Odisha to get direct flights to Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore shortly

By Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, Dec. 19: Odisha will have international connectivity to Bhubaneswar. FlyDubai has decided to kick off international operation to Dubai while Indigo is exploring the possibility of linking to Bangkok and Singapore respectively from here after due clearance from the civil aviation ministry.
This was announced by FlyDuabi Country Head, Pran Desan and Indigo regional manager, Sanjit Bhattacharya at the three-day Invest Bhubaneswar Odisha Symposium that ended on Sunday.
This apart, Mr Bhattacharya announced that Indigo would operate six flights out of Bhubaneswar connecting Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Chennai via Vishakhpatnam, Mumbai and Kolkata from January 15.
“This will remove the major bottleneck of lack of international connectivity to Bhubaneswar and open up global investment into the state for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME), Invest Bhubaneswar convener Purna Mohanty said.
The private sector players have signed a few Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on several sectors including health, information technology and education on the sidelines of the symposium.

Odisha gets second largest port, Dhamra port inaugurated

By Nalini Sahu

Dhamra, Dec. 18: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday inaugurated the Rs 3,500-crore all-weather Dhamra port in Bhadrak district, nearly 200 km from here.

Built on Build, Own, Operate, Share and Transfer (BOOST) basis by the Dhamra Port Company Limited, a 50:50 joint venture of the L & T and Tata Steel, Dhamra Port happens to the second largest port in the state after the Paradip Port.

The first phase capacity of the port is 12-million tonnes per annum for import of coal/limestone and export of 6.5 MT of iron ore with fully mechanized berths with 350-metre each. According to DPCL master-plan, the port can go up to 13 berths after full-fledged expansion.

With its 18-km long channel with a draught of 17.5 metre, the port is capable of handling cape size vessels up to 1, 80,000DWT.

The DPCL has constructed a single-rail track from Dhamra to Bhadrak on the main Howrarh-Chennai line for transportation of cargo.

Capable of handling more than 100MT bulk cargo, break bulk and containerized cargo, DPCL has acquired 125-metre corridor from Dhamra to Bhadrak which can accommodate four rail tracks and one four-lane road, apart from service lines, said DPCL chief executive officer (CEO) Santosh Mohapatra.

The DPCL enjoys a concession period of 34 years including the 4 years of construction period which can be extended to additional periods of 10 years each.

Addressing the inaugural function, chief minister Mr Patnaik said Dhamra Port would act as catalyst for Odisha’’s infrastructure development and economic prosperity. Referring to the long-history of maritime activities in the area, he said Dhamra had got back its past glory with the functioning of the second port in the state.

The port, commissioned in a record time, has adopted all sophisticated and modern technology which makes Dhamra Port one of the most cost-effective and efficient ports in the eastern India.

Odisha transport and commerce secretary Sanjeeb Sahoo, tourism and culture minister Prafulla Samal, Bhadrak Lok Sabha MP Arjun Sethi, local legislators, Union shipping secretary K Mohandas, chief secretary B.K. Patnaik were among other present at the function.

Raja wins battle, Supreme Court declares Athgarh election ultra vires

By Debadas Pradhan / www.indusvalleytimes.com

Bhubaneswar, Dec.9: The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the Odisha High Court decision and declared the election of Athgarh MLA Ramesh Rout as ultra vires.

The SC also ordered for fresh election for the Assembly seat.

On June 30, 2009, former minister and ex-Athagarh MLA Ranedra Pratap Swain had moved the Odisha High Court challenging rejection of his nomination papers by the returning officer in 2009. He told the court that there had been a conspiracy to deprive him of fighting the elections.

After a protracted trial for nearly a year, the high court on June 23, 2010 observed that rejection of Ranendra’s nomination was illegal and directed for fresh polls in the constituency.

Ramesh filed a petition in the HC seeking a stay on its decision. The HC on June 29, 2010 rejected Rout’s petition.

On July 5, 2010, Ramesh went to Supreme Court seeking to quash the HC order. On July 9, 201 the SC asked the Election Commission of India not to conduct fresh election in Athagarh. Similarly on July 9, 2010, the apex court stayed the HC order quashing the membership of Athgarh MLA Ramesh Rout.

The SC had completed the hearing process on October 19, 2010 and reserved the verdict.

“I welcome the SC verdict. It’s victory of law…victory of Athgarh people, my political workers and my well-wishers. Finally, truth has prevailed and I got justice.” an elated Ranendra Pratap Swain said.

BJP president Jual Oram, while hailing the judgment, said the verdict was a slap in on the face ruling BJD leaders who conspired to keep Ranendra Pratap Swain out of the election fray.

Youth involved in triple murder found hanging

By Akshaya Rout / www.indusvalleytimes.com

Jajpur (Jajpur), Dec. 8: A 28-year-old who allegedly hacked his mother, sister and brother to death on Tuesday night at Katikata under Mangalpur police limit in Jajpur district, was on Thursday found hanging from a tree near his village.

Soubhagya, an educated unemployed youth, was suffering from mental disorder for past couple of years. After hacking his family members to death on Tuesday night, he was absconding to avoid police arrest.

The villagers informed that the mentally deranged youth’s father had committed suicide three months ago.

On Tuesday night, Soubhagya’s mother Usharani, sister Madhusmita and brother Dipti Ranjan were asleep in a room when he attacked them with an axe. All the three died on the spot.

Jajpur superintendent of police Deepak Kumar said the exact cause of the murder was not yet known.

“The exact reason of murder is not yet known. We are investigating into the case. Neighbours say the accused often fought with his family members demanding money from them,” the SP said.

Naveen prepares for the big show

THE STRATEGY MEET:Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik presiding over the BJD Legislature Party meeting at the Assembly on December 8, 2011. The winter session of the Assembly will begin on Dec. 12, 2011.

(Photo-Piusha)

Odisha by-poll:BJD wins Umerkote as embly by-poll

Prasant Rath (www.indusvalleytimes.com) Nowrangpur, Dec. 4: The ruling Biju Janata Dal on Sunday won the Umerkote assembly by-poll by defeating BJP by 21,061 votes. The victorious BJD candidate Subhas Ganda polled 54,713 votes, while the BJP nominee secured 33, 652 votes. The Congress representative Jatindra Ganda finished the poor third by securing 32,887 votes. “This is a victory of the BJD and its leadership Naveen Patnaik. I will try to live up to the expectation of people of my constituency,” Mr Ganda said in his immediate reaction after the results were declared. By-poll to the seat was held on November 30 following assassination of the sitting BJD legislator Jagabandhu Majhi on September 24. “I would like to thank the people of Umerkote for reposing their faith in BJD. It was vote for all the good work of the state government and trust in the chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s leaderdship,” senior BJD leader and revenue minister S. N. Patro, who was heading the campaign committee, said. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who is also the BJD president, had campaigned in the constituency for a day despite having leg fracture problem. The BJP, on the other hand, said the ruling party rigged the results by misutilisation of government machinery and inducement. “From the day one when we were told that electronic voting machines (EVMs) would be used in Umerkote elections, we were sure that BJD will win the poll. You cannot expect neutral elections when EVMs placed under the government custody are used in the poll,” said BJP state vice president Ashok Sahu. Pradesh Congress President Niranjan Patnaik attributed the BJD’s victory to misuse of government machinery, manipulation and use of money and muscle power. “The BJD had deployed over a dozen of ministers and over 40 MLAs to canvass for its party candidate. It not only misutilised to government machinery to influence the votes, but also distributed blankets, money and household articles to voters,” said the PCC president.