Bhubaneswar, 08/04/22: Word game #3Words1Pic has created a stir on the online gaming genre on social media; the frenzied buzz was evident when the hashtag trending #3Words1Pic bombed the Twitter on 07 April. Casual gamers say that it’s India’s answer to the widely known, online brainteaser, Wordle!
#3Words1Pic has taken over internet, surging curiosity among the gamer community across the globe. The fever has left Twitter flooded with netizens posting their selfies and memes, asking their friends to send them three words for the pic with #3Words1Pic. The hashtag trending on Twitter within days of its announcement has made it a must-try for casual gamers worldwide.
When the world is reeling in the popularity of colourful emoji squares, India’s own developed word game “3 Words 1 Pic” has rightly upped the ante. 3 Words 1 Pic is an android game developed by a gaming company based in Bhubaneswar, called Paperboat Labs Pvt Ltd, and is available on Google play store for free download.
The founder of the gaming startup, Jubanashwa Mishra, said “A recent study shows that in English language 71% often find spelling mistakes in written correspondences. To promote the use of right spellings and the right word for the right communication, 3 Words 1 Pic is a gamified way for improving your spelling and vocab, where all you need to do is – guess three words related to one picture.”
The game navigates through levels with the use of tons of pictures that adds to the fun. While looking at colourful pictures, the users also learn a treasure trove of new words and their spellings. As the game progresses the user has to move ahead within levels. You will never experience a dull moment while moving through the colorful interface interlaced with lovely use of graphics and navigation.
This marketing campaign has also laid to flooding of the internet with memes of different genres. Influencers and netizens from all across India have joined the #3Words1Pic campaign. From Marketing professors of reputed institutes to senior journalists, trade experts and film critics from entertainment industry.
Odisha plans to restart bauxite mining on the Mali hill in Koraput district but is facing resistance from local residents.
This resistance has been ongoing for two decades. Environment Clearance for mining on the hill was granted in 2006 but the project stopped functioning after 2014-15.
Bauxite mined from this region would be sent to Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Karnataka for industrial purposes. Villagers allege that mining can lead to drying of 36 identified natural streams, pollution and affect the natural irrigation of farms around the hill.
Early last month, a notice was sent out from a local police station to some of the residents from 51 villages around the Mali Parbat, a hill in the Koraput district of Odisha. The notice, in English, to the primarily tribal district, accused the people of conspiring to disrupt an upcoming meeting of the gram sabha (village council). The meeting, to be held on November 22, had been proposed to seek the consent of the villagers for a bauxite mining project, a much-contested topic for almost two decades.
The accused were summoned to the police station and were detained by the local police to prevent them from attending the village council meeting, the villagers told Mongabay-India during a visit. Meanwhile, 20 police platoons were deployed at the meeting site to avoid any disruptions, indicate media reports, and barbed-wire barricades were set up near the site. People in the vicinity, as far as three kilometres from the meeting site, were scrutinised and some, even not on the suspected list, were not allowed to attend the meeting.
The meeting was for the Mali Parbat (Mali Hill) mining project that is proposed to come up over 268.11 hectares of this hill. There has been ongoing resistance by the tribal and non-tribal rural population in the affected villages around the hill since 2003, when the Environment Impact Assessment, required for obtaining clearance to mine the hill area for bauxite, had started.
In the most recent of objections, the gram sabha meeting on September 22, 2021, witnessed disruptions with chairs at the site being damaged and clashes between the administration and local residents who made accusations about starting the hearing before time, which left out those who showed up on time. The protestors were arrested and the September meeting was cancelled. Then, more recently, before the November 22 meeting, several women protesters from the affected villages gheraoed the office of the Collector in Koraput to protest against the alleged government role in the bauxite mining matter. These incidents led to closer surveillance of the November meeting, with the police pre-emptively preventing people that they suspected of disruption, from entering.
Following the meeting, Rajendra Pujari, Additional District Magistrate, while speaking to the local media about the cooperation of the people, declared that the November 22 gram sabha meeting was peaceful and was a success. The decision and discussions of the meeting would be sent to the union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change for consideration with regards to the environment clearance (EC) for the mining project.
A landscape view of the Mali Parbat (Mali Hill) as seen from the road connecting villages across the hill. Photo by Manish Kumar/Mongabay.
