Welcoming All The Kosli People

Whither KOSAL - An intro about KOSAL written in 1946

2011-12-23T18:16:00.007+05:30

This manuscript was published some time around 1946.

The author of this manuscript is unknown.

This document was obtained from

Mr.Dilip Kumar Padhi

Hotel Sujata, Sambalpur---- KOSHAL, 768 001 INDIA

mail:vu2dpi@gmail.com

URL:http://www.qsl.net/vu2dpi

Whither Koshal

Kosal Kranti Dal (KKD) to launch a month-long stir for Kosal State from Dec 23

2011-12-20T21:08:00.003+05:30

Originally Written By Sudhir Misra for DailyPioneer

The Kosal Kranti Dal (KKD) will launch a movement in the entire ‘Kosalanchal’ region to sensitise people about its demand for a separate Kosal State from December 23 to January 23 next.

This was announced to the media on Sunday by KKD chief Pramod Mishra. The entire ‘Kosalanchal’ has been divided into five zones along with Boudh and Athmallik subdivision of Angul district, he said.

Commenting on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati’s move to create four smaller States out of the existing UP, Mishra observed that it is high time the Government of Odisha adopted a resolution in the State Assembly in favour of a Kosal State. All political parties should come forward to join hands for formation of a separate Kosal State, Mishra said.

The month-long movement in Balangir district would start from Harishankar on December 23, and simultaneous Yatras would be organised in the other districts of the region, Mishra informed.

“After this movement, we will visit New Delhi and put forth our demand of creation of a separate Kosal State to Centre leaders. We will also stage a dharna before the Parliament during its next session,” Mishra informed further.

Interstate Sambalpuri Drama Competition At Sambalpur

2011-12-20T00:19:00.006+05:30

The 15th Veer Surendra Sai Inter-state Sambalpuri Drama Competition, organised by Yuba Udayan, will be held at the Aranyaka Mandap at Jharuapara , Sambalpur from 24th December to 31st December 2011.

As many as 22 sambalpuri-Kosli drama will be performed on the stage with three dramas per day.

The dramas will start from 6 PM daily.

Yuba Udayan started in 1997 to bring all the theatre activists otogether.

Veer Surendra Sai All Orissa Sambalpuri Drama Competition was born for the revival forthe Kosli / Sambalpuri drama activities. In the inaugural year only 19 plays were presented and the next fourteen years witnessed 346 plays being staged. Kosli theatre has engaged scripts, directors and artists to work for performing these dramas.

FIND BELOW THE DETAIL LIST OF SAMBALPURI DRAMA'S TO BE PERFORMED DURING THIS COMPETITION

Archaeological Explorations and Excavations in Western Orissa

2011-12-16T11:12:00.003+05:30

By Sri Sasanka S. Panda

The explorations of archaeological sites of the western part of Orissa was taken up by the Britishers soon after the Archaeological Survey of India was established with Major General Alexander Cunningham as its first Director General. His assistant Mr. Joseph D. Beglar surveyed the Upper Mahanadi Valley (both Orissa

and Chhattisgarh regions) and could locate places like Rajapadar (Belkhandi) in Kalahandi district,Ranipur Jharial and Titilagarh in Balangir district,Narsinghnath in Bargarh district and Baud town having archaeological remains and early temples as well as temple ruins. He undertook an extensive tour of this area in 1874-76 and has

left a graphic account of what he discovered in these places, which is published in Volume-XIII of the Archaeological Survey of India Report in 1882. Beglar's Report on Narsinghnath has been quoted in the Sambalpur District Gazetteer (1932) by Mr. F.C. King in pages 248-250. Mr.King has reproduced another Report of the

Archeological Survey of India for 1904-05 on Narsinghnath by noted Orientalist and historian Mr.G.R.Bhandarkar.

CLICK THE LINK BELOW AND DOWNLOAD THE PDF FILE ABOUT VARIOUS ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS AND EXCAVATIONS IN KOSAL (WESTERN ORISSA)

Archaeological explorations in Western Odisha

Starvation Death Continues in Kosal - 3 died in Nuapada

2011-12-01T15:32:00.005+05:30

News Courtesy :- The New Indian Express

The spectre of starvation deaths continues to haunt KOSAL region (western Odisha), with three more suspected cases being reported from Sinapali block of Nuapada district in the last two days.

The State Advisor to the Commission of Supreme Court on the Right to Food is scheduled to visit the block to ascertain the cause of the deaths.

Reports said Laxman Jagat (27) of Kuliadangri village in Karanbahal gram panchayat died on Friday.His brother, Ghasi Jagat in his complaint to the police said Laxman was suffering from prolonged illness due to malnutrition. His wife and daughter left the house leaving behind Laxman and his widowed mother.Since then the two have been surviving on her meagre old-age pension.

And a day after Laxman breathed his last, Lochani Bewa (60) of the village also died due to malnutrition.While the villagers accused his son of not taking care of him, there is no denying that he died without food.No rice was procured using the Antodaya card for the last three months.

Similarly, Durbal Nag (55) of the village also died on Saturday leaving behind a physically-challenged son, Ralen.The father-son duo depended on their quota rice which failed to reach them in the absence of a proper distribution system.

Block Development Officer (I/c) of Sinapali, Debasis Sinha said while Lochani Bewa and Durbal Nag died of natural causes, medical report of Laxman Jagat is awaited.

He admitted that 10 to 15 beneficiaries had not received rice under various schemes and he was probing the matter.

The distribution of rice in the gram panchayat was virtually stopped after villagers locked the gram panchayat office on September 21 and the arrest of Executive Officer Tankadhar Bhoi for irregularities in the distribution of rice.

His successor Madhab Hati claimed that the villagers had not been cooperating, affecting the distribution.

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Our view :- Blaming the villagers wont work anymore.It has been more than 7 decades since we got our independence and were forcefully merged with the Orissa province.But till date there is hardly anyone sitting in Bhubaneswar is worried about our people.These blocks of Kosal region are prone to starvation deaths and large scale migration and this is not new...It's been happening since many decades but it seems the Orissa govt has gone into deep sleep...Had these incidents would have happened in Coastal Orissa, the whole state govt Machinery would have become active in helping them round-the clock...The bottom line is still we the people of KOSAL region are being treated indifferently..Our lives don't have values for the colonial masters sitting in Bhubaneswar

Celebrating 37 years of Rangabati - The Baap Of Indian Folk Music

2011-11-23T21:50:00.005+05:30

A rare picture of the RANGABATI team ...This is the team who made the BAAP of all Indian Folk Song "Rangabati"

Singer :- Jitendriya Haripal and Krishna Patel

Lyricist :- Mitrabhanu Gountia

Composer :- Prabhudutta Pradhan

READ BELOW AN FACE TO FACE INTERVIEW WITH THE LEGENDARY SAMBALPURI SINGER JITENDRIYA HARIPAL...

The following interview was published in the Hindu Newspaper on May 27, 2001

Nearly two decades ago, Jitendria Haripal sang 'Rangabati', a number that was on everyone's lips. The cassette outsold the competition. Now, Haripal, a dalit and one of the foremost exponents of Sambalpuri geet, lives in penury in a slum, says noted journalist P. SAINATH.

Rangabati, O Rangabati (Colourful Lady) You are like a golden creeper...

IT was a hit song like almost no other. Though from Orissa, "Rangabati" captured huge areas beyond that State. The Golden Creeper spread through Chattisgarh, then entwined much of the Hindi belt. There was a time in the 1980s when no self-respecting truck driver hit the road without the cassette. Tea shops reminded clients of their existence with the song blaring. No one knows how many vinyl records were sold, but it made gold disc status within its first three or four years of play. As for the cassette version, its sales were in countless lakhs. It generated a fortune in revenues for both music companies and pirates.

The voice that powered that track has lost none of its charm and magnetism, but sounds dejected and weary today. For its owner lives on the breadline in a Sambalpur slum. Jitendria Haripal, a top exponent of Sambalpuri geet, made next to nothing out of the song's financial success. Haripal has shared the stage with other leading artists of this State. That includes former Chief Minister Giridhar Gamang, himself a fine musician. Haripal is a dalit from the Dom community. One who dropped out of school. And was never let into the music sabhas as a youth. The voice that launched "Rangabati" is entirely self-trained.

"Like people whose names you forget, but whose faces you remember, I know the raagas but not their titles.

"It is only when people tell me that the song you have sung is in this or that raag that I get to know the names."

When and how did Haripal decide to go professional?

"But I never did. Even today, I never think of myself as a professional. I am an artist, not a performer. This is a pride not a profession. It is art, not employment. It is a Dom tradition, too. What the people on radio and television call Sambalpuri geet is gaana. The music of the Gaana people. Of the Dom people.

"My father Mandath Haripal did not perform in public the way I did. He tried to make a living picking tendu leaves. But he was a talented musician. I used to go into the fields with him and sing. We were bhumihin (landless). No property, no assets. But we could sing. We had music.

"No. I was never formally trained. Nor did I ever do a course in fine arts. We are dalits, you see. How could we enter a music sabha? That too, in those days? And I could never afford a teacher. So I used to stand outside these sabhas or wherever classes or performances were held, and listen. I can recall times I stood in the rain listening to music shows where I would not be welcome inside. By these means, and simply by singing, I taught myself."

Haripal began as an artiste in All India Radio in 1971. "Those days the recording fee was Rs. 15. Some years later it became Rs. 75." It is Rs. 900 today in his grade which is "Senior B High" artist. But he feels he gets fewer recordings than are due to him each year. He has done road laying work, construction labour and other odd jobs at different times. "Music is not a safe source of earning."

"'Rangabati?' Ah, yes. I knew you would ask me about it. See you have come this distance to talk to me about that song. How many others have heard it in how many places? It is a love story, a duet. A simple love song in pure Sambalpuri style."

"It was an AIR recording around 1975-76. The writer of the song was Mitrabhanu Gaunthiya. As you know, that song exploded on the scene. All know how popular it was, and still is. Soon a music company - INDRECO - got interested. They wanted to cut a record. So around 1976, I went to Calcutta. And the recording took place." But the disc was not released.

The first of a series of tragic events had begun. A dispute over authorship of the tune. Haripal says, "How can anyone doubt it was my tune?" Someone did though and the row dragged on. Interestingly, no one ever denied that the song's phenomenal success was due to Haripal's rendition. Also the lively voice of his female co-singer Krishna Patel. The record was stuck. What happened next is not quite clear, but Haripal says he won in the courts. "The disc was released around 1978-79."

It was a smash hit. "'Rangabati' is an all-time great," says Syantan K. Rath. An Assistant Station Director of AIR at Sambalpur, Rath says, "Cassette sales in lakhs? We should be counting that one in millions. He certainly did a brilliant job with that song." The music company thought so too. It got Haripal to sign a contract. This, he says, was for three years, with the option of a two-year extension. And then the company went into a lockout.

"I was stuck. Even though there was a lockout, I was under contract. I could not perform for anyone else." Two years later, the company in that avatar, he says, closed down. Just when he was to have got a gold disc to honour his record sales. "All I had got was around Rs. 10,000."

Rangabati, Rangabati... You are like a full moon in a damaged  house...

"I don't know when the cassette came out. All I know is I was told the company had closed down and all my royalties stopped." Meanwhile, companies changed hands. Owners came and went.

Since Haripal was not aware that a newly released edition of his cassette existed, we went to the bazaar. There we found one of the many versions of the cassette that have made the rounds for two decades. The cover does say INDRECO. And "Manufactured and Marketed by the Gramophone Company of India." Packed in July 1999. All of which could still mean nothing. Many pirated versions use the names of big companies. Unless, of course, a revived company was putting out the cassette again.

"Who knows? I certainly do not. Maybe somebody there does not know the history. And what can I do anyway?"

However, the recording quality is quite good. And there is one strange feature to the tape. The voices on it are unmistakable. So is the music, advertised as "Sambalpuree Folk Songs". But nowhere do the names of Jitendria Haripal and Krishna Patel appear on it. That hurts the musician more than anything else. "I cannot get into these fights, you know, I would just be grateful if whoever did this made a just settlement with me. We too, are entitled to a fair deal, no?"

The discovery leaves him dejected but not bitter. "All I want is a fair amount. That which is due to us should come to us.

"We are not cut out to do business, I think. I tried the Cuttack companies, but they finished us. Western Orissa artistes can never get a good deal in coastal Orissa. I once tried financing my other music on my own cassette. The company I went to in Cuttack used sub-standard tape. So that venture collapsed. I lost all my money."

As "Rangabati" rankles, he shifts ground. "I consider myself a student to this day, when I am 50. Maybe because I never got to learn formally. The intolerance we faced as Doms was humiliating. We shrank from the contempt of others. This was, and is, our culture. What you call Sambalpuri culture. But being dalits, that is how we were treated."

The school drop out is a music scholar. "Sambalpuri geet is as old as society. One thing, always remember. Everywhere in the world, folk songs are older than classical tradition. Not just older, but much, much older. I believe all folk music in the world is related. There is some common content, some kinship. In India, those links are deep.

"Sambalpuri has three kinds of geet (song). Of these, prem (love) and mausam (season) geet are deeply related. Mausam geet is 'seasonal' in a wide sense. It includes natural seasons, weddings, harvest, sowing, and the like. After all, when we go to the fields and out into nature, we sing of our lovers. Prem and mausam geet are far more prolific in Sambalpuri than the third type, bhajan.

"I am not just a Sambalpuri singer. My hobby is to listen to folk music from everywhere. Listen..." And he demonstrates the tradition he is talking about. The slum comes alive with Haripal's vibrant voice. With snatches from the songs of the Bauls of Bengal. Of Chattisgarhi love songs. Effortlessly, he makes us see what he is talking about. The common elements of Sambalpuri, Bhojpuri and Oriya. Then of Baul, Chattisgarhi and Dhakia Bengali music. He explores the links of some elements of these to Nepali folk as well. It is impossible to see "Rangabati" as an accident now. This is a versatile musician with a deep understanding of his art.

But it was that song which made him famous. His greatest memory is of the day a crowd that recognised him at Batapur railway station. It refused to let the train move. Not unless Haripal sang "Rangabati". "Finally, the train driver told me that I had better sing a few lines if we wanted the train to move!"

But that day is past. Haripal's family troupe still tours but makes little money. And disaster still strikes. "The rains here two years ago destroyed us," says Chandrika, Haripal's daughter. "We lost all our instruments. Ever since, we have had to hire instruments or borrow them." The troupe gets engagements, but does not make much. "There are all the accompanying artistes to be paid," she says. By the time that is done, Haripal might not be left with Rs. 3,000 from a performance.

Haripal also feels he has been sidelined by the culture establishment. "I was to represent the country at the Festival of India in Moscow. At the last minute I was dropped. This has happened to me many times. Even at the Independence Day Golden Jubilee celebrations in Delhi. They take my song, they do not take me."

Some, though, are sympathetic. "He's a very good artiste, with mass appeal," says AIR's Syantanu Rath. He plays down - as does Haripal himself - the singer's alcohol problems. Those were brought on after the series of reverses and losses he faced. "Haripal is moody and temperamental. Hardly a new thing in a recording artiste."

Rangabati, Rangabati... My heart is full with jasmine fragrance...

Of my heart is throbbing for you...

Later, all the way down the road to Malkangiri, we found the tea shops still had the song. "Rangabati" is not forgotten. Haripal is, though.

"Do you think if we find out who is in charge, they might show some respect?" he asks about the tape. Life has seldom shown him much of that commodity. So he is not sure. "I do not want to fight anybody. There should be some justice. This is my art. This is my life and love..."

Rangabati, Rangabati... dear, please don't harass me...

No More Dams Says Balangir, Bargarh and Subarnapur !

2011-10-28T10:29:00.002+05:30

Courtesy:-Dailypioneer written by :- Sudarshan Chhotray

Caught between the dual targets of massive industrialisation and agricultural expansion through extending irrigation coverage to the farmlands, the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD Government has become the real target of people.

Despite its tall claim of covering 35 per cent of cultivable land under assured irrigation facilities, the ground realities are something different. Policy analysts have found only 25 per cent of the land in the State to be under irrigation. With 11 major rivers, 12 river basins, seven big dams, 10 agro-climatic zones, four geo- climatic regions, 480-km long coastline and average rainfall of 1, 500mm, the State is still a less developed agricultural region. Climate change has affected monsoon and uncertainty of rainfall has made lives of the farmers miserable.

Many attributed drought, food insecurity, starvation deaths, migration, and suicide of farmers and above all marginalisation to inadequate irrigation facility. The diversion of water for industrial houses meant for irrigation has raised many eyebrows. Similarly, the Government’s failure in flood management also has been criticized by political parties and experts. An affidavit filed by the Water Resources Department in the Odisha High Court on August 30 last has confirmed 18 industrial houses are lifting water from four such dams, including Hirakud. This and other related allegations have indeed fuelled many controversies over distribution of water. That’s the reason people feel all the projects have been designed and directed towards facilitating industrial needs than the needs of the common people.

Just a month back, drought had engulfed almost fifty per cent of the State and the news of farmers’ suicide was much in the news headlines. People of Western Odisha were up in arms against a hydro-power project proposed near Sindhol village in Subarnapur district. Though this plant was planned ostensibly to augment the energy needs of the State, in reality people in Western Odisha put up a brave front against the project, which forced it to put off the project for the time being. For them it was a conspiracy to facilitate another Hirakud like big dam for which they are suffering since 1950.

Aung Irrigation project: People of Paikmal area under Padampur Sub Division in Bargarh district are up against a dam project which has posed a grave threat to their life and livelihood. They are claiming their ancestral home, cultivable land and locally available natural resources would be lost if the project is undertaken. Not only these, it would also harm their existing social relationship, age- old tradition and practice.

The proposed dam at Pujharipalli at a distance of 15 km from Padampur, would irrigate about 30,000 hectares of cultivable land of both Bargarh and Balangir districts, which are known as drought prone areas. The project, which was started at the initial cost estimate of Rs 304.66 crore as per the 1999 Consumer Price Index, has now been escalated to Rs 500 crore. The project was sanctioned by Central Water Commission on September 20, 2000 and the environmental clearance was issued on December 6, 2007. The project has the components of a 7480 meter length earthen dam near Pujarharipalli with irrigation potential of 50 km in downstream. Total and full storage in the dam will affect 5100 hectares of area including 167 hectares of Chhattisgarh State.

“As our area is rich in natural resources and people are rich in agriculture despite erratic monsoon and scanty rainfall with less irrigation facility, we have gained self sufficiency in agriculture and a common farmer is getting more yield than expected. Similar is the situation for landless farmers those who never feel they are landless. Rather, they adopt shared cultivation system which brings more benefit for them and they have nothing to worry of forced migration,” says Amrit Lal Sahoo, a retired Revenue Inspector of Saeikela village.

For Jaganath Pradhan of Samalpuri village it is a do-or-die struggle, as he is losing at least Rs 4 lakh per annum from his 15 acre of cultivable land . Even Government agencies collect seeds from him. Jagannath manages to run his 14-member family lavishly without any other income source. For him loosing land for a proposed project will cost him dearly. He is all set for self immolation if the project is undertaken forcibly. The Government has planned the project without proper verification of local resources, alleged members of Pujharipalli Dam Pratirodh Committee, the organisation which has been spearheading the movement against the proposed project. Due to stiff resistance from affected villagers, the first public hearing was turned a battle field.

As things stand today, where the people of Paikamal area have been continuing their protest demonstrations against the construction of the proposed Aung Dam, local politicians are leaving no stone unturned to pacify people’s growing dissent. The affected village believes the decision for construction of a dam at Pujharipalli was political one as former Odisha Chief Minister Biju Painaik had already laid foundation stone for Aung Irrigation Project at Chirroli, said Pujharipalli Dam Partirodh committee secretary Netrananda Behera.

