region www.pbd.in Cuttack, Friday, October 17, 2014 Ministers review post cyclone measures; loss in Malkangiri pegged at `100 crore PBD BUREAU KORAPUT/MALKANGIRI/NABARANGPUR/RAYAGADA, OCT 16 day after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik conducted an aerial survey of the cyclone-affected districts and held a review meeting at Koraput with the Collectors and DRDA Project Directors, four ministers Commerce & Transport minister Ramesh Chandra Majhi, Energy minister Pranab Prakash Das, Housing & Urban Development minister Puspendra Singh Deo and Higher Education minister Pradeep Panigrahi - who are also the District Planning Board chairmen of Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur and A crore. Reddy informed about the details of losses occurred across the district and also the massive measures taken by the administration to deal with the cyclonic storm to ensure zero casualties. Majhi informed PBD that about 170 school building under School & Mass Education department have been damaged and the loss would be around 3.35 crore. The total loss of SC & ST Rayagada districts respectively held review meetings with the district collectors, and took stock of the damage caused by the cyclonic storm Hudhud. In the review meeting held at the DRDA Conference Hall in Malkangiri today and presided over by Ramesh Chandra Majhi, District Collector D Prashant Kumar Reddy estimated the loss due to Hudhud at about Rs 100 department has been estimated at Rs 1.36 crore followed by Roads & Building Division at Rs 1.2 crore, Rural development department at Rs 12 crore, Power Sector at Rs 11.63 crore, Panchyatiraj at Rs 18-20 crore. A total of 663 villages across 81 gram panchyats in the district have been affected due to the cyclonic storm. Standing paddy crops spread over about 620 hectares and maize over 64 hectares have also been affected. About, 2500 kutcha houses across the districts have also been damaged, the Minister said. However, as the final assessment is still on, the figures may vary, sources said. Project Director of DRDA, Reghu G was also present during the damage assessment. Nitish to lead protest against Centre on special status PATNA, OCTOBER 16 SENIOR JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar will lead a protest on October 20 against BJP's "injustice" and "betrayal" over providing special category status to the state as promised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Lok Sabha elections. "On October 20 people of Bihar in protests organised by JD(U) at every district headquarter will seek 'hisab' (account) from the BJP government," Kumar said on his facebook account. and submit a memorandum against the Centre's denying special category status to Bihar, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised in his campaign during the general election. Party leaders have been mobilising support across the state for the agitation, Ranjan said. Nitish Kumar, former Chief Minister of Bihar, at a public meeting at Aurangabad yesterday had said that during parliamentary poll Narendra Modi promised to the people of the state that providing "People of the state will take them to task for injustice and betrayal over providing special category status to the state," Kumar said. Party spokesman Sanjay Singh said in a statement that Kumar would sit under the statue of Loknayak Jaiprakash Narayan near Gandhi maidan on October 20 as part of the agitation. Another JD(U) spokesman Rajiv Ranjan said that party workers and people would sit on dharna at every district headquarters on Monday special category status, special assistance and special attention for betterment of Bihar would be his priority. "Four months have lapsed but no such priority is visible on the three counts," Kumar said. The former chief minister, who stepped down from the chair after drubbing in Lok Sabha election, said through strong protest a strong message should reach to every citizen of the state so that no party or leader could dare to play "fraud" with the people.PTI the KOLKATA, OCT 16 PBD BUREAU BARIPADA, OCT 16 THE Baripada Urban Cooperative Bank (BUCB) , an oldest Urban cooperative Bank of the State is to close down with immediate effect , told a Reserve Bank of India(RBI) press release today. The bank was under direct control of the State government since 2001. Earlier the RBI had imposed restriction under section 35 A of Banking Regulation Act, 1949 prohibiting this financial institution to carry on normal banking activities from 18 November 2012. The bank had to incur heavy loss as its Non Performing Assets (NPA) zoomed to 86 percent. The bank was provided relief till 18 November 2014. However considering the precarious financial situation and poor recovery of NPAs the RBI had to take this harsh decision to withdraw the banking license yesterday, an officer of RBI Bhubaneswar circle confirmed. Now the State Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS), would start the process for dissolution of the bank registered as a primary cooperative society under Odisha Cooperative Societies Act, 1962.But the irony is that the small depositors are likely to lose around Rs 42Cr. Presently the bank was operating with 3 branches at Rairangpur, Udala and Karanjia with its head office at Baripada. There are more than 26000 shareholders in its register. Presently the Mayurbhanj district collector Rajesh Pravakar Patil was management-incharge of the BUCB. CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat today said efforts were on to bring major Left parties and groups together to strengthen Left unity in the country. Left parties would meet on November one in New Delhi to chalk out a strategy for the purpose, Karat told reporters here. "We are trying to bring major Left parties and groups together, so that we can have a strengthened unity of Left forces in the country," he said. He said that