Odisha Faces Acute Drinking Water Shortage; Ganjam Youth's Efforts Turn Slap On BJD Govt's Face

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Ganjam 'Dadan' Resolves Co-Villagers' Water Problem Even As 24-Yr-Old BJD Gov...

Ganjam 'Dadan' Resolves Co-Villagers' Water Problem Even As 24-Yr-Old BJD Govt Fails

by Pabitra Mohan Senapaty

Odisha Faces Acute Drinking Water Shortage; Ganjam Youth's Efforts Turn Slap On BJD Govt's Face

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t comes as a big slap on the BJD government's face as a tribal youth, with money he earned working as a migrant worker outside the state, managed to resolve the drinking water problem of his co-villagers in Ganjam district, the home turf of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, while the government failed to make the basic provision in its 24 years of rule.

Berhampur/ Bhubaneswar, May 1: It comes as a big slap on the BJD government's face as a tribal youth, with money he earned working as a migrant worker outside the state, managed to resolve the drinking water problem of his co-villagers in Ganjam district, the home turf of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, while the government failed to make the basic provision in the 24 years of rule.

Thanks to Bhima Behera, who has created a water supply system for co-villagers at Sindhupanka village of Surangi panchayat under Patrapur block in Ganjam district.

A long pipe has been laid through the rock. Water tanks have been installed at strategic points. And from there the drinking water reaches the people of the village. This way, Bhim Behera has relieved the hardships of the people of his village who have been struggling for drinking water for decades.

He worked as a migrant labourer in Kerala for six months. With his hard-earned money, Bhim has saved drinking water for the people of the village. The people of the village, who used to go out for water, now get drinking water at their doorsteps 24 hours a day.

"The BJD government, which has been ruling the State for the last 24 years should take Bhima's effort as a slap in its face. Naveen Patnaik has been representing Ganjam district for 28 years. He has been the Chief Minister for 24 years but, unfortunately, he has not been able to provide drinking water for the people of his district, said Laxminarayan Pradhan," a villager.

While there is no permanent road to the Sindhup village, the people of this village are deprived of the basic facilities of electricity, education, and health. "This is the development being claimed by the BJD government," ridiculed Malati Nayak, another villager.

Not only Sindhupanka village, but the entire Odisha is desperate for water on a sunny day. People have expressed resentment in different places. During the election campaigning, BJD leaders are facing harrowing situations as villagers raise the issue before them.

At an election rally in Rairakhol, people asked BJD senior vice-president Prasanna Acharya why the government had not taken any initiative to supply drinking water to them. While they said they would cast a vote only when the water problem is solved, Prasanna got infuriated and hurled unjustified replies at them.

A few days ago, Badri Patra was surrounded by women for water. He was baffled at the questions put by the women of Keshdurapal village in Anandpur sub-division. Women bring 'Chua' water from the nearby Kushei River for consumption of their family members.

Recently another incident came to the fore with people keeping empty pots, pitchers, and buckets in front of the house of MLA Purna Swain at Surada in Ganjam district.

"People are not getting drinking water as the BJD government didn't have will to make the basic provision in the last 24 years," pointed out Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

"Is this the transformation of Odisha that happened in the 25 years of BJD rule," asked Pradhan.

He slammed the Naveen Patnaik government for failing to use Central funds for the purpose.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave Rs 10,207 crore to provide clean drinking water to every household in Odisha. However, the State government has utilized only Rs 800 crore. This is the efficiency of the Naveen Government," ridiculed the Union Minister.

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Dressed in black & gold gown, Aishwarya walks the red carpet at Cannes with injured arm in cast

by Utkalika Mohanty

Mumbai, May 17: Actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who is a regular at the Cannes Film Festival, made her appearance on the festival’s red carpet on Thursday.

The actress set her best fashion foot forward as she walked the red carpet in a black and white gown with balloon sleeves and golden patterns.

The gown also had a long train with gold embellishments. It seemed like an extension of the Met Gala theme ‘The Garden of Time’. She kept her hair half up, half down, and sported a signature cat eyeliner. However, what caught the attention of everyone was her arm covered with a cast.

The actress waved at the paparazzi stationed at the venue, and also winked in one of the pictures.

Earlier, the actress was accompanied by her daughter Aaradhya as the two landed in the French Riviera. A video of the same has gone viral on the Internet.

The Instagram reel showed Aishwarya wearing her arm in a sling, with a white cast that was visible around the wrist.

(IANS)

Arrested accused in Ghatkopar billboard collapse brought to Mumbai

by Utkalika Mohanty

Mumbai, May 17: The owner of Ego Media, the company responsible for installing the massive billboard in Mumbai's Ghatkopar area which collapsed earlier this week in the face of strong winds and rainfall, leaving 16 dead and 75 injured; was brought to Mumbai in the early hours of Friday for further legal proceedings, police said.

Bhavesh Bhide, the owner of the company that put up the giant billboard, was arrested by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch from Udaipur in neighbouring Rajasthan on Thursday.

"Owner (of the company that put up the billboard) Bhavesh Bhinde, who was arrested by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch from Udaipur, has been brought to Mumbai," a police officer confirmed on Friday.

"As many as 16 people are confirmed dead and another 75 injured in the billboard collapse in Ghatkopar," an officer said earlier.
Expressing grief over the loss of lives in the incident, the commissioner of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Bhushan Gagrani, on Thursday informed that the rescue operation had been completed.

"It's saddening that 16 lives were lost in this incident. The rescue operation has been completed. The operation was delayed as there is a running fuel station in the area," Gagrani said.

Earlier, Mumbai Police registered a case under IPC sections 304, 338, 337, and 34 against owner Bhavesh Bhide and others at Pantnagar police station.

The billboard in the Ghatkopar area on May 13 came crashing down amid strong winds, leaving 16 dead and several more trapped underneath.

(ANI)

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People of Odisha want a young & Odia-speaking chief minister: JP Nadda

by Utkalika Mohanty

Bhubaneswar, May 17: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President J.P. Nadda on Thursday said the people of Odisha want a young and Odia-speaking chief minister.

He said that officials are running the government in Odisha while MLAs and MPs elected by the people have become powerless.

"It is difficult to comprehend what kind of government is functioning here. The officials are running the government while MPs and MLAs are sitting idle. They have no power and none listen to the MLAs and MPs who are elected by the people," J.P. Nadda said during an election meeting at Padampur in Bargarh constituency.

He said that the people of Odisha now want a chief minister who is young, a resident of Odisha, speaks Odia language and more active in addressing the concerns of the common person regularly.

"If you want a young CM, a CM of Odisha, an Odia-speaking CM and an active CM then press the button of lotus (BJP's symbol). A chief minister should be one who is born here, knows the culture and speaks the language. This is why it is the question of 'Swabhiman' of Odisha," the BJP president added.

J.P. Nadda also noted that politicians were earlier engaged in divisive politics in the country, but after Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, the culture of politics changed, and now people are discussing the politics of development.

He said that India achieved significant development in the health, economic, manufacturing, petrochemical sectors, etc., under PM Modi's 10-year rule.

Targeting Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana, the flagship programme of the ruling BJD government in Odisha, J.P. Nadda said: "Naveen Babu (CM Naveen Patnaik) did not bother to implement Ayushman Bharat Yojana in Odisha and launched Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana in the state."