Interestingly, foundation stone laying for Pujharipalli Dam site was conducted during the Congress regime by former Chief Minister J B Patnaik during the 90s. Since then, people of the region have been protesting against the construction of the dam starting from the massive rally at Padampur in the year 1989. Then came the boycott of panchayat elections en-masse in the year 2002 in all the four gram panchayats namely Alkmaar, Sareipalli, Lokharkota and Jagadalpur. Not a single vote was cast in all the 32 affected villages spread over the four panchayats, says Bhandari Marei of Chardhapalli village. Of late, the committee has formed village level struggle committees in all the 32 affected villages to give a brave front in resisting Government’s possible attempt to construct the dam. According to the agitating villages of Lakhmara revealed the dam will not only cause harm to four high schools including a tribal residential high school, a junior college and a number of primary schools, it would also cause harm to a number of area and endangered animals, birds, some medicinal plants, profitable tress, fruit and crop varieties.

Significantly, the calculation made by forty years’ old Bharat Bag of Sareikela Village tells a different story. According to him he gets 30 bags of paddy from an acre of agriculture land which will cost around Rs 11, 250.00. Besides these, he earns from oilseeds and cereals. Bharat says it would be painful for any farmer in sacrificing such prosperous areas for the sake of a so called development project which will bring only devastation. The most shocking effect of the proposed dam is the continuing existence of the prolonged traumatic situations undergone by the people of the region who during the last couple of decades couldn’t make any large investments in housing and other social and economical engagements, argues Bhakta Bariahha of Chardhapalli village.

Suktel Irrigation Project: Chabbilal Gadatia is dejected as he found that he had nothing to do, but hand over his two acres of agriculture land to Government for the construction of the proposed Lower Suktel Dam. Chabbilal, with his five-member family has been earning his livelihood depending upon his two acres of fertile land. Chabbilal along with his fellow villagers of Kainthapalli under Loisingha block of Balangir district are up in arms against the Government which is all set to oust them from their land for the proposed dam.

Kainthapalli is among 29 villages which would be affected by the proposed dam. According to the 1996 survey, at least 15,380 people of 4160 families spread over 26 villages of Balangir district will be displaced. Out of them, 1222 families are tribal, 575 are Scheduled Caste and remaining 2363 belong to OBC. The dam has been initiated to irrigate more than 31,830 hectares of agriculture land spread over 189 villages of poverty stricken and drought prone Balangir and Subarnapur districts. Under the Central Government’s Long Team Action Plan for the drought-prone KBK region, the dam has been approved by the Planning Commission in 1999, with an estimated cost of Rs 217.13 crore in 1996, which is now escalated to the tune of Rs 1,041.81 crore. But due to strong resistance and boycott of the displaced persons, land survey and acquisition process at the proposed dam site of Magurabeda, situated 22 km away from Balangir town had been halted. Latest Government report says land acquisition in 23 villages has been almost completed and process is yet to start in remaining six villages. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik while reviewing the progress on August 30 last this year has instructed the authorities to speed up the construction work as soon as possible. After completion, the project will irrigate 29,850 hectares of agriculture land in Balangir and 1,980 hectares in Subarnapur district. Two canals will be constructed in right and left side of the reservoir. “Since the last seven years we have been living under uncertain future and passing through psychological trauma, following the declaration of the dam,” the locals lamented.

KOSAL SAHITYA ACADEMY AWARDS

2011-10-24T11:48:00.000+05:30

KOSAL SAHITYA SANSKRUTI ACADEMY announced its felicitations for contribution to Kosli language and literature for the year 2011 for different categories as follows:

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

1) Sri Atal Bihari Panda
2) Sri Kapileswar Prasad Mahapatra
3) Sri Shrikara Mishra

LANGUAGE & LITERATURE

1) Dr. Dolagobind Bishi, Titilagarh ( Essay)
2) Shri Bipin Acharya, Sambalpur (Poetry)
3) Professor Kesharanjan Pradhan, Padampur (Drama)
4) Shri Dhanpati Mohapatra, Bargarh (Novel)
5) Dr. Santosh Kumar Rath, Balangir ( Story )

The presentation ceremony will be held at Sonepur on 30th Oct. 2011.

For More Details Contact :-

Saket Sreebhushan Sahu
Editor, Beni

Email :- sampadakbeni@gmail.com

WODC - Rehabilitation centre for defeated BJD politians ?

2011-10-18T02:11:00.007+05:30

Jaikosal.com breaking news :-

Today Padmini Sekhar Deo, W/o - Late. Bharatendra Sekher. Deo, Ex- MLA, At –. New. Palace,Sundergarh has been appointed as the chairperson of Western Orissa Development Council (WODC).

Questions are being raised over the relevance of the Western Orissa Development Council (WODC) which was formed to correct the regional imbalance existing in Orissa.

Rather than functioning to assist in the development of the backward Western Orissa districts, its core constituency, the council has now become a rehabilitation centre for defeated ruling party politicians and others whom the powers-that-be want to keep in good humour.

While funding and utilisation system of the Council have come under criticism, the lack of interest on the part of the State Government for further strengthening the organisation has also been disapproved by many. The Council was formed on July 3, 1999. But in 12 years of its existence, no noteworthy project has been implemented.

Three proposed medical colleges by the WODC at Bhawanipatna, Rourkela and Balangir have not progressed beyond the drawing board stage. “The WODC has failed to live up to its expectations during its 12 years of existence so far,” first chairman of the Council and senior Congress leader Narsingh Mishra said.

Funds are being spent on the recommendations of the ruling party MPs, MLAs and leaders, Mishra said and added there is no development agenda before the Council.

The Congress leader said as the Council was formed to bridge regional imbalance, a survey should be undertaken to identify very backward areas where projects should be taken up. But funds are being spent in relatively developed areas because of recommendations of some ruling party leader, MP or MLA, he lamented.

BJP Legislature Party Leader from� Patnagarh KV Singhdeo alleged that the Council had been turned into a platform for also-rans of the ruling party. Attempts are also being made to create a parallel power centre through the Council, he said.

Strongly disapproving the practice of nominating ruling party leaders as expert members, Singhdeo said this had defeated the very purpose of the body. Technical experts should be from a particular field and not politicians, he said.

Defeated BJD candidate in the 2009 Lok Sabha election Hameed Hussein, who is also a member of the Council, also maintained that the funding pattern needs to be changed. The Council should spend in the fields of agriculture and education without wasting money on small projects, he said and added a decision should be taken in this regard soon.

But the importance given to the WODC, or the lack of it, by the powers-that-be can be gauged from the fact that for the last two months the post of chairperson is lying vacant. Sources said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is yet to decide whether to nominate a politician, a bureaucrat or an expert to the post.

(News Source IBNLIVE.com)

HAPPY MAHALAYA & NAVARATRA WISHES

2011-09-27T13:29:00.001+05:30

Memorandum for Inclusion of Kosli Language in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution

2011-09-22T22:55:00.003+05:30

www.jaikosal.com requests all the people of KOSAL to whole-heatedly support this move .....

Koshal Discussion And Development Forum (KDDF) have created an online memorandum for the Inclusion of Kosli Language in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Here is the link...Click the below link and show your support to save our language by posting a comment (signature)..

:http://www.petitiononline.com/KDDFKL/petition.html

Dr. Manmohan Singh, Honourable Prime Minister of India

Smt. Partibha Patil, Honourable President of India

Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Honourable UPA Chairperson

Smt. Sushma Swaraj, Honourable Leader of Opposition

Mr. P. Chidambaram, Honourable Union Minister of Home Affairs

Mr. Kapil Sibal, Honourable Union Minister of Human Resource Development

Shri Murlidhar Chandrakant Bhandare, Honourable Governor of Odisha

Mr. Naveen Patnaik, Honourable Chief Minister of Odisha

Honorable Members of Parliament from Odisha

Esteemed Honourable Prime Minister, Dr. Singh,

In the past few years the central govt. has included different Indian languages in the 8th schedule of the Indian constitution by the recommendation of various committees. It shows prudence on the part of Indian government in being flexible in recognizing the complexity of linguistic diversity in India. In 2003, the 93rd Constitutional Amendment was passed which enabled the government to have a fresh look at the possibility of inclusion of other Indian languages in the 8th schedule. Consequently, four languages, viz. Bodo, Dogri, Santhali and Maithili were judged to be included in the 8th schedule. We the people of Western Odisha were hoping that Kosli be included as well because our situation is identical to that of Maithili as it is explained in the following sections of this memo. Therefore, we humbly request you to examine our request by the same yardstick used to include the four recent languages in the 8^th schedule of the Indian Constitution.

It is said that the right of a mother tongue is a basic cultural right of the people which link them with their economy, socio-cultural system and political right. UNESCO has recognized that the concept of language equality among all languages is important irrespective of whether the languages have a script or not. Furthermore, the Indian government is promoting the mother tongue based multilingual education to reduce the school drop-out rates and to enhance communication using a mother tongue.¹ This is a good and praiseworthy initiative taken by the Indian government. In this regard, the Kosli language (also called Kosli-Sambalpuri, Sambalpuri) is the mother tongue of ten districts of western Orissa (Kosal region) viz. Balangir, Bargarh, Boudh, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Sundargarh, and Athmallik subdivision.² In addition, a large population of Raipur, Mahasamund and Raigarh districts of Chhattisgarh state also uses Kosli language as their mother tongue.²

The Kosli language and literature is vast as it is blessed with a group of dedicated writers. A large number of books are published regularly and available in the Kosli language. Epics like “Ramayana”, “Mahabharat” and “Meghduta” are translated into Kosli language.²Kosli language has a rich literature in different areas viz. Architecture, Astrology, Mantra-Tantra-Yantra science, Medicine, Yoga, Music, Arts, Dance, Drama, Yoga, Philosophy, and Grammar.

Kosli dramas, songs, and dances are popular across the world. Kosli dramas are highly acclaimed and regularly staged at various places of India. For instance, a recent Kosli language play “Maau” is aiming to enter the Limca record book by becoming the biggest ever stage show of its kind in the world.² In addition, the Kosli language cinema is attracting world wide attention. “Bukha (Hunger)” a Kosli language movie has won the Indian national award, an international jury award at the Gijón International Film Festival, Spain and was selected for World Rural Film Festival, Aurrilac, France.² The All India Radio (viz. Sambalpur, Balangir, and Bhawanipatna) and television channels (viz. Nxatra news and OTV) are broadcasting their news and entertainment programs in Kosli language.

More than five registered newspapers and seventy magazines are available in Kosli language.² Unfortunately Kosli language has no political and official support although there was a discussion in the Indian parliament to include Kosli language in the 8th Schedule of the Indian constitution.³ Recently the Orissa govt. has recommended the Ho language for its inclusion in the 8th schedule of the Indian constitution.⁴ This is a welcome step. Along this line, we sincerely hope that the Orissa govt. will recommend Kosli language for the inclusion in the 8th Schedule of the Indian constitution.

For the people of western Orissa it is not just a language but a way of life that propel progresses and harmony in the region. The inclusion of Kosli language in the 8th schedule of the Indian constitution will have following positive impacts on the people of western Orissa:

Kosli language as a mother tongue and medium of instruction:

Western Orissa area contains 40 to 50 % of the state’s population. The key to development of western Odisha is the Kosli language. Drop out rate in schools particularly in rural and Adivashi area can be ascribed to, among other variables, teaching in Odia language which is not used in day to day communication. It is as if learning through an alien language. Kosli is the dominant means of communication through out western Odisha. Though we have several tribal languages, all tribals have functional capability in Kosli not Odia. That is the main reason why KBK has been found literacy rate is so low. We also have large population of scheduled caste in the area who are similarly impacted. It has caused various problems viz. i) the overall marks of students from western Orissa are lower than the students of coastal Orissa and ii) many bright students of western Orissa fail again and again in both 10^th and 10+2 examinations because of their poor knowledge in Odia language. Recognition of Kosli language will facilitate education among the kids of western Orissa in their mother tongue and solve the above mentioned problems.

Freedom of expression in legislative and social sphere:

In spite of aggressive Odianisation, population of western Orissa has retained Kosli language for day to day communication. In large population centers where people of other states, especially from Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bengal, Punjab, Gujarat and other North Indian area have come to work, they have opted Kosli instead of Odia because the accent of Kosli follows North Indian pattern. And when poor Koslis go out of their area to seek employment they choose to go to other Hindi speaking area such as Chhattisgarh, U.P, Bihar and Jharkhand instead of Odia speaking area in Odisha. All Kosli can be easily identified by their accent when they try to speak Odia. Elected representatives from western Orissa can not engage in debates in the State Assembly because of their poor knowledge in Odia language. Recognition of this language will facilitate communication in thelegislative and social sphere.

Research and development:

Dictionaries, grammar books, plays, novels, anthology of poems, granthavalis of major poets, Kosli panjikas, several books on history of Kosal (western Orissa), and biographies on Kosli heroes are already available without any financial help from the government. Recognition of Kosli language will avail grants directly from the central government. This will facilitate the research and future development of Kosli language.

Ease of governance:

Currently, notices are given in the villages of western Odisha in Odia; not very literates do not understand the full implications of these notices. Civil servants from other areas who do not even have rudimentary knowledge of Kosli language can not communicate with citizens, thus resulting in miscommunication. In fact, Orissa is among the minority of states which claims to have only one language. Out of 28 states, 15 have more than one official language. Out of 7 union territories, 6 have more than one recognized language. In a democracy, freedom of expression is a fundamental right of the citizen. Good governance requires efficient communication between the citizens and the government. In this context, inclusion of the Kosli language in the 8th Schedule of the Indian constitution will facilitate governance in western Orissa.

Kosli as a distinct language and its socio-cultural impact:

The linguistic characteristics of Kosli language are markedly different. Kosli language is a direct derivative of Sanskrit.⁵ Odia scholars have accepted it as a dialect of Odia language and Odia language as a member of Eastern Magadhi group of Indo-Aryan family. But genealogical analysis shows two different sources of origin of the two languages, that is, Odia and Kosli language. Odia is originated from the Magadhi Prakrit; whereas, Kosli language is originated from Ardha-Magadhi Prakrit.⁴ So there is remarkable difference between the two in the sphere of phonology, morphology, semantics and syntax.⁵ The researchers at the Sambalpur University, Odisha have shown that the Kosli is a distinct and old language.⁶

Kosli language is intimately connected to the distinct culture and heritage of western Odisha, quite distinct from Odia culture. The unique folk songs and dances blends neatly with rhythm and punctuation of Kosli language. Inclusion of Kosli language in the 8th schedule of the Indian Constitution will promote the culture and heritage of western Orissa.

Keeping the above mentioned points into consideration we request you to recommend the inclusion of Kosli language in the 8th schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Thanking you with best regards,

People of western Odisha and members of the Kosal Discussion and Development Forum (KDDF)

Acknowledgment: We thank the members of KDDF and other e-forums for suggestions. We are grateful to the people of western Odisha for constant support and encouragement.

References:

1.http://kddfonline.com/2011/07/31/mother-tongue-based-multilingual-education-kosli-language-as-a-medium-of-instruction-in-the-schools-of-western-odisha/

2. http://kddfonline.com/category/kosli-language-and-literature/

3. http://kddfonline.com/2009/10/23/parliament-debates-on-koshali-language/

4. http://www.orissasambad.com/news_article.php?id=60961

5. Kosli Bhasa Ra Sankhipta Parichay, Kosal Ratna Prayagdutta Joshi, pp 6, 7, 16, 17, Ed. Dr. Dolagobinda Bishi, 1991.

6. Peculiarities of Sambalpuri Language in Its Morphology; Dr. Ashok Kumar Dash, Surta, pp 35-38, Ed. Saket Sreebhushan Sahu, 2009.

Click here to download the Kosli language memorandum.

Submitted & Approved by

Members of Kosal Discussion and Development Forum (KDDF) & well wishers

Drafted by

Dr. Sanjib K Karmee

Department of Biotechnology

Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands

E-mail:S.K.Karmee@tudelft.nl

Dr. Arjun Purohit

Canada

E-mail: apurohit1934@gmail.com

Mr. Saket Sahu

Editor, BENI, Bargarh, Odisha

E-mail: saket.sahu@gmail.com

NUAKHAI JUHAR KOSALBASI

2011-09-01T12:43:00.003+05:30

Galana kete bacchar hasi kheli kari....

Galana kete phul mahali gacche phuti kari !!!

Hele amar bhab thau sabu dine bhari...

E Nuakhai tihar asu anand ullas dhari....Maa Samlei tumar samku rakhi thau kule dhari !!!

NUAKHAI JUHAR BAD MANKU AAU SAN MANKE NUAKHAI RA BAHUT BAHUT BADHAI !

JAI MAA SAMLESWARI....JAI MAA PATNESWARI...JAI MAA MANIKESWARI.....JAI MAA SURESWARI....JAI MAA GHANTASINI....JAI MAA SEKHARBASINI...JAI MAA LANKESWARI....JAI MAA METAKANI.....JAI MAA KOSHALESWARI !!!!

JAI KOSAL .NUAKHAI JUHAR

FARMER SUICIDE CONTINUES IN KOSAL AS FAMILY STRUGGLES TO GET MONEY FOR LAST RITES

2011-08-15T22:08:00.002+05:30

Courtesy :- Express Service

With drought looming, three suicide cases of farmers have shaken the community sending a grim reminder of the impending situation.

On Sunday, Dhananjaya Pradhan (35) of Sarla village in Bargarh district allegedly attempted suicide. He was rushed to the district headquarters hospital only to be declared brought dead.

A day later, another farmer, K Chakrabarty Rao (45) of Talpadar village in Dhankauda block of Sambalpur district consumed pesticide.

And on Tuesday, Upendra Rajhansa of Tumgaon village under Sohela police limits in Bargarh district was found hanging. These farmers seem to be caught in debt trap and harassed by private land sharks and ‘middlemen.’ Upendra, already burdened with loan, was waiting for� Government compensation for kharif crop loss as announced.

After his death, a cheque of `1,600 was handed over towards crop loss. His wife Santoshini, naib sarpanch of Garbhanga gram panchayat, said the family had availed of heavy loan. Upendra had taken a private loan of about `60,000, mortgaged gold and even sold a piece of land. Sohela Tehsildar Tanmaya Kumar Darwan visited the� family and handed over a cheque of `10,000 along with the crop loss compensation amount.

Dhananjaya, who died on Monday, was under severe pressure after being constantly harassed and assaulted by a money-lender. After his death, when angry villagers confronted the money-lender, he� agreed to pay `1 lakh to the family.

While no official visited the bereaved family, Bargarh Tehsildar Gautam Chaudhury said the Revenue Inspector has been directed to visit the village and submit a report. He cited his preoccupation with� Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyuti Karan Yojana for his inability to personally visit the village.

The third farmer, Rao, owned three acres of land and had taken another 20 acres on lease. But crop loss due to pest attack and untimely rain devastated him forcing him to sell his land. It is said he had availed of private loan of about `8 lakh and was under tremendous pressure.

Several farmers’ bodies have time and again attributed such suicides to denial of loan by banks. Private loan comes in handy with heavy interest and takes a toll on the poor farmers.

�Farmer leader Ashok Pradhan said Rao was a role model in the area and was hardworking. If the State Government does not act fast and change the system, such suicides will continue, he lamented.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hours after farmers Dhananjay Pradhan and Upendra Rajhansa ended their lives, their wives are looking for money to perform the last rites.

Both had taken their lives unable to repay the loans they had availed of.Dhananjay of Sarla village under Bargarh police limits, who was declared brought dead in Bargarh Government Hospital, is survived by his wife Sebati and two daughters Manisha (5) and Nibedita (2).

He had to shoulder the family burden from the age of 20 after his father expired. He was financially broken with a meagre land holding of 1.5 acres which led him to take the extreme step.

Now, all the responsibility has fallen on Sebati, who is unsure of the road ahead. She has no money to even conduct the last rites of her husband.

Upendra’s wife of Santoshini of Tumgaon village under Sohela police limits too is struggling to gather funds to perform his funeral rites.

The couple had married off their two daughters while the younger one Sunita is studying in Class VII. Son Birsa has dropped plans to join college as he has to shoulder the family burden.