consultation with various Left parties were on for the upcoming meeting. Karat had said recently that the CPI-M would soon form a broadbased platform of Left parties to organise intensive movements in the country to resist the alleged communalisation of politics by the ruling BJP. A Forward Bloc leader said Death at headquarters hospital triggers tension SAMBALPUR: DEATH of a person triggered tensions at the Sambalpur district Headquarters Hospital premises after irate relatives and locals alleged negligence of hospital authorities. Ajaya Sahu (25) of Modipara area died while being shifted to the Veer Surendra Sai Medical College and Hospital from the district headquarter hospital here. Family members and the irate people alleged that the Ajaya died because of the negligence of doctors at the district headquarter hospital in Sambalpur. Members gheraoed the hospital and demanded immediate action against the doctor. “There was no doctor in the ward on Wednesday night when we admitted Ajaya. Nobody came to treat Ajaya. Only a nurse was there in the ward. However, the doctor, who visited the ward this morning, referred Ajaya to VSS Medical College and Hospital at Burla without treating Ajaya properly,” said Ajaya’s father, Rabi Sahu. The Chief District Medical Officer, Jagat Krushna Samantray, refuted the allegations of negligence and said, “The cause of death can be ascertained after we receive the autopsy report.” CHARLES NANDI JHARGRAM, OCT 16 BENGAL Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee extended peace message to Maoists during her Thursday's visit to Junglemahal as the ultras are gradually becoming active in the area. During a public meeting at the Jhargram stadium, she said, "I love Junglemahal and Darjeeling hills. That is why, I come here. Peace and development should be maintained in the area." Without naming any political party and Maoists, she maintained that some people were trying to create trouble in the name of Hindu-Muslim and some "unscrupulous people" were planning to disturb peace in the area. Be careful. "Villagers must be together and live in peace." The chief minister came to Jhargram Wednesday night to hold a high-level meeting. A jawan of Mamata Banerjee's NVF was killed by Maoists recently. The National Volunteer Force (NVF) was created by her in Junglemahal to gather intelligence about Mao movement after she became the Chief Minister in 2011. The ultras unleashed a reign of terror in the Junglemahal districts-West Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia and Birbhum between 2006 and 2011. The Maoists succumbed to the pressure by Trinamool Congress government's stern administrative action and left the area after Mamata Banerjee took over as Bengal Chief Minister in 2011 after defeating the CPM. With the reports of the ultras becoming active in the area, the chief minister today held a high level administrative today that a meeting of the Left Front constituents and Left forces outside the front would be held tomorrow as a step to forge Left unity in West Bengal where the BJP was trying to occupy the main opposition space. "The purpose of the meeting is to forge broader unity among Left forces to jointly fight communal forces," Forward Bloc central committee member Hafiz Ali Sairani told PTI. At the meeting to be held at CPIM headquarters on Alimuddin Street, Left parties outside the front - SUCI-C, CRLI headed by the former naxalite leader Ashim Chatterjee, CPI(ML) Liberation and CPI-ML Santosh Rana group and the PDS have been invited. JAJPUR, OCT 16 THOUGH their creations spread light in the lives of one and all, not many in Jajpur know that the decorative earthen lamps (Diyas) which are found almost everywhere during Diwali in the homes of the rich and the poor alike, are made in the narrow lanes of Kumbharasahi on the outskirts of Jajpur. Nearly 75 families here have perfected the art of making diyas from clay. "Diyas from fire clay are manufactured in large quantities here," claims Giridhari Behera (45) a diya maker of Kumbharsahi. With changing times, the demand for diyas has also changed. However, except businessmen from various parts of the district and its nearby areas, who are aware of the place, not many come directly to these potters. "It is not that we do not sell the products directly but not many people come here," said Padan Behera (56) another potter of Kumbharsahi, who makes decorative diyas. "In fact, here the diyas are sold at half the price," he added. All family of potters are engaged in one way or other in manufacturing these items. "We do not keep count of the number of pieces sold," Sudam said, adding the sale is picking up with Diwali a few days away. Once the festival is over, they concentrate on making pots, flower-pots and other items. Pranab Behera (30) another potter said " While I want to educate my five-year-old son, I will also teach him the art in case he doesn't get a job". The potters here sell from Rs four to Rs 150. Earthen lamps in a variety of shapes, sizes from Kumbharsahi have flooded shops as people prepare to celebrate Diwali the festival of light on November 13th. The tradition has been to light earthen lamps which is considered auspicious. Every year around Diwali, the market is full of earthen lamps. Today, these commonly available Diyas are in high demand. Be it designer Diyas 5 meeting at Jhargram in West Midnapore district with three Junglemahal district officials. State Panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee and State Housing and Youth affairs minister Arup Biswas and minister for Pashchimanchal Unnayan (development of western region) Sukumar Hansda were present in the meeting. However, All India Trinamool Congress general secretary, Mukul Roy who was always present with the chief minister at Jhargram meetings during the past three years was today absent. During the meeting, Mamata Banerjee stressed