City bus service mooted for Greater Berhampur region

The Berhampur Development Authority (BDA) is planning to start city bus service in Greater Berhampur region that will cover Berhampur, Gopalpur-on-sea and Chhatrapur.  A team for the special purpose vehicle (SPV), involving the Berhampur Development Authority, Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BMC) and some other agencies are likely to be formed for this. "We have agreed to be a partner in the SPV for the city bus services," BDA chairman Kailash Rana said. The proposal was discussed at the BDA's governing body meeting held here on Wednesday. The city bus service from Berhampur to Chhatrapur and Berhampur to Gopalpur-on-Sea was the long-standing demand of the people of the town as there was no passenger bus service to these towns from Berhampur. Only small vehicles, including matadors and trekkers run from Berhampur to these two towns. While Chhatrapur is the district headquarters of Ganjam, Gopalpur-on-Sea, on the outskirts of Berhampur city is a tourist resort and famous for its beach. "We have asked the officers concerned to prepare a detailed project report, district collector Krishan Kumar said. Besides, the BDA has also decided to construct new apartments in around 10 acres of land at Gopalpur and Ambapua. The apartments would be constructed in the PPP mode, Rana said. Similarly, a truck terminal would be set up at Haladiapadar.

Sources: Times of India & The Anupam Bharat

Greater Berhampur draft CDP to be ready by October

BERHAMPUR: Speaking to newsmen after the general body meeting of Berhampur Development Authority (BDA), its chairman Kailash Rana said that the draft of the CDP was expected to be ready by October. And the BDA was expected to make it public in December. The present CDP was being prepared keeping in view the development of greater Berhampur for future.

The area under greater Berhampur would include the urban centres of Berhampur, Gopalpur, and Chatrapur and 139 villages between them. The CDP would comprise a total area of more than 317 square km having a population of around 12 lakh, he said. The Town and Country Planning Organisation (TCPO), which happens to be technical advisory body of Central Ministry of Urban Development, is preparing the CDP for greater Berhampur. Lack of CDP has been a major obstacle in the development of the major urban and trading centre of the south Orissa.

The BDA has tried to have a master plan for the city in 1998 and 2004. But due to various reasons it could not materialise. The new CDP is based on Geographical Information System (GIS). It depends on both remote sensing data from satellites as well as the ground level data collected by surveys. The Orissa government has borne the cost of the CDP preparation.

Cultural auditorium

At the meeting it was decided to construct Biju Patnaik Cultural Auditorium near Ganesh temple, for which the State government has sanctioned Rs. 2 crore. The rest would be borne by the BDA. The BDA authorities proposed to take up several projects in Private Public Participation (PPP) mode. The projects include apartments on ten acres of land at Gopalpur beach resort and Ambapua area of the city. A truck terminus near Haldiapadar was also proposed in PPP mode.

Source: The Hindu

Tata Steel commits Rs 40 cr for CSR at Gopalpur park

Tata Steel proposed to invest about Rs 33.50 crore on environment protection and Rs 40 crore towards corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities for its industrial park coming up at Gopalpur. The company is the anchor investor for the industrial park which is being set up on around 3000 acres. The steel maker had originally acquired this land in mid 90s to set up a steel plant, but later shelved the project.

The steel firm plans to set up a 400,000 tonne per annum (tpa) rebar mill, 55000 tpa capacity high carbon ferro-chrome plant and a sea water desalination plant with a capacity of 1.2 million gallons per day on around 450 acres of land at a cost of about Rs 800 crore. 

During the public hearing conducted today at Chamakhandi, about 25 km from here, the company said, it has already conducted the Environment Impact Assessment and prepared the Environment Management Plan for the projects.

The company proposed to devote 34 per cent (155 acres) of its total plant area (450 area) to green cover. 

The proposed project would provide employment to about 1000 persons during construction stage and about 430 persons during operation stage.

Source: Business Standard

Oberoi heritage hotel and resort at Gopalpur acquired by Mayfair Group

"The wheel had turned a full circle. I began to think of building my own hotels, and the first attempt was a small hotel in Gopalpur-on-Sea, in Orissa": India's greatest hotelier M S Oberoi