After marrying off both daughters in two successive years, Upendra mortgaged the little property, comprising the ornaments of his wife and part of his 2.5 acres land. Upendra had taken a private loan of about Rs 60,000 and another Rs 25,000 against the mortgaged ornaments.

Balangir Tribal boy rings in international rugby glory

2011-08-06T00:36:00.002+05:30

Courtesy :- TNN

The game of rugby may be as alien as international acclaim for the non-descript tribal hamlet of Bangomunda in Balangir district, but the village is celebrating the unbelievable success of teenager Dharamananda Bhoi nevertheless, who went on to clinch sporting glory as captain of the under-13 rugby team from Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) that won the seven-a-side tournament held at Menchester (England) recently, defeating five foreign teams.

However, the laurel may have come as little surprise for the precocious Dharamananda, who villagers say has always been dreaming big and showed a keen interest in sports right from childhood.

"As a child, Dharamananda was always seen playing Chhur (a local sport). He was also a very good football player and always showed leadership skills," said Jamanikanta Pradhan, a Badangomunda villager.

"Dharamananda showed great interest in the game from the beginning. He was the undisputed captain owing to his special and innovative techniques in games and managing the team mates," said KISS sports teacher Rudrakesh Jena. The Class X student is an invincible scrum-half in Rugby, Jena said, describing the boy as a child prodigy in sports.

KIIS team was the only under-13 team to represent India in the Manchester tournament, where it went on to clinch a one-sided win of 15-0. There were 10 players from KIIS in the team, out of which three were kept on stand-by. In the semi-final against South Africa, Dharamananda's skill was outstanding, Jena said. In the final match, Dharamananda and Alekh Murmu, who was placed as winger in the field, did the miracle of defeating Thailand at a score of 25-0.

"Playing scrum-half requires great skill. It is that zone of the field where a player needs maximum stamina and intelligence to hoodwink the opponent. And Dharamananda performed superbly," said Jena.

Dharamananda's father Nityananda owns an acre of land in their village and the family is mostly dependent on the pension of Dharama's grandmother after the demise of his grandfather, who was a school teacher.

No unanimity on WODC headquarters

2011-07-31T17:24:00.004+05:30

Courtesy:-Express News Service (TNIE)

The outgoing chairperson of the Western Orissa Development Council (WODC) Dr Niranjan Panda on Friday said there is lack of unanimity among the politicians from the area about the location of the council headquarters.

Addressing a news conference here, Panda said though he convened four meetings during his tenure to try and settle the issue, politicians from different Western Orissa districts differed. He, however, said the Council has no dearth of funds to take up development projects.

The budget of WODC has gone up to Rs 100 crore and it gets additional funds from the State Government for development of the KBK, he said.

Panda announced that perspective plan of Rs 300 crore for the next three years has been drawn up by the Council. This includes Rs 114 crore for irrigation, lift irrigation and rainwater management, Rs 13.5 crore for provision of drinking water, Rs 13.6 crore for electricity, Rs 45 crore for roads and communication, Rs 32 crore for health, Rs 60 crore for education, Rs 5 crore for Centre for Development Studies, Rs 9 crore for Agriculture Machinery Hiring Project and Rs 8 crore for agropolytechnic.

Stating that during the last five years several steps have been initiated to bridge the regional disparity, Panda said steps have been started for establishment of three medical colleges. He hoped that admission into the medical college at Jarring in Kalahandi district would start from the next academic year. Similarly, admission for the medical college at Rourkela, established by WODC, will also start from the next academic year. A decision on establishment of medical college at Balangir will be taken soon, he said.

Panda said steps have been initiated by the Council to improve health infrastructure in the area. Work for establishment of a nursing school at Sundargarh has already started. Funds have been sanctioned for establishment of diagnostic centres at Balangir, Deogarh, Sambalpur and Sonepur, he said.

It has been decided that funds will be provided for increasing the number of beds and cabins in Boudh and Deogarh district hospitals. Besides, 50-bed hospitals will be set up at ThuamulRampur in Kalahandi district, Koida in Sundargarh district and Chantipali in Jharsuguda district with private participation. An eye hospital will be set up by the WODC in partnership with Lepra India, he said and added the site for this will be identified soon.

Panda said steps have also been taken to improve infrastructure in the education sector. Assistance is also being given to private schools for construction of additional classrooms, laboratories, libraries and toilets, he said.

No More Hirakud in Kosal (Western Orissa) Mr.CM

2011-07-23T16:03:00.006+05:30

Who can forget the agony and sufferings the people of Western Orissa faced during the construction of Hirakud Dam. It was constructed to check the massive flood that was effecting a large part of coastal Odisha. But construction of the dam greatly affected the native of western part of Odisha. Nearly 150,000 people were affected by the Hirakud project. Nearly 22,000 family were displaced by the dam project.

In the original estimate, an amount of Rs 12 crores was provided for payment of compensation to the affected people. After revision, the amount was reduced to Rs 9.5 crores and the total compensation paid to the people was, in reality, only Rs 3.32 crores. A large number of families were evacuated from their hearth and homes without compensation from 1956 onwards.Till date there are nearly seven to eight thousand people who never got any compensation and were forced to live in footpath..

This criminal act of the Orissa govt created a huge divide between the people of Western and Coastal orissa which is getting worse day by day...

And now again after so many years the Orissa govt is yet again planning to rub salt in wounds of Kosli people..NHPC Ltd on Thursday signed a pact with the Orissa state government to set up the hydropower plants in Subarnapur (100 MW), Sambalpur (100 MW) and Boudh (120 MW) districts across Mahanadi river in Kosal (Western Orissa) region of the state.

The hydropower generating company will build the plants in five years time in a joint venture with the Orissa state-run Hydro Power Corporation with a combined investment of Rs.2,600 crore to generate 320 MW power

Ranjan Panda, convenor of Water Initiative - a network of NGOs working on water related issues, said the projects will submerge thousands of acres of agricultural lands.

"No doubt these are small plants and will be comparatively less destructive compared to the coal-fired plants. However, these projects too have socio-economic and ecological consequences," Panda told IANS.

"We cannot see any justification as to why more power projects are required which will submerge fertile agricultural land, displace people and affect local ecology.

"The government has also not come out with any cost-benefit analysis of the said plants. Nor has it given out anything on the possible displacement, loss of land and number of people to be affected," he said

Bhabani Shankar Hota, a former MP from the region, said the projects will hit at least 118 villages wholly or partially.

"The projects, if implemented, would bring untold miseries and devastation to the people of the area," he said.

In addition, 20,000 acres of reserved and village forest land, 16,000 acres of cultivable land, 240 acres of house-stead land will be submerged under the projects, he said.

He added that people also fear the plants will submerge several temples, including the world famous Huma Temple in the district of Sambalpur.

"People in the whole of western Orissa had stoutly opposed this project in the past, why is the government pursuing it again and again," he asked.

Chronology of events with regard to the Sindhol Project:

Along with Hirakud, there was a proposal to build a dam at Tikarpada on Mahanadi and a barrage at Naraj, to control flood. However, Tikarpada dam would have submerged the Sonepur and Boudh towns and hence it never saw the light of the day. The Naraj barrage was constructed.

During the 80s, during chief ministership of Janaki Ballabh Pattnaik, proposals were on air for the Manibhadra dam and not Tikarpada. However, it was opposed in the entire western Odisha so much so that the govt. had to airdrop leaflets on Balangir, Sonepur , Boudh and nearby areas promising the Manibhadra dam wont come up.

In 1996 the govt. once again started talking about the Sindhol Project under the name of ‘Hirakud Stage III’. The then central energy minister N. K. Salve visited Chiplima in this context. However, this was opposed too and in an election speech Janaki Pattnaik promised that the project won’t be constructed if the people don’t want it.

However, the matter once again came up during campaigns for the Rairakhol Assembly bi-elections in 2003. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had categorically said during election campaign that “this project is not under consideration anymore”.

However, later, the state’s energy minister Surjya Narayan Patra, in a press conference, informed that the state has sent a proposal to the center for setting up of this project. Reacting to this statement, on 12th August 2003, the then BJD MLA of Rairakhol Sanatan Bisi, wrote to Patra seeking clarification. Replying to this, through his letter dated 23rdAugust, 2003, Patra informed Bisi that “you will be happy to know that the govt. has decided in principle not to go ahead with the Sindhol project”. Based on this letter the District Information and Public Relations Officer of Sambalpur had given a press statement confirming the above.

The above press statement mentioned that “even though the Sindhol project has been in discucssion at various levels for the last 15 years, no detailed project report has been prepared so far on this. According to preliminary investigations this project will submerge 28 villages and displace 1850 families. So, the govt. has decided not to implement this project”.

It’s worth mentioning here that, during the 90s, the govt. advertisements in newspapers had put it that the project would submerge 118 villages including 37000 acre fertile agriculture land, reserved forests and homestead land.”

News Source :- ET & http://climatecrusaders.blogspot.com/

The Legend Of Maa Samaleswari - 7 Exclusive Videos

2011-07-17T18:02:00.001+05:30

LIST OF KOSLI "SAMBALPURI" MAGAZINE PUBLISHED TILL DATE

2011-07-05T06:32:00.004+05:30

Compiled & Contributed By Mr. SAPAN MISHRA

Kosli "Sambalpuri" Bhaasha thi Bahaari thila aar Baaharu thilaa Patra/Patrikaa(S.P. here stands for Stopped Publication & Others are being Published) -

This List is First Time in the Internet ....

(Alphabetically, Not Chronologically)

1.Art & Artist-S.P.-Prahallad Dash,Sakhipada,Sambalpur,

2.Agnisikha, thi Darpan-S.P.-Arjun Ranjan Panda,

3.Anushilan-S.P.-Bajendra Ku Panda,Gobindtula,SBPur

4.Amrut-S.P.-Jayakrushna Seth,Abankela,Sundargarh,

5.Angra-S.P.-Sanjay Mishra,Balangir,

6.Ukia,S.P.-Gurubaru Senduria,Burla(?)

7.Udlabel,S.P.-Sudhir Ch Meher,Kadobahal,Sambalpur,

8.Udianbel,S.P.-Santost Ku Sahu,Pahandi,Bargarh,

9.Kadho-S.P.-Khirod Ku Sahu,Deulgaon,Balangir,

10.Kahar,S.P.-Ranjan Ku Panda,DashMile,Sohela,Bargarh,

11.Kanhar,S.P.-Ashok Ku Meher,R.B.S.Padampur,Bargarh,

12.Kayenshphul,S.P.-Bharat Dharua,Pudapadar,Aagalpur,Balangir,

13.Kusali Chetna,S.P.-Debanand Hota,Mannpur,Bargarh,

14.KoshalShree-S.P.-Dalagobind Bishi,Titilagarh,

15.KoshalSarathi,S.P.-Irfan Mohammad,Khadiial,Nuapada,

16.Kohali Farad,S.P.-Malaya Mishra,Balangir,

17.Koshali Rani,S.P.-Jyatsnarani Panda,Birmaharajpur,Sonepur,

18.Koushalya-S.P.Rjesh Kumar Karia,Sohela,Bargarh,

19.Ghant-S.P.-Ranjan Ku Sa,S.P.-Ghantaapali,Binka,Sonepur,

20.Chandar Udiian,Stll Published.-Bikash Chandra Sahu,Sohela,Bargarh,

21.Chadak-S.P.-Bikash Chandra Sahu,Sohela,Bargarh

22.Chahata Champa-S.P.-Taranisen Jena,Gopalmal,Barpali,

23.Pahapah-JanamukhaS.P.(To be Continued)SapanMishra,Budharaja,Sambalpur

23.Juljulia(S.P.)-Nihar Behera,Dhirpur,Bargarh

24.Juhaar-A Bi-Monthly Peotry collections being Published

Regularly,Uttam Hota,Gouranga Pandey,Jharsuguda

25.JhaarMali-(.S.P.)-Surangini Mishra,Taalpalipada,Balangir

26.Jharial-(S.P.)-Prakash Ch Bahidar,Shish mahal,Balangir

27.Tikk Chanhara-'Koshal' Newspaper thi-(S.P.)-Debarchan Thakur,Mudipada,Sambalpur

28.TharaaNaraa-(S.P.)-Kumar Chinnmaya,Balangir

29.Dakua-Published Regularly-Bijan Mahanty,GulekDham,Rugudipada,Balangir

30.Dhol-(S.P.)Surajit Singh Maharatha,K.B.G.P.,Nuapada

31.Tasha-(S.P.)-Pradip Ku dash,Rugudipada,Balangir

32.Tulsi-(S.P.)-Ashok Pujahari,Ghenss,Bargarh

33.Dutia Jhann-(S.P.)-Bibekanand majhi,Jaampali,Udhuna,Bargarh

34.Dainik Koshal-Irregular-Tribikram Tripathy,Koshal Bhaban,Sambalpur

35.Dhaaj-(S.P.)-Prafulla Sahu,TaalSirgida,Bargarh

36.Nabneeta-Ocassionally in our language-Kshetrabasi Nayak-Rajendra College Road,Balangir

37.Nisan-(S.P.)-Dr.Nilamadhab Panigrahi,Gulunda,Maneswar,Sambalpur

38.Nua-Jharan-Published regularl Quarterly-Kishor Kumar Sahu,Sapan Mahal,Kainsheer,Barpali

39.Nua-Dhaan-(S.P.)-Nandkanha Pujahari,Raipali,Sonepur

40.Nua-Sakaal-Published regularly Quarterly-Gourang Pandey,Junha-Bamhni,Barpali

41.Parbha-(S.P.)-Tikelal Behera,Titilagarh,Balangir

42.Paschimanchal-Published Regularly-Smt.Surama Mishra,Chhend,Rourkela

43.PaschimaBharati-(S.P.)-Nirmal Prakash Purohit,Mandosili,Bargarh

44.Painjhal-(S.P.)-Bipin Bihari Mahanand,Jhagadjhal,Jhar,Ghenss,Bargarh

45.PanhatiTara-Being Published-Naren Panchbhaya,Sargul,Padampur,Bargarh

46.Baul-Being Published-Sushant Mishra,Sohella,Bargarh

47.Bayetha-(S.P.)-Muribahal,Balangir

48.Bayela Re-(S.P.)-Kusha Panda,Brahminipali,Sonepur

49.Baas Patri-(S.P.)-Laxman Suna,Dekuluba,Remda,Bargarh

50.Batuabaas-Being Published Ocassionally-Dr.Laxmi Narayan Panigrahi,Ghenss,Bargarh

51.Beni-(Being Published)-Saket Sahu,Burumunda,Gaiselet,Bargarh

52.Bharni-(S.P.)-Dr.Dwarikanath Nayak,Dhanupali,Sambalpur

53.Bhandar Kun-(S.P.)-Rabiranjan Pradhan,Boden,Nuapada

54.Malmali-(S.P.)-Nihar Ranjan Behera,Bhukta,Ambabhona,Bargarh

55.Manohar-Being Published Ocassionally-Uttpanna Bhoi,Nuapali,Bheden,Bargarh

56.MahulKunchi-(S.P.)-Sarathi Pradhan,Babaji Tikra,Julunda,Sonepur

57.Maa-(S.P.)-Hadu Sahu,Ghodabandh,Kalahandi

58.Jubajyoti-(S.P.)-Harishankar Behera,Gurupali,Areigudi,Bargarh

59.Laal Surjya-(S.P.)-Pradeep Kumar Panda,Nua-Barangamaal,Sambalpur

60.Leti-Published Ocassionally-Anand Chandra Sahu,Shantipada,Balangir

61.Saetaan-Being Published in our language ocassionally-Prahalld Padhee,Patnagarh,Balangir

62.Sailta-Being Published-Amrutlal Sahu,Ghenss,Bargarh

63.Sambalbhumi-(S.P.)-Prahallad Dash,Sakhipada,Sambalpur

64.Sambalpuri Sahitya-(S.P.)-Nrupatti Deheri,Sambalpur

65.Sambad Newspaper carry Jugaar ocassionally-Bamapada Tripathy,Sambalpur

66.Sirjina-(S.P.)-Rajendra Mahanty,R.B.S. Padampur,Bargarh

67.Sunaphul-(S.P.)-Ganapati Bhukta,Badd Karle,Sonepur

68.Suna Buhen-Published ocassionally-Bijay Kumar Mahapatra,Kotian,Kaduapada,Jagatsinghpur

69.Surta-(S.P.)-Jugeswar Tandi,Putki Grinjel,Saipali,Bargarh

70.Surta-(S.P.)-Kalki Narayan Mishra,Koshali Academy,Balangir

71.Suru Nani-(S.P.)-Rohit Kumar Bhue,Ambabhona,Bargarh

72.Selaa Pathar-(S.P.)-Karunakar Bhoi,Mahurundi,Khaprakhol,Balangir

73.Sangram-(S.P.)-M.Arakhita,Bishipali,Nuapada

74.Haq-(S.P.)-Irfan Mohammad,Khadiaal,Nuapada

75.Hakua-(S.P.)-Jayakrushna Farikar,Haatpadaapada,Balangir

76.Hulaahuli-(S.P.)-Surangini Mishra,Tikirapada,Balangir

(Friends, it is very difficult to publish & circulate a Magazine. All these Editors & their cooperators deserve accolades from us. Lets ask them to resume their publication, those who have stopped publishing their Magazines. I call upon you to write letters to them stating your moral & other support to them to revive their Magazine. That is the way we can contribute our part for the growth our literature. I hope & believe, you will do something.)

Sambalpuri Handloom : A fashion revival

2011-07-04T19:26:00.004+05:30

"Talking about this venture, designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee said, “An increasing number of people these days are getting attracted towards traditional stuff like Sambalpuri textile. They’ll certainly be revived.”

As the design fraternity aims at reviving the classic weaves and crafts of our culture, some new steps taken by fashion designers Sabyasachi Mukherji and Rajesh Pratap Singh are seen as a welcome change. These world renowned designers have been invited by the Orissa state government to revive the state’s handloom sector which is facing a crisis. Both designers will work on the project with Orissa State Handloom Weavers’ Cooperative Society and Sambalpuri Bastralaya to improve designs of saris and other materials.

Once in great demand, Orissa handloom has fallen on bad days due to a variety of reasons like rising cost of raw materials, lack of proper marketing network and little scope for skill development. The state government woke up to the challenge after a traditional weaver, Uttar Meher, and his family members committed suicide, unable to cope with grinding poverty in Bargarh district in Western Orissa recently.

Arti Ahuja, secretary, textiles and handlooms informed that the state government has decided to take the help of experts after drafting a comprehensive handloom policy last month. “Weavers of Orissa need certain technical and marketing guidance in order to attract customers of international market,” she added. The designers would work on a project with the state-run Boyanika (Orissa State Handloom Weavers’ Cooperative Society) and Sambalpuri Bastralaya.

Talking about this venture, designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee said, “An increasing number of people these days are getting attracted towards traditional stuff like Sambalpuri textile. They’ll certainly be revived.” Apart from Sabyasachi, designers Abraham and Thakur, Anjali Kalia and Orissa-born Bibhu Mohapatra, now based in USA, would also work on the state government-sponsored 18-month project.

Rita Kapur Chishti, author of a book on saris from 14 states is coordinating between the designers and weavers. “The designers would work on improving saris, dupattas, scarves and also shirts and suit material for men,” she said.

Steps have been taken to set up a handloom park in Bargarh district, to teach weaving to people of non-weavers community. The proposed Sambalpuri Ikat handloom park would be perhaps the second handloom park in the country after the first one at Pochampalli near Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh. With some 2,000 looms, the park would employ around 3,000 weavers. Apart from imparting training in tie and dye processing, production and finishing of the products, the looms would help the weavers churn out products according to the market requirements, according to Ahuja.

Turning the wheel :

Designer textiles: Designers Rajesh Pratap Singh and Sabyasachi Mukherji will work on improving sarees, scarves, dupattas, and shirts and suiting materials for men.

The sudden fall:

Orissa handlooms saw a sudden fall in demand due to age-old techniques, no proper marketing network, and very less scope in skill developments for the weavers.

