National Commission for Minorities assures Orissa enough Central forces for Kandhamal

National Commission for Minorities’ vice-chairman M.P. Pinto said that the Central Para-military forces should be “kept on” till complete normalcy is restored in the region. Mr. Pinto said the law and order authorities should feel the situation in Kandhamal. If they feel that the CRPF men need to be kept on, then the forces should be kept till complete normalcy is restored in Kandhamal. He adds that he would look into the state’s demand to deploy more CRPF companies in the riot-torn district.
Pinto expressed satisfaction over the ongoing repair works of the damaged churches in Kandhamal. He also said that riot-hit victims cooped up in relief camps were still ‘frightened’ in the area.
Earlier on Monday, he met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik among other higher officials to discuss on the Kandhamal issue. During the meeting, the chief minister pointed out that despite the state government's request, the Centre was set to withdraw the CRPF from Kandhamal by June end, sources said.

Activist protest Golden Peacock award by WEF to Vedanta Alumina ...

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: EPGOrissa
To: orissamining@yahoogroups.com
Date:
Subject: [orissamining] [EPG Orissa] Activist protest Golden Peacock award by WEF to Vedanta Alumina ...


[http://himachal.us/2009/06/12/activist-protest-golden-peacock-award-by-wef-to-vedanta-alumina-in-himachal/13576/news/rsood]
http://himachal.us/2009/06/12/activist-protest-golden-peacock-award-by-wef-to-vedanta-alumina-in-himachal/13576/news/rsood

Posted by Ravinder Sood on Jun 12th, 2009 in Environment, News.
(The post has been borrowed from the site My Himachal (http://himachal.us/))


PALAMPUR: Twenty activists representing environment and social action groups today barged into the World Environment Foundation’s (WEF) opening ceremony of the ‘Global Convention for Climate Change’ being held at the Palampur Agriculture University grounds with posters and banners screaming “Stop greenwashing corporate crimes” and “Stop selling climate change”. The activists were protesting against the WEF’s Golden Peacock award to the Vedanta Alumina Limited for its refinery in Lanjigarh Orissa. The protestors gathered in front of the stage after a tussle with the organisers managed to seize the stage the microphone, and highlight the various environmental crimes and human rights violations that the company has indulged in not just in its Orissa project but other project sites across the country.

The activists briefed the Tibetan Prime Minister in exile – Samdhung Rinpoche, who was present as a Chief dignitary at the function about the national campaign that has built up against the company and the devastation cause by the company in Orissa. He immediately walked out of the venue at this point. Subsequently, hundreds of children from schools In Palamapur, present at the ceremony, who cheered as the protest gathered momentum, also left the venue. Delegates of the conference at the venue were also given pamphlets as well as the letter written to the jury, endorsed by more than 170 organizations, asking for the withdrawal of the Golden Peacock to Vedanta.

In January 2009, WEF withdrew the Golden Peacock Award given to Satyam Computers, literally days before the company submitted its fraudulent balance sheet to shareholders. “We do not expect any integrity from the organizers of the Golden Peacock Awards. However, many of the jury members are persons of good reputation and integrity. We are concerned that your decision may have been arrived at in the absence of full information. We would also like to give you an opportunity to review some disturbing information regarding the conduct of Vedanta and its subsidiaries, and to dissociate yourselves from the award to Vedanta to avoid a Satyam-style embarrassment,” endorsers to the letter to jurors wrote.

Guman Singh, leader of Himalaya Niti Abhiyan who spoke on behalf of the campaign appreciated that Chief Minister of Himachal who was to be the Chief guest at the function had withdrawn his participation from the event after pressure from the campaign and the controversy around awardee company. Mamata Dash, an activist from Orissa tried to draw the attention of the delegates towards the crimes committed by Vedenta on the Dongria Kondh adivasis in the Niyamgiri hills for its bauxite mines. Just as she began speaking Madhav Mehra, founder of WEF, tried to shove her off the stage. After a scuffle with the activists, Mehra made a statement that he had no interest with Vedanta and that they would review the award and even withdraw just like they had done in the Satyam case if the facts were found to be true. As the tussle continued between the activists and the organizers, the ground echoed with slogans like “WEF down down” and “Vedanta company chor hai!”. As the protestors left the venue, to save his face Madhav Mehra tried to trivialize the issue and only spoke of all the “good work” done by Vedanta.