The villagers, however, claimed that many of them were denied entry into the meeting while several of them were detained on their way to the site. “While I was going to the gram sabha meeting, I was stopped and denied entry. Along with some other women, I was taken to the local police station and we were asked to sign on a blank paper. We were released after about five hours of detention,” Manima Patnaik, a resident of Aligaon village (in Koraput), which is one of the villages affected by upcoming bauxite mining, close to the Mali Parbat, told Mongabay-India. She said that her name was not even in the list of 51 people who were issued a notice by the police accusing them of a conspiracy before the hearing.
Nanu Pujari, another woman from the village said that she along with 14 others were taken in a bus and were dropped five kilometres away from the site to prevent them from attending the meeting. This was in addition to the detention and arrests of other male members of several villages around the project site.
Villagers claim that around 15,000 villages from 42 villagers around the site were going to be affected, but the meeting was held with less than 300 members due to the pandemic. However, this is against the September 2020 order of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change which had even advocated for scattered meetings, written consents, electronic outreach and other means during the time of COVID-19 to ensure widespread consent in mining-affected areas.
What is the mining project proposing?
Bauxite mining has been proposed on the Mali hills. Government documents, including the 2006 Environment Clearance given for mining in the area, claim the land is barren. However, while visiting the area, Mongabay-India observed that the hill was full of trees and green vegetation, except for the hill top which was rocky and didn’t have any vegetation.
Aligaon is a village at the foothills of the Mali Parbat and in addition to it, villages in and around the proposed mining site, are against the project and claim that it will threaten the local environment, besides hampering the 36-odd water streams that emerge from the hills and supply water for irrigation use in several farms.
Parsu Pujari, a farmer from Aligaon said, “We have been living in the villages for several years. There is a large tribal population in the area around the village and many villages are likely to get affected if mining starts here. There are many water streams that come out from the hills which are used in irrigating our land. If mining starts, there will be a rise in pollution levels in the otherwise serene and green area.”
Dashrath Japuria, another tribal person from the village said that the tribal communities revere the hill. The sacred cave Pakuli Debi on the hill is connected to their faith. Any devastation of the hills due to mining would go against their faith and hurt sentiments.
People from other villages, such as Arjun Kirsani from Kokariguda village in Doliaguda panchayat, claimed that the police used a large force to instil fear in the villagers that would in turn make them vote in support of the mining plan. They say they believe the meeting was orchestrated by the local administration to ensure support to the mining project.
Sankar Prasad Pani, environmentalist and lawyer at the National Green Tribunal (NGT), questioned the way in which the meeting was conducted.
“The large deployment of force in the gram sabha meetings affects the free and fair conduct of such meetings without fear in mind. This diluted the very concept of free consent for any project in scheduled areas as mentioned in the law books,” Pani told Mongabay-India.
However, the fears and apprehensions of villagers are not without a reason. The Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report of the mining project also speaks about the likely threat from the operations of the bauxite mining as the project is likely to see drilling, blasting, transportation and other activities.
The EIA report claims that 40 percent of the mining operations would be done through drilling and blasting which is likely to degrade 109 hectares of the land at the site from the total of 268.11 hectares of land required for the project. The report also talks about the likely chance of wash-off from the waste during mining and transportation during monsoons. It had claimed that noise levels at the nearest habitation (Pagugurha village) is likely to see an increase up to 1d(B)A due to the mining work. It said some streams originate on the top of the plateau and flow down to the hills to unite to other second streams.
The EIA report also talks about several measures that could be taken to counter or reduce the negative impacts of the effects on the local environment and communities.
Long running resistance
The mining company was granted the surface right of lease in 2007. The mining in the area operated for a brief period after 2012 where it faced resistance as well as support from the local people. Clashes broke out between the two opposing groups several times. Soon, the mining operations were stopped and then, in March 2019, the lease expired.
A farmland near the hills adjoining the Mali Parbat. Photo by Manish Kumar/Mongabay.
The gram sabha meeting last month, on November 22, was organised to seek consent from the villagers to renew the mining project. But with the deployment of police force and detention of people, the meeting is now marred by controversy.
In the 2000s, a local outfit, Mali Parbat Surakhya Samiti was also formed to spearhead the movement against mining. Local activist Prafulla Samantara had also moved the National Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA) against the environment clearance given for the mining in 2006 but the NEAA rejected the plea citing delay in approaching the authority.
Samantara has other issues to raise too. “In the early 2000s government reports claimed there was no water stream in the hills but in the latest EIA it admits some water sources but denied it being perennial. We personally have seen around 32 such water streams and dense trees on most parts of the hills which the government denies to admit. As the miner failed to start production in the first five years after getting EC, their EC expired in 2011 but it did mining after 2011 under the noose of the same government,” Samantara told Mongabay-India.