JAIKOSAL.COM TURNED 5 YEARS OLD

2011-06-30T22:32:00.006+05:30

Juhar all KOSALBASI,

It has been a tremedous journey all these years...Today Your favourite blog turned 5 years old...Heartfelt thanks to all of you for making your blog so successful..

Your blog was started on 1st july 2007 with the motto to bring awareness amongst the general masses and classes of Kosal region about the significance of the word KOSAL....

KOSAL is not mere a word...It is much more than that...KOSAL is our identity...

Your blog tried it's best to propagate the Kosli culture, tradion, art, language, people etc through out the world....Your blog always wanted you to be in touch with your motherland even if you are physically miles away from it..

Initially started as koshalsamaj.blogspot.com, it was renamed to www.jaikosal.blogspot.com within 6 months of it's inception and now with all your support and love your blog became an website with the url www.jaikosal.com

It was during the year 2004-05 when internet was slowly becoming a neccessity for us and some people like me (Satyajit Nayak), who were already addicted to it found it the best way to share our feelings with the whole world...While searching the word "Sambalpuri" and "Koshal" on google.com I hardly found only 20-30 links which were not relevant at all....I was deeply hurt..I felt how come in this twenty first century there is not much information available about the culture, tradition, people, language etc of a region called Western Orissa which gave india the baap of all indian folk song "Rangabati", the world famous Sambalpuri Saree which itself was an identity of the personality of late prime minister Smt Indira Gandhi....Even in some Orissa related websites also there was no mention of Western orissa at all...

Somehow I clicked one link after my search of the word "Sambalpuri" in google..I found an interesting discussion forum in orissaindia.com..I got exited and posted some notes on our culture, tradition and the need to declare our language as a separate one.....I was shocked when suddenly many people from coastal area started commenting negatively about our region,culture, language and tradition....remember that time I was not talking about a separate state KOSAL..I was only trying to make them aware that we are also existing in your state..We are also human and we deserve a better treatment in your state...But the foul languages keep pouring...Then I found great support in few friends/mate who thinks like me, who love their motherland like me and above all who wants to do something for their motherland KOSAL...I must name them here...They really are my inspiration...starting from Mr.Sameer Panda, Mr. Biswajit Pradhan, Mr. Anand Sagar Dash, Mr Priyabrata Sahu, Mr. Abhijeet joshi, Mr. Piyush Ranjan Mishra and above all Sri Arjun Purohit....

They were so passionate about KOSAL that it inspired me to start the KOSAL community on 12th November 2006 in social networking site "ORKUT" with the main objective to unite all the net savvy educated Kosli's who are staying across the globe.....

With in few months of starting the KOSAL community on Orkut we got a lot of support from all quarter and it helped us starting this blog along with a dedicated channel in Youtube for Sambalpuri Songs...When we started the hotmalejeet channel on Youtube, there was not a single sambalpuri song on Youtube..

In the last five years your blog has achieved a lot....It has successfully created that sense of pride amongst the current generation of Kosli's who are proud of their cultural heritage more than ever......

Jaikosal.com is a serious platform fully dedicated for the development of the KOSAL region (Western Orissa).....

Jaikosal.com has taken pledge to promote Kosli sense of pride amongst the Youth,Kosli Music,Kosli Literature,Kosli Culture,Kosli Handloom,Kosli dance.

Jaikosal.com demands the INCLUSION of KOSALI (Sambalpuri) Language in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution thus grating it an official status.

Jaikosal.com demands the Creation of a new State called KOSAL,which will include 10 district of western orissa along with the athmallick subdivision of Angul and some parts of Phulbani.

On the Fith anniversary of your beloved blog..oopps..beloved website.. let's take a pledge to devote ourself for the cause of Kosal and development of Kosal region.

Say with proud,We are KOSLI

Jai Kosal

"Mor Maet Mor Raej"

LINKS TO SOME OF KOSAL RELATED SITES CREATED/INITIATED/UPDATED BY ME :-

ORKUT KOSAL COMMUNITY

YOUTUBE SAMBALPURI CHANNEL

KOSAL WEBSITE

FACEBOOK

BALANGIR SITE

BELOW R THE WIKIPEDIA PAGES CREATED/INITIATED BY ME

HIRAKUD DAM

OTHER RECOMMENDED KOSAL RELATED WEBSITES

http://www.kosal.org

http://www.kosalkranti.com

http://www.nuakhaibhet.info

http://kddf.wordpress.com

http://www.bihaghar.com

http://www.navratnanews.com

http://koslisahitya.wordpress.com/

http://www.koshal.in

FACEBOOK POPULAR KOSAL GROUPS

LET US GET UNITED FOR OUR MOTHERLAND...KEEP ASIDE PERSONAL EGOS AND LET'S FIGHT FOR THE GLORY OF KOSAL

Balangir Rocked The Orissa HSC Examinations

2011-06-27T18:52:00.004+05:30

Surpassing all the earlier records, Sarthak Pradhan, a student of Kadampada Saraswati Sishu Mandir,Balangir, secured the top position in the HSC Examinations, 2011 published on Saturday by securing 586marks.Sarthak, a resident of Tulsinagar here, is son of a teacher Birat Keshari Pradhan.

“I lost two marks in mathematics due to an error, otherwise my total mark would have gone further,” said Sarthak, adding, “I used to study for 10 -12 hours a day regularly and in exam time, it was a little more.” Sarthak maintained that tuition is not all necessary but on specific subjects it is essential to clarify doubts.

When asked about the aim of his life, Sarthak said, “As many members of my family are well placed in the engineering jobs, I would like to be a doctor with human values.” Sarthak, however, said that in Balangir, there are good colleges and teaching has been quite good. “Rather than going to study in colleges of Bhubneswar, I would like to pursue higher study here,” Sarthak asserted and gave credit to his parents, teachers and all other members of his family, besides blessing of God for his success.

While three students of the district were in the Top-10 list and two secured 11th and 15th ranks. All students are from Saraswati Sishu Mandir,

The seventh rank holder Sambhrant Das is, however, unhappy with the result. He scored 578 marks and was expecting the first rank. His father Subash Das, a gynaecologist, said he was happy to see his son in the Top-10. “He will pursue his Plus-II in DAV, Bhubaneswar, and then enter IIT,” said Subash. He said that Sambhrant wants to join the coveted Indian Foreign Service.

Samir Sahu secured the ninth rank. Though hailing from a nondescript Sikabehenga village, he used to come to the Saraswati Sishu Mandir in Balangir town from his village, about 10 km away, everyday.

Samir scored 574 marks. Son of a schoolteacher, he too aspires to become a doctor like Sarthak. The other two rank holders are Ritu Rajeswari Dalai (11th) and Anjan Patel (15th).

School principal Dilip Kumar Padhi said organised study schedules helped the students excel.

Sambalpuri folk song bags Akashvani Award

2011-06-26T20:19:00.000+05:30

The once popular song of ‘Rangabati’ may have faded over the years, but lyricist Mitrabhanu Gauntia’s musical feature ‘Pakhal Khurithi Mahara’ (Poison in the Rice Bowl) bagged the first prize at the Akashvani Annual Award-2010 in farm and home category which was declared on Friday in Delhi.

�The musical feature, produced and directed by D Someya with music score by Prafulla Kumar Mitra, revolves around the need for a

�Second Green Revolution for quality foodgrains and promotion of bio-fertilizers, bio-pesticides and bio-management practices.�� Indiscriminate use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides has adversely affected the land and living beings.

There is residual poison in almost all the food materials and even in the rice bowl, the song conveys.

It aims at creating an awareness through the musical feature so as to reach across a large section of people and leave a lasting impression on them, said D Someya, who dedicated the award to his entire team.

NIT Rourkela ranks second, after Trichi

2011-06-22T12:25:00.002+05:30

Courtesy :- TOI

National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela, the premier technical institute in the state, has added a feather to its cap by securing the 2nd rank among all the NITs in the country; it is next only to NIT Trichy. NIT Rourkela also holds the 13th position among all engineering institutes in India, including all the IITs. In a survey conducted recently by Career 360, a Delhi-based educational and career magazine, NIT Rourkela found this recognition among the top 50 engineering colleges in the country.

It is worth mentioning that in February 2011 NIT Rourkela received the prestigious award of the best government engineering college in the east zone and was crowned the most outstanding technical institute in the east by Star News, one of the leading news channels in the country.

NIT Rourkela, which has already established its credibility at the national and international level in the field of technical education, has accepted the rank and honour gracefully. "We are thankful to the students, faculty and staff of NIT as this would not have been possible without their dedication, diligence and team work," said Sunil Sarangi, director of NIT.

"Students, staff and faculty work hard here and prepare themselves to face the competition at the global level. So, such recognitions, even small ones, definitely help motivate these people to take the institute to newer heights," said R K Sinha, secretary, public relations committee, NIT Rourkela.

Faulty Agricultural Policy Of State Killing Farmers Of KOSAL

2011-06-16T06:26:00.004+05:30

By Amitabh Patra (amitabhpatra@gmail.com)

See how the DM (collector of Bargrh Dist. Odisha / Orissa ) behaved and asked his assistant to seize and break my camera when I tried to record video of a group of farmers demanding last years crop loss help declared by govt. Till day most of the surveyed areas have not recieved the declared "HELP" of govt.

This happened on 23rd March this year, and I was subsequently threatened by his assistant about dire consequences and told that things with me will not be good. A protest rally by about a thousand people was being held outside the DMs office, and still the H'ble (?) DM asked me to be kicked out of his (? is he not a public servant ?) office. I was attacked by his assistant while trying to save my camera and footage.

I was rescued by the farmers when they heard the noise outside the office, came running. Below is the facts I have been able to collect in last few months study. If the administrative head of a Dist. behaves likes this, in his PUBLIC office, what is expected from this colonial feudal democracy ?

The video of the rally held against last year's massive crop loss due to un--seasonal rain and insurance demand.

Till now there has not been any payments inspite of govt.s big promises of Rs. 4000/- per hector (2.5 acres) max even if you have cultivated 10 acres.

Expenses in Paddy cultivation is more than Rs.10000/- per acre. Land owning Farmers are taking loan from banks/ cooperatives. But landless farmers (share croppers) can not avail the same, and have to borrow from the local seed/ fertilizer seller @ 5% per month to 10% per month interest rate.

That comes to about 60 - 120% rate of interest p.a.

Micro-finance companies are lending @ 36% (on paper it is 12.5%) to the SHG members. In my study I am finding many of the suicide cases are due to this hefty interest rates and complete crop loss of last season.

A recent calculation of a suicide affected family from Jada village in Bargarh dist. I found that for their 3 acres of land which is distributed at 3 different places, had to spend about Rs.40,000/- and will yeild about 75 -80 bags of rice of 75kgs each.

The Father and son duo committed suicide due to crop loss and subsequent debt. last year.

There is a joint family of about 8 people, and the only male member in the family is about 18 years suffering from joint pain in left leg.

Their total earnings from the current crop will be about 55000/- and there is also another society loan of 20,500 + interests.

So their net profit from this crop will be 55000 - (40000 + 20500) = ?? please calculate.

This is the condition of agriculture in this country - that is why more or less all farmers are moving away from cultivation. The land owners are giving away their land to landless labours for share cropping. The benefit goes to the official record holders, but any kind of loss is borne by the share cropper. He has to pay the share (about 8 - 10 standard bags per acre) to the landlord.

Agricultural officers seldom visit the fields of such small farmers. Insurance is nothing but a govt. organised farce. As per the insurance prevailing, unless an entire block's crop is damaged, insurance can not be claimed.

So there is no insurance for a farmer, who has lost all due to nature's might. But farmers in Odisha have been paying insurance premiums since last 24- 25 years.

There is not a single instance where crop insurance has been paid.

After a harvest, there comes the selling of paddy, which is being controlled by mill owners. The MSP (minimum support price) of FAQ (fine average quality) paddy is Rs.1000/- per quintal (750 per standard bag) . But on ground few farmers in Bargarh and Sambalpur do get this price, being alert and able to fight the system.

Rest is sold at under-rate of about 550 or lesser in remote areas, where middle men control the paddy business. So unless a farmer gets more than 35 bags of FAQ rice from 1 acre, then it is a loss for him. If there is any natural calamity like pest attack/ rains/ hail storm or strong wind in which crop gets destroyed, all his past savings if made goes down the drain.

An individual farmer is not entitled to avail insurance. Why such a faulty policy ? Is he not a consumer of the Insurance Business of the nation ? Have not the farmers paid insurance premiums while taking loans from the banks ?

The chronic poverty of farmers is being caused by the faulty agricultural policy of the state and gradually farmers are going poorer. Many good farmers have sold out their agricultural land or have left cultivating themselves and given to share croppers.

Besides the above stated, there is health and social reasons which a farmer's family is prone to : marriageable daughters, and any kind of major health problem.

These are not covered under any kind of insurance. Daughters marriage is a big burden in a family being the Dowry associated with it.

Also the govt. apathy is that when someone commits suicide from poor family, a 10000/- Rs redcross fund is allocated to the family. But many instances, the police, doctor and block officials ask for some bribe or delay the relief amount. In some cases which I met the families, told that it took numerous visits to various officials, and after 4 - 6 months only they were able to get a suicide compensation of Rs.10000/- for a person who was head of the family.

Nuapada sarpanch rules' over dist HQ

2011-06-15T08:10:00.001+05:30

by Riyan Ramanath V

The district headquarters of Nuapada boasts a distinction in the country. It may look like a town, which has a population of 30,000 with offices of the district magistrate (collector), superintendent of police and all other important offices, but it is still ruled by a sarpanch.

The only district headquarters in the country to have a panchayat, Nuapada was originally carved out of a gram panchayat. Nuapada, the name of one of Orissa's districts as well as the district headquarters, was part of Kalahandi until 1992. Strangely, even after 20 years of formation of the district, the headquarters doesn't even enjoy an notified area council (NAC) status. A sarpanch and samiti member run Nuapada town.

In Nuapada town the panchayat is the authority responsible for ensuring the facilities of sanitation, street lights, drinking water, etc. It is the place where the Zilla Parishad conducts meetings in the presence of the collector, PD (DRDA) and all the MLAs of the district.

There are two MLA constituencies Nuapada and Khariar in the district. Kalahandi MP is also the MP of Nuapada. Before delimitation, Balangir MP used to rule Nuapada.

Strangely, Nuapada MLA Rajenra Prasad Dholkia said the people of Nuapada always feared if Nuapada became an NAC, they won't enjoy good services. "The real fight to make it at least an NAC began just two years ago," Dholkia said, adding it is really embarrassing that Nuapada is under a sarpanch and a samiti member. The MLA said he had proposed an NAC status for Nuapada back in 2009. "My proposal is pending with the Panchayati Raj department, which has to endorse it. We expect the Nuapada headquarters will be an NAC soon," he said.

Sources said after Nuapada was made the district headquarter in 1992, it was not fit in terms of population to become an NAC, which would have meant urban status. However, it became eligible years later.

"It should have been made an NAC long time ago," said Abani Panigrahi, a local social activist. "Many things are in a mess due to the big town being managed by a sarpanch. Especially, the floating population is not getting justice. We feel as if were in the pre-independence era," the activist said.

India's Second Handloom Park to be setup at Bargarh

2011-06-12T17:49:00.004+05:30

Courtesy:- TOI

A handloom park will be set up in Bargarh district to teach weaving to people of non-weavers community. This is being done keeping in view the fading number of skilled weavers.

The upcoming Sambalpuri Ikat Handloom Park at Katapali village within Barpali block, would be the second handlooms park in the country and in Asia, the first one being at Kochampalli near Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh.

Surendra Meher, president of the park, said few members of the weavers' community are sticking to their age-old profession. This may lead to a situation when no weavers will be left. To tide over the situation, the proposed park intends to impart skills to all willing persons. At present, the Bhulias (Meher) is the dominant weavers community in Bargarh, the epicentre of the world famous Sambalpuri saree.

The park, coming up in public-private partnership mode, has already acquired over 10 acres of land against a requirement of 25 acre. The park will have 2,000 looms and employ 3,000 workers.

The park has been registered as a society with 100 members, including 45 national awardees and 55 other master weavers. The members have pulled in a working capital of Rs 41,000 each. While the society is required to arrange land on its own, the Centre and state government will share other components of the Rs 70-crore project.

An inter-governmental panel has been constituted to work on the details of the project. Secretary textiles and handlooms, Arti Ahuja, said the project is on the fast track and would be commissioned soon. She, however, declined to set a deadline for commissioning of the park "since multiple stakeholders were involved."

Besides training the weavers on tie and dye processing, production, and finishing of the products, the captive looms in the project will help them produce textiles as per market demands, Ahuja said.

According to the Handloom Census 2009 of the Government of India, Bargarh has the biggest handloom cluster in the state. There are 35,000 weavers and allied textile workers and 12,500 looms in the district. The Bargarh handloom cluster sprawls across Bargarh, Barpali, Bheden, Bhatli, Attabira, Bijepur, Padampur and Sohela blocks where the artisans weave cotton sarees of tie-dye art, lungis and napkins. The demand for the saree is very high because of the unique tie-and-dye method, protecting the glaze for years.

Hope the Handloom Park will not become a distant dream like the Balangir Medical College !!!..People of KOSAL are always being cheated by the people in power at Bhubaneswar...When they can set up so many higher educational institutions, tech park etc as fully Govt. enterprises...Then why the biased Orissa govt always recommend a private-public enterprise in KOSAL region.....They know it very well that our region is so poor that it hardly attracts private investment particularly in Medical and Handloom, they why they r not trying for a fully govt supported handloom park....Anyhow let's wait and watch...How many more years it will take for this park to become reality ???????

Sital Sasthi 2011 Video : Sambalpur

2011-06-09T22:00:00.003+05:30

XCLUSIVE LIVE TELECAST OF SITAL SASTHI 2011

2011-06-07T19:38:00.005+05:30

WATCH THE XCLUSIVE TELECAST OF SITAL SASTHI LIVE FROM SAMBALPUR, KOSAL

DATE :- 8TH JUNE 2011

TIME :- 8:00 AM ONWARDS.

Link is disabled now...Hope You must have enjoyed the live telecast..

JAI KOSAL ....

"MOR MAET MOR RAEJ"

Note :- The live telecast will be carried out by Orissa Television Network and they are the copyright holder of the whole event.we are sharing it for the larger interest of the people of Kosal... This link will be disabled after the event.

Orissa Third Most Corrupt State:NCRB

2011-06-03T11:22:00.003+05:30

Courtesy:- TOI

Mention corruption and the image that comes to mind is of a frail figure in a Gandhi topi taking on the government. At a time when Anna Hazare has become synonymous with a fight against corruption, it comes as a surprise that the maximum number of graft cases are registered in his home state, Maharashtra.

National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2000-09 says the state registered 4,566 corruption cases, followed by Rajasthan with 3,770, and Orissa with 2,957.

The state has been averaging 450 new complaints a year, with an average conviction rate of 27% — one of the lowest in the country. Ironically, it has the highest disposal rate. In 2009 alone, its courts disposed of 473 cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act: 647 people were tried, 137 held guilty and 510 acquitted. Also, the value of property seized from corrupt babus in Maharashtra is low. At Rs 9.1 crore, it is much less than the value of property seized in Orissa (Rs 63 crore), MP (Rs 36 crore), Karnataka (Rs 20 crore), Bihar (Rs 14 crore), and AP (Rs 13 crore).

The perception-smashing data places Hindi belt states of MP, UP and Bihar at 11, 12 and 14 on the list. Bihar (617 cases) has the highest conviction rate (78%). UP with 786 cases averages a low six complaints a month. Experts say under-reporting may be the reason.