According to a report of the news agency Tathya.in, the Mayfair Group, a leading hospitality chain in the country has acquired the prestigious heritage hotel of Oberoi group at Gopalpur- “The Oberai Palm Beach”.  A century old heritage hotel and resort at Gopalpur On Sea, promoted by Rai Bahadur M S Oberai has been taken over by the Mayfair Hotels and Resorts Limited on 9 September. It was one of the initial heritage hotels established by the Oberoi group in Orissa in the British era, but due to various reasons it was closed down in December 2002.This is the eighth property of Mayfair Group, which is strongly positioned to build a significant Pan India footprint with growing presence in various parts of the country said a senior executive of the Group. Being the property of the prestigious Oberai Group, Palm Beach- Gopalpur On Sea featured in the World Tourism Map way back in 1947, when Rai Bahadur took it over. This destination was very popular amongst Russians throughout the year and of course the local tourists during winters.  Mayfair Hotels & Resorts with its reputation of building Five Star resorts with low rise structure and emphasizing on greenery will take full advantage of 10 acres land and intend to offer a world class product with SPA, Villas along with private dip pools and other Five Star Deluxe amenities. With the resumption of a Star Hotel & Resort at Gopalpur On Sea, it will certainly bring in International tourists and open a new destination for domestic tourists as well. It is now the responsibility of the State Government to upgrade the tourist spots and ensure aggressive marketing of Gopalpur in Travel Fairs, thus bringing it back to the World’s Tourist Map, feel Industry Observers.

Source (News & Photo): www.Tathya.in

Source: The Samaja

Suggestions invited on plan to merge 15 villages with BDA

The State government has proposed to include 15 revenue villages in the jurisdiction of Berhampur Development Area. In a notification issued here on Monday, Housing and Urban Development Authority invited suggestions and objections to the proposal within 30 days. These villages have been drawn from three tehesils such as Berhampur, Kanisi and Chhatrapur. These villages include Shitalapalli and Luhajhar under Luhajhar gram panchayat, Badakusasthtali and Badagumula under Badakusasthtali GP, Jadankoli and Satakutani under Satakutani GP, Phulta under Phulta GP, Ralaba and Rangipur under Rangipur GP, Madanmohanpur under Baghalati GP, Kanisi under Kanisi GP, Ankusapur under Ankusapur GP, Golabandha under Golabandha GP, Baxipalli under Baxipalli GP and Srirampur under Bhikaripalli GP.

Berhampur Development Area was declared in 1993. Berhampur, which is considered gateway to South Orissa, has been a major trade centre. Of late the State government is trying to infuse planning into the old city by putting Comprehensive Development Plan in place. The city has also been identified to be developed into regional centre for IT-enabled modern activities. The city is currently growing in the northeast direction along the NH-217 and NH 5 and set to become greater Berhampur with inclusion of Gopalpur and Chatrapur area. The HUD department asked citizens to register their objections and suggestions with regard to the proposal for inclusion of additional areas in the development area of Berhampur Development Authority with full name and address.

Source: The Hindu

E-district project set to be launched in Ganjam

BERHAMPUR: Ganjam is all set to launch an e-district project to provide quick delivery of services and ensure transparency. The project will be implemented in the district under the Central government's National e-Governance Plan (NeGP). Issuances of certificates, social security schemes like pensions, public grievances, RTI, PDS and some other services are to be provided under the project. Ganjam is the 18th District in the country and the second in the state to start the project on a pilot basis. Mayurbhanj is the other district in the state to be selected for the project.

Ganjam district administration decided to implement the issuance of certificates in the first phase of the e project. The revenue circle of Gopalpur in Berhampur tehsil has been identified for implementation of the project in the district on an experimental basis."We will formally launch the project at the revenue circle at Gopalpur very soon for issuance of various certificates," said district collector Krishan Kumar. In the first phase, caste, residence, solvency, income and legal heir certificates would be processed online.

Other services like pensions, PDS, RTI and revenue court cases would be dispensed in a phased manner. All the revenue circles in 22 tehsils in the district would be expected to be covered by the year end, the collector said. Under the scheme, revenue circles of the district will be connected to the tehsil office and common service centers (CSC) set up by private entrepreneurs. People can apply for certificates from any CSC in their neighbourhood. The online system will ensure that certificates become available within three days of application. People, however, will have to pay a nominal service charge to avail of the benefit.

The district administration has decided to set up 510 CSCs, covering all 475 gram panchayats in the district, said district nodal officer of the e-district project, Siba Narayan Sahu. While 430 CSCs have already been set up, others will be established very soon, he said. Computer giant Wipro was providing consultancy for the project, while the application software is being installed by SRIT, a Bangalore-based software company, Sahu informed.

