GPL to invest Rs 1,150 crore in second phase expansion of Gopalpur Port

BERHAMPUR: The Gopalpur Port Limited (GPL), a consortium of three companies, proposes to complete the second phase of the port project in the next two years at an investment of about Rs 1150 crore. “The banks and financial institutions have agreed to finance the port project after it gets the environmental clearance. The approval is expected at any time from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF)”, said Manmohan Moharana, director, GPL. At least ten banks and financial institutions have formed a consortium to finance the port project. They include Punjab National Bank, Union Bank, State Bank of Patiala, Oriental Bank of Commerce, UCO Bank, Dena Bank, United Bank of India, State Bank of Travancore, Indian Bank and India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL).

The second phase of the project is expected to be completed within 24 months of getting the environmental clearance. The state government has requested the MoEF for early clearance of the project following the recommendations of the Orissa State Coastal Zone Management Authority (OSCZMA). The Gopalpur port project is being developed by Gopalpur Port Limited (GPL), a consortium consisting of the Orissa Stevedores Limited (OSL), Sara International Limited-New Delhi and Noble Group of Hong Kong.

It may be recalled that the defunct port at Gopalpur had started its operations within three months of signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the state government and GPL in 2006. GPL has already invested Rs 200 crore in the first phase of the project. Meanwhile, the port has handled around four lakh tonnes of cargo so far in this fiscal as against 2.5 lakh tonnes in 2008-09. The port is likely to handle around one lakh tonnes of cargo by April 15, 2010 which marks the close of the current shipment season. In 2010-11, the port hopes to see its cargo traffic grow to one million tonnes.

Source: Business Standard

Ganjam to be total banking district by March 2011

BERHAMPUR: After achieving the distinction of having 100 per cent financial inclusion through opening of savings accounts, Ganjam district in south Orissa is now gearing up to achieve the status of a total banking district. This means that the banking facilities will be provided to the remote unbanked and under-banked areas of the district within a year. The Ganjam district administration has prepared a roadmap to provide banking facilities in unbanked and under-banked areas of the district by March 2011. The matter was discussed at the recently held district consultative committee meeting and the district level review committee meeting on bank finances held at Chhatrapur. The district collector V Karthikeya Pandian presided over the meeting. It may be noted that the Government of India has stressed on providing banking services in every village having a population of over over 2000 and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has asked the banks to make arrangements to achieve the goal. As many as 261 villages have been identified in Ganjam as un-banked and under-banked villages and a roadmap has been prepared to provide banking services to all these villages through different banks by the end of 2010-11. “The responsibility of providing banking services to these villages has been given to 12 different banks as per the service area concept”, said A K Pradhan, district lead bank manager of Andhra Bank. The district consultative committee has asked the banks to provide the banking facilities in these villages either through a brick and mortar branch or through any form of Information Communication Technology (ICT) based models including Banking Correspondent (BC) or Banking Facilitators (BF) model.

Source: Business Standard

‘Danda Nata' fest in Ganjam, Kandhamal districts

‘Danduas' go around performing 'penance' in rural, urban areas for 21 days

BERHAMPUR: Danda Nata, the festival of hard penance has started in Ganjam and Kandhamal districts of South Orissa. Hundreds of troupesof 'Danduas' are now moving around urban and rural areas of these districts. They are dressed in orange or yellow dhotis. They hold red flags in hand and walk with the sound of drums.

The Danda Nata troupes perform their rituals on the roads during the day. At the very spot makeshift stages are erected for theatre shows during night. Households and bazaar committees of Berhampur city and other towns of south orissa invite these Danda Nata troupes to perform Danda Nata in their area as worship to the mother goddess. Source: The Hindu, Read full story.... http://www.hindu.com/2010/03/28/stories/2010032856820300.htm,

World Bank-aided coastal mission (two stretches of Odisha coast — Gopalpur-Chilika and Paradip-Dhamra)gets green signal

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on March 25 cleared the decks for undertaking India’s ambitious Rs 1,156-crore Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) project which assumes significance in the backdrop of rising sea levels due to global warming. The project, to be implemented over the next five years by the Environment Ministry, is assisted by World Bank which will provide a financial assistance of Rs 897 crore..........................  