The marginalised from Western Odisha who migrate out of the state lead difficult lives

2011-05-20T21:08:00.005+05:30

By: Pradeep Baisakh

Original Article :- http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/movement-worse

Movement for worse

The marginalised from Western Odisha who migrate out of the state lead difficult lives

Bhubaneswar Bindhani has not heard of a UNDP Human Development Report Paper, ‘Migration and Human Development’. It is quite likely the authors of the 2009 report did not take note of the fortunes of this resident of Nuagaon village in Odisha’s Nuapada district when they wrote, “migration fosters development of the migrant people.” They also perhaps did not take note of many other people from Odisha’s western districts who migrate every year to work in sub-human conditions at brick kilns and construction sites in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

In 2010, eight members of Bindhani’s family sought work in different parts of Andhra Pradesh to return a loan of Rs 27,000. Non-profit ActionAid’s statistics show 200,000 people migrated from the western districts of Odisha to work in the brick kilns of Andhra Pradesh. Data compiled by another non-profit, Migration Information and Resource Centre (MIRC), shows 150,000 people migrated from Balangir district in 2009-2010. According to this non-profit, most migrants are landless or small or marginal farmers, and belong to the Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste communities.

The condition of the migrant workers of this area is well encapsulated by the Inter-state Migrant Workmen’s (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Services) Act, 1979. The Act’s preamble reads, “At the time of recruitment, sardars or khatadars promise that wages calculated in piece-rate basis would be settled every month, but usually this promise is never kept. Once the worker comes under the clutches of a contractor, he takes him to a far-off place on payment of railway fare. No working hours are fixed for these workers.”

Miriki Tandi of Balangir district, who worked at a brick kiln in Andhra Pradesh’s Nalgonda district, told this writer that brick kiln workers labour for 18 hours a day throughout the season (October/November to May/June) for a weekly allowance of Rs 300. A typical labour unit constitutes two adult members and a child. This unit is supposed to make 150,000 to 200,000 bricks in seven months. The families usually eat broken rice (chicken fodder) with dal and sometimes a little curry. “A good meal at a brick kiln is a dream for us,” lamented Tandi.

An MIRC study notes that more than 80 per cent of migrant children work with their parents. The study also notes that 10 per cent of the total migrants are in the age group of 6-14, who lose education for seven months in a year. It points out that 49 per cent of such children go to schools when they are not labouring in other states; the rest are either dropouts or never enrolled in the school due to uninterrupted migration. In the destination areas only a handful of children get education in schools run by NGOs.

Very often, the workers are tortured by employers. In April 2010, newspapers in Odisha reported the death of a migrant worker from Balangir, Rupadhar Bariha. Kept as a bonded labourer along with his family at a brick kiln in Nalgonda district, Bariha was beaten to death by kiln owner Jagan Seth. Last year, the Balangir administration had to rescue people from the district working as bonded labourers in brick kilns in Andhra Pradesh’s Ranga Reddy district. Most brick kilns in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh as well as in parts of Odisha are not registered under company laws and are rarely monitored by labour departments.

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme could have helped the migrants. But the scheme has not really worked well in Odisha. In Balangir, for example, 61,000 of the 245,000 job card holders were covered under the scheme in 2009-2010. These job card holders have got an average of 43 days of employment, as per official figures. In Nuapada district only 18 per cent of the job cards (108,000) got an average of 27 days of employment in 2009-2010.

The author is a freelance journalist based in Bhubaneswar. He can be contacted at 2006pradeep@gmail.com

CBI forms special team to probe NREGS scam in KBK region

2011-05-14T19:07:00.001+05:30

Courtesy:- Daily Pioneer

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the NREGS bungling in Odisha.

CBI Director AP Singh, after receiving the notification of the Union Government’s Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT), has formed the SIT, which is to be headed by a senior Joint Director of the Central agency. Sources said Singh has directed the SIT to begin its job with immediate effect.

NREGS irregularities have taken place in Odisha’s six most backward districts of Balangir, Kalahandi, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Nuapada and Rayagada, which comprise the KBK belt known for its hunger deaths. Delhi-based Centre for Environment and Food Security (CEFS), which had conducted a survey in various districts, focused its attention on these districts.

The CEFS filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court pointing out serious irregularities in the utilisation of NREGS funds allocated by the Centre for the State. The apex court directed the Union Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) to allow the CBI for a detailed probe into the matter.

After the MoRD sought consent of the Government of Odisha, the latter issued a notification consenting to a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in the six districts pinpointed in a PIL filed in the Supreme Court. Once the MoRD received the consent, it wanted a detailed notification by the DoPT.

The DoPT on May 2 notified that the CBI would investigate the alleged large-scale irregularities, misappropriation and diversion of the Central Government funds allocated to the State during 2006-07 for 100 villages of the six KBK districts.

The SIT would find out any attempt, abatement and conspiracy in relation to or in connection with the alleged offences committed in the course of the same transaction or arising out of the same facts, said CBI sources. In the meantime, CBI Joint Director OP Galhotra is in touch with the State Chief Secretary BK Patnaik in the matter, said sources in the State Government.

Preparations for Sital Sasthi kick off at Sambalpur

2011-05-12T09:15:00.000+05:30

Courtesy :- Daily Pioneer

Akshay Tritiya is not just confined to the farmer community only; it has got much religious significance in Odisha as well as all over the country.

The auspicious day marks the beginning of the preparations for the world famous car festival (Rath Yatra) of Lord Jagannath at Puri and the famous Sital Sasthi festival which solemnises the marriage ceremony of Lord Siva and goddess Parvati at Sambalpur.

Thala Utha, the first phase of the Sital Sasthi Yatra is held here on Akshay Tritiya, when the devotees donate for the divine marriage on earth that unites the Prakriti with Purusha.

The Thala Utha for the marriage of Bambarada Balunkeswar, Sri Lokanath, Jageswar Baba, Somanath Baba, Sri Sitaleswar was held on the night of Akshay Tritiya night in different parts of the town, including Nandapara, Jharuapara, Modipara, Bada Bazar, Thakur Pada etc in presence of the important personalities. Sambalpur apart, preparation for Sital Sasthi has also begun in other parts of western Odisha, including Barpali and Balangir.

After completion of the Thala Utha ceremony, the priests of the Lord Lokanath Baba temple of Jharuapara Ramanath Mahapatra and Mahendra Pujari went round the town in a pageant with the important persons of their area.

This year for the marriage of Lord Lokanath Baba, Motilal Das and Chandraprava Das of Kansaripada would be the Kanyapita (bride’s father) and Kanaymata (bride’s mother).

“We feel proud of becoming the in-laws of the Lord and the father and mother of the divine mother. It is a privilege,” said the Das couple.

Similarly, at Bada Bazar, Surendra Mohanty and Sangeeta Mohanty would be the in-laws for Sri Sitaleswar Baba. “We got this opportunity only for the kindness of the Lord,” the couple admitted, while narrating the undisrupted blessings of the Almighty on them.

At Nandapara, the priests Murari Prasad Mishra and Sarada Mishra accompanied by Golak Behari Mishra, Amulya Mishra, Pradip Babu, Harihara Guru went round the town with the Thala. The entire city is now bracing up for the divine marriage.

VEDANTA: DEVELOPER OR LAND GRABBER

2011-05-09T00:25:00.001+05:30

Despite Vedanta's roaring hoardings of 'Mining Happiness', forceful grabbing of adivasi land by the company in Lanjigarh has always been a burning issue. Adivasis had been knocking all possible doors for justice: from the local administration to various courts. Recently, responding to complaints by four adivasis of the Jagannathpur Mauja in Lanjigarh Tehsil, the National Human Rights Commission investigated the issue and identified 3.66 acres of land within the company's premises that legally belong to adivasis. Following this, the administration has now imposed Section-144 on the land and has registered a criminal case of land-grab against the company. This is for the first time that Vedanta's illegal land-grabbing activities has been 'officially proved'

KBK SAMACHAR
Bhawanipatna, Kalahandi,

No action in Balangir's Chabripali starvation death case

2011-05-04T23:28:00.005+05:30

Balangir Municipality Is Setting Examples

2011-05-03T20:20:00.003+05:30

Riyan Ramanath V

Courtesy-TOI

Unsightly landscapes and fetid surroundings governed their lives for 50 years. Thatched houses, sometimes asbestos and torn polythene for a ceiling made life in slums a never-ending misery.

Especially so during the rains when the water would wash away the cow dung plaster from the wall. Dwellers would have sleepless nights when roofs were blown away by strong winds.

But luck smiled on them promising a better and healthy life. The dwellers came out of the doles of disgrace as the Balangir municipality, within less than two years, completed half of the slum development projects sanctioned by the central government.

Out of the 10 slums on the outskirts of Balangir, dwellers have been settled in six locations. In the next step, the municipality will construct concrete roads, drains, water systems, a jogging track and a community hall giving the slums the look of a modern township.

Sraddhakar Naik, who has lived more than half his life in slums, said, "When I saw people around us living in good houses, I cursed my luck. But god is merciful. Now I am happy that my posterity won't blame me as it is they who will have a descent life."

Under Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP), around 100 houses have been built. Municipality executive officer P K Gardia said they have listed 324 beneficiaries. "We didn't go by BPL norms. We looked into the living condition, economic status and checked whether the beneficiary has any permanent home anywhere," said Gardia.

The total project cost is Rs 8 crore. The municipality is awaiting a grant of another Rs 4.5 crore. "We have provided RCC roof in 300 sq feet area. Each unit will have a bedroom, kitchen and a living room," Gardia informed.

Bijakhaman, Salepali, Larkipali, Bishnumunda, Khaliapali, Talpali Pada and Bibhuti Pada slums were identified for the project.

"These slums were in such a pitiable state that dwellers could not enter or come out of their homes. During the rainy season, life would really be miserable. Rain water would collect and mix with drain water and garbage. Apart from the stink, epidemics would spread, there would be skin and stomach ailments," said Adikanda Jani, a slum beneficiary at Larkipali, adding that they were deprived of basic facilities as none wanted to visit the stinking locality.

____________________________________________________

It's good to see finally some govt organization that too a city municipality is actually Working !!! Keep Up the Good Work and hope politics and corruption will not become roadblock in the upliftment of the poor....

Read Online March Issue Of Kosli Family Magazine "BENI"

2011-04-30T16:05:00.005+05:30

Read the March edition of Firstever KOSLI Family Magazine "BENI" Online

Click the link below to download BENI in pdf format .....Njoyy Reading....

http://koslisahitya.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/march-2011.pdf

To grab a Copy of Beni or to Submit your materials ..Plz contact the below address...

Editorial Address

Editor Beni

Buromunda, Gaisilat, Bargarh

768037

Website: www.KosliBeni.com

Emails: sampadakbeni@gmail.com

sampadakbeni@yahoo.in

info@koslibeni.com

saket.sahu@koslibeni.com

Ph: +91 9937822442

Kosal : Weaver woes loom large

2011-04-24T18:07:00.006+05:30

Courtesy:- Times of India

The recent death of seven members of a weaver family in Bargarh district of Kosal region has raised questions about the economic condition of weavers there. The lone surviving member of the family, Uttar Meher, admitted that he had first poisoned and then strangled the seven to death. Abject poverty had apparently pushed them to the brink where suicide was the only option.

The Handloom Census 2009 found that Bargarh had the biggest handloom cluster in the state with 35,000 weavers and allied textile workers and 12,500 looms. But that did not mean that all the weavers were a flourishing lot. A reality check revealed that the majority of them are daily wage earners. Some are members of cooperatives and a few operate on their own. The majority who work for master weavers, get paid on the basis of the volume and quality of work.

Even the most skilled weaver earns around Rs 100 per day, which is what an unskilled labourer in the state earns. "If the whole family puts in around eight hours a day, we can earn Rs 200," said Kamalakanta Meher, a resident of Para village in Bijepur block.

The story is no different for others. Those who work on their own face problems in marketing and putting up with the cost of raw materials. "The cotton yarn cost has been increasing. One peni (bundle), which was available for Rs 25 to Rs 30 three months back now costs Rs 45," said another weaver from Jhilminda village in Attabira block.

The Bargarh handloom cluster is spread over Bargarh, Barpali, Bheden, Bhatli, Attabira, Bijepur, Padampur and Sohela blocks. The weavers here specialize in tie-dye cotton sarees, lungis and napkins. The tie-and-dye sarees have a huge demand. The late Indira Gandhi would be seen flaunting the colourful weave at important functions. In later years, Sonia Gandhi kept alive the Sambalpuri tradition in the Gandhi household.

"The annual sale at the weekly Balijuri market, 8 km from Bargarh, is between Rs 60 crore and Rs 70 crore," said assistant director of textiles Debjit Nandi.

But the high demand doesn't necessarily translate into profit for weavers. Middlemen and master weavers pocket the bulk of the money. "Master weavers, who market the product, pocket the lion's share. Those who really sweat and toil don't get their due. That's why very few youths are willing to take up the family tradition," said Tulsi Ballabh Das, a researcher.

But master weavers maintained that weaving needs skill and the remuneration depends on skill and hard work. "A skilled artisan can earn up to Rs 15,000 per month," said Sanjay Meher, a master weaver from Hillipali village in Attabira block.

Meher employs 70 weavers. He said that about 100 master weavers have come forward to form a handloom park near Barpali with government help. "Once it gets functional, it would help weavers improve their skills and earn more," he said.

Cooperatives blamed the high cost of cotton yarn for the sorry state of the handloom industry. "Cotton prices have increased manifold in the past one year. This has shrunk the profit margin of weavers," said Sambit Acharya, president of Sambalpuri Bastralaya, the largest primary handloom cooperative society in the country with over 6,000 weavers.

But the government has brushed aside the family suicide as a one-off case. "The suicide can't be linked to the state of the handloom industry. There seems to be personal reasons behind the act," said handloom and textile minister Anjali Behera, adding that the government has initiated a number of steps for weavers.

She said the Union and state governments contribute towards health and life insurance of weavers. Besides, the government also helps them in building houses with a provision of Rs 35,000. There's a 90 per cent support also for BPLs for building looms.

Gurubari Meher - An Unsung Martyr Of Western Orissa

2011-04-16T06:12:00.002+05:30

By Riyan Ramanath V

Courtesy:- TOI

On January 28, a few months beforeIndia became independent, the then (princely) state government of Sonepur let loose a reign of terror atBinika town. The people rose in revolt against the king for his pro-British stance.

Nearly 20,000 freedom fighters, led by a brave woman, organized a mass movement against the king. Police resorted to baton charge and the woman leader of the movement was shot dead by the police. The woman, Gurubari Meher, became a martyr in India's freedom struggle.

But while the names of many other freedom fighters of the state have made it to the hall of fame, hardly anyone remembers this valiant woman. The story of Gurubari is one that has never been retold to the residents of Independent India, and, strangely, neither do many historians know of her.

She laid down her life for India's sake but remained unsung. Except for a small mention of her participation in the Praja Mandal Movement, she has not been portrayed as the brave soldier of western Orissa that she was.

Some historians, however, who are of the opinion that her contribution was exemplary, expressed dissatisfaction about the fact that little is known about her in the public domain. They say that Gurubari, among others women fighters, was a unique personality and the least she deserves is to be remembered by the locals.

A senior lecturer of history at Bhawanipatna Government College, Dr Siba Prasad Nanda, said after the people of Binika destroyed the pro-royalist regime under the leadership of Gurubari, a news item had been published in 'Dainik Asha' from Sambalpur on 23 January 1947. One Sarangadhar Dash wrote the news report, with the headline 'Victory For the People Of Sonepur'.

This newspaper report is the only evidence about Gurubari's contribution to the fight for freedom. Nanda said the movement Gurubari was spearheading was an offshoot of the Praja Mandal Movement, which was inaugurated at Cuttack in 1938. This branch was launched for the first time at Sonepur under the leadership of Laxman Satpathy.

Gurubari joined the movement because she was of the opinion that the fight for freedom was not only for men and women should also join it.

However, revolutionary ideas stemming from the feeling of exploitation had already impacted her. She took the plunge and led a protest against the extra cess charged on various goods. As she led the protesters, she was shot dead by the police, following which her anti-royal followers destroyed the royal regime.

Historian Sadhu Panda feels Gurubari played as important a role in the freedom struggle as three other famous women fighters of western Orissa — Jambubati Debi, Prabhabati Debi, and Parbati Giri.

"Gurubari's story of valour should be made popular to inspire modern Indian women. In her case, domestic issues and the problem of livelihood prompted her to join the struggle, which later took the shape of a freedom struggle.

New weekly ''Kosal Horizon'' launched in Rourkela

2011-04-09T21:22:00.003+05:30

A new English weekly 'Kosal Horizon' has hit the stands here to focus on news related to western Orissa.The first issue was inaugurated by Dayanidhi Kisan, former MLA and chairman of the Rourkela Development Authority (RDA) .Swaroop Mishra is the editor of the weekly. This will be the second publication of 'Paschimanchal', which publishes the weekly 'Paschimanchala' under the editorship of Surama Mishra.Baidyanath Mishra, executive editor of 'Paschimanchal' said the new weekly would highlight the poverty, sufferings and miseries of the people of "neglected" western Orissa. PTI SCP

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FIRST EDITION OF KOSAL HORIZON

Why Kosal should be separated from Odisha?

2011-04-03T21:54:00.002+05:30

Following is Dr. Arjun Purohit’s (Canada) take on this issue (this message was sent to various e-groups):

Dear all,

Koshal state is inevitable because of variety of reasons but primarily because it is in accord with emerging trends. It is begining to be evident bigger states do not necessarily better management of resources, especially human resource. Fear that Koshal and Orissa will be further disadvantaged once separated simply do not hold water. Both MP and Chhattisgarh are better off after separation. Bihar is on mend under Nitish Kumar after separating from Jharkhand; it is concentrating on overall development of the state, particularly on human resource now that it can not depend on easy money obtained from mining operations in Jharkhand. Even Uttaranchal is beginning to show progress concentrating on its own resources which remained untapped when it remained with UP. Sure they are going through teething problems, but on the whole all these new entities are on the mend.

In the case of Orissa and Koshal, several studies done since its inception suggest that inter regional variance is increasing, and the gaps are getting bigger with no sign of abetting. There is no sense of urgency or inclination to reverse this trend.More recently, the state sponsored a study to examine this self evident problem; It took four and half year and cost thirty five lakhs; and was produced two years ago. Mr.A.U.Singhdeo, the minister in charge said in Orissa assembly that the government is still studying it !! In the mean time, there has been utter failure of governance. Much of Koshal area is coming under the sway of Naxalites. Koshal is emerging as the most polluted part of Orissa. KBK area is languishing for decades even after alarm bell had been sounded decades ago.

Orissa government has no mining policy yet mining is going on in full spate for much of the last century. Even if humongous amount of mineral resources is known to be stolen away, and is being stolen away, Orissa government steadfastly opposing any CBI enquiry even though its own government apparatus is incapable in stopping the loot. The irony is that proceeds from these operations did not improve the lots of Orissa and it is locked in the bottom of literacy and wealth ladder.We have been in the resource trap all these decades, and unfortunately lives of people who are effected by these mining operations is degrading in all measures. Not that all areas of Orissa are languishing. It is as if the sixty mile zone surrounding Bhubaneswar is where all the proceeds of Orissa is being dumped with Koshal and South Orissa remaining in the rain shadow area. Worst part of it all is that a nexus has developed in that sixty mile zone which thinks that that area alone needs to be developed. Ironically, that nexus consisting primarily of senior bureaucrats(working and retired) and academics of coastal area, is unofficially determining the shape of destiny of Orissa, and is immune from political engagement.

Orissa government has lost touch with people beyond this sixty mile zone. Our Adivashi population, who constitute nearly a fourth of population, have been singularly impacted from such deliberate neglect. More recently, the government has turned hostile towards this population. Unfortunately, both Koshal and South Orissa contain the bulk of this population. Protests from this group have not been heard, they have been replied with lathi charge, and even gun shots. And thus it is creating a fertile ground for Naxalites. We are watching in living colour the upheavals in Arab countries graphically demonstrating what happens when the governments are disconnected with people. We too in Orissa witnessing something similar albeit in a minor scale.

