“Grant Block Status to Kotia,” Demand Villagers Amid Border Dispute with AP
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“Grant Block Status to Kotia,” Demand Villagers Amid Border Dispute with AP

Bhubaneswar, 31st July 2025: In December last year, Odisha Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari had stated that the BJP-led state government would consider increasing the number of blocks in the state. However, that block reorganization process now appears dormant at the government level.

Against this backdrop, villagers of Kotia—an area frequently in the news due to the border dispute with Andhra Pradesh—have once again demanded that Kotia be granted block status. They argue that if Kotia is officially declared a block, the boundary conflict will no longer persist.

Apart from this major demand, the villagers have submitted 21 additional written demands to the government. Kotia Sarpanch Liu Gemel has urged the government to immediately fulfill all these demands.

During the recent Rath Yatra festival, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari, School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond, and other local elected representatives had visited Kotia.

There, a delegation led by Sarpanch Liu Gemel submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Chief Minister, urging the declaration of Kotia as a block, along with the other 21 demands.

The 21 Demands Include:

  • Concrete housing (pucca houses) in every village of Kotia Panchayat
  • Safe drinking water facilities
  • Check gates at Neredi, Walsa, and Fatusineri to protect the border
  • Formation of village committees in each village
  • Construction of office buildings for ward members
  • Establishment of playgrounds in every village
  • Ashram schools at Fatusineri for students
  • Construction of embankments to prevent water flow from hills
  • Employment for educated youth
  • Pension schemes with amounts higher than those provided by Andhra Pradesh, etc.

Villagers claim that if these demands are met, they will not be lured by Andhra Pradesh’s attractive schemes. Sarpanch Gemel stated that without local public support, Andhra will be afraid to infiltrate the area.

Konark Sun Temple’s Sculptures Eroding — Masterpieces Losing Carving Detail
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Konark Sun Temple’s Sculptures Eroding — Masterpieces Losing Carving Detail

Konark,31st July 2025: The UNESCO World Heritage Site, Konark Sun Temple, is globally renowned for its exquisite architecture, craftsmanship, and sculpture. Tourists from across the globe visit to admire its beauty.

However, a recent initiative by the Central Tourism and Culture Department, in collaboration with a survey and research organization, has raised concerns. A large tensile fabric shade structure being constructed for tourist convenience is being criticized for spoiling the visual appeal of this heritage monument.

This tensile shed—measuring 30 meters in length, 12 meters in width, and 5.5 meters in height—is being built just 30 meters in front of the temple’s main entrance. It involves heavy cement concrete pillars and thick iron pipes, which violate cultural and architectural guidelines. Because the structure is over 18 feet high, the temple becomes obscured from view—from the entrance gate to the ticket counter.

As a result, the temple’s full aesthetic appeal is diminished, sparking disapproval not only among locals but also among national and international tourists. Due to the height of the fabric shed, the distant view of the temple is entirely blocked.

Public Demand for Removal of the Tensile Structure

The placement of this tensile shed is drawing strong criticism for marring the complete artistic heritage and World Heritage charm of the Konark Sun Temple. Social activist Jnan Ranjan Biswal has called for its immediate removal through social media platforms. He warned that if this issue remains unresolved, tourists visiting Konark will return disappointed after seeing the intrusive structure.

He also cautioned that this could send a negative message to the entire world. While having a shed for shelter during rain or heat is acceptable, there is ample space elsewhere in the temple premises to construct it. Hence, the demand is that this structure should be shifted from directly in front of the temple’s entrance to either side.

Appeals to Authorities

Local intellectuals from Konark, along with journalist Jnan Ranjan Biswal and Ganesh, have submitted appeals to Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Ashwini Vaishnaw, as well as MP Dr. Bibhuti Prasad Tarai, requesting the removal of this obstructive shed and restoration of the temple’s unobstructed view.

Water Crisis Hits Paddy Fields Despite Rain – Seedlings Wither
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Water Crisis Hits Paddy Fields Despite Rain – Seedlings Wither

Jharigaon, 31st July 2025: Farmers are experiencing severe mental distress over the transplantation of paddy. With no irrigation facilities, farmers in this region depend entirely on the monsoon for cultivating kharif paddy. However, this year’s rainfall has been erratic and below average, according to farmers.