965 posts of Doctors lying vacant in Orissa

There are 965 posts of Doctors are lying vacant in the state. Out of these 965 Asst Surgeon 265. To fill up the above vacancies Orissa Public Service Commission has been moved.For temporary fillup of the vacancies, the Chief District Medical officers have been authorised to appoint retired doctors. The retired doctors can be appointed upto the age of 65.
The OPSC will recruit 68 doctors within a week. Similarly 1400 Ayush doctors will be appointed by the National Rural Health Mission. The mobile health units in KBK will be increased to 95. Each mobile health unit will consist one Doctor, one Pharmasist, one Nurse and one out door Attandant. Besides as per the recruitment 168 Ambulance has been purchased by the National Rural Health Mission.
Minister of Health Prasan Acharya expressed it in the Assembly on friday, replay tobe question of Hitesh Bagarti, Dr. Praful Majhi, Dr. Promod Mallick, Nabin Nanda, Rajanikanta Sing, Sanjay Dasburma and Jitu Pattnaik MLAs.

Source: orissadairy

To prepare five-year perspective plan

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday asked secretaries to prepare five-year perspective plan for their respective departments and go to villages instead of functioning from state capital.
All the departmental secretaries have been asked to prepare five-year perspective plan within 15 days in consultation with the Concerned department Minister . After the meeting Chief Secretary Ajit Kumar Tripathy told the mediapersons.The Chief Minister adviced all the secreataries , ruling BJD MLAs and Ministers to work like "servants of people' instead of trying to rule over them.Stating that programmes like Rs 2 a kg rice scheme, Madhubabu Pension Yojana (pension for old and invalid), Gopabandhu Gramin Yojana (rural development scheme), employment mission should be given priority, Patnaik asked officers to work with sincerity and efficiency to ensure that masses get benefit from 'Sadak, Bijli and Pani' programmes.
While Directors/ Chief Engineers of all departments were asked to undertake at least 10 days field visits in a month, district collectors would have to visit all the Blocks and Tehsils headquarters at least once a month. Similarly, senior officers of the rank of Chief Secretary,Ddevelopment Commissioner and Agriculture Production Commissioner were asked to monitor and review at least once in a month on the progress made on different schemes Stress on grievance redressal mechanism,The Chief Minister also directed officials to operate grievance cells from block level to the state level on every saturday.


source: Orissadiary

Orissa police files chargesheet in 437 Kandhamal riot cases

Orissa police today filed chargesheets in 437 of the total 827 cases relating to last year's Kandhamal riot, while it succeeded to have arrested 13 people, including dreaded Maoist Uday, in connection with the sensational killing of the VHP leader Swami Laxamananda Saraswati.
Though the police have arrested Uday alias P Rama Rao, it were yet to nab one Drona Kesaba Rao, who shot Saraswati, said Director General of Police (DGP), Manmohan Praharaj here today.

"Both Uday and Drona were identified as the persons who opened fire on Saraswati," the DGP said.

"I cannot say whether the killer is a Chiristian or Hindu. The criminals are not viewed on the basis of their religion," the DGP said.

He, however, claimed that the police had specific evidences against the persons who were booked in riot incidents.

Chargesheet had been filed in 437 cases and investigation was on in other 354 cases of Kandhamal riot, including the nun rape case, he said.


Source: Fullorissa News

IB warns terror strikes in south India, security beefed in AP

4 Jun 2009, 2303 hrs IST, PTI




HYDERABAD: An alert was sounded on Thursday in the city following inputs from Intelligence Bureau (IB) that three terrorists have entered in the
country and are planning to strike important cities of south India.