But Koshal should not be a separate state because of a protest movement. The daunting task of Koshal state will be how to prepare the state for twenty first century, and align itself to overall growth and main stream of India. Key to this is single minded focus on human resource development and create an ambiance of trust between between people and the government.We have to learn from the blunders of Orissa, which made it dysfunctional. All state resources must be equitably distributed across the regions. Overcentrilisation of state institutions and deployment of resources in a small part have been the main fault lines of Orissa; these must be avoided. Policies and procedures must be established to institute decentrilisation based upon proximity,accessibility and pragmatics. We simply can not afford to marginalise a huge chunk of population and expect progress. The Adivashi population is integral part of the state, and is a source of our strength. All social scientists will tell you that geniuses are produced in all clusters of population; therefore as it stands, by ignoring this population we are depriving ourselves a major source potential enhancers of the society. We must also develop better methods of conflict resolutions. In Orissa, we are locked into unnecessary battles between mining industries and Adivashis, farmers and industries, mineral exploitation and environmental concerns,etc.. We all have a stake in the upliftment of the state. Many of these conflicts are soluble, but we do not have in Orissa proper mechanisms to defuse these issues. Therefore I fully endorse the stand of Sai Prasan and Parvin Patel. Koshal can be a model state if we play our cards right from the beginning. All these can be achieved without violence. And I believe Orissa will too will be better off without Koshal.

Regards

Arjun Purohit

"The author is a retired Professor in Psychology and Psychiatry of Queen's University and retired Chief Psychologist of a University based children's centre.Originally he is from Sankarma, a village near Sambalpur. Now he is based in Canada."

Kosal outfit tears Odisha map, demands separate State

2011-04-03T21:48:00.003+05:30

Courtsey:- PIONEER NEWS SERVICE | Balangir

Protesting against the “continuous neglect and exploitation” of this region by successive Governments at Bhubneswar and demanding formation of a separate Kosal State, members of the Kosal Kranti Dal (KKD), led by its Balangir district president Bharat Prusti and general secretary of the All Kosal Students’ Union Dolamani Pradhan, on Friday staged a sit-in demonstration before the district Collectorate here.

The demonstrators tore the map of Odisha State and burned a CD containing the Bande Utkal Janani song and effigy of symbolic Government of Odisha as a mark of their protest.

Pradhan said, “The State of Odisha was formed comprising three former States, namely Utkal, Kalinga and Kosal. We are not Odia and we have a separate Kosali language and culture and have our own identity. The continuous backwardness of the region and concentration of important institutions starting form medical, engineering and law to all other institutions in Bhubneshwar and in its periphery amply reflect the Government’s penchant for that region and neglect of this region. In such a situation, why should we observe the Utkal Divas here?”

Even after more than 60 years since Independence, this region is groaning under backwardness and poverty, he said further.

At Sonepur, the headquarters town of Subarnapur district, KKD activists, led by Priyabata Sahu, and at Manmunda of Boudh district KKD members, led by Lalit Sahu, erased the name of the Utkal Gramya Bank from the signboard and, instead, wrote the name as Kosal Gramya Bank.

At Sambalpur too, KKD activists staged a similar protest while in Kalahandi the activists moved to villages and adopted a resolution in favour of a separate Kosal State. KKD members also staged such protests in Nuapada, Pradhan informed.

Observe April 1 as Black Day for Western Orissa

2011-03-28T10:55:00.003+05:30

Photo courtesy :- Abhilash Mishra & Western Orissa Liberation Front

As the summer is heating up, thousand of people in Western Orissa are preparing to migrate out of their native in search of livelihood.This is an yearly phenomenon and the ever sleeping Orissa govt has hardly addressed the issues.As if news of Starvation death and Farmer suicide in Western Orissa was not enough , now all national news paper are full of News about murder,rape and physical abuse of migrant labourers of Western Orissa.

Even a dumb can know the difference between the development work undertaken in Coastal Orissa and Western Orissa by the State admin. It's huge.

In the last 65 years being with Orissa we got nothing except the tag of the poorest region of India. We don't want to stay with the biased Orissa anymore for whom Orissa means only Coastal Orissa..We have given enough sacrifice to build Hirakud dam which was initially build to control flood in Coastal Orissa. Lakhs of our people were forcefully thrown out of their land to build hirakud dam.

Our language Kosli/Sambalpuri was sidelined and Oriya language was forcefully imposed upon us in school and colleges..

How long we will live a dogs life being with Orissa..

We Request each and every individual of Kosal (Western Orissa) to observe Black Day on Utkal Divas (April 1st). If you love you motherland and if you want to develop it then don't be a silent spectator...speak out..so that your voice will be heard in Bbbsr...

JAI KOSAL

Kosli Sambalpuri Drama "MAU" set to enter LIMCA BOOK OF RECORDS

2011-03-18T19:13:00.003+05:30

Kosli Sambalpuri Drama "MAU" is all set to enter Limca Book Of Records. This Maha Natak is to be organized on 8th and 9th April 2011 by Nabjeevan Cultural Group Sundergarh said it's president Sri Pradip Bhol.

The specialty of this drama is that it will be performed live by 100 artists over an area of 11,000 square foot (i.e an adivasi village will constructed specially for this drama).

This will be the largest open air drama ever performed in India.

Mau is the story of problem and negligence faced by the innocent tribals by the state administration and how they are lure by the maoist to join the cadre.This drama will look at the other side of an innocent tribal and how unknowingly he was forced to took arm .....

Newspaper Cutting Courtesy :- Janamukha

Waterfalls Of Kosal (Western Orissa)

2011-03-14T11:16:00.015+05:30

Khandadhar, Sundergarh Dist

The Khandadhar Falls is located at Nandapani in Sundergarh district in Western Orissa. It is the 12th highest waterfall in India.

The Khandadhar Falls is 104 kilometres (65 mi) from Rourkela via Bonaigarh, and 60 kilometres (37 mi) from Kendujhar

It is a perennial horse tail type waterfall. The Korapani Nala, a small stream, plunges from a height of 244 metres (801 ft) in a single drop

Nearest Railway Station:- Rourkela (100 km)

Neaerest Airport :- Ranchi & Bhubaneswar

Gudguda, Sambalpur Dist

This is one of the small but beautiful waterfalls of Sambalpur district, Orissa. It sprinkles out from the Gudguda mountain, as told by the local peoples. Picnickers throng to the spot during the X-mas holidays, New Year. Specially in winter season from November to February picnickers gather there to have some fun and eat out. The picturesque scenery of the dense forest and the waterfall provides solace to people. The cool atmosphere provides a toxic sensation and feeling to those who understand. The spot can be visited from the Jharsuguda end and Sambalpur end. All weather road connects Kuchinda the base town of Gudguda waterfall. From there the rest 36 kilometers, the road is not pucca or black tapped. But the drudgery of the 31 kilometers evaporates, once the spot is seen. The water from the waterfall is used for irrigation that provides livelihood to the people of the locality. Litchi grows during summer one of the mainstay of the area's economy thanks to the water of the waterfall. other vegetables also grow that provides financial security to the area and its people.

Kharadhus, Nuapada Dist

Kharadhus Water fall of 50 Meter height, located toward west of Beniadhus waterfall. It is 102 KM from Nupada District Headquarter / 222KM from Raipur / 642 KM from Bhubaneswar via Sambalpur / 105 KM from Nuapada Railway Station / 115 KM from Khariar Road Railway station / 162 KM from Bhawanipatna.

Beniadhus, Nuapada Dist

Magnificient Beniadhus water fall of 24 mtrs. height located in the Sunabeda Wildlife sanctuary. The Jonk River starts from sunabeda plateau. The Goddess Sunadei, presiding deity of the plateau, is sacredly worshiped by the people of the area on the day of Dusserra. It is 102 KM from Nupada District Headquarter

Nearest Railway Station :- 222KM from Raipur / 642 KM from Bhubaneswar via Sambalpur / 105 KM from Nuapada Railway Station / 115 KM from Khariar Road Railway station / 162 KM from Bhawanipatna.

Nearest Airport :- 222KM from Raipur / 642 KM from Bhubaneswar

Godhus, Nuapada Dist

Situated at a height of 30mtr, the fall is very much energetic in rainy and winter season and get dried in summer. In the down a temple of Lord siva is present. An annual fair is arranged here on Baisakhi which attaracts thousand of pilgrims. Sorrounded by forest with watch tower and Jalki water reservoir near Lodra village, suitable site for nature camp. It is 30 KM from Nupada District Headquarter / 163 KM from Raipur / 540 KM from Bhubaneswar via Sambalpur / 33 KM from Nuapada Railway Station / 42 KM from Khariar Road Railway station / 172 KM from Bhawanipatna.

Kharadhus, Nuapada Dist

Phurlijharan, Kalahandi Dist

Fifteen Kilometres from Bhawanipatna, Phurlijharan is a perennial water fall about 30 Ft in height and has a special charm of its own. Themulticoloured rainbow created by the sunrays falling on the scattered water particles of the fall is an amusing sight to be seen. The evergreen forests around the fall provide ample opportunities to group picnickers.

Nearest Railway Station :- Kesinga (50 KM)

Nearest Airport :- Bhubaneswar,Vishakhapattnam & Raipur (All above 250 kms)

Koilighugar, Jharsuguda Dist

The Koilighugar Waterfall, around 200 ft in height, is in the Lakhanpur, near the village Kushmelbahal. The waterfall is in a rivulet named Ahiraj which originates from the 'Chhuikhanch' forest. After the fall the rivulet flows west wards to merge into the Mahanadi river. It is a picturesque beauty spot with its sylvan back drop.

Inside the fall there is a Shivalingam known as 'Maheswarnath'. The lingam is submerged in water and is not ordinarily visible. For the benefit of the pilgrims, another Sivalingam has been created outside the waterfall.

From Gobindpur Chowk in National Highway 200, which is between Jharsuguda and Raigarh, take a right turn. A 6 km drive from there through thick sal and mahua forests will take one to Koilighugar Waterfall. Gobindpur is 20 km from Belpahar.

Pradhanpat, Deogarh Dist

This beautiful fall is part of Pradhanpat hill, which offers a scenic view and the water comes with several steps from the top creating several natural swimming pools on the hill itself. Close to the Deogarh town, the place is 96km from Sambalpur on NH-6. This waterfall had the first hydro-electric power unit in the state. This region was previously under the princely state of Bamanda.The waterfalls height is 743 Metre

Nearest Airport: – Bhubaneswar (280 KMs.) and Raipur (376 KMs.).

Nearest Railway Station : - Sambalpur (90 KMs.), Bamra on the Nagpur-Hawrah Section of South Eastern Railway (103 KM), Jharsuguda (98 KMs.) and Rourkela (115 KMs.)

Road: - 90 KMs. from Sambalpur

Harishankar, Balangir Dist

On the Southern slope of the Gandhamardan hills stands Harishankar, a place of pilgrimage with uncommon scenic charms. A perennial stream bursting into droplets rushes on its hard granite bed to form cascades at different stages. As a cool resort in the lap of nature, Harishankar is a panacea for the heat of the summer season. On the Northern slope of the Gandhamardan hills lies Nrusinghanath in Bargarh district. Both the places are connected by a hill top road of 16 kms., which the pilgrims cover in a day on foot during Nrusingh Chaturdasi. Trekkers and adventurists also find the journey an interesting one. Harishankar is connected by an all weather good moterable road (81 Kms.). Regular bus services operate to an from Balangir. But visitors are requested to take their own transport from Balangir.

Nearest Railway station :- Balangir (80 Km)

Nearest Airport :- Raipur (220 Kms) & Bhubaneswar (350 Kms)

Daily Bus service and taxi available from Balangir

Lodging :- Pantha Niwas at Harishankar

Nrusinghanath,Bargarh Dist

Nrusinghanath is a place in Paikmal,Bargarh District, with a beautiful waterfall and it is one of the most popular tourist places of the Kosal region. A 500 year old temple dedicated to the Hindu god Narasimha is also situated there. One more interesting fact is that the God is worshiped here in the form of a cat as compared to the general Lion-man idol of the god. The God Narsimha is known here as "Marzara Kesari" in the Kosli language.

The sacred hills of Gandhamardan in Bargarh district enshrines the temple of Nrusimhanath. Waterfalls like Bhimadhar, Gadadhar, Guptadhar and Chaladhar are beautiful locations. Besides the falls, tourists also love to see ancient archaeological remains present in the area.

The Temple

The foundation for the temple was laid down by Baijal Dev on March 17 1413 A.D. as per inscriptions. The temple of Lord Nrushinghnath is only 45 ft high. It is divided into two parts; the first being the seat of the Lord – a short raised narrow plinth and the other Jaga Mohan (the anti-chamber) having three gates and is supported by four pillars, the like found nowhere in Orissa. The rocks used in the Jaga Mohan pillars are of rare kind. They are not seen in the Gandhamardan hills. Believed that, from far off places, Baijal Dev had brought them. With a soft rubbing, these rocks begin to scintillate, to a degree. While entering inside the inner-sanctum, one can see the rock stautes of Nav Grahas (the Nine planets of Astrology) in a line. The other beautiful sculptures include the statutes of Ganga, Jamuna, Nandi, Jaya-Vijaya, Trividram and three conspicuous manifestations i.e. Bamana, Baraha and Samhar Nrusimha. The eight-handed Ganesh and the Cow-herd Sahadev are not inserted, rather they are carved on embedded prototype, near Nav Durga. The original idol of Nrusinganath is also kept.

Nearest Railway station :- Bargarh (50 Km)

Nearest Airport :- Raipur (220 Kms) & Bhubaneswar (350 Kms)

The above article is composed by Satyajit Nayak

WATCH VIDEO - ROAD TO KOSAL STATEHOOD

2011-02-28T20:20:00.002+05:30

Special Thanks to All Kosal Students Union , Anand Sagar Dash & Organizers of Balangir Bahi Haat for this video ..

20000 attends Massive rally in support for KOSAL state

2011-02-28T18:40:00.004+05:30

Balangir:-The demand for a separate Kosal State got louder with the Kosal Kranti Dal (KKD) having organised a huge rally and meeting before the Collectorate here on Saturday, attended by delegates from eleven districts of western Odisha.

“The people have gathered here to protest against their continuous exploitation by the successive Governments at Bhubaneswar, and Kosli, not Odia is our mother tongue as well as language of the region,” observed KKD president Pramod Mishra.

All those anti-Kosal forces making capital of the resources of this region would be ousted from here by 2014. This is a token strike and protest by the people of the Kosal region and there would be many more such rallies in future. A separate Kosal State is the only solution to the problem, Mishra said further.

Condemning the reported move of the Government to mine bauxite in the Gandhmardan hills, Sajjan Kumar said the mining would destroy the precious flora and fauna of that area besides damaging the ecology beyond repair.

He called upon the KKD activists to save Gandhmardarn and save the ecology as the next 50 years would be crucial for mankind, as the deteriorating environment is going to bring damages to the earth.

He also called upon the people to reject the political party tickets and rather file nominations as KKD candidates and work for formation of a separate Kosal State.

“We would not allow lifting of kendu leaves, coal and other minerals from this region,” observed Baidyanath Mishra.

Protesting against the continuous economic exploitation of this region by the outsiders, a bandh will be observed in the 11 Kosal districts on March 31, Mishra announced.

The culture and language of the region is one of the best in the world and no political parties have worked for promotion of the Kosali Language, observed Goreknath Sahu and presented a film CD on Kosali to Pramod Mishra.

Eminent Kosali poet Haldhar Nag recited a poem in praise of the Kosal land.

Earlier, a massive rally from the Kosal Kalamandal was taken out through the town.More than 20,000 people attended the rally in support of Kosal state.

The KKD leaders submitted a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister through the District Collector demanding a separate Kosal State.

People of Western Orissa are opting for Kosli, Sambalpuri in census

2011-02-24T12:07:00.002+05:30

Courtesy : Indian Express

By Ratan K Pani

Rudrani Pradhan, a housewife at Budharaja here, questioned the enumerator whether she can mention Sambalpuri as her mother tongue. The enumerator responded by saying it was up to her.

Rudrani’s not a solitary instance. Even as Andhra Pradesh is embroiled over the demand for a separate Telangana, there has been a silent move by the people of the region, through the ongoing census, to establish a different cultural identity based on linguistic affinity of their own.

Though the move might help the cause of Koshal Kranti Dal (KKD), a political outfit, ahead of polls, it is bound to widen the gap between the people of western and coastal Orissa.

The question relating to mother tongue was included in the Census for the first time in 1881. In the 1891 Census, the question referred to ‘parent tongue,’ which was defined as the language spoken by the parent of an individual. It was then changed to language ordinarily spoken in the household in 1911, while it was again replaced with the word ‘mother tongue’ in 1931.

While during the previous Census the mother tongue was mentioned as ‘Oriya’, in the ongoing Census, a large number of people of western Orissa are mentioning either Sambalpuri or Koshali.

The issue cropped up a couple of months ago when some outfits requested people to record their mother tongue either as Sambalpuri or Koshli in the Census. The outfits reasoned that socio-economic development of the region was not possible without the development of their language.

The KKD has taken up the issue and since then has launched a campaign urging people to record their mother tongue as Koshli.

KKD president Pramod Mishra, however, said the campaign has no political undertone and stressed their demand for inclusion of the language in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.

He said the enumerators are ignoring the demand of the people to register their mother tongue as Koshli and informed that they had moved the Census Commission and directions have been issued to the District Collectors accordingly.

The move seems to have struck the right chord among the masses except perhaps in Rourkela, which has a large cosmopolitan population.

2,575 farmers' suicides reported in 9 yrs in Orissa State

2011-02-20T00:49:00.000+05:30

As many as 2,575 farmers committed suicide in the State during last nine years from 2000 to 2008 of the BJD rule.

Replying to a question on the issue in the State Assembly on Tuesday, Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout admitted that as per the State Crime Record Bureau, alleged suicidal deaths relating to farm activities during the nine years was 2,575.

Besides, he said, during 2009-10 and 2010-11 (till February), a total of 64 farmers allegedly committed suicide as reported in the media.

However, there was no proof that the suicides were related to agricultural activities, he said while replying to a related question from Congress member Dambarudhar Ulaka.

Giving details of the 2,575 farmers' suicide, Dr Rout said the highest number of 378 suicidal deaths was reported in 2004, followed by 365 in 2003, 345 in 2002, 283 in 2006, 260 in 2008, 256 in 2001, 254 in 2005 and 199 in 2000.

On the alleged suicidal deaths during the last two years, he said the highest number of 11 farmers died in Sambalpur district, followed by eight in Bargarh, seven each in Sundargarah and Keonjar, three each in Balasore and Dhenkanal, two each in Balangir, Cuttack, Ganjam, Nuapada and Puri and one each in Boudh, Kalahandi, Gajapati, Jagatsinghpur, Jharsuguda, Mayurbhanj, Koraput and Nabarangpur.

Dr Rout said that for development of agriculture and farmers, the State Government has taken a number of measures by continuously increasing the demand for grants for the department. While `344.58 crore was provided in the 2008-2009 Budget, it was increased to `747.72 crore during the 2010-11 Budget to implement pro-farmer programmes, he said.

Kosal Kranti Dal to launch issue-based stir

2011-02-19T11:24:00.003+05:30

The Kosal Kranti Dal (KKD) will go in for a change in its strategy and enter the arena of issue-based politics for enlisting greater support of the people, said the party’s secretary general Baidyanath Mishra here.

Speaking at a Press conference, Mishra said his party has enlisted some major issues of western Odisha in general and of the district of Sundargarh in particular to launch agitation. He explained how the western part of the State was denied the privilege of having the headquarters of the Commissionerate-II of Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax though earmarked for Rourkela 13 years back.

Mishra alleged of a conspiracy by the Rourkela Steel Plant and the State Government in not shifting the headquarters and in the process around `500 crore of revenue is siphoned off per annum from the western region. To facilitate a discussion on the subject an audience of the district Collector has been sought. Meanwhile to divert public attention a camp office of the Commissionerate-II is being opened at Rourkela which would be opposed tooth and nail, he said.

