News from Odisha

This is Aurabinda Khala of Gorasetu village under the Swabhiman Anchal at Malkangiri. He had dropped out of school at the tender age of 2 due to the constant fear of Naxals and financial difficulties. Without a father, Aurabinda’s mother has been the sole bread earner of the family. The family lives in a shed which is their only home.

  The Coronavirus wave is currently on a downward trend in the State of Odisha. With this, the State government has announced a reduction in the price of RT-PCR test. The RTPCR test will now cost Rs 400. Private labs can now charge no more than Rs 400 per test and the reduced price is inclusive of GST within the State of Odisha. Experts believe that it is essential to cap the prices to speed up the surveillance, contact tracing and treatment.

In the day and age of motion pictures, one doesn’t get to witness still-picture movies quite often. But the 66-year-old Bhaskar Moharana of Lathigram village near Berhampur is saving this lost art. Even though he is a retired art teacher, he is still pursuing his passion for still-picture movies. Even though cinema & film making have advanced, Bhaskar continues to weave still-pictures into fascinating movies. Since 1973, he has been involved in producing his own still-picture Jatra.

Trouble continues to mount for Minister Arun Sahoo in the minor girl Pari murder case. BJP’s Mahila Morcha protested outside the residence of Minister Arun Sahoo in Bhubaneswar today. The BJP workers attempted to gherao the minister’s residence demanding CBI investigation into the Pari murder case. Soon a clash broke out after the police intervened and tried to stop the BJP activists. Police then took the protestors into custody to prevent any law and order situation.  

The man, who had enjoyed a lot of privileges until a few days ago, spent his first night in jail like an ordinary prisoner. After getting arrested by the Crime Branch, expelled BJD MLA Pradeep Panigrahi spent his first night at Jharpada jail yesterday.

Armed with a paint brush and paper, this girl from Malkangiri has proved that it is possible to weave magic on a canvas. Meet, Reba Biswas, a tribal girl from MPV-51 Village in Malkangiri district. Daughter of Ganesh Chandra Biswas, Reba has captivated many with her rich strokes on canvas and intricate art.

There is an unassuming tea stall which crops up every day at 5 AM near Madhusudhan Park in Bhubaneswar. At first glance, this tea stall run by two girls seems quite ordinary. But a closer look reveals that the tea stall is more than just a makeshift business. It is an attempt by two divyang girls to become financially independent.

Odisha has now made helmet mandatory for two-wheeler pillion riders. Odisha State Transport Department (STA) informed about the decision through a tweet. The Odisha State Transport Department said that the driving license will be suspended if both the rider and the pillion rider are found without helmets.

This betel shop in Hatapada area under Mayurbhanj district is quite different from the rest. This betel shop is run by Nabaghana Behera. It is also popularly known as “Babu Bhai Betel shop” and looks quaint with a little garden of its own. This betel shop is a reflection of Babu Bhai’s deep love for nature.

Meet Sahid Imam, a 72 year-old stone sculptor, from the Saluapali village of Ganjam District. Despite being unable to walk properly due to old age, Imam manages to gather all his strength to carve a living from these stones. Unable to see clearly, Imam never misses a stroke while carving these stones to create daily household items. At an age where, most people retire and rest, Imam continues to work hard for living.

With unending violence rattling their everyday peace, villagers decide to fight back. These villagers belong to the Swabhiman Anchal under Malkangiri district. Living in the Maoist hotbed, these villagers have remained terror-stricken for long. Finally, these villagers, mainly from the Panasput and Jodamba villages have decided to take matters in their own hands. Armed with traditional weapons like bows & arrows, axes, daggers and sticks, hundreds of tribals have geared up to safeguard their villages from the threat of Maoists.

Roads blocked, traffic movement affected and normal life disrupted during the nation-wide Bandh today. Protesting against the new farm laws enacted by the Central Government, Farmer Unions supported by several political parties are staging a nation-wide Bandh from 11 AM to 3 PM today.  

The farmers all over the country are observing Bharat Bandh protesting the new farm laws. With the nation-wide protests affecting normal life, let us hear the voices of protestors from Odisha. The impact of the protests was also seen in Bhubaneswar, with protestors blocking key entry points of the city. The protestors are confident that the Bharat Bandh would highlight their issues and force the government to listen.

After Amazon, Pinterest has landed in trouble over a post regarding online sale of Lord Jagannath’s Mahaprasad. The Puri Temple servitors have filed a complaint against Pinterest after a post related to the sale of Lord Jagannath’s Mahaprasad surfaced on its platform. Pinterest, a popular social media site, is now under scanner after the complaint. Earlier, a similar complaint was filed against Amazon for selling Lord Jagannath’s Nirmalya or dry prasad online.