Poor Quality? Rs22 Lakh Road Work Deteriorates in Just Half a Year
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Poor Quality? Rs22 Lakh Road Work Deteriorates in Just Half a Year

Nabarangpur: The road work, completed just six months ago, has already deteriorated. The Nabarangpur Municipality had spent ₹22 lakh to construct a paver block road from Dashaharapada Sahi to Podalaguda. However, within six months, the road has completely worn out. Due to public complaints, all the paver blocks have now been removed, leaving the road in worse condition than a dirt road, according to locals.

Before this, the road was a dirt path, and residents are questioning why it was not properly paved instead of using paver blocks. This road is crucial for Podalaguda residents and others traveling to Nabarangpur city, but its poor condition has caused significant inconvenience. The issue has led to public dissatisfaction, with locals blaming poor construction quality by the Municipality for the rapid deterioration.

With the monsoon approaching, residents fear that transportation will become impossible and are demanding immediate reconstruction. The Municipality had allocated ₹22 lakh for just 325 meters of road construction and assigned the contract accordingly. Initially, residents were relieved to see the paver block road replacing the damaged pathway, but within six months, the blocks started coming off.

Now, officials have promised that the road will be rebuilt, but in the meantime, all paver blocks have been removed, making travel difficult. Motorists and pedestrians are struggling, as dust clouds from the deteriorated road are causing breathing issues. Despite repeated complaints from residents, no action has been taken by the Municipality.

Instead of addressing the poor construction quality, officials are blaming heavy vehicle traffic for the damage. This has fueled public outrage, with residents demanding immediate intervention from municipal authorities for reconstructing the road without further delay.

New Pension Scheme Primary Teachers’ Association Holds Crucial Meeting
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New Pension Scheme Primary Teachers’ Association Holds Crucial Meeting

Dabugaon: A meeting of the New Pension Scheme (NPS) Primary Teachers’ Association was held in Dabugaon, Odisha, at the LAMS godown premises on Sunday. The meeting was attended by several teachers working under the Dabugaon block, where various issues faced by the teachers were discussed.

As the tenure of the previous committee had ended, the committee was dissolved, and a new block-level committee was formed. The newly elected members include:

President: Mohan Singh Gand

Executive President: Mangaraj Majhi

Vice President: Girishbala Jena

Secretary: Hiranmay Majhi

Joint Secretary: Raju Harijan

Treasurer: Ajit Sadangi

The newly appointed office bearers took the oath of office during the …

Biju Patnaik Senior Citizens’ Forum Convenes for Key Discussions
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Biju Patnaik Senior Citizens’ Forum Convenes for Key Discussions

Brahmapur: The monthly general council meeting of the Ganjam District Biju Patnaik Senior Citizens’ Forum was held at Santoshi Maa Kalyan Mandap, Bijipur under the chairmanship of Executive President Surya Kant Patra.

During the meeting, General Secretary Simanchal Prasad presented the minutes of the previous meeting, while Treasurer Manmohan Parichha provided the financial report. A two-minute silent prayer was observed in memory of late Tarini Charan Sabat, praying for the peace and salvation of his departed soul.

Executive President Mr. Patra discussed various issues and demands of the forum. It was decided to submit a memorandum to the Brahmapur Superintendent of Police (SP) requesting the issuance of police identity cards for senior citizens.

The forum also addressed various issues related to Brahmapur Railway Station, including the immediate provision of railway travel concessions for senior citizens, the introduction of a morning MEMU Express train from Brahmapur to Puri, and other demands. A memorandum will be submitted to the Railway Minister regarding these concerns.

The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Ravindra Mohan Pattnayak.

High-Tech Surveillance: AI Uncovers Cheating in Matric Exam
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High-Tech Surveillance: AI Uncovers Cheating in Matric Exam

Cuttack: Matric students were caught cheating using Artificial Intelligence (AI) surveillance during the Matriculation Examination. On the second day of the Odisha Board of Secondary Education (BSE) Matric Exam, the English paper was conducted. Board President Srikant Tarai informed that eight students were caught cheating on Monday.

These students were detected while engaging in malpractice at their examination centers through AI-powered cameras monitored from the Board’s Command Room (CCR).

On February 27, the Mathematics exam will be held. For this subject, students will get an additional 15 minutes. While exams for other subjects are scheduled from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM, the Mathematics paper will be conducted from 9:00 AM to 11:45 AM.