Samantara’s allegations also find place in official documents too. According to the latest Terms of Reference (ToR) issued by the Ministry of Forest and Environment, the miner’s plea in 2020 for the same was rejected on September 24, 2020 citing operations of the mining after 2011 without a valid Environment Clearance (EC). It was later revised after more paperwork. The latest ToR was issued by the ministry on February 8, 2021.
Following that, a case was filed in the Odisha High Court in 2008 by a villager from the affected area. The case was admitted but, so far, no significant hearing has taken place in the court.
Why is bauxite important for Koraput?
According to the Odisha government’s Economic Survey, the state produces 51 percent of India’s bauxite and it occupies 76.52 percent of the total minerals excavated in the state. Odisha is the largest producer of bauxite in the country with estimated 154.84 metric tonnes production recorded in 2019-20. The revenue and production of bauxite is only expected to increase in the state as the state plans to scale up the production even more.
According to the mining project plan of the bauxite mining at Koraput, the bauxite mined from the site would be taken to Renukoot in Uttar Pradesh, Muri in Jharkhand and Belgaum in Karnataka and some amount would be used within the state. The Dumriput railway siding, about 25 kilometres from the mining site, will be used to transport the bauxite ore from Koraput to different parts of the country.
The majority of the bauxite reserves in the state is located in Koraput and Sundargarh districts. The district survey report of Koraput, which talks about lush green hills, claims that around Rs. seven crore (Rs. 70 million) is collected by the district administration as royalties from one bauxite mining project alone. The proposed mining projects from the area are likely to further add to the revenues of the state.
But even as the minerals in the district are going to result in more revenues for the administration, it has not resulted in development for the mining-affected villagers. For instance, the area is still not covered with proper pucca (permanent) roads and the rate of unemployment in the area is high. In fact, a recent NITI Aayog report claims that 51 percent of Koraput is under poverty as per the National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI).
Koraput Collector, Abdaal M Akhtar and Koraput Superintendent of Police (SP) did not respond to phone calls, emails or messages sent to them seeking their views on the issue.
Banner image: A tribal woman at Aligaon walks in her village near Mali Parbat. Photo by Manish Kumar/Mongabay.
Separate budgets for agriculture, special package ” KALIA”, separate agriculture cabinet, Mobile phones for farmers and various other plans so many plans are being implemented to double the income of farmers in Odisha and change their lives. Despite all this, the financial situation of the farmers has not improved significantly. Farmers in Odisha are poorer than farmers in other states. This is according to a government surveybettermentPlan after plan is being developed for the betterment of agriculture and farmers. Special budgets are being made by both the central and state governments to double the income of farmers and change their lives. Despite this, the financial situation of the farmers has not improved significantly. Farmers in Odisha are poorer than farmers in other states. This is according to a government survey. of agriculture and farmers. Special budgets are being made by both the central and state governments .Similarly, in rural areas of other states, Assam farmers have Rs 4 lakh, Jharkhand Rs 680,000, Chhattisgarh Rs 780,000 and West Bengal farmers Rs 6 lakh. Not only that, the NSSO survey on family land and livelihoods mentions the monthly income of farmers. Jharkhand farmers have a monthly income of Rs 9,75, the lowest in the country. Then the farmers of Odisha. They have a monthly income of just Rs 5,112.
To double the income of the farmers, the state government has introduced special schemes such as the Agriculture Cabinet, the Agriculture Budget and the Kalia scheme to provide financial assistance to them. It provides Rs 2,000 each to each farmer. As of January 2019, the state government has spent about Rs 9,000 crore. In 2021-22, the state government has allocated Rs 17, 469 crore in the agriculture budget, which is almost three times more than in the 2012-13 agriculture budget (Rs 5,928 crore).In addition, some schemes like the Chief Minister’s Agricultural Enterprise Scheme, “BALRAM” have been planned. Not only that, the state government has increased the amount of agricultural loans to Rs 20,000 crore to help farmers.
