was very influential at that time.

Police deny the charge.

Radhakant Sahu, the head of Balipatana police station told LocalWire police are doing every effort to locate the missing man.

LocalWire

Residents seek rail connectivity, launch signature campaign at bookfair

January 19, 2020 By Amarnath Parida Leave a Comment

Jagatsinghpur, Jan 20 (LocalWire) Residents have launched a signature campaign at a book fare here seeking rail connectivity to the district headquarters town of Jagatsinghpur.

Former chairman of the municipality Biplab Chaudhry, a campaigner said the initiative has received a spontaneous response and everyone visiting the book fare is extending support.

He said the people of the district have been demanding the construction of a new railway line from Cuttack to Paradip through the district headquarters town.

A new railway line from Chhapada to Niali road will connect the proposed Bhubaneswar- Astaranga rail link, he told LocalWire.

It will help people of Naugaon, Balikuda, Jagtsinghpur and residents living near the Devi river in Cuttack district travel to the state capital Bhubaneswar by train covering a short distance.

It will also reduce the distance of travel between Bhubaneswar to the port town of Paradeep, he pointed out.

He said after the end of the campaign, a memorandum will be sent to the central government.

Jagatsinghpur district was carved out of Cuttack in the year 1993.

LocalWire

Two-year old girl abandoned, produced before district Child Welfare Committee

January 16, 2020 By Amarnath Parida Leave a Comment

Jagatsinghpur, Jan 16 (Localwire): A two-year-old girl abandoned by her mother near beggar was produced Thursday before the district Child Welfare Committee (CWC) here.

The mother came with her child to Gorekhnath Peeth temple in Kerekera village under Raghunathpur police station to worship on Makara Sankrati Wednesday, and left the girl with a woman beggar on the plea of tracing her missing husband.

The unidentified woman believed to be from a well-off family later didn’t return to take back her child.

Sarpanch of Chapada panchyat Bijay Kumar Swain immediately rushed to the spot after receiving the information and took up the matter with the child line after which the girl was rescued from the beggar.

The child has now been kept at the local Sishu Ashram.

“The child line personnel have produced the abandoned girl before CWC today.

Her health condition is okay. Police has lodged a missing case and started investigation,” Chairperson of district CWC Bisesweri Mohanty told Localwire.

LocalWire

Minister inaugurates community centre

January 14, 2020 By Amarnath Parida Leave a Comment

Jagatsinghpur, Jan 14 (LocalWire): The water resources and public relations minister Raghunandan Das on Tuesday inaugurated a community centre at Nigamananda Ashram of Nalio village under Balikuda block in the district of Jagatsinghpur.

The Paradip Port Trust has sponsored the centre under its corporate social responsibility fund.

The minister while speaking on the occasion thanked the port trust officials for providing CSR fund of Rs. 20 lakh for building the centre, which will benefit the local community in Balikuda area for their welfare activities.

Bimal Kumar Jha, Secretary of Paradip Port Trust, also addressed the gathering. Guru Prasad Chotray, former President of Nilachal Saraswat Sangh, presided over the ceremony.

LocalWire

CESU junior engineer in vigilance net

December 30, 2019 By Amarnath Parida Leave a Comment

Jagatsinghpur, Dec 30 (LocalWire): Vigilance sleuths today raided five places, including the house and office of a junior engineer of Central Electricity Supply Utility of Odisha (CESU) here on charges of amassing disproportionate assets.

The sleuths traced movable and immovable properties worth Rs 1.10 crore from the possession of Dipiti Prakash Swain and his family members.

Raids were conducted in Swain’s parental house at Bisipitall village under Jagatsinghpur police limit, his office in Jagatsinghpur, his residence in Mangala colony under Jagatsinghpur police limit and his relatives’ house in Kendrapara and Jajpur.

‘Movable and immovable properties worth Rs 2.10 crore and Rs 43.720 cash was found on his possession.

LIC bonds, vehicle worth Rs 19.41 lakh, three-storied building worth Rs 80 lakh, gold ornaments of Rs 2.27 lakh and spice factory machinery worth Rs 12 lakh was found.

We verified the accounts at different nationalized banks and are ascertaining the income of the official,’ said vigilance inspector, Hemant Kumar Mohanty.

LocalWire

NSUI observes 135th foundation day of Congress

December 28, 2019 By Amarnath Parida Leave a Comment

Jagatsinghpur, December 28 (Localwire): National Students Union of India (NSUI), the students’ wing of the Indian National Congress, on Saturday observed the 135th foundation day of the party at Jagatsinghpur.

The NSUI also held a demonstration to protest against the central government’s decision to implement CAA, NRC, and NPR.

The local Congress leaders also took a vow to intensify the struggle to save the nation.