Mishra opposed the idea of mining in Khandadhar and Gandhamardan hills and suggested to develop them into international tourist spots so that the flora and fauna of these historic places are not disturbed.

On the demand of an ESI medical college and hospital at Rourkela, he was of the opinion that the hospital should be established at Sundargarhm which has locational advantage being nearer to the coalminers.

Declaration of entire Sundargarh district as drought-affected, shifting of the Claims Commissioner’s office from Bhubaneswar to Sundargarh and adequate teaching staff for all colleges of western Odisha were some of the other Mishra highlighted.

KKD general secretary Kedar Patel, leader of the youth front Hrudanand Behera, vice-president of the district unit Ramachandra Amat, spokesman Jaisingh Singh and tribal leader Santosh Minz were present at the Press meet.

Jam & chocos from desi mahua (Mahuli) soon

2011-02-16T21:52:00.005+05:30

Courtesy-TOI

There's more to mahua than a pleasant headiness. The addictive bloom will now be used to makebreakfast essentials like jam and jelly. Chocolates and pickles could also be sourced from the intoxicating flower.

Nearly 90 per cent of mahua, which is grown primarily in western Orissa, was being used for the production of country liquor.Mahua is locally know as Mahuli in Western Orissa. But now the SC-ST development department and Agriculture Promotion and Investment Corporation of Orissa Limited (APICOL), will be exporting mahua to European countries for making pickles, jelly, chocolate and jam.

Experts from IIT, Kharagpur and IIT, Delhi will train mahua pluckers as to how to collect the flower and ready its components for the export market.

APICOL chairman Balakrushna Ratha said they have got the Central Union Certification (CUC) for exporting mahua raw materials. "We had a meeting with CUC officials recently and put forth this issue as result of which we got the permission to export the mahua," said Ratha.

He said this effort is primarily aimed at alleviating the economic conditions of marginal farmers and the landless poor of the KBK region.

"On a pilot basis, we have started this programme of training mahua collectors in Balangir, Padampur and Koraput. There will also be SHGs which will be entrusted with the collection work in a scientific way," said Rath.

Kosli Tribals demand action against fake caste certificates

2011-02-02T17:46:00.001+05:30

Courtesy:- The Pioneer

Hundreds of tribals of Balangir, Sonepur and Boudh and other districts carrying their traditional weapons marched on the streets here on Friday, led by leaders Brajakishroe Singhbhoi, Nirnajan Bisi and Satyanarayn Bhoi of BalangirZilla Adivasi Kalyan Sangha They demanded action against the fake certificate holders and scraping of State level scrutiny committee, formed to look into the fake caste certificate issue.

"So far out of the 353 fake certificate complaints we have submitted to Government till today, only 11employees have been dismissed and three have resigned. While the district level scrutiny committee has cancelled 34 caste certificates, the State level scrutiny committee has cancelled only six fake caste certificates. If in a year the State committee have cancelled only six caste certificates, one can imagine it would take how many years to decide the fate of 353 fake caste certificate cases," questioned Niranjan Bisi.

"We demand immediate scrapping of the State level scrutiny committee and the certificate cancellation power be vested with the competent authority district who are issuing the caste certificate," demanded Bisi.

Even today the Kulis and Doras are enjoying the benefits of tribals even though they are not tribals .We demand the arrest of those people who have enjoyed the benefits of tribal's and recovery of the same benefits from these persons, Bisi further demanded.

Later they submitted a 32 point memorandum to the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary through District Collector SN Dey and demanded revival of district level scrutiny committee. "When RS Gopalan was Collector, we submitted our demands of taking action against the fake caste certificate holders and immediate action against more than 36 fake tribal people were taken, informed Bisi.

The Collector who received the memorandum from the tribal leaders assured them of necessary action.

"We didn't take steps to paralyse the district administration as requested by it. We are waiting for one month. Unless concrete action is taken we will take further steps in this regard," he informed.

A three-tier police arrangement was made and seven platoons of police including armed police, SOG jawans were deployed during the protest, said Superintendent of Police Ajay Sarangi.

Stray Dogs Killed Kosli Migrant Labourers Child

2011-01-24T22:25:00.002+05:30

Here is one of the many incidence where the migrant labourers of KOSAL have lost it all again ......

ORISSA GOVT...PLZ GIVE WORK & FOOD TO OUR PEOPLE SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO MIGRATE TO OTHER PLACES AND GET KILLED OR EXPLOITED....

ANUALLY 80,000 PEOPLE FROM BALANGIR & NUAPADA DIST MIGRATE OUTSIDE THE STATE IN SEARCH FOR LIVELIHOOD ....

The lives of the family members of Prashant, who was mauled to death by dogs, are no better than dogs.

Prashant’s parents, Sukhdeep and Kaikeyi, had migrated from Nuapada district in Western Orissa to Bangalore, lured by their contractor Gonti Yadav. Their dreams of securing a decent life in the city were shattered once they landed and became bonded labourers at a brick kiln in Bagalur.

They are among the thousand of families from the Balangir and Nuapada dist of Western Orissa brought to work in the brick kilns in the city and paid a very trivial amount.

"We work from 3 am to 10 pm. If we object to the poor working conditions, we are beaten up badly," said a brick kiln worker. All the labourers in the brick kiln are from tribal regions of Western Orissa and Bihar. They say that the touts keep doing rounds in their States in search of ‘preys’ and bring them to the cities to work as bonded labourers.

"Anyone can enter our houses as there are no doors. The roof (made of hay, leaves and plastic) leaks during rainy season. There is none to listen to our plight," said another labourer.

Meagre payment

The workers are paid Rs 50 for every 1,000 bricks they make. It is difficult for an individual to meet the target of 1,000 bricks. In spite of the families roping in children also to work day and night, they hardly achieve their target. Children in the age group of five and 15 work at the brick kilns.

"Here every rule is flouted. Neither Prevention of Child Labour Act nor the Minimum Wages Act is followed. The employers here have not provided basic amenities to the workers," said a social worker living nearby.

The report prepared by the Yelahanka Tahsildar, to be submitted to the government, confirms that minimum wages are not paid to the workers and children are employed here. Workers are deprived of all basic facilities that an employer must provide, the report said.

Wednesday’s incident hasforced the administration out of its deep slumber.

NHRC asks Orissa govt to reply on food security in KBK region

2011-01-22T12:36:00.002+05:30

Courtesy:- PTI

Expressing 'concern' about the 'food security' of poor people in poverty-stricken KBK (Kalahandi-Balangir-Koraput) region, National Human Rights Commission on Wednesday directed the Orissa government to present status of its recommendation on implementation of welfare schemes in the area.

"The state government has been directed to depute an officer to be present before the commission on March 21, 2011 giving status on the implementation of recommendations of the commission," NHRC Chairperson Justice K G Balakrishnan said after completion of the two-day camp here.

Stating that the NHRC aimed to wipe out the cause of alleged starvation deaths, malnutrition and other problems faced by people in the KBK region, Balakrishnan said the commission wanted to know about the status of its recommendations on different welfare schemes including public distribution system, health, and special security schemes in the area.

"The commission has also directed the state government to effectively co-ordinate and implement various schemes for the KBK districts," he said.

Worried over no substantial development in the KBK region despite implementation of different welfare measures, the commission held a separate session to discuss issues relating to the area.

Issues of poverty, unemployment, deprivation, hunger, starvation and malnutrition in the KBK region were discussed in the presence of senior state government officials, NHRC member Satyabrata Pal said.

While rejecting the state government's claim that no one died of of starvation in KBK region, the commission observed that though none was directly a victim of hunger, the prevailing situation may lead a person to that fate.

It came to the observation while disposing a case relating to the alleged starvation death if 12 children in Nabarangpur and Balangir districts.

As most of the people died of anemia or malnutrition, this could be due to prolong poverty in the region, the commission observed adding that people might be facing shortage of food.

"The state government has also been directed to send detailed report on the issue of bogus ration cards, particularly in the KBK region," Justice Balakrishnan said adding that action taken by the state government against the corrupt officials would also be informed to the commission.

“PUSPUNI”- An important agricultural festival of Koshalanchal

2011-01-19T10:06:00.004+05:30

Info abt Puspuni Provided by Susil Kumar Panigrahi of Dalaipara, Sambalpur.

PUSPUNI (Pousha Purnima), an annual festival based on agriculture is observed on fullmoon day of the month of Pousha. The festival is celebrated throughout Western Orissa, both by the rural and tribal folk.

In some areas, it is also called Pousha Parva or Pausha Punei. But the most popular name, specially in rural areas as “Chher-chhera”. The term chher-chhera has probably evolved by corruption of the word ‘char-char’ meaning a drum. Drum is an integrated part of the Pausha festival, as drum beating and dancing to the tune of beat is a must.

PUSPUNI is different from other agriculture festivals of this area. It is largely a communal jubilation related to the new harvest and celebrated through feasting and merrymaking. The festival is characterised by two important events for the farming community – the annual contract of land labouers comes to an end and payments by landowners and agreements on fresh contracts are finalised for the ensuing year.

Interesting and enjoyable scenes are enacted in the streets of villages. Jubilant boys and girls raise funds for ‘chher-chhera’ feasts from the families in the village, regaling them with their dance and music. In some villages, mock quarrels between angry old grand mothers and naughty children are organised. These events are entertaining and create a great deal of amusement and laughter among the audience.

Among the tribals too, it is a festival of merry-making. After harvest men and women enjoy the day by community dancing to the rhythm of drummers.

JAIKOSAL BLOG WISHES ALL THE PEOPLE OF KOSAL, A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS PUSPUNI...

JAI KOSAL

"Aamar Sanskruti Aamar Gaurav"

Deaf & Dumb Orissa Govt Silent On Farmer Suicide In Kosal

2011-01-18T11:25:00.002+05:30

Courtesy - NDTV

In a small village in Western Orissa's Sambalpur district, in a small house, a family looks to its neighbours for support. 61-year-old Shukla Chand killed himself by drinking pesticide. In this part of Western Orissa, this has become a frighteningly familiar story. Since November, 11 farmers from here have killed themselves.

Farmers have been catapulted from one crisis to another in Western Orissa since 2009. Floods, drought, and then exceptionally heavy rainfall last year before the harvest. The deaths of 100 farmers have officially been registered as suicides. The state government says it wasn't their failed crops that drove them to their death.

For farmers whose crops were wiped out by pre-harvest rains, the Centre has sanctioned Rs. 400 crore for Andhra Pradesh and another Rs. 600 crore for Maharashtra. No compensation for Orissa has been announced so far.

The state government, led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of the Biju Janata Dal, has offered to pay farmers Rs. 400 per acre for rain-fed areas and Rs. 800 per acre for irrigated land - only if the farmers can prove he has lost his entire crop. But farmers point out they invest at least Rs. 9,000 per acre for their paddy crop. So the compensation being offered is worthless.

For farmers like Shukla Chand, it seems like there's no one on their side. His suicide note says after his last crop of paddy failed just before the harvest, the loans he owed seemed insurmountable. He had cultivated eight acres of paddy with an initial investment of Rs. 80,000. He then took a bank loan of five lakh to buy a tractor, and another three lakh from private money lenders. When heavy rains destroyed his standing crop in November last year, he could no longer cope.

"The Centre and state are playing a cruel joke on our farmers. The policy to compensate for losses due to calamities has not kicked in. There are thousands of farmers like Shukla Chand who are not dead as yet, but on the verge of death," says Saroj, the leader of a local cooperative of farmers.

Western Orissa awaits so-called promised hospitals since decades - Another Example of Criminal Negligence By Orissa govt towards Western Orissa

2011-01-17T10:27:00.005+05:30

Three medical colleges were proposed in 2004 for western Orissa, facilitated by Western Orissa Development Council (WODC), but they are yet to see the light of day. Other subsequent proposals are still in very early stages.

The planning and coordination department sanctioned Rs 10 crore each for medical colleges in Rourkela, Jaring (Kalahandi district) and Balangir and the state government had provided 25-acre land each to these proposed colleges.

Officials said the proposed medical college at Balangir has faced a dead-end. After WODC advertised seeking private partnership for the proposed colleges, there were two responses. But both the parties failed to qualify in the technical expertise criteria.

Before this, three private parties, selected for Balangir college, quit at various stages. First, GSL Trust of Andhra Pradesh was selected for medical colleges at Balangir and Rourkela and a MoU was signed on January 31, 2004. But the MoU was cancelled since the trust did not commence work. The government signed another MoU with Sri Balaji Educational and Charitable Public Trust on October 6, 2006 for Balangir. After its delay in the start of work, the MoU was cancelled and RVS Educational Trust was selected as a private sponsor. The trust expressed its inability on February 17, 2010 to execute the project.

Work for the medical college at Jaring in Kalahandi, being undertaken by Selvam Educational and Charitable Trust, Tamil Nadu, is under way, after a MoU was signed on January 30, 2004. A 500-bed hospital was supposed to function by January 30, 2008, (five years from the date of MoU). But as of now the hospital is ready in part. While a building for the 300-bed hospital, three operation theatres and a seven-bed ICU is ready, the hostel buildings are yet to be ready.

"The outcome of the inspection by the Medical Council of India in May 2008 was not satisfactory. The trust filed a fresh application before the MCI on November 30, 2010, and the team visited the site once again in April-May," a senior health department official said. Construction of the Rourkela college is being undertaken by Vigyan Bharati Charitable Trust after the government signed a MoU on July 4, 2008. Construction work is on. WODC officials are, however, optimistic. "Barring the Balangir college, the other two projects at Rourkela and Jaring are doing reasonably well. They should be commissioned as early as 2012," said WODC chief executive officer Aswini Mishra.

While neglecting the cause of Western Orissa...Orissa govt went ahead and gave full funding for setting up an ESI medical college in Bhubaneswar which was initially proposed at Balangir then was moved to Rourkela due to our ineficient local leaders.

Time has come for people of Western Orissa to stand united and starts a bloody revolution for our basic rights from the currupt Orissa administration who are more than busy blaming center for everything.

Eunuch Politicians and local Leaders are good for nothing...How many more years they will be fooling us like this ???

Note:- Some of the Contents were taken from Times Of India

Kosli Naat Badi - The Week Long Kosli Drama Fest Starts 15 Jan at Balangir

2011-01-15T23:49:00.004+05:30

To promote Kosli drama and to give further boost to Kosli language, a State-level drama festival, Kosli Naatbadi, will be held at Sadeipali in Balangir district from January 15 2011. The main purpose of organising the festival is to revive the regional Kosli Theater, which is facing a lot of challenges these days.

SITE Cultural Society will organize this state-level Kosli Naatbadi. It is infact the oldest Kosli drama fest in Orissa.The Kosli festival will stage the play in colloquial languages.

With the winter still on, it is a wonderful season for theatre lovers to flock together and enjoy the dying art of the area as well as skills of artistes from other parts of the state. SITE secretary Srikara Mishra said since it is the harvest season, the farmers and labourers are in the mood to celebrate. It is the best time for any cultural body to offer this kind of entertainment. "Our objective is to showcase the local flavour of land through these plays to enthrall the average audience. Apart from that, we will also felicitate outstanding artistes and plays too," said Mishra. In the seven-day long festival, 22 plays will be staged.

A theatre lover, Sashi Sekhar Panda, said the organization is making a rare effort to revive the theatre culture in the region. "Although there were doyens of drama here in Balangir, there have been no opportunities like this. This effort will definitely help improve the theatre culture in Balangir and contribute greatly to India's theatre potential," said Panda.

Last year following Kosli dramas of 22 different cultural outfits of eight districts were showcased. Khapara (Balangir), Ashra (Baragarh), Dalari (Bhavanipatna), Remu (Baragarh), A Phula (Bheden), Paiaan (Mahada), Sagharsha (Khtkhatia), Bimbadhar ra Katha (Padampur), Akuha Manar Bhasa (Sonepur), Annapurna (Balangir), Kaanali Patar (Boudh), Annath Ashram (Belpahad), Mun ra Aakar (Balangir), NaaT (Balangir), Laaja (Balangir), PalataBahga (Sambalpur), Agathkatha Kehehez (Baragarh), Phalsa Phul (Kalahandi), Haldipali ra KeluRam (Sambalpur), Rath (Padampur), Naatua (Sambalpur) and Udelia Utpath (Baragarh).

Welcoming all the Kosli people to be a part of the Kosli Naat Badi and feel proud to promote the Kosli cultural heritage

CENSUS 2011 - REGISTER KOSLI AS YOUR MOTHER TONGUE

2011-01-11T11:21:00.004+05:30

Maa sikhala SAMALPURI_KOSLI

Master padhala ODIA,

Maa'r gude phul chadhei

Master k dema Nadia...........

hele v bhai mane Master nu Maa j kete Badhiaa.

Dear Friends,

Next month i.e february 2011, The Govt of India will conduct the national Census(LOK GANA OR JANA GANA) and in that process they will ask people to register their mother tongue...

Therefore I request each and every people of Western Orissa to register their mother tongue as "KOSLI" ...It is in our hand only to make our language prosper..

Just imagine other language like Santhali and all who have much less speaker than KOSLI but still have been included in the 8th scheduled of the Indian constitution ...

We have more than 2 crore people speaking KOSLI through out western orissa,part of jharkhand and chattisgarh and we are yet to get recognition..

Finally we request everyone to please inform your family members to register their mother tongue as KOSLI ..so that our language can be introduced in School and our people can learn in their own mother tongue...

PLEASE GO THROUGH THE TWO ATTACHEMENTS AND PLEASE FORWARD THIS IT EACH AND EVERY INTERNET SHAVVY PERSON OF KOSAL (WESTERN ORISSA)...

ISSUED BY

http://www.jaikosal.blogspot.com

Note:-The quote in the starting is contributed by Bhakta Prasad Babu and pampletes shared by Manas Ranjan Pradhan

World Famous Dhanu jatra Starts 9th Jan 2011

2011-01-08T21:07:00.006+05:30

Bargarh Dhanu Jatra 2011

World' Largest Open Air theater

9th January 2011 to 19th Jan 2011

The KOSLI (western Odisha) town of Bargarh is gearing up for the famous annual Dhanu Yatra that will begin on January 9. The 11-day cultural extravaganza is globally known as world’s largest open-air theatre. The tiny town, spread over a few square kilometres, will turn into the epic city of Mathura while the nearby villages, rivers and buildings will take names as described in the Mahabharat. Amapali village will be known as Gopapur while the Jeera River that flows between Bargarh and Amapali will be named as Yamuna. The festival will begin with enactment the marriage of Vasudev and Devaki followed by the birth of Krishna to conclude with the death of King Kansa.

Dhanu Yatra is celebrated as a commemoration of Lord Krishna visit to Mathura. It is a distinctive form of annual festivity, in which the small isolated Bargah town of Kosal region turns into a massive open-air theatre. The basic idea behind this festival is to celebrate the victory of Lord Krishna over his autocrat uncle Kansa, who was a very cruel man. During the Dhanu yatra period, Bargah serves as the classic town Mathura, which is also the place where Lord Krishna took birth.

FOR LATEST PHOTOS AND NEWS ABOUT DHANU JATRA , VISIT :- http://www.navratnanews.com

2010 had its own kaleidoscopic impacts on Balangir

2011-01-08T20:47:00.001+05:30

Written by Sudhir Mishra

Courtesy:- Daily Pioneer

The intense cold wave situation prevalent is all set to sweep out the year 2010 to pave the path for 2011, but as the remarkable past remains indelible in the annals of history, the district in 2010 was marked with the unprecedented presence of the Maoists, cultivation of banned Bt cotton and maize promoted by Monsanto, move to set up thermal plant besides having already hogged the headlines for the embarrassing starvation deaths.

Red Signal: A band of suspected red ultras, numbering around 100, had reportedly enquired about the village and nearby localities to a local youth while scouting their ways through the forest near Masina village in Khaprakhol block on August 25 night.

The Maoists launched their Jan Sampark Abhiyan in Masina and other villages in a bid to induct new recruits.

As per the police sources, the red rebels have been holding meetings since February while their presence was well-felt in August.

