Tag: Columnist Ashutosh Mishra

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Chilika, the largest brackish water lake of Asia, has turned into a plumed wonder with hundreds of migratory birds presently lazing in its cerulean waters. This is the best time of the year to visit the lagoon when it is bathed in exotic colours with winged guests making all kinds of noises. […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: The figures keep changing. The latest claims put the number of people who received money under the KALIA (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation) scheme without fulfilling the eligibility criteria at 45,965 which is nearly 14,000 more than what the earlier statistics provided by the government had shown. These bogus […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik deserves kudos for demanding ‘National Maritime Heritage Festival’ status for the Cuttack Balijatra which has come to symbolise the great maritime tradition of Odisha. The coast of Kalinga, as the state was known in ancient times, was dotted with important ports which were fulcrums of trade and […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Last week Sundergarh police arrested a quack who had been working as a doctor at a government-run health centre. While the mystery of how his fake MBBS degree managed to pass the scrutiny of those who recruited him still remains unresolved there are reports of another charltan masquerading as a doctor […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: The signs are ominous. The seizure of brown sugar and other narcotics by the police in the last one year or so is believed to be just the tip of the iceberg. Drug mafia appears to be well entrenched in the state with its tentacles spreading everywhere. What is worrisome is […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: The issue of formation of a legislative council in Odisha, which will make the state legislature bicameral, is back in focus with ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) likely to push for it during the winter session of the Parliament that commenced on Monday. Odisha Assembly had passed a resolution for the […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s mangrove forests are facing a threat like most of its other natural resources. There are disturbing reports about mangroves in Bhitarkanika, one of their best known habitats, being cleared to facilitate illegal prawn culture and construction activities. Nurtured by brackish water, mangroves are a unique plant species found in the […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Forest officials recently arrested 22 fishermen and seized three trawlers at Gahirmatha marine sanctuary for violating the ban on fishing. The 1360 sq km sanctuary, the only one of its kind in the state, is out of bounds for fishermen round the year. They cannot fish within 20 kms of the […]

By Ashutosh Mishra London: As mercury plunges and icy winds blow across this capital city scores of homeless people are sleeping rough on pavements and shop fronts with pretty little protection against the cold. Deaths are not uncommon. Homelessness is a growing problem here with roughly 9000 people forced to spend their nights in this […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Two hardcore Maoists, who gave up arms in the hope of leading normal lives, took the wedding vows in a temple in Angul district the other day. The ceremony marked their return to the social mainstream, something that many rebels secretly crave for but find hard to achieve because of their […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: The success of the first-ever day and night cricket test match in India played at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens had created a buzz. That India won this pink ball contest with ease has only made the fans more euphoric about test cricket, like the two shorter versions of the game, being played […]

By Ashutosh Mishra London: As the polling day — December 12 — draws closer there are clear indications that it is going to be a close race between the Conservatives and the Labour Party. The gap between them, according to the latest Britain Elect poll, has narrowed to just seven points. Britain’s first December election […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Ruling Biju Janata Dal’s (BJD) membership is reported to have crossed the 80 lakh mark which, if true, is quite an achievement. With urban body polls likely to be held sooner or later all parties are keen to enrol new members but the focus has been on BJD and its prime […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Polavaram dispute is going to put the renewed friendship between BJP and the Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) to a severe test. The multi-purpose project coming up in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh that threatens to submerge several tribal villages in Odisha’s Malkangiri district was granted a two-year work extension by the […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Nearly two decades ago when South Korean steel behemoth, POSCO signed an MoU with Odisha government for setting up a steel mill in Jagatsinghpur district the then government led by Naveen Patnaik touted it as its crowning glory. The agreement symbolized the arrival of Odisha on the country’s industrial scene and […]