Earlier in the day, NSUI members distributed fruits and sweets to the patients at the district headquarter hospital in Jagatsinghpur and also conducted plantation programme.

Former chairman of Jagatsinghpur Municipality Biplab Chaudhry, Jagatsinghpur NSUI president Kumar Pritam Parija, co-coordinator Krushna Chandra Pradhan, former secretary of state Youth Congress Avilash Mania and other congress leaders were also present during the occasion.

LocalWire

Two days state conference of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation begins

December 28, 2019 By Amarnath Parida Leave a Comment

Paradip, December 28 (Localwire): The two-day 44th state conference of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation (SSSSO) was inaugurated by its national president Nimish Pandya in Paradip on Saturday.

The opening day of the conference was also attended by the SSSSO Odisha state president Narayan Prasad, state convener Antaryami Pattnaik, Jagatsinghpur district president Bipin Bihari Panigrahi, and other dignitaries.

Speaking on the occasion, the dignitaries highlighted the principles, ideology, and discipline of Sai Sangthan and praised the brothers and sisters for adopting its principles and ideology.

The SSSSO also released two books ‘Sai Sanklan’ and Sai Bharati’, based on the life history and ideology of Sri Satyasai on the occasion.

The organisation also celebrated the Festival of Joy, commemorating 50 years of Sri Sathya Sai Bal Vikas, on 25-26 December.

A Grama Sammilani of Jagatsinghpur district will be held on Sunday that will be joined by representatives of all 1,285 villages from 195 gram panchayat in eight blocks of the district.

According to the organisers, over 2,500 delegates from across the state along, as well as some dignitaries from outside the state are participating in the conference.

On the eve of the function, the Pandya also inaugurated a free drinking water project at Olara village of Erasama block and a free computer training centre for poor students at Paradip Sathya Sai temple.

LocalWire

Biridi tiny tots participate in mini marathon

December 25, 2019 By Amarnath Parida Leave a Comment

Jagatsinghpur, Dec 25 (LocalWire): Kindergarden, pre schools and Day cares organised a mini marathon in Biridi today for a safer and fitter Odisha where hundreds of students participated.

Chairman of Odisha State Police Housing and Welfare Corporation (OPHWC ) Lalit Das inaugurated the 5000 metre-marathon and awarded prize to the winners on this occasion.

LocalWire

Harassed by loan sharks, over 10 commit suicide in Jagatsinghpur

December 20, 2019 By Amarnath Parida Leave a Comment

Jagatsinghpur, December 20 (LocalWire): Exorbitant rate of interest charged by private moneylenders in rural areas of Jagatsinghpur district has become a matter of serious concern among the local people, with over 10 people committing suicide during the last four years as they were unable to return the amount they had borrowed and were living in pathetic condition.

In a recent incident, Sita Mali from Ajagarbedi under the Erasama police limit committed suicide on Wednesday by hanging herself after she failed to pay the amount she had borrowed from a local moneylender.

She had availed a loan Rs 40,000 for prawn cultivation and other crops and her total outstanding, including interest, had touched Rs one lakh and when the moneylender threatened her of dare consequence if she did not return the amount, she committed suicide.

While her husband was away on the day, her father Pravas Mandal of Kharnasi village lodged an FIR in Erasama police station which is now investigating the matter.

According to reports, the poor, including local farmers face difficulties in availing loans from cooperative and nationalised banks for purposes like daughter’s marriage, higher studies, cultivation, and purchasing of vehicles and other assets, and hence they fall prey to the private money lenders.

These moneylenders take advantage of the needs of the locals and their inability to get loans from other sources, harassing and humiliating the poverty-stricken people by demanding an exorbitant rate of interest.

Mali who committed suicide on Wednesday is not alone to succumb to the pressure.

Suryakant Khuntia from Kansa under Jagatsinghpur police station had borrowed Rs one lakh from a private finance company for purchasing a tractor and committed to paying Rs 30,000 per month towards installment to repay the loan.

However, he could not return the amount on time and was threatened by the company henchmen of dire consequences. A harried Khuntia committed suicide by taking poison.

Similarly, in 2015, a 55-year old farmer Rabindra Muduli from village Bariamula under Balikuda police limit had borrowed Rs 80,000 from a private money lender and Rs 10,000 from a Self Help Group for cucumber cultivation on six decimal lands, which was completely destroyed due to scanty rain forcing him to commit suicide by taking poison.

In many cases, the private moneylenders allegedly charge a whopping 10 to 12 per cent interest per month, while there are others who keep different documents as surety from the customers, including property documents, vehicles, signed blank cheques, bond papers and even ATM cards.

Not only do they collect a huge amount as interest from the farmers, but there have also been cases where the moneylenders have taken over the properties and other assets leading conflict and suicide by many.

LocalWire