Despite all this, farmers ’incomes and assets are not growing as expected. On the plight of farmers in Odisha, Akshay Kumar, convenor of the Nab Nirman Krishak Sangathan, said the government’s plan was “for relief purposes.” The government’s interest is limited to just pleasing the farmers. There is no definite plan to help the farmers stand on their own two feet. The infrastructure that will make the farmer self-sufficient is not given to him. Farmers’ per capita income does not increase due to lack of irrigation, electricity, and other infrastructure. Young farmers are no more interested in farming, moving away from agriculture. ”
” sad part is that the government doesn’t see the farmers of the State as ‘ Annadata”. It considers them just as voters. The entire pro farmers exercise by the government is nothing election exercise’ says Satya Prakash Nayak, General Secretary of Pradesh Congress committee. No irrigation, no subsidized power, no cold storage, no fertilizer so how do expect the farmers to earn more? Asks Satya Nayak.
Farmers in Odisha are the poorest in the country,” said BJP state Krishak Morcha president Pradeep Purohit. Eighty-one percent of farmers are indebted. Our state farmers are also poorer than Meghalaya. In the last 20 years, the state has not been able to irrigate. Farmers face drought over rain Odisha could have become the No. 1 state in the country if the government had planned properly. Farmers do not get the price of produce. Due to the lack of cold storage, farmers are throwing vegetables and rice on the streets. Farmers’ incomes could increase if they got the Minimum Support Price (MHSDP). “In view of this, the per capita income of farmers will increase,” he said. According to Congress legislative party leader Narasimha Mishra, farmers spend Rs 238 per quintal of paddy while earning only Rs 1,700. That means farmers are forced to bear the brunt. Sugarcane farming is closed in the state. Vegetable farmers are throwing them out of the way without being able to sell. Whatever the state government plans, it is becoming public. Anti-farmer government. While the central government has introduced anti-farmer laws, the state government has introduced a similar bill. Farmers have not started farming.
On the other hand, Agriculture and Farmer Empowerment Minister Arun Sahu said the state government was committed to agriculture and the development of farmers. With the increase in the income and skills of farmers, the use of technical know-how, economic growth, and the environmentally friendly agricultural policy “Prosperity” are being implemented. The government is focusing on non-performing crops to increase their incomes. Farmers are being given financial assistance and discounts on rice seeds, fertilizers and pesticides. Technical training is being provided to improve the skills of farmers.
Banamali Parida, a farmer from Kendrapara district, said the cost of farming was rising. Wages, fertilizers, seeds, etc. have also risen. Even with the borrowing of the crop, it is being wiped out by droughts, floods, winds. We have to bear the brunt of the fact that whatever is happening is not being sold. Due to the lack of cold storage, the crop cannot be stored. “It simply came to our notice then. He encouraged ordinary people as well to take part in solving this great task: “One of the things you and other people can do is keep up the pressure … there are going to be some difficult decisions for government”.
Bhubaneswar 22/09/2021: In a shocking incident angry villagers tonsured woman’s head and put mud on her face in Kendrapara district of Odisha. The bizarre incident happened a few days back in Pattamundai village. The matter came to light after the video of the incident has gone viral on social media. Locals allege double-dealing is the reason behind the incident. The woman took money from some local villagers assuring them of sanctioning loans from a state run bank. The aggrieved woman too admitted the same in the media. She told reporters that she took Rs 12,000 from them for getting the loan sanctioned and also assured them of returning the money.
The victim 40-year-old woman did not help in sanctioning loand from the bank nor repaid the money. She even tried to evade the matter and refused to to pay the money, allege the villagers. Harassed villagers allegedly tonsured her head and put soot on her face A police official said on Tuesday that people had alleged that the woman had cheated them by promising to sanction loans from a state-run bank.
She claimed that the mob had forcibly taken Rs 25,000 and some ornaments from him. Police Inspector Tapan Raut of Pattamundai Model Police Station said that on receiving a complaint from the victim, we have started action. At least 10 women have been detained based on the video evidence. Police have registered a case against the accused persons.
The Contractual Appointment Rule 2013-14 is a mockery of qualification and principle of equality for the millions of highly educated youth of Odisha. The decision of the state government to abolish regular appointment system and give contractual appointment to Grade C, D and some posts of grade B is unconstitutional and unwarranted alleged Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC). Addressing a press conference here Satya Prakash Nayak, PCC media convenor, has alleged that the main intension behind the tainted Contractual appointment system is a huge annual scam of Rs 2000 crore.
In the last 6 six years the state government has given appointments to over 60 thousand candidates under contractual system. And it does not pay them full salary as per government pay structure. Though government employees, but they are paid consolidated salary without House Rent allowance or DA etc. In that way, it deprived each contractual employee of an average of rs 10 to 15 thousand every month compared to regular employees for the same posts and grades. In such a tainted system, the state govt actually defrauding sixty thousand employees to the tune of Rs 2000 crore annually, alleged Satya Nayak.