ICZM activities along the Gulf of Kachchh and in Jamnagar district in Gujarat will entail a total investment of around Rs 298 crore, while those in the two stretches of Odisha coast — Gopalpur-Chilika and Paradip-Dhamra will involve a total investment of Rs 201 crore. ICZM activities in Sunderban, Haldia and Digha-Shankarpur regions in West Bengal will be carried out at a total investment of Rs 300 crore. Read More............... Link.................... http://www.dailypioneer.com/244713/World-Bank-aided-coastal-mission-gets-green-signal.html,

Source The Pioneer

Tara Tarini Hill Shrine News: Five lakh devotees thronged Tara Tarini hill shrine of Orissa on Fourth Tuesday of Chaitra festival

Five lakhs devotees thronged Tara Tarini hill shrine of Orissa

Report by Orissadiary correspondent; Berhampur: On the sacred occasion of Fourth Tuesday of the famous Chaitra festival around five lakhs devotees thronged Tara Tarini hill shrine from various parts of the state and outside. It may be noted that all the Tuesdays of the month of Chaitra are days of festivity at this hill shrine and this is the biggest fair held here in honour of the twin goddess. Read More............. Link. http://www.orissadiary.com/Ganjam/ShowDistrictNews.asp?id=17472,

Tara Tarini hill shrine a big draw

• Rise in number of visitors to the hill shrine
• Four Tuesdays of ‘Chaitra' are special days for darshan of deities
• Plan to build four more ‘parshwa temples'

BERHAMPUR: After its development, the Tara Tarini hill shrine in Ganjam district is fast emerging a major tourist destination of Orissa.

During the current month of Chaitra more than 20 lakh tourists have already visited the hill shrine. Last year around 17 lakh tourists visited the hill shrine during the same period. It may be noted that the four Tuesdays of Chaitra are considered special days for darshan of the deities. During these days, a large rural fair also comes up at the foothill of the shrine. The rush of devotees continued during the Navaratri, which ended on Ramnavami. Read More............. Link.........

http://www.hindu.com/2010/03/26/stories/2010032659340200.htm,

Lakhs throng Taratarini shrine for Chaitra festival

PNS, Bhubaneswar: On the sacred occasion of the fourth Tuesday of the famous Chaitra festival, around five lakh devotees from various parts of the State and outside thronged the Taratarini hill temple. All the Tuesdays of the month of Chaitra are days of festivity at this hill shrine. This is the biggest fair held here in honour of the twin goddess.

Like the third Tuesday when about seven lakh devotees gathered, there was also a heavy rush on the fourth Tuesday in the temple of Adi Shakti Maa Taratarini as coincidentally it was also Mahastami of the Navaratri festivities. Read More............. Link.........

http://www.dailypioneer.com/244608/Lakhs-throng-Taratarini-shrine-for-Chaitra-festival.html, 
 

Devotees throng to Taratarini 

Berhampur:25/March/2010: On the sacred occasion of Fourth Tuesday of the famous Chaitra festival around five lakhs devotees thronged Tara Tarini hill shrine from various parts of the state and outside. It may be noted that all the Tuesdays of the month of Chaitra are days of festivity at this hill shrine and this is the biggest fair held here in honour of the twin goddess. Read More............. Link......... http://www.tathya.in/news/story.asp?sno=3902,

With 300% increase in number of visitors on 4th Tuesday

 Chaitra festivities reach a crescendo at Tara Tarini Hill Shrine 

TARATARINI HILL SHRINE. BLOGSPOT 

SOUTH ORISSA.BLOGSPOT

The Essence of Orissa

Tara Tarini Temple.BLOGSPOT

Odisha Observer.BLOGSPOT 

On the sacred occasion of Fourth Tuesday of the famous Chaitra festival around five lakhs devotees thronged Tara Tarini hill shrine from various parts of the state and outside. It may be noted that all the Tuesdays of the month of Chaitra are days of festivity at this hill shrine and this is the biggest fair held here in honour of the twin goddess.
Like the Third Tuesday (Around 7 lakh devotees gathered on that day) there was also heavy rush on the Fourth Tuesday on the hill top temple of Adi Shakti Maa Taratarini as coincidentally it was also Mahastami day of Navaratri festivities.
On this Tuesday, the massive gathering broke all records of previous years as it saw a three fold increase in the number of visitors as compared to the last year. There were visitors from far of places like Assam, North eastern States, and Tamilnadu apart from states like Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand. Read More............. Link......... http://taratarini.blogspot.com/2010/03/with-300-increase-in-number-of-visitors.html,
http://odishaobserver.blogspot.com/.

http://charshaktidham.blogspot.com/,
http://southorissa.blogspot.com/,
http://taratarinitemple.blogspot.com/2010/03/with-300-increase-in-number-of-visitors.html,

Devotees throng Tara Tarini shrine

 Large crowd gathered at Tara Tarini hill shrine in Ganjam district on third Tuesday of Chaitra. It may be noted that the four Tuesdays of Hindu month of Chaitra are days of festivity at this hill shrine. On this Tuesday more than three lakh devotees had reached the hill shrine. There was heavy rush as it was also day for the start of Navaratra festivities. There were visitors from other states like Andhra.Staff Reporter BERHAMPUR, The Hindu:.. Read More...........