As per reports received from various districts on Monday, over 10,000 students were absent from the exam.

Preparations Begin for Dakshinaanchal Natya Mahotsav: 16 Plays in 8 Days
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Preparations Begin for Dakshinaanchal Natya Mahotsav: 16 Plays in 8 Days

Koraput: A preparatory meeting was held at the Koraput Cultural Council for the first-ever Dakshinaanchal Natya Mahotsav (Southern Odisha Theatre Festival) in Koraput. The meeting was presided over by Shubhankar Padhi, the Secretary of Odisha Natya Sangha.

The Dakshinaanchal Natya Mahotsav 2025 aims to discover and promote theatre talents from Southern Odisha, foster the development of folk and traditional theatre arts, and highlight culturally and socially relevant themes through theatrical performances. The festival will also feature plays written by local playwrights, whose works will be published as part of the event.

The festival will be held from April 7 to April 14, with 16 plays being staged over eight days, performed by local artists. The event will take place at the Koraput Cultural Council. Selected plays and performers from this festival will advance to the state level, and from there, outstanding talents may be nominated for national-level recognition.

Several organizations are involved in organizing and managing the festival, including:

Koraput Cultural Council

Koraput Nandanik

Sunabeda Golden MIG Kala Parishad

Sunabeda Utkal Cultural Council

Kotpad Damayanti Kala Parishad

Jeypore College of Pharmacy

Panchapat Mali Natya Mahotsav

The meeting was attended by prominent figures, including Manoj Dandapat (Vice-President of the festival), Dr. Samir Mahapatra (State Joint Secretary), Shiv Prasad Rath (President of Koraput Cultural Council), and Atanu Pattnaik (Secretary). The session concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Jitendra Senapati.

Disabled Elderly Woman’s Endless Struggle for Pension Rights
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Disabled Elderly Woman’s Endless Struggle for Pension Rights

Rayagada: In the twilight of her life, Narasimha Huika from Hatasesha Khal village in Rayagada district rushed to the Jana Seva Kendra in search of her pension money but returned disappointed.

Earlier, she used to receive a pension of ₹1,000, but now she is unable to get her disability pension. Despite repeatedly approaching the concerned officials, no action has been taken. She was advised to correct her Aadhaar details and register her name at the Jana Seva Kendra, but her issue remains unresolved.

While regular elderly pensioners receive administrative support, it is disheartening that disabled elderly individuals like her are being neglected. Addressing the issue, Sujit Kumar Mishra, the Social Welfare Officer, assured that necessary steps would be taken to resolve the problem.

New Government, New Rules: Major Policy Shifts Unfold
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New Government, New Rules: Major Policy Shifts Unfold

Bhubaneswar: Every year, hundreds of people in Odisha lose their lives due to snakebites. The previous government, led by Naveen Patnaik, had classified snakebite-related deaths as a disaster category and provided a compensation amount of ₹4 lakh to the families of the deceased. However, after the change in government, families of those who die from snakebites are no longer receiving this compensation.

A child passed away on the way to the hospital because the oxygen supply in the ambulance ran out. After the post-mortem, the body was handed over to the parents on the 24th, and the post-mortem report was given on the 31st. Despite submitting various documents, financially weak parents are still struggling to receive compensation.

Many families who lost their loved ones due to snakebites have been deprived of financial assistance. This has raised concerns about whether the new government has stopped this aid altogether.

On August 23, 2024, in Pathura, Khallikote, Ganjam district, a five-year-old boy named Prabin, son of Lakshmikant Behera, was bitten on the head by a cobra. He was rushed to the Balugaon Community Health Center. However, due to the unavailability of anti-venom injections, the doctors referred him to Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar via ambulance.

Even after five months of his death, his family has not received any government assistance. Lakshmikant is not the only one; in the last eight months, many families across Odisha who lost their members due to snakebites have not received any compensation.

Compensation for Snakebite Deaths Stopped?

It remains unclear whether the government has officially stopped providing assistance or imposed restrictions on it. The previous government had urged the central government to include snakebite deaths in the national disaster category. Since the central government did not accept the demand, the Odisha

Injured Black Panther Succumbs After Being Struck by Unknown Vehicle
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Injured Black Panther Succumbs After Being Struck by Unknown Vehicle

Umerkote: A black panther succumbed to injuries after being hit by an unknown vehicle. On Sunday morning, near Urutuli Ghat in the Udanti-Sitanadi Wildlife Sanctuary, located on the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border, a black panther was severely injured after being struck by an unidentified vehicle. Despite being taken to the Raipur Jungle Safari for treatment, the animal could not survive.