The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaves no opportunity to claim that the Naveen Patnaik led Odisha government is the best among all the states. If all those awards and accolades are based on facts then what was the necessity for amending the old regular appointment policy and starting a contractual pattern of appointment in various departments, asked Sri Nayak. Interestingly, When the Supreme Court and different High Courts have categorically mentioned that the contractual appointment system is unconstitutional and against the very principle of equality of opportunity, the state government’s decision to carry on the pattern is nothing but scandalous, said Satya Nayak.
In a similar case of the State of Karnataka Vs Uma Devi and others, the Supreme Court bench of Justice Y K Sabharwal, Justice C K Thakker and Justice P K Balasubramanyam has clearly said that ‘ any public appointment has to be in terms of the constitutional scheme. The order further said that ‘ Regular appointment must be the rule’. The Odisha Contractual appointment rule 2013 is a clear-cut case of violation of honourable Supreme Court’s direction, said Sri Nayak. This a massive injustice to the educated youths of the state. They are being denied of their constitutional rights and due salary by the state government.
Now the big question is what the Naveen Babu government does with the thousands of crore rupees swindled from the contractual employees, asks Satya Nayak. The money been deceived from the salary of the low-paid employees are actually spent on various popular schemes to create favourable opinion about Naveen babu and BJD to win the sympathy and goodwill of the people, said Sri Nayak.
That’s not all, on 25 May 2021, the office of the Labour Commission, Odisha announced the revised rate of daily wages for unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and highly skilled categories of employees and labours. They revised the daily wage for highly skilled workers from Rs 458 to Rs 461 per day. The state government ran a costly ad-campaign in newspapers claiming Odisha pays the highest daily wages to labourers in the entire country. Interestingly, a B-tech, M-Tech qualified employee in the state government appointed under contractual system gets only Rs 8080/- which is much less than the daily wage fixed for highly skilled labourer. This is a shame on Naveen babu, who has brought down the standard of B-Tech, M-Tech qualified government employees below daily wage labours, said Sri NAyak.
The Pradesh Congress has demanded complete abolition of Contractual Appointment rule 2013. Instead demanded regular appointment in government posts. Till the decision is taken the contractual employees be paid salary as per the 7th Pay commission. Besides , steps be taken to regularize the outsourcing contractual employees deployed though various placement agencies. the government should give them salary on par with regular employees for the same work in the government. This a serious discrimination and violation of the principle “ Equal Pay for Equal Work” . demanded Congress.
Kalyan Singh, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and former Governor of Rajasthan, passed away on Saturday. He was ill for a long time and was admitted to a hospital in Lucknow.
Several leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party and other parties, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, have condoled his death.
Yogi Adityanath has announced 3 Day- State Mourning in Uttar Pradesh and a public holiday on 23 August. Kalyan Singh breathed his last at 89.
Political career
Kalyan Singh started his politics as a strong Hindutva leader when the Congress party dominated from Uttar Pradesh to the entire country. From Jana Sangh to Janata Party and then as leader of Bharatiya Janata Party, he also became MLA and Chief Minister of UP, but his political ambition not only tarnished his image of Hinduist leader but also became the reason for his untimely fall in politics. Born on January 5, 1935, in a simple farmer family in the village of Madhauli of Atrauli tehsil of Aligarh district, Kalyan Singh had joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in his childhood. After getting higher education, he did a teacher’s job and continued politics. He reached the assembly for the first time from Atrauli seat on Jana Sangh ticket in the year 1967 and continued to win from this seat till 1980.Meanwhile, the Jana Sangh merged with the Janata Party and in 1977, when the Janata Party government was formed in Uttar Pradesh, he was made the health minister of the state.
Image of Ram-bhakt
Kalyan Singh had to face defeat in the 1980 assembly elections. BJP leader BL Verma, who was very close to Kalyan Singh and recently became a Union Minister, says, “When the Bharatiya Janata Party was formed in the year 1980, Kalyan Singh was made the party’s State General Secretary. Along with this, the work of filling new enthusiasm among the workers was done.During this movement, his image became that of a Ram-bhakt and his popularity increased not only in UP but in the entire country. That is why in the year 1991, when BJP formed the government of full majority in UP for the first time, he was made the Chief Minister.