the need for more development in Junglemahal so that tribals and villagers could not be brainwashed by Maoists for lack of development. Mamata Banerjee restored peace in the area by ensuring development in the Mao dominated districts. Today, she asked the officials for immediately to start works to widen the long stretch of Bankura-Purulia districts connecting road and construction of 9,000 km new concrete road in the Junglemahal districts so that villagers could be employed. Political observers opine that the Chief Minister is now strategically avoiding Mukul Roy who is under the CBI scanner in connection with the multicrore Saradha Chit Fund scam. The chief minister also did not utter any word against the BJP and NIA probing the Burdwan blast now. Mamata Banerjee did not want NIA probe into the blast as she described the move by the Centre on her recent facebook post to be an intervention in the State's law and order matters. Notwithstanding bad weather, Pallishree Mela sees record sales PBD BUREAU DHENKANAL, OCT 16 NOTWITHSTANDING adverse weather conditions, visitors lapped up various products showcased at the Pallishree Mela at Dhenkanal. Though SHGs federations and entrepreneurs faced climatic challenges on account of cyclone Hudhud and subsequent heavy downpour, demand for products was quite high in the mela which began on Oct 9. According to District Supply and Marketing Society DSMS (a unit of ORMAS) sources, record sales to the tune of Rs 2.90 crores has been witnessed till today. Entrepreneurs and SHGs from 11 states including 30 districts of Odisha are participating in the fair. Food Products, dress materials, amongst others are experiencing increased demand. Though heavy downpour affected business at peak hours on Thursday evening, we have taken all measures to safeguard interests of entrepreneurs and SHGS for their accommodation and smooth passage of visitors on the ground, informed Nigam Charan Dash, the Chief Executive of DSMS. “Clean hands key to disease prevention” KISHORE DASH NABARANGPUR, OCT 16 NEARLY 22 million school-days are lost each year, due to the common cold. “Keeping hands clean” is one of the most important steps we can take to fight them, said RWSS Executive Engineer-cum-DWSM member secretary Tapan Kumar Rout while speaking at the Global Hand Washing Day celebration in the Town Hall here on Wednesday. We should take great pride in being a part of this Global Hand Washing Day celebration and having imprinted our footsteps on the way towards a hale and hearty living, he added. An enchanting and enlightening show was forethought and executed by Rural Water Supply & Sanitation (RWSS) and District Water & Sanitation Mission (DWSM), on the occasion with various programmes like skit, poster competition, video show, hand washing demonstration, etc for the active and energetic children and a cognizance was created in their minds, as to “Why should they wash their hands?” Spreading light from the narrow lanes of Kumbharsahi PBD BUREAU . Mamata sends peace, development message to Maoists, Junglemahal RBI orders closure Efforts on to bring Left forces together: Karat of Baripada Urban Cooperative Bank PBD BUREAU/PTI . .. politicalbusinessdaily or the traditional earthen lamps, they are available in wide range and at attractive prices. As Diwali is just a few days away, potters at Kumbharsahi are working tirelessly to meet the growing demand for Diyas. People buy it for decorative pur- poses on Diwali as well as to use them during the evening Puja of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha. Though candles, over the years, have also become a popular choice on Diwali, the charm of traditional Diyas has not been affected, said Promad Behera (74) a potter of Kumbharsahi. Potters are optimists that the Diyas hold their own distinct attraction and thus it is unlikely that they can ever be replaced by electrical lights. People may try out "new things", but it is not likely that they will abandon clay lamps. "Making earthen diyas is a seasonal business for which large number of youths of our families nowadays are not preferring to continue their forefathers' works as a result we are not getting young potters to teach them diya making arts", lamented Ashok Behera(68) another potter of Kumbharsahi. A Hand washing Day campaign was conducted to motivate and mobilize students to wash their hands with soap. Among others, Additional District Magistrate, ITDA Project Administrator, DRDA Project Director, Chief District Medical Officer and DSWO were present on the occasion. Purusottam, Neelachal & Nandankanan Express diverted PBD BUREAU BHUBANESWAR, OCT 16 DUE to the modernisation works, Railways have diverted New Delhi bound trains from and to Puri. The Electronic-Inter locking work at Dehri on Sone is being undertaken by the Railways as a part of its Signal Modernisation Work (NonInterlocking) for commissioning of new Rail Bridge on River Sone in order to facilitate smooth and better movement of trains. According to a press release, 12801/12802 PuriNew Delhi-Puri Purusottam Express originating from both the directions till Oct 19 will run on diverted route via Chandil, Muri, Barka Kana, Chopan and Chunar instead of its scheduled path via Chandil, Purulia, Bokaro Steel City, Rajabera & Gomoh. 12875/12876 Puri-New Delhi-Puri Neelachal Express originating from both the directions till October 19 will run on diverted route via Muri, Barka Kana, Chopan, Chunar & Varanasi instead of its scheduled path. Similarly, 12815/12816 Puri-New Delhi-Puri Nandankanan Express originating from both the directions till 20.10.2014 will run on diverted route via Adra, Purulia, Muri, Barka Kana, Chopan & Chunar instead of its scheduled path. Moreover, 18311/18312 S a m b a l p u r - Va r a n a s i Sambalpur Express has been cancelled on 15th & 19th October 2014 from Sambalpur and on 16th & 20th October 2014 from Varanasi.