According to sources, the Forest Department received information about the severely injured black panther around 5 AM on Sunday. Following this, a team from the department rescued the animal and provided initial treatment at Gariabandh. However, as its condition deteriorated, the Forest Department decided to transfer it to Raipur Jungle Safari for advanced medical care.

A dedicated medical team at the safari attempted to treat the panther, but due to severe head injuries, it ultimately succumbed to its wounds.

MP Criticizes Delay in Eklavya School Project, Calls Out Lack of Progress
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MP Criticizes Delay in Eklavya School Project, Calls Out Lack of Progress

Tentulikhunti: MP Balabhadra Majhi has expressed his displeasure over the delay in the construction of an Eklavya Model Residential School at Hirimi Chhak, under Pujariguda Panchayat in Tentulikhunti block of Nabarangpur district.

During his visit on Sunday to inspect the progress of the construction, the MP found that despite the project being initiated before the COVID-19 pandemic, only 50% of the work has been completed so far. Additionally, no information board displaying project details, estimated cost, or timeline has been installed at the construction site, which further frustrated the MP. He strongly criticized the engineers and contractors responsible for the project.

According to standard regulations, an information board must be placed at the site before starting any government developmental work. However, even after three years since the start of the Eklavya School project, no such board has been put up. Furthermore, no engineers were present at the site for supervision, with only a supervisor overseeing the construction work.

Concerns have also been raised regarding the use of substandard materials, including low-quality sand and fly ash bricks. Local residents have complained that proper curing of the construction has not been carried out. Expressing his dissatisfaction, MP Majhi stated that while the project was supposed to be completed by September 2024, only 50% of the work has been done so far. He blamed the negligence of the contractors for depriving local students of their education.

Students from the block were supposed to stay and study at the Eklavya School by now, but the delay due to the contractor’s carelessness has led to this unfortunate situation. The MP has issued strict warnings to the contractors and engineers, demanding that they expedite the work.

When questioned, the contractor and engineers revealed that the project is being carried out with an estimated budget of ₹16.14 crore. They assured that the information board would be installed within two days. Meanwhile, there is a growing demand for a high-level inquiry into the project.

Model Agricultural Village Project Stuck in Talks, No Action Yet
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Model Agricultural Village Project Stuck in Talks, No Action Yet

Nabarangpur: The historic initiative of establishing a pilot Tourism Agricultural Village in Odisha has stalled even before its official launch, reportedly being shelved in bureaucratic cold storage. Initially, two villages in Nabarangpur district were selected for transformation into Tourism Agricultural Villages, marking a milestone in the state’s agricultural history. However, the project has now gone silent, awaiting government approval, while the proposal remains buried under files in the Agriculture Department at the Secretariat.

According to sources, the economy and progress of the tribal-dominated Nabarangpur district are entirely dependent on agriculture. However, there is a lack of sufficient facilities for farming, including inadequate irrigation and essential infrastructure, preventing the farmers from improving their financial conditions. The Central Government had included Nabarangpur in its Aspirational Districts initiative, emphasizing modern agricultural techniques and scientific supervision to boost productivity and agro-industrial development. Despite this, the initiatives have not been sufficient to uplift all farmers in the district.

In response, the district administration proposed converting two villages into Model Tourism Agricultural Villages as a pilot project. The District Council (Zilla Parishad) had prepared a blueprint for the project. Dokaribeda village in Papadahandi block and Mahulabhatta village in Umerkote block were initially chosen for inclusion in the scheme. Last year, under the chairmanship of Zilla Parishad President Motiram Nayak, a roadmap was created with the presence of the Chief Development and Executive Officer. The project aimed to boost production through modern farming techniques, ensuring the economic growth of farmers. The ultimate goal was to transform Nabarangpur into an agriculturally prosperous district.

However, despite being submitted for government approval, the project remains stalled in the State Agriculture Department. The proposal has not progressed beyond the initial stages, remaining buried under bureaucracy. Now, all eyes are on the government to see when the project will be sanctioned and implemented.