Security has been beefed up at major hospitals and crowded places including railway and bus stations in the city, City Police Commissioner B Prasada Rao said.

The police have already taken up checking and frisking operations in different localities in the city here in view of the IB inputs, he said.

Urging people to inform the police if they found any suspicious stranger not able to speak native language, the Commissioner issued instructions to the policemen to be vigilant.

Rao also requested owners of the lodges and hotels to keep a watch on the movement of their customers and ascertain their identity.

Three terrorists, in the age group of 30 years, have entered the country and planning to strike in south Indian cities, according to IB sources

Threatening posters trigger tension in Kandhamal

4 Jun 2009, 1940 hrs IST, PTI



BHUBANESWAR: Already under pressure following the phased-withdrawal of Central paramilitary force from riot-hit Kandhamal district, Orissa police
have started a probe into the recovery of threat posters against the newly-elected BJP MLA from G Udaigiri, Manoj Pradhan.

"We are investigating the matter after threat posters were recovered from Raikia area," Kandhamal SP Praveen Kumar said, adding that two posters were found threatening to eliminate Pradhan and some other members of Bajrang Dal.

Pradhan has been lodged in the jail since his arrest on charges of murder, arson and rioting in mid-October, 2008.

Though there was no major communal violence since October last year, the posters have triggered tension in the district with police seizing the hand-written materials, sources said.

While the police suspected it to be the handiwork of Maoist elements active in the region, it was yet to confirm who pasted the provocative posters.

Pradhan, considered a prime accused in the last year's ethnic-communal violence in Kandhamal which claimed at least 42 lives, had been the target of Maoists.

He is also considered a main follower of VHP leader Laxamananda Saraswati whose killing on August 23 2008, had led to the widespread violence in Kandhamal.

Pradhan was elected to the state Assembly from G Udaygiri segment, despite being lodged in the jail, for his popularity among the tribals who were opposed to 'Pana' Dalits cum converted Christians.

The threatening posters appeared while Pradhan had been trying to secure bail in order to take oath as a member of the state assembly. Except him, other 146 newly elected MLAs had already taken oath.

Meanwhile, of the 53 companies (nearly 5300 personnel) of Central force deployed in Kandhamal during the riots, only five were left behind putting the state police on high alert even as there was no major violence for a long time.

"Some people (may be Maoists) were trying to keep the issue alive in Kandhamal," said a senior police officer, adding that police would soon be able to identify those behind such posters

31st May 2009

The World Health Organization selects "Tobacco Health Warnings" as the theme for the 20th World No Tobacco Day, which will take place on 31 May 2009. Tobacco health warnings appear on packs of cigarettes and are among the strongest defences against the global epidemic of tobacco. WHO particularly approves of warnings that contain both pictures and words because they are the most effective at convincing people to quit.

Tobacco health warnings appear on packs of cigarettes and are among the strongest defences against the global epidemic of tobacco.

WHO particularly approves of tobacco health warnings that contain both pictures and words because they are the most effective at convincing people to quit. Such pictorial warnings appear in more than a dozen countries.

On World No Tobacco Day 2009, and throughout the following year, WHO will encourage governments to adopt tobacco health warnings that meet all the criteria for maximal effectiveness, including that they cover more than half of the pack, appear on both the front and back of the pack and contain pictures.

The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control obligates its more than 160 countries parties to require "health warnings describing the harmful effects of tobacco use" on packs of tobacco and their outside packaging and recommends that the warnings contain pictures. WHO works through its Tobacco Free Initiative department to help the parties to meet their obligation, providing technical and other assistance.

As WHO Director General Margaret Chan says, "We hold in our hands the solution to the global tobacco epidemic that threatens the lives of one billion men, women and children during this century."

Tobacco health warnings are a big part of the solution about which Dr Chan speaks.

Please return soon to this website for a richer explanation of why the World Health Organization chose "Tobacco Health Warnings" as the theme for World No Tobacco Day 2009 and about what the warnings -- pictorial ones in particular -- can do to fight tobacco.

Source: INDIA NEWS