Chaitra festivities reach a crescendo at Tara Tarini Hill Shrine

On the sacred occasion of Fourth Tuesday of the famous Chaitra festival around five lakhs devotees thronged Tara Tarini hill shrine from various parts of the state and outside. It may be noted that all the Tuesdays of the month of Chaitra are days of festivity at this hill shrine and this is the biggest fair held here in honour of the twin goddess................Read More............... http://www.orissabarta.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=380:chaitra-festivities-reach-a-crescendo-at-tara-tarini-hill-shrine&catid=44:tourism&Itemid=87,

Dharitri, Sambad, Samaj, Anupam Bharat, Dainik Asha have more on this story

Leading by example: Visually-challenged girls offering butter milk to passersby in Berhampur City

Students of a residential girls' school for the blind launched a rehydration centre by the side of a busy road in Gosaninuagaon area of Berhampur city from March 24. They said we will continue the centre till the end of summer. It was quite physical and mental respite to see these small visually-challenged children offering cool refreshing butter milk to the people exhausted by the scorching sun. No one could ignore the call of these children. The girls rejoiced when someone thanked them for their hospitality. They themselves were serving the drinks and also cleaning up the glasses.

The residential school is being managed by the Orissa Service Centre for the Blind (OSCB). The secretary of the OSCB, Bhabani Shankar Padhi, said they had opted for this to minimise the inferiority complex in the minds of the ‘special' children. Several philanthropic organisations of the city have come out to help the visually-challenged students in their endeavour to save people from dehydration during summer. Earlier, the students and teachers had thought that they would provide cold water to the passersby. But now with the helping hands coming out they are confident that the students would be able to provide chilled sherbet and butter milk throughout the summer months to the people of Berhampur.

Source: The Hindu 

Lakhs of turtles nest in Rushikulya beach near Berhampur city in Orissa

Over one lakh endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles have laid eggs on the beach adjoining the Rushikulya river mouth near Berhampur city in Orissa since March 13 as scientists observed the phenomenon with interest. The eggs are expected to hatch in the first week of May, about 45 days after the mass nesting.

While 6,000 turtles emerged from the sea to lay eggs in the wee hours of March 13, around 65,000 swarmed the four-km long sandy beach between Gokharakuda and Kantiagada the next day. The number of nesting turtles came down thereafter.

Kartik Shanker, a turtle biologist from the Indian Institute of Science - Bangalore and Basudeb Tripathy of the Wildlife Institute of India, who are here to study the pattern of mass nesting, said the laying of eggs could continue sporadically for a few more days.

Source: PIT

Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik pays obeisance at Tara Tarini Hill Shrine

Source: Anupam Bharat (Odiya Daily)

Sea of devotees throng TaraTarini Shrine

BERHAMPUR: Lakhs of devotees thronged Tara Tarini hill shrine near Berhampur, on third Tuesday of Chaitra and on the first day of Navaratri. It may be noted that the four Tuesdays of Hindu month of Chaitra are days of festivity at this hill shrine. On this Tuesday more than five lakh devotees had reached the hill shrine. There was heavy rush as it was also day for the start of Navaratra festivities. There were visitors from other states like Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand as well as some NRI families. Following major transformation due to developmental projects taken up by the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB); this hill shrine has now become a major centre of religious tourism in south Orissa.

Chaitra month

It may be noted that last year during the month of Chaitra more than 17 lakh people visited the hill shrine. The TTDB authorities hope this year the devotees would increase further. The festivities had started at this hill shrine from Monday evening. Throughout the night there were cultural programmes to entertain the visitors to the shrine. Although this hill shrine boasts to be having the only ropeway to a hilltop in the State, yet most of the devotees due to their traditional belief decided to climb to the top of the hill shrine. They walked on the ghat road or used the steep stair case. They climbed 999 steps as a penance to the deities.

Rural fair

A rural fair was on at the foothill. Urbanites who had reached the spot as picnickers enjoyed the village fair. Forgetting mental blockades related to hygiene for some time they relished fresh sugarcane and colourful sweets sold by the roadside vendors at this rural fair. The beautification and developmental works were taken up at the hill shrine by the TTDB from donations from the public. The State government in cooperation with the Ganjam district administration has formed the TTDB for development of this hill shrine into a major tourist destination. This board includes eminent persons of Orissa especially from southern region. The TTDB has now replaced the old temple with a new one in the traditional ‘Rekha' style of Orissa.