Important role in forming BJP government in Uttar Pradesh
The period of politics in the early nineties was known as Mandal and Kamandal i.e. Reservation and Ram Mandir Movement. On the one hand, there was support and opposition to the recommendations of Mandal Commission across the country, while on the other hand the movement for Ram-Janmabhoomi was going on in Ayodhya. On October 30, 1990, when Mulayam Singh Yadav was the Chief Minister of UP, kar sevaks were fired upon in Ayodhya in which many kar sevaks died. BJP put forward Kalyan Singh to counter him.In just one year, Kalyan Singh brought the BJP to such a position that the party formed a government of absolute majority in 1991.After becoming the Chief Minister, Kalyan Singh along with his cabinet colleagues visited Ayodhya and took oath to build the Ram temple.Political commentators say that Kalyan Singh’s first term is remembered not only for the demolition of the Babri Masjid, but also as a strict, honest and efficient administrator.
Had he not left BJP then….
Kalyan Singh not only broke ties with BJP, but also gave up on Ram temple.He was an intense Hinduist. Had he not left BJP twice and had not adopted such a method of defection, he would have been the biggest leader of BJP after Atal and Advani. Even in that period, after Atal-Advani, he used to be among the number three leaders. Kalyan Singh may not have done any good for himself by leaving the party, but the BJP’s fleet was destroyed.“BJP had to wait for almost a decade and a half to come to power. Kalyan Singh himself remained only a leader of the Lodh community, instead of a Hinduist leader. Even when he returned to the BJP, his image remained the same. He was sent for campaigning in the same areas where Lodh is dominant.”
A senior BJP leader, on the condition of anonymity, said that Kalyan Singh’s political downfall had started when he formed a close alliance with the Samajwadi Party, contested elections together and then formed the government
Odisha is a unique example of crime against women and gender diverse policing. The question often been asked as why do the crime rate against women in Odisha continue to remain at the top in the country despite several state initiatives to firm up safety of women and girl children, create awareness, and strengthen policing? The experts say, Odisha lacks a strong Gender-diverse police force. Women in Odisha police is just 10.1% as per the report by Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPSD). Although the state has the provision of 33% reservation of vacancies for women in the force, the present occupancy is significantly low. The representation of women in Odisha police was 9.48% in 2017 and 9.65% in 2018.
As per the India Justice Report (IJR) 2020, at current average Odisha will take 82 years to reach 33% women representation in police. The IJR 2020 calculates, based on the average numbers of women in their police force over the past five years. Eight states and UTs will take more than 100 years to cross the recommended 33% share, at current averages
Against an actual strength 58,455 personnel in Odisha police (civil and armed) in 2019, only 5,854 were women, according to the latest ‘data on police organisations’ released by the bureau of police research and development (BPRD).
Interestingly, Bihar was recorded as having the highest share of women in its police force, constituting about a quarter (25.3%), but most of its women police were concentrated among the lower ranks. Only 6% of its police officers were women. Maharashtra has highest number of women in the police force among all these States.
In September 2009, the Ministry of Home Affairs has issued advisory to all the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations to increase the representation of women in the police force to 33 per cent. The Parliamentary Committee on women in police force is of the strong opinion that the women police can act as a better instrument of social change to raise the status of women in society if they are given equal opportunities at work and a gender bias and stress-free working environment. The visibility of women police in police forces would dispel negative sentiments of distrust against the police force and would boost public confidence. The very presence of women personnel in police stations could create a congenial environment for women who unfortunately become victim and go the police station for justice.
United Nations Security Council adopted a Resolution on 31 October, 2000 by reaffirming the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations, peace building, peace keeping, humanitarian response and in post-conflict reconstruction. In a democracy, the legitimacy of the police as an institution depends on representing the diversity of the country’s people. To command confidence, trust and respect of the public, a police unit must reflect the community it serves. Female police officers bring to the table skills, experiences and perspectives that differ vastly from those of their male counterparts.
As per the Seventh Schedule, police and public order are State subjects under the Constitution and the primary responsibility for induction of women personnel in the police, modernisation of police and improving the working conditions for them lies with the State Governments and the Union Territory. However, the pace of induction of women in police force has not been encouraging.
In 1939, for the first time women police personnel were inducted in the erstwhile princely State of Travancore. Nearly 25 years later, for the first time a woman was inducted In Odisha police. One post of woman ASI was created and the first lady ASI was posted at Sambalpur in the year 1964. Thereafter in the last 6 decades the representation of women in Odisha police has achieved only 10.01 % . The major reason for the poor representation is Bureaucratic delays in selection and appointment, says the report.