Even though it’s the Bahuda Yatra period and the month of Shravan has begun — a peak time for transplantation — only around 40% of the required transplantation has been completed due to lack of water in the fields. In some areas, even the sowed seedlings are wilting or not germinating properly.

This situation is particularly evident in various parts of Jharigaon block, where paddy cultivation is the main livelihood. Due to inadequate rainfall, transplantation activities have been severely affected.

Farmers with better economic standing are seen drawing water from nearby streams or ponds using motor pumps, but those without access to such resources are left with no choice but to sit helplessly, watching their seedlings dry up.

Even in lowland areas where water typically accumulates, seedlings are withering and dying. In many places, seedlings have become overaged and are unsuitable for transplanting, but some desperate farmers are still trying to forcefully transplant them in semi-dry, cracked soil.

Experts warn that if transplantation isn’t completed within a specific window, farmers could suffer huge economic losses.

Farmers still hope that if there is a good spell of rain in the coming week, they may still complete the remaining transplantation work.

According to the Block Agriculture Department, paddy is typically grown on 8,652 hectares of land in the block. Of this, only 4,726 hectares have access to irrigation, and about 40% of the remaining land has been affected due to inadequate rainfall.

As per data from the India Meteorological Department, the expected rainfall for this region was 91.26 mm, but actual rainfall recorded in the past week has been between 10.39 mm and 14.17 mm, with only 7.59 mm actually recorded — far below expectations.

Since paddy cultivation is the primary means of livelihood for most farmers, they are becoming increasingly disheartened.

Farmers blame this situation on factors such as:

  • Climate change
  • Destruction of natural forests
  • Lack of new afforestation
  • Population growth
  • Industrialization

These are having adverse effects on seasonal patterns. Rain is either absent when needed or comes at unnecessary times.

They also noted irregular rainfall distribution: one area may receive good rain, while a nearby area may get none. This unpredictable pattern is severely impacting kharif paddy cultivation across the region.

District Collector Mandates Neem Oil Use in Residential Schools
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District Collector Mandates Neem Oil Use in Residential Schools

Rayagada,31st July 2025: Rayagada is a malaria-prone district where the number of malaria cases increases each year. In response, the District Collector has directed that neem oil be used in all residential schools across the district.

To safeguard students in residential schools from life-threatening diseases like malaria, dengue, and chikungunya, several precautionary measures have already been implemented. These include:

Use of medicated mosquito nets,

Spraying of insecticides,

Maintaining clean surroundings, and

Providing immediate treatment when fever symptoms appear.

In addition to these measures, the administration has now introduced a unique initiative — the use of neem oil in all residential schools.

The District Administration has instructed teachers to prepare neem oil at the school level, as pure neem oil is not readily available everywhere. The preparation involves:

  • Boiling neem leaves in regular oil,
  • Extracting the infused oil,
  • And using this as a mosquito repellent, applied externally.

Teachers of residential schools have been given training and instructions on how to make and use this neem oil effectively. This initiative is currently being widely implemented in the district. Initial feedback suggests that mosquito bites have reduced significantly due to this method.

Dr. Mamta Choudhury, Additional District Public Health Officer, had first proposed this method during a district-level meeting. After reviewing it, District Collector Parul Pattawar instructed the Mass Education Department to ensure that all residential school authorities adopt this method.

Dilapidated Bridge Carries the Burden of Four Districts
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Dilapidated Bridge Carries the Burden of Four Districts

Rayagada, 31st July 2025: A bridge located at Kereda, on the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border in Rayagada district, is now in a dangerously dilapidated condition. Though constructed nearly 60 years ago, no repair or maintenance work has been undertaken by the concerned department.

Despite its condition, hundreds of heavy vehicles cross the bridge daily. This road is the only transportation route for transporting raw materials to industries located in Kalahandi, Koraput, Balangir, and Raipur. Major industrial units like Vedanta, JK, IMFA, and NALCO rely heavily on this bridge for freight transport.