Source: The Hindu

Source: The Anupam Bharat ( Odiya Daily)

At last, the wait ends for turtles' mass nesting: By Sib Kumar Das

Olive Ridleys start venturing onto the Rushikulya rookery beach

BERHAMPUR:Olive Ridleys ventured onto the famous Rushikulya rookery beach near Berhampur city for mass nesting from March 14 night. It ended the worried wait of the environmentalists and people involved in marine turtle protection. In comparison to 2009, the mass nesting of Olive Ridleys at Rushikulya river mouth coast was delayed by around a month this year. It again hinted that mood and pattern of nesting of Olive Ridleys still continues to be a mystery, said B.C. Choudhury, the project director of the collaborative sea turtle conservation project of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the Orissa Forest Department (OFD).

Tearing the darkness, thousands of these female Olive Ridleys started coming out to the stretch of beach between Gokharkuda and Kantiagada near Rushikulya river mouth from 3 a.m. As per forest officials, more than 10,000 turtles came for mass nesting on the first day. The Berhampur Divisional Forest Officer, A.K. Jena, said the nesting process continued even during day time. Nesting was more concentrated towards Kantiagada where the beach had suffered less erosion. Even during noon a few Olive Ridleys continued to come to the beach to lay their eggs. The mother turtles dug up holes in the sand with their flappers to lay the eggs and bury them in sand for gestation. Mr Jena said they expected the mass nesting to continue for around a week.

Although there was a large congregation of these endangered turtles in the sea near the Rushikulya rookery since past few months, there was delay in their mass nesting. This year Olive Ridleys preferred to have mass nesting at Gahirmatha coast first. It may be noted Gahirmatha and Devi river mouth coast are the other two major sites for mass nesting of endangered Olive Ridley turtles in Orissa.

Past experience

The mass nesting of these turtles started at Gahirmatha coast from February 24. Mr. Jena said past experience had shown that after mass nesting at place on Orissa coast, the Olive Ridleys usually take a gap of fortnight for mass nesting in another coast, which has happened this year for mass nesting at Rushikulya rookery. The mother turtles depart into sea after laying eggs. The turtle eggs buried in sand hatch on their own after the gestation period of 45 days.

Source: The Hindu

Special book fair for children ‘Sishu Pustak Mela 2010' will be held in Berhampur City

A six-day special book fair for children ‘Sishu Pustak Mela 2010' will be held in the City High School ground in Berhampur from March 27. The venue of the children's book fair will also host State-level multilingual children's drama festival.

The book fair and the children's drama festival are being organised by The ‘Sishuvarta', a children's magazine published from the city. The secretary of the organising committee, Manas Das, has said “through these programmes we are trying to provide some entertaining activities to students after the examinations.”

The venue of the book fair will have two stages. One of them will be meant for discussion and seminars related to children's literature and issues related to the mental, social and physical developments of a child. The other stage will be for the drama festival. Amateur children's theatre troupes from different parts of the State will take part in the drama festival.

The organisers say the performers will enact plays in different languages, including Oriya, Hindi, Telugu and English. The inauguration of the drama festival will coincide with the International Theatres' Day on March 27.

Source : The Hindu

Berhampur boy Sangram tops IFS examination

Sangram Behera of Berhampur city has been declared as the topper in the Indian Forest Service Examination being conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Sangram, the son of a poor man who has been earning the livelihood as barber (saloon), to the delight of Berhampur people is the topper of IFS examination. Sangram now pursuing research at the Zology department of the Berhampur University.  

Sangram who stays at the Aainabandha street of the city has stated that though his examiniation went well, yet he never thought to become the all India toper.

Source: Orissa Diary

Jal Sanjog Yatra reaches Berhampur

The march undertaken demanding linking of three rivers in State

The ‘Jal Sanjog Yatra' reached the Berhampur city on March 07. Warm welcome was accorded to the participants of the march taken up for the demand of linking of Vansadhara, Rushikulya and Mahanadi rivers of Orissa. It started from the banks of the Vansadhara river at Kasinagar in Gajapati district on March 05.

More than 200 women and men of different organisations of South Orissa are taking part in the ‘yatra'. The march will conclude in Bhubaneswar on March 12 when the delegates of the march would hand over the mixed water of Vansadhara, Rushikulya and Mahanadi to the Orissa Governor as a symbolic gesture for the demand to expedite the work on the river linking project.