The IJR projection says, Bihar will take only 3 years to reach 33 percent women representation in police. Likewise Himachal Pradesh 10 yr, Tamil Nadu 14 yr, Gujarat 15 yr, Assam 21 yr, Uttar Pradesh 24 yr, Karnataka 42 yr, Rajastan 46 yr and West Bengal 47 yr to reach 33 % women representation.
The population of Odisha contributes to about 3 per cent of India’s population where as the rate of crime against women in the state was 5.6 percent, as per NCRB report, 2017. Odisha reported the highest cases of assault against women in the country, according to NCRB data 2018. It was the second in the country to report the highest number of cyber-crimes. More the number of women in police better the investigation and policing, says IJR findings.
The extremist organization, which calls itself the ‘Islamic State’, has said on the recent developments in Afghanistan that the Taliban has not won any victory there, but the United States has handed over the command of this country to them.
“This is a victory for peace, not for Islam. This is a victory for bargaining, not jihad,” the Islamic State said in an August 19 editorial in its weekly newspaper Al-Naba.ISIS has described the “new Taliban” as “wearing the mask of Islam” as a “polymorph” that the US is using to mislead Muslims and eliminate Islamic State’s presence in the region. Earlier, supporters of Islamic State had alleged that in the name of victory of Islam and Sharia law the Taliban is actually carrying out the dirty deeds of America.In its latest statement, IS has said that they are preparing for a new phase of jihad. Although it has not clarified what its next target is, but from the context in which the statement is issued, it is being speculated that IS is pointing towards Afghanistan.
Bhubaneswar 22/08/2021: Remains of 700 yr old ancient temple found in Bhargavi river bed. A four member team of ‘Rediscover Lost Heritage’ group has stumbled upon the possible ruins of an ancient temple near the mouth of the Bhargavi River in Balanga area of Puri district. The group, which is currently listing the archaeological monuments of the Ratnachira River Valley, found the ruins in the middle of the river, just one km upstream from the source of the Ratnachira.
According to locals, many such large stone blocks were discovered in the previous years, which were moved up the steep bank and kept in the premises of the nearby Akhandalamani temple. The team found carved stone panels, broken images, pillars, doorjambs and a multitude of minor broken artifacts. Some of the carved stone panels have been affixed in the sides of existing temple, which was made about a century ago. The team, led by Anil Dhir, also included the project Co-ordinator Deepak Kumar Nayak, Subhashish Dash and Suman Prakash Swain.
According to Deepak Kumar Nayak, the ruins of the ancient temple are found scattered, both inside the river bed and the surrounding areas. Many of these blocks have also been carted away by the villagers for construction. A stairway from the river bed to the steep bank has around two dozen of these carved ancient temple blocks. ‘We came across an intricately carved lintel section of a broken door jamb. The central figure is a beautiful Goddess Gajalaxmi image. Nagakanya images were seen in many carved stone blocks, besides a lot of fine filigree work of the older temple. The older temple may date back to 13th/14th Century CE or earlier, considering the iconography of the antiquities”, Nayak said.
The team discovered that there was a large cluster of blocks in the middle of the river which appears to be the foundation of the ancient temple. There are hundreds of huge sunken stone slabs, which were possibly once used in the temple’s construction.
According to Anil Dhir, who led the survey team, “considering the bulky size of the stone slabs one can imagine it was not a small temple but a mid-sized or bigger temple. Some of the stone slabs documented on the bank were 8 feet long and 2-4 feet in breadth and weigh between 1.5 to 2 tons. Both sandstone and laterite stone slabs were discovered. The slabs have consistent and identical holes on both their sides, suggesting the use of iron clamping. As the sheer weight of the blocks makes it impossible to remove them from the sand and mud, they have been in place for centuries. Many were damaged and ruined by machinery used for sand mining.
Many idols which were discovered over the years have been placed in different temples in the nearby villages. The locals also showed the team many coins, potsherds and small ornaments which are frequently found in the vicinity. A more detailed study is needed by experts to determine the antiquity of the temple. It is certain that the temple crumbled due to the change of course of the Bhargavi River.
According to Dhir, like the Prachi Valley, the Ratnachira Valley too is a treasure house of many archaeological wonders, most of them being obscure and unknown as they have not been documented. Like the Prachi, the mythical Ratnachira too is on its death throes, once a navigable river, it is today a weed choked stream which only flows during the monsoons. Legend has it that Lord Rama had drawn the river to quench Sita’s thirst, using her pearl ring to chart its course. The ancient river, which now runs dry for most of the year, has many myths and legends with flourishing heritage on both sides of its short stretch. Dhir has appealed to the authorities to conduct a proper survey of this region between Ratnachira and Bhargavi Rivers. Earlier, the team had discovered an early stone temple in Biropurusottampur village and a cache of 22 ancient idols in Laudanki village.