The deteriorating structure, overloaded with the daily burden of four districts, has now become a potential disaster zone. Locals fear that an accident could occur at any time. Below the bridge, the district administration has initiated a water conservation project, raising further concerns about the bridge’s future stability.

Additionally, huge potholes have formed at the entry point and middle of the bridge. This often causes heavy vehicles to get stuck, leading to traffic congestion. The bridge is part of a key route to Visakhapatnam, and emergency services are being disrupted.

In one tragic incident a few days ago, a vehicle carrying a patient from Bhawanipatna got stuck on the bridge, resulting in the patient’s death due to delayed treatment. The incident caused public outrage in the border area.

Residents are demanding immediate repair of this dangerously weak bridge to prevent further tragedies.

Local Health Centers Ensure Ongoing Services in Flood-Hit Areas
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Local Health Centers Ensure Ongoing Services in Flood-Hit Areas

Aali, 31st July 2025: Today, in the flood-affected areas under Patrapur Panchayat in the Aali region, the local health center continued to provide health services despite the difficult conditions.

Health worker Rashmi Ranjan Barik, along with medical staff, waded through floodwaters to reach villages like Petapala and other severely affected areas to deliver essential healthcare services.

He not only distributed medicines but also ensured that ASHA workers had sufficient stock of medicines to serve their communities.

As the Public Health Extension Officer, Barik also spread awareness among villagers, explaining:

How to purify drinking water

How to take precautions during floods

Ways to maintain personal health and hygiene

He personally visited homes surrounded by floodwaters to educate residents and distribute necessary medicines.

In addition, pregnant women in these flood-hit areas who are nearing delivery are being safely transported to the health center for proper medical care.

Aadhaar Enrollment Center Opens in Nandahandi for Orphaned Children
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Aadhaar Enrollment Center Opens in Nandahandi for Orphaned Children

Nandahandi, 31st July 2025:  At the office of the Panchayat Samiti in Dangarvejha, under Nandahandi block, an Aadhaar linkage drive was organized for orphaned children.

Present at the event were CDPO Sasmita Bala Mohanty, Supervisor Sangeeta Das, and several Anganwadi workers. As part of the initiative, Aadhaar details of 21 orphaned children (aged between 1 and 18 years) from the Saruguda sector were successfully linked at the Aadhaar center.

CDPO Mohanty informed that similar programs will soon be conducted in other sectors of the block as well.

Local Panchayat Samiti member Abhimanyu Nayak was also present at the event.

NCERT Removes Paika Rebellion from History Curriculum
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NCERT Removes Paika Rebellion from History Curriculum

New Delhi, 31st July 2025: The topic of Odisha’s Paika Rebellion has been removed from NCERT textbooks by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), an autonomous body under the Union Ministry of Education.

In 2017, the Paika Rebellion of 1817—an early armed uprising against British rule—was included in the Class 8 Social Science (History) textbook, portraying it as India’s first freedom struggle. However, in the newly revised NCERT textbook, only four early uprisings against British rule are included, with no reference to any public movement or rebellion from Odisha.

The chapter titled “The Colonial Era in India” now features:

The Sanyasi-Fakir Rebellion (after the 1770 Bengal famine),

The Kol Rebellion in Chotanagpur (1831–32),

The Santhal Rebellion in Odisha, Bihar, and Bengal (1855–56),

The Indigo Revolt in northeastern Bengal (1850–62).

Notably, no mention of the Paika Rebellion is made in the new edition.

In December 2021, then Union Culture Minister G. Kishan Reddy informed Parliament that the Paika Rebellion, which took place in March 1817, had been recognized by the Central Government as India’s first war of independence. This followed an appeal by the then Odisha Chief Minister, who had formally written to the Centre requesting such recognition.

However, an expert review panel including the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) had earlier stated that the Paika Rebellion could not be officially termed the first war of independence based on historical evidence. Instead, the rebellion was suggested as a “case study” of early resistance in the 2017 textbook.

Though the rebellion—led by Odisha’s Paikas (armed militia)—lasted from 1817 to May 1825, it served as a source of inspiration for future uprisings against British rule. On December 8, 2019, President Ram Nath Kovind had laid the foundation stone for a ‘Paika Rebellion Memorial’ at Barunei Hills in Khordha district of Odisha.