“We carried out combing operation on August 26 and 27 and with joining of the Special Operation Group (SOG) jawans, the operation was intensified from August 28,” informed SP Ajaya Sarangi.

Meanwhile, the ultras have divided into several small groups and are still pursuing their Jan Sampark, sources confided.

Hunger Beckons: The death of five members of Jhintu Bariha family of Chhabripali village due to alleged starvation, even after six decades of Independence, yet again attracted the media attention and rocked both the State and Centre.

While the district administration toiled hard downplaying the sham as death due to malaria and malnutrition, scores of visitors, including the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Rapporteur had visited the village and the villagers had shown him the wild seeds and roots they consume during the lean period.

Empowering ‘no-industry district’ via Thermal Plant: Just to ward off the ‘no industry district’-stigma, an attempt was made by the local young and energetic MP Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo and under his initiative, the Sahara group of companies is going set up a 1,320 MW Thermal Power Plant at Lutherbandh in Titiligarh, which evokes sharp opposition from the locals apprehending land and livelihood losses.

However, the company seems to be proceeding in its efforts by launching the welfare measures like ambulance and health camps in its peripheral areas.

Craze for banned Bt Cotton, Monsanto Maize: Unprecedentedly, the craze for the banned Bt cultivation soared up among the farmers across the district here without knowing its long term implications on soil and ecology.

To tackle the pest menace on crops and act quickly, an e-pest surveillance scheme was also launched in the district on a pilot basis.

Saviour rain turns Monster: Erratic rain wreaked havoc on agriculture. While deficient rainfall had augured in a drought-like situation earlier, the unseasonal rain, on the eve of paddy harvest, played spoiled sport hitting further a bolder blow on the backbone of the farmers.

Democratic Uprising: For the first time, the townsfolk protested before the Shailashree royal palace against the apathy of the local MP and MLA in fulfilling the longstanding demand of filling up the vacant teacher posts of Rajendra College and other colleges of the town.

Nonstop Labour Migration: It all seems to be a perennial stream as there is no stop to the usual migration of large number of labour force in quest of greener pastures despite the hullabaloos on violation of Human Rights, protection measures, poverty alleviation schemes and policies and steep decline in the traditional water harvesting structures.

A damn to healthcare: Besides other deadly diseases, HIV/AIDS is spreading fast both in the rural and urban pockets of the district having claimed 46 death toll and gripped 368 persons with no medicine and vacant laboratory technician posts turning the ART centre a mere bill-board.

Silver lining: Amid such dark spots on the bright moon of the district’s firmament, the silver lining had been with the boys here having excelled in the Inter-State Junior Badminton Championship and Kabbadi.

While local BJD MP Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo went on a visit to the USA and Israel to acquaint himself with the nuances of management and development along with other young Indian MPs, former Law Minister and former local MLA Narsingha Mishra was appointed member of the National Law Commission, former minister and incumbent Patnagarh MLA KV Singh Deo as leader of the BJP legislature party in the Assembly and Kantabanji Congress MLA Santosh Singh Saluja created history by hurling the pen stand at the Assembly Speaker.

Sniti Mishra excelled in the Zee Saregama competition, students excelled in the HSC examination et al. Notwithstanding that, the optimistic denizens of the district are hopeful that the year 2011 brings in cheers in the faces of all.

Republic Day 2011: Delhi to dance to Sambalpuri tunes

2011-01-07T19:40:00.003+05:30

Coutesy:- Indian Express

After winning hearts across the globe, the foot-tapping beats of traditional drums of western Orissa will reverberate at Republic Day Parade at Delhi on January 26. A group of 170 school students will be presenting ‘Parbha’, a folk dance of the region, in front of President Pratibha Patil.

The group will perform for 2.15 minutes on the Rajpath and choreographer Ranjan Sahu is working overtime to showcase the grandeur of the dance form within the specified time.

As per Sahu of the famed ‘Ukia’ group, which has the distinction of performing across the country, the students are being trained in the intricacies of the dance form at Hindi High School ground in Sambalpur.

The team will represent Eastern Zonal Cultural Council and was selected after competitions at various levels, said Ranjan Sahu.

Students have been handpicked from schools of the town. While 31 students are from CSB ZIlla School, 49 have been selected from Hindi High School, 27 from Town High School, 28 are from Lady Lewis Girls’ High School, 15 are from Police High School while nine artistes belong to the ‘Ukia’ group. They will be accompanied by 11 officials, Ranjan added. Prior to this, ‘Ukia’ had led a 180-member team in 2004 Republic Day Parade and had performed ‘Dalkhai’ dance.

Balangir based cultural organisation “Bhumika” to host Mathkhai Mahotsav, from January 23 to 27.

2011-01-06T13:55:00.004+05:30

Courtesy:- The Telegraph

Balangir-based cultural organisation Bhumika is all set to host Mathkhai Mahotsav, a multilingual theatre festival from January 23 to 27.

The five-day festival will showcase some of the best plays from across the country. Two Hindi and one Marathi play will be part of the fare.

President of the organising committee of the festival, Chitta Ranjan Dash said apart from staging plays from other states, the organisation would try to revive rural theatre, which was dying fast.

“This time we are focusing on the revival of rural theatre. Apart from the plays that will be staged every evening, rural artistes will also be provided the platform to stage their plays,” Dash said. The theatre festival will open with Koshali play Ukhi, written by Vinod Pasayat and directed by Suresh Chandra Sahu.

Pendish theatre group from New Delhi will stage Hindi play Sarkari Feminism written by Anuradha Marwa and directed by Sanjaya Kumar on January 24. On January 25, Marathi play Ajantha written and directed by Milind Inamdar will be staged by Srujan theatre group of Mumbai. On the fourth day of the festival Oriya play Chaitu will be staged by Pyayas theatre group of Rourkela. Nirman Kalamanch of Patna will stage Hari Shankar written by Srikant Kishore and directed by Sanjaya Upadhyaya.

Rural artistes will mostly perform mythological plays that are dying. They will perform plays such as Karna Badha, Laxmi Purana, Sita Chori and Ushabati Harana. On the opening day of the festival, the Natyajyoti flame will be taken out in a procession from the Mathkhai hill near Balangir. “The festival is named after Mathkhai hill as it symbolises the rich heritage of Balangir,” said Byasadev Nanda, secretary of Bhumika.

First Kosli Family Magazine BENI Released

2011-01-05T20:01:00.004+05:30

The only Kosli monthly colour family magazine Beni was released at Jayadev Bhawan, Bhubaneswar by Hon. Minister Prasanna Acharya, Sushanta Singh, MLA Bhatli, Prabhas Singh, President, Paschim Odisha Agrani Sangathan, Arvind Padhi (IAS) and other honorable personalities. Thanks to Saket Sahu, Editor of the Beni for sharing this news and pictures.

The print version of January issue is now available in the market

To subscribe the print version please contact:

AJAY PUROHIT, Marketing Executive, 7377586368
or
SUNDAR MANI DASH, Marketing Executive, 9937858775
or mail us at: info@koslibeni.com

ORISSA POLICE KILLED INNOCENT KOSLI PEOPLE IN FAKE ENCOUNTER TERMING THEM MAOIST

2011-01-01T14:31:00.006+05:30

Discrimination and brutality against the people of KOSAL (Western Orissa) region by the Orissa state administration is not new..But the atrocities crossed all the limits when Orissa Police indiscriminately fired and killed two innocent Kosli people of Paikmal block in Bargarh District...

It is to be noted that one of the deceased is an activist who was opposing mining on the Gandhamardhan Hills which is sacred to the people of Kosal (western Orissa) and is the only source of lively hood for thousand of tribal people..

On Monday, the SOG and CRPF team combing the jungles near Paikmal block of Bargarh reportedly faced firing. “Our forces had definite information that a Maoist camp was running there. When we raided the camp we were fired at. In the crossfire, two Maoists were killed,” said Bargarh SP Soorya Thankappan.

Three days after a combined team of CRPF and Special Operation Group police in western Orissa district of Bargarh shot dead two people alleging them to be Maoists, the Opposition BJP on Thursday termed it a “fake encounter” after one of the deceased was found to be a block president of the party.

The police recovered two bodies as well as some provisions from the camp.

The deceased were identified Wednesday night as Madhav Singh Thakur, the Paikmal block president of BJP, and Ramesh Sahu, a local youth. Thakur’s body was identified by his family members.

Former state BJP chief Suresh Pujari, who toured the area Thursday morning, alleged that police intentionally killed Thakur as he was opposing mining in Gandhamardan mountain. Pujari, who met Thakur’s family members, asked why the deceased BJP member was not arrested earlier if he was a Maoist.

“Thakur had agitated publicly against mining in Gandhamardan a month ago when CM Naveen Patnaik visited the district. Did the police find out suddenly that Thakur was a Maoist. What is surprising is that the police did not recover any firearms or bullets from the Maoist camp,” said Pujari.

The BJP leader who is now planning to approach the National Human Rights Commission over the “fake encounter” said he found it surprising that the police could recover two bodies.

________________________________________________________________

Below is the report from INDIA TV "India's leading News Channel" :-

Bargarh, Orissa, Dec 31: The Orissa BJP has alleged that two of its activists were shot dead by police in a fake encounter after describing them as Maoists, reports India TV reporter Prasanta Patnaik.

"We have recovered bodies of two Maoists killed during an exchange of fire in Gandhamardan hills near Paikamal on Monday night," Surya Thankapan, Bargarh superintendent of police said.

Describing the slained persons as Maoists, Ms Thankapan said that they had definite information about the close link of the deceased persons with Maoists, who were killed during the cross firing and encounter.

According to Sunakar Sahu, both Madhab and Ramesh who were associated with the BJP had been to Borasambar village in connection with organising a party meeting. While they were trturning by a motor cycle, they were shot dead by the police from a very close range. None of them had any link with the Maoists.

Pradip Purohit , advisor of the Gandhamardan Surakhya Samiti, said that Madhab Singh Thakur is a well known and highly respected social activist who was associated with Gandhamardan Surakhya Samity since long.

Madhab had donated over 50 bottles of blood for which he was loved and respected in the area. As Madhab was a good organiser and was involved in Gandhamardan Surakhya movement, the police has intentionally killed him to foil the movement and paving the way for handing over this valuable mountain rich with bauxite and medicinal plants and herbs.

Because of its rich medicinal plants and herbs, people believe that Hanuman had taken this mountain to Lank during the battle with Ravan, to save the life of Laxman who was badly injured by the poisonous weapons of the demons.

Madhab's father also claimed that his son and his friend were totally inocent and had no link with the Maoists, any body and everybody in the area can vouch about it.

If both of them were Maoists , the police could have seized weapons from them . Instead of exhibiting any arms and ammunitions, the police exhibited rice, dal, onion etc. to the astonishment of the local people.

BJP State unit President Jual Oram, told India TV over phone that a five member committee of the party have gone to the area for an on the spot study of the situation about the cause of cold blooded murder in the name of encounter.

He was surprised to learn that the police have branded both the BJP leaders as Maoists, as nowhere the BJP members ever believe in Maoism.

" This is a terror tactic by the Government and the police to keep people away from Gandhamardan Surakhya movement, so that the Government can easily hand over the rich bauxite mines to Vedanta, who are very much interested for this mines.Family members of both Thakur and Sahu have filed F.I.R. with Paikmal police alleging that both of them were killed in cold blood by the police.

Uproar in Orissa Assembly over appointment of Western Orissa development council members

2010-12-19T00:17:00.002+05:30

Courtesy:-Orissadairy

Though normal businesses were conducted in the House on Thursday, it experienced noisy scenes for some time as the Opposition Congress Members created disruptions demanding ouster of expert members of Western Odisha Development Council. The uproar forced the Speaker to adjourn the House for 30 minutes from 11.30 am to 12 noon.

The issue of status of present expert members kept the House hot in the question hour as the both the Opposition Congress and the BJP members expressed their dissatisfaction over reply of Planning and Coordination Minister Ananga Udaya Singh Deo on a question of Santosh Singh Saluja. Sri Saluja had wanted to know whether the nominated expert members of WODC required qualifications or not. He had also asked whether works were being allotted on the recommendation of such member or not.

Other Opposition Members including Subal Sahu, Jayanarayan Mishra, Anup Sai and Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo alleged that the expert members who have been nominated to the WODC have no expertise. Rather, the State Government has nominated BJD’s failed members to the posts. They said as per the WODC guidelines the expert members should have expertise in prescribed fields and should belong to concerned districts for which WODC works.

Alleging that some of the expert members have been nominated from outside the WODC area, the Opposition members said the outsiders are taking huge amount as TA and DA causing economic burden to the WODC.

In his reply, as the Minister said that one of the Members is staying in Delhi and he might be given TA and DA, most of the Congress Members rushed to the well of the House and started slogans demanding ouster of the ‘illegally’ nominated members of the WODC.

Issue of Lawyers agitation was also raised in the House. Members cutting across party lines opined that the protest of the Bar Council and the Bar Associations was justified. “If evening courts work for two hour in the evening, it would pose problems for all including lawyers and witnesses. While lawyers would not get time to meet their clients, the witnesses would face security problems especially in Maoist dominated areas,” they said and demanded the State Government should find some alternative to dispose of the cases.

An adjournment motion on ‘spread of cholera causing human tolls and the State Government has failed to contain the situation’ was also debated in the House. Slamming that the Government had no concern for the people suffering and dying in the Cholera in almost all the districts of the State, the Opposition members raised issues like lack of road communication, scarcity of drinking water and vacancies of doctors’ posts are not being full filled by the Government.

On the other hand, the Health Minister informed that a total of 132 people had died in KBK districts and 60 in other districts. “Government had taken timely steps to contain the health situation of KBK district arose out of spreading of diarrhea,” the Minister said.

In the afternoon session Members participated in a discussion on Odisha Municipal Amendment bill placed three days ego.

Malaria cases rise in Balangir

2010-12-18T18:02:00.001+05:30

By Sudeep Ku Guru, Courtesy :-The Telegraph

The number of malaria cases reported at the district headquarters hospital here has risen following last week’s sustained rainfall. Choked drains in several places of the town have become the breeding ground for mosquitoes. The biological vector control method has also come to a halt due to want of funds.

Sources said that there was waterlogging in several areas of the town, especially the low lying areas following last week’s rain. Small puddles of water and choked drains in front of houses provided ideal conditions for mosquitoes to breed. Hospital sources said there was an unusual rise in malaria cases during the last few days, but there were no reports of deaths due to the disease.

Swagat Sahu, a local resident, said that three members of his family got malaria soon after the rain stopped and one had to be admitted to the district headquarters hospital.

The use of gambusia fish as part of the biological vector control method has been stopped due to want of funds. A variety of fish called gambusia, also known as mosquitofish, had been pressed into the job in the malaria-prone areas of Balangir district to stop further breeding of mosquitoes back in 2004. It had worked well.

Chief district medical officer (CDMO) of Balangir Purna Chandra Sahu admitted that there was a rise in malaria cases in the hospitals over the last few days. “Yes, there is a rise in Malaria cases over the last few days. Unfortunately the biological vector control method to control the breeding of mosquitoes has stopped. We were initially very enthusiastic about the new method. But, gradually, we realised that there was no special fund provision from the government to maintain a gambusia hatchery. As a result, the tanks dried up and the fish died,” Sahu said.

There were 15 tanks for gambusia in the district. “If a handful of fish is released into ponds or breeding places of mosquitoes like drains, then the larva of mosquitoes will vanish within hours as the fishes eat them,’’ said Sahu.

Kalikesh urges PM to include KBK in development plans for Maoist-hit areas

2010-12-12T10:59:00.002+05:30

Courtesy:- DailyPioneer

BJD MP from Balangir Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo has approached Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take a call on the KBK region. He said that unless the Prime Minister intervenes in the matter, these areas would continue to rot.

Singh Deo said the eight most backward districts of the world in Odisha’s KBK region need inclusion in Unified Action Plan for Naxal-Affected Regions (UAPNAR), which is a Central Government initiative to tackle the Maoist menace through development programmes.

Singh Deo said the PM is aware that people of KBK are exposed to extremely adverse human development indices and are one of the most deprived communities. He requested the PM to intervene for the inclusion of the KBK region in the UAPNAR so that they are delivered with a semblance of justice.

Where is the Bonus, Mr Minister?

2010-12-12T00:39:00.002+05:30

Courtesy:-BizOdisha

An open letter to the Agriculture minister, Govt of Odisha

You have made a statement that the farmers are getting Rs 50 bonus on a quintal paddy. Sadly, that is a blatant falsehood and nothing else.

Shri Dr. Damodar Rout Ji
Hon’ble Agriculture, Cooperation, Fisheries and Animal Resource Development Minister
Government of Odisha

Dear Sir,

Pranam !

You are a seasoned politician; a senior member of the present cabinet holding agriculture and cooperation portfolio; and also you claim to be an active farmer. You are the most active member of the present cabinet on various media and public communication platforms. Having all these traits, the farming community expects from you a reflection of the true status of the agriculture sector.

But, I am constrained to allege that, on many occasions, you have belied the trust reposed on you by the farmers. Your statement made on Friday that a bonus of Rs 50 is being paid now, over and above the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of paddy, adds another leaf to that growing list falsehood.

You are grossly wrong in reporting that the farmers are being paid a bonus of Rs 50 on every sell of a quintal of paddy. The farmers are not getting any bonus this year at all and the net sell proceed from a quintal of paddy remains exactly the same as last year.

In addition to the MSP of Rs 950 per quintal, farmers were also getting a bonus of Rs 50 last year. The MSP for this year has been increased to Rs 1,000 per quintal. However, the government is providing no bonus this year. Thus, the effective price that a farmer gets by selling a quintal of paddy still remains Rs 1,000.

Your statement is like an insult to injuries to the farming community which is grappling with increasing adversities. If you have made the statement after ascertaining true facts, then your department and your government has failed to convey the decision - to pay Rs 50 per quintal bonus - to your procuring officers. That shows the incompetence of you and your government. But, if you are not aware of the true facts and still preferred to make an announcement that Rs 50 per quintal of bonus is being paid, then that is no less than brute treachery towards the public in general and farming community in particular.

You definitely owe us an explanation on this guff.

With regards

Bimal Prasad Pandia

The writer is a farmer and development researcher. Please send your comments and suggestions at media@bizodisha.com or bimalpandia@gmail.com

Tel valley civilization: Riverside kingdom traced in copper plates

2010-12-10T22:03:00.005+05:30

By:-Riyan Ramanath V (Courtesy:-Indian Express)

BALANGIR: While Gumagad, the first century BC military strategic hub, speaks volumes of a flourishing kingdom in the Tel river valley, a copper plate recently found at Kapsila village in Balangir district hints at existence of several kingdoms on either side of the valley.

Historians, who recently evinced interest in exploring more facts about the valley civilisation, opined that further excavation can unravel the history buried under the earth. This copper plate was interestingly found near the archaeological site of Kharligad near Gumagad.

Utkal University Archaeology Prof Sadasiva Pradhan, who got the copper plate from a Brahmin, said it contains information regarding the civilisation. He, however, had sent it to eminent epigraphist Sadananda Agrawal for deciphering.

According to Agrawal, as per the information on the copper plate, the civilisation dates back to the 8th century AD.

“The Udayapur area, the capital of Rashtrakuta kings who ruled the valley, is still dotted with standing structure and ruins. These are mostly found at Amathgad. Ruins of a medieval fort too exist here,” said Agrawal.

Earlier, Prof Pradhan had excavated the Gumagad site, where he found a strategic military hub of the first century BC. It was set up by a contemporary of King Kharavela.

Studying further into the formation on copper plate, Agrawal said that a king called Khadgasingha had donated a village Remudaka (modern Remanda) in Saintala. This also throws light on the civilisation.

He feels that further excavation by expert archeologists with the government’s support would shed more light on the civilisation.

The other four copper plates found earlier at Terssingha village also spoke of the Tel valley civilisation.

Those plates had information regarding the two capitals – Udayapur and Parbatadwaraka – which were under the rule of Rashtrakutas and local chieftains belonging to different clans.