A proper survey of the entire 60 kms Ratnachira valley should be undertaken by the State Archeology and the monuments documented.
Bhubaneswar 21/08/2021; The row over the controversial Bhadrak Mega Drinking Water Supply Project is getting more dismaying and humiliating for both the Kendrapara district and state administration. Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on 21 August has levelled serious allegations of manipulation and forgery against the state government in giving approval to the project. The party has alleged that the state government has lied and showed a bogus Environment and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) report to justify that there is no adverse effect on Bhitarakanika National Park, alleged Satya Prakash Nayak, PCC media convenor. The Kendrapara district administration has been maintaining that the ESIA report on Bhadrak Mega Drinking Water Supply Project is being prepared by IIT Hyderabad and the study results show, there is nothing to worry about the ecology and bio-diversity of Bhitarkanika wildlife Sanctuary.
What are Congress’ allegations?
The Congress on 21 August brought grave charges against the state administration saying that the claimed ESIA report of the IIT Hyderabad is FAKE. Explaining the forgery committed by the administration, he said the alleged report has not done any study on the probable impact of the project on Bhitarkanika. There is no mention of Bitarkanika and its ecology in that ESIA report. The said report has dealt with issues concerning civil work, construction, waste treatment, water flow, noise pollution etc. Adding to the allegations Satya Nayak asked, how did the Odisha government deliberately ignore the Bhitarakanika Eco-Sensitive Zone committee approval before starting the mega pipe water supply project? Since both place, the water intake point Barunadia on Kharasrota river, Kendrapara district and the water treatment plant at Nuahat, Nhadrak district fall under the eco-sensitive zone of Bhitarkanika national park, it is mandatory for the district and state administrations to get the approval prior to the beginning of the project. And for that, there has to be a detailed Environment Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) study by an accredited agency/institution to assess the adverse impact of the project (if any) on the ecology and environment of BHitarakanika National Park. Sadly in this case meeting of eco-sensitive zone committee was convened when 40 percent of the project work is almost complete, said Nayak. That’s not all, the district administration did not maintain the procedures while convening the ESZ meeting. Why all the 10 members of the committee were not invited to the meeting? Why didn’t the ESIA report by IIT Hyderabad was not placed in the first meeting convened on 03 December 2020? asked congress.
Key questions of Congress
Which department and officer took the decision to entrust the ESIA report preparation work to IIT, Hyderabad?
Why was the Civil Engineering department chosen for the ESIA study on subjects concerning environment and wildlife?
Why didn’t the ESIA study work not given to a well reputed and nationally accredited institution of environment science, since Bhitarakanika and its ecology is a highly sensitive and complex environmental matter?
What was the Terms Of Reference (TOR) for the ESIA study contract ?
How much money paid to IIT, Hyd for the ESIA report?
How did government approve of the findings of the project report without Bhitarkanika issue being studied and reported?
When was the assignment given to IIT Hyd and when did they submit the report to the government?
Why did the Forest and Environment Department and Mangrove Forest Division of Bhitarkanika are silent on the issue?
Why Bikram Arukh the state Forest minister, is silent on the issue.
The chief minister’s office has heavily pressurised the district administration to carry forward the project, alleged Satya Nayak. Both top government officials and the executing contract agency Megha Engineering Infra pvt ltd are hand in gloves, alleged Nayak. Interestingly, the district administration went up to the extent of bypassing a Government of India statute to favour the agency and push forward the project. On 16 June 2015, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change brought a Gazette notification and declared the Bhitarkanika marine sanctuary and National park as Eco-Sensitive Zone. It clearly specified the Dos and Donts inside the Eco-Sensitive zone area that bars any kind of activity inside the Eco-sensitive Zone without the prior approval of the committee. Despite the law being clearly mentioned, the district administration defied not only the rules and regulations but the resistance of the local people, alleged Congress.
The police-agitators clash took violent turn with the police resorting to lathi charge. Police registered cases against more than 800 people. The district administration should immediately drop cases against the locals, demanded congress.
They should stop immediately the project work till the ESIA done properly. Start Criminal proceedings against the district collector and superintendent of police, demanded congress.