India Tops Global Chart in Digital Payments
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India Tops Global Chart in Digital Payments

New Delhi, 31st July 2025:  India has achieved the top global rank in fast and secure digital payments. The wide adoption and usage of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has earned India this distinction! Launched in 2016 by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), UPI has now evolved into the simplest and most popular mode of digital transactions.

Using UPI, people can link multiple bank accounts in a single mobile application, enabling seamless transactions.

According to NPCI, more than 1,800 crore (18 billion) UPI transactions take place every month. In June 2024 alone, UPI handled 2,403 crore (24.03 billion) transactions, amounting to ₹18.39 lakh crore (₹18.39 trillion), which marks a 32% increase compared to June 2023.

UPI Leads India’s Digital Success Story

UPI has helped shift the economy away from cash and card-based transactions, transforming it into a digitally empowered financial system. Today, UPI is not just used by large businesses, but also by small shopkeepers and common citizens across the country.

Among the three major digital payment systems in India, 86% of transactions are now conducted via UPI.

Currently:

  • 49.1 crore users (491 million people)
  • 6.5 crore businesses (65 million)
  • 675 banks
    are integrated with the UPI network.
  • Expanding Beyond India

Not only within India, UPI is now handling almost 50% of all real-time digital payments internationally. Countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Singapore, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, France, and Mauritius are already using India’s UPI system.

Anganwadi Workers Unite at 27th District Conference
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Anganwadi Workers Unite at 27th District Conference

Nabarangpur, 31st July 2025:  The 27th annual district conference of the All Odisha Anganwadi Ladies Workers Association, operated under the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), was held with great enthusiasm at the Vaibhav Kalyan Mandap, Nabarangpur.

Presiding over the meeting, District President Bhagyabati Sadhangi delivered the welcome address. She highlighted the association’s continuous efforts in Nabarangpur district to inspire members with nationalistic ideals and to work toward the holistic development of children, women, and adolescent girls.

Advocacy for Workers’ Issues

The Anganwadi workers’ union has been raising awareness at the block, district, state, and national levels to solve the issues faced by workers and press for their legitimate demands. Their advocacy includes demonstrations and submission of demand letters at various administrative levels.

Notable Guests and Speakers

The event was graced by:

Kunjalata Das – State General Secretary of the Anganwadi Workers’ Union (chief guest)

Bank Bihari Bishoyi – District President of BMS (keynote speaker)

Parameswar Bishoyi – Advisor

Bishnu Prasad Bishoyi – District Secretary of BMS

Sabita Nayak – State Advisor, Anganwadi Workers’ Union

Sandhyarani Bishwal – District Secretary

Mamata Brahma – District Treasurer

Ram Bishoyi – District Secretary, Kothabadi Union

Khageswar Bishoyi – District Secretary, Vishwakarma Mazdoor Sangh

It was emphasized that the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh is India’s largest and government-recognized trade union, working based on Indian culture and ideology, and that the Anganwadi union is dedicatedly aligned with its mission.

Organizational Developments

District Secretary Sandhyarani Bishwal presented the annual report, while Treasurer Mamata Brahma delivered the financial report. Following this, a new district committee for Nabarangpur was unanimously formed, with the following key appointments:

Advisors: Sabita Nayak, Sandhyarani Bishwal, Mamata Brahma

President: Chhabila Kumari Majhi

Vice Presidents: Punei Nayak, Hemalata Nayak

Secretary: Uma Nayak

Organizing Secretary: Bhagyabati Sadhangi

Joint Secretaries: Shubhasita Patra, Gauri Mani Harijan

Treasurer: Yamuna Bhatra

The names of block-level presidents and secretaries were also announced by chief guest Kunjalata Das, and newly appointed members were formally welcomed.

Wide Participation

Anganwadi workers and helpers from all 10 blocks of Nabarangpur district participated in the conference, demonstrating unity and commitment toward progress and community well-being. The union reaffirmed its mission to help Nabarangpur advance on the path of development and bring smiles to every household.