A public meeting was organised at old bus stand in Berhampur city to create public awareness about the need of river linking in the State. The leader of the ‘Jal Sanjog Yatra', the former deputy speaker of the State Assembly, Ram Chandra Panda said various organisations participating in the march have decided to start indefinite dharna in front of the office of the Revenue Divisional Commissioner, Southern Division from the month of May if the State government failed to initiate any measures for the establishment of the river linking project and measures to eradicate perennial drinking water crisis in Silk city Berhampur.

He asked the State government to come up with some concrete measures for the alleviation of drinking water crisis in the city rather than making promises like past years. There were demands for release of funds for the proposed Chheligada irrigation project from which water is to be brought to the city. The activists of the yatra said they wanted work, not promises from the government. The activists of the ‘yatra' felt river linking project is the only way to save water scarce areas of South Orissa and to reduce regular floods to the Mahanadi.

Source: The Hindu

After a decade people of Gajapati and Rayagada get a train only upto Naupada

• Gauge conversion work of Naupada-Gunupur (90 kms) started in 1998
• Gunupur-Naupada train announced in the Railway Budget 2010-11
• Direct train to Orissa cities still a dream for people of Parala and Gunupur as the train announced is only upto Naupada
• Extension of the Gunupur-Naupada train up to Rourkela via Berhampur and Bhubaneswar, will ensure faster and wider connectivity to this backward region  besides satisfying many other demands
• Discussion on the Railway Budget is coming up and extension of the train can still be expected if the Orissa MPs make an all out effort

RP Tripathy 

After moving at a snails pace for almost a decade, the Naupada-Gunupur (90 kms) gauge conversion work is nearing completion. Test runs on this route have been going on for quite some time and announcement of a daily train in the Rail Budget was widely anticipated. But the announcement of the Gunupur-Naupada train has left the people rather disappointed. First, because the train announced will neither connect these backward districts with the regional headquarter town of Berhampur and nor with the state capital. Second, the passengers have to change multiple trains to reach the major cities of Orissa as before, since very few trains stop at the Naupada station at present. Which means a person from Gunupur will reach the state capital in not less than 10 hours and after changing 2/3 trains.

The train announced in the Budget can actually give faster and wider connectivity to the people of Gajapati and Rayagada districts if it is extended upto Rourkela through Berhampur and Bhubaneswar. The other benefits of this extension will be direct train link between Southern and western regions of Odisha (Berhampur-Rourkela train link is being demanded by the natives of the respective places for some time and this will take care of their demand). People of Cuttack District have been demanding a train to Rourkela through Cuttack railway station as most of the trains bypass this station and take the route through Naraj. And, further if the train takes the route through Keonjhar it will provide better connectivity to this district. So, the extension of the train will benefit most places of the state and hence it calls for some persuasive intervention of the MPs from Orissa inside Parliament to actually see this happen when the Minister replies to the discussion on the Railway Budget.

Thousands throng Tara Tarini hill shrine on first Tuesday of Chaitra

The famous annual Chaitra festival at the Tara Tarini hill shrine near Berhampur city in Orissa started from Tuesday. It is believed that Taratarini Sthana Peeth (Breast Shrine of Mata Sati) is one of the ancient and among the four major Shakti centers in India. Thousands of devotees had started gathering at the hill shrine from Monday afternoon itself. Transport Secretary Government of Orissa Shri Satyabrata Sahu, RDC Southern Division and Chairman of TTDB Shri Chandrasekhar Kumar, Ganjam District Collector Shri VK Pandian and many other senior state and central government officials, apart from the office bearers of TTDB and Temple Management were present on the occasion.

The Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB) made elaborate arrangements for the devotees. Apart from the aerial rope way the TTDB had also arranged special buses to carry visitors to the hill top. But most of the devotees, of all age groups, preferred to climb the 999 holy steps to the hilltop as they consider it to be a penance. Recently the steps have been repaired before the annual festival. The ghat road to the hilltop and the foot hill roads have also been widened in view of the growing number of visitors to the Shrine. On Tuesday only the special buses of the TTDB were allowed to ply on the ghat road for security reasons.

The Army Air Defence College, Gopalpur, Berhampur Municipal Corporation, Ganjam District administration and District police made elaborate arrangements for the visitors. The volunteers of the TTDB, different NGOs and voluntary organizations, the temple management and local residents actively helped the devotees who came from various parts of the state and other neighbouring states.