News from Odisha

The Odisha government on Saturday clarified that there will be no physical classroom teaching in any universities or colleges but only online classes will resume after the end of summer vacation next week.

Police on Saturday busted a huge cough syrup smuggling racket and took two persons into custody for questioning in this connection. Acting on a tip-off, police conducted inspection of vehicles in Tureikela area where they detected some unloading activities from a truck.

The Covid-19 related fatalities in the State has turned into a major reason of concern as the number of daily deaths is hovering over 30 for the last few days even as the single-day positive cases has come down drastically.

The government’s tall claims of smooth management of evacuation during the recent cyclone ‘Yaas’ has fallen flat after hundreds of people at Lunga panchayat under Basudevpur block in the district who took shelter at a school building alleged sub-standard service of food to them for the last five days, thanks to administrative apathy.

Doctors and health experts have suggested to the Odisha government to go for massive vaccination as it is better than lockdown and any other measure to arrest the spread of COVID-19 infection in the state.

In a blatant incident of lawlessness, as many as three truck drivers had to sustain critical injuries in a murderous attack by some miscreants during a loot bid on Sambalpur-Cuttack National Highway 55 late last night. 

Odisha’s public carrier, ‘Mo Bus’ managed by the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) has made good use of its Twitter handle to engage public in trivia and games during lockdown.

As the Covid pandemic sweeps across Odisha, the government's massive inoculation initiative for all above 18 years of age to arrest the rising Corona crisis in the State is a laudable effort. However, this ambitious step of the government seems to have hit a roadblock. The lack of internet accessibility and poor telecom infrastructure in several pockets of the State has now evolved as a major challenge for the government in achieving its target of universal vaccination. 

It was in May last year when India was battling the first wave of Covid pandemic and no picture of any vaccine in sight, when the nature struck with super ferocity with a tropical cyclone, probably the strongest the country's eastern coast had faced since two decades ago, the Prime Minister turned his attention fast towards Odisha where the storm had brushed along causing major damages before wreaking havoc in Bengal. 

Chairing the first COVID Advisory Committee meeting, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday sought the advice of top health experts in the country on strategies to tackle the possible future waves of the pandemic.

Naba Das on Friday urged the Centre to allow the surplus vaccines, which the State has in stock for the age group of 45 and above, to be diverted for a short term.

All Public Universities and Degree Colleges will commence operation from June 1 following completion of summer vacation, informed the State Higher Education Department on Friday.

Union Minister of State for MSME, Pratap Sarangi and National Vice President of BJP, Baijayant Panda today conducted an aerial survey of Balasore and Bhadrak districts which were battered by very severe cyclonic storm Yaas on May 26. Both the leaders assessed the damages caused by the storm which made landfall near Bahanaga coast of the district with hostile winds of around 150 kmph and torrential downpour.

The matter came to the fore after the woman constable lodged a complaint in this regard at the Balasore Town Police Station on Friday.

The Odisha government has undertaken restoration of roadways and drinking water supply on a war-footing in all the districts majorly affected by the very severe cyclonic storm Yaas which wreaked havoc in north-coastal and some other adjoining interior regions of the State on May 26.