Source: Times of India

Five new PG courses at Berhampur University yet to start

BERHAMPUR: Hopes of starting five new post graduate courses in Berhampur University, sanctioned by the University Grants Commission(UGC) in the eleventh plan period, appear to be bleak as the plan period will come to an end in the next six months. The UGC had sanctioned post graduate courses in geophysics, pharmacy, microbiology, Hindi and education for the university during its eleventh plan period, which will come to an end on March 2012. The courses are yet to start as the state government is yet to give its consent on the matter even though over three years have passed since the correspondence between university authorities and state higher education department. "We are trying to pursue the matter with the state government to start the subjects before the end of the plan period," said Berhampur University vice chancellor, J K Mohapatra. "Not only are aspirants of higher studies in these subjects deprived, but the university also lost the UGC funds given for starting these subjects," a student leader said. Due to the absence of regular courses in these subjects, students are forced to take up self-financing courses in some of these subjects by paying huge fees, said ABVP Ganjam district unit president, Siba Prasad Tripathy. "Due to the apathetic attitude of the state government, not a single new department has been opened in Berhampur University in the last two decades," he added."The government should immediately give their nod to open the new subjects for the benefit of students of southern Orissa districts, otherwise they would go for an agitation," said National Students Union of India (NSUI) Ganjam district unit president, Biswajit Patra.

Source: Times of India

Over 550 take pledge for eye donation in Berhampur city

Members of Friends Helping Club
taking out a rally in Berhampur city Photo: Lingaraj Panda

A rally was organised jointly by different organizations of Berhampur city to promote eye donation which is picking up in a big way in the city. Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Suryakiran Patnaik, Head of the Department, ophthalmology, MKCG Medical College R.C. Mohapatra, associate professor of the department B.N.R. Subudhi, S.N. Raut of district blindness control society, students of MKCG Medical College, and members of different social organizations took part in the rally.

Through placards and slogans, they tried to motivate people towards eye donation. Around 550 persons took pledge for eye donation. Most of them were senior citizens. They promised to submit these forms after getting it filled with the consent of their family members.

Berhampur city has the reputation of excelling in voluntary eye donation in the State. Friends Helping Club (FRC), a philanthropic organisation of the city, takes the pride to be the organisation to have motivated largest number of voluntary eye donations in the State. Till date, it motivated 92 eye donations in the city.

H. Suresh, director of eye donation motivation campaign of FRC, said in recent times, eye donation picked up in a big way among the families of trading community in the city and it is spreading to other families. Dr. Subudhi, who played a major role in the eye donation campaign in the city during past decade, said it was a welcome change that people have started to realise that corneas from a dead relative can gift vision to two persons.

Source: The Hindu  

Tata Steel reserves berth at Gopalpur Port near Berhampur

• Jindal Company also visited Gopalpur port to get a reserve berth
• Tata Steel would construct a hospital at Tata rehabilitation colony at Sitalapalli, Berhampur

At a time when the demand for returning the lands acquired for industries in Ganjam district is growing shriller, The Tata Steel Managing Director’s visit to Ganjam district seems to have settled things for now.

Tata Steel MD HM Nerurkar along with vice-president for Orissa Projects of the Company Hrideyshwar Jha visited Ganjam district on Tuesday to take stock of the progress of the proposed projects. They had an informal meeting with Ganjam District Collector Kishen Kumar and Managing Director of Gopalpur Ports Limited (GPL) Mahimanandan Mishra.

Gopalpur Industrial Park project is planned on 3,300 acres of land taken over by the company in 1995 for its now shelved mega steel plant project near Gopalpur port.

Tata Steel, being the anchor investor, has announced a ferrochrome industry with a capacity of around 55,000 tonne a year besides four million tonne capacity rubber industry and a desalination plant. The three units are scheduled to go for production from 2013.

However, as no progress was made even after seven months of the foundation, the displaced families whose lands were acquired started agitation demanding return of their lands.

According to the discussion between Tata Steel, GPL and district administration, Tata Steel would have its own berth and a jetty at Gopalpur Port at Rs. 60 crore for transportation of its proposed production.

However, till the construction of the berth, the port would provide a rebate of around 50 per cent to Tata Steel for transportation.

Tata Steel would construct a hospital in the vacant land at the Tata rehabilitation colony at Sitalapalli for the convenience of port and Tata employees and the GPL authorities would establish a school in the port’s vicinity, in order to reduce dependence on Berhampur.

Meanwhile, a team of officials of Jindal Company also visited the Gopalpur port to get a reserve berth.

Source: IBN Live

Devotees throng Panchama near Berhampur on Ganesh Chaturthi

BERHAMPUR: Panchama, a sleepy village  on the outskirts of Berhampur city has been agog with the influx of thousands of devotees from other places in the state, including the neighboring Andhra Pradesh, on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. Defying continuous rains, mostly children and womenfolk made a beeline in front of a historic Ganesh temple in the village from the wee hours of the morning. The crowd kept surging right through the afternoon, with people from far flung places thronging the site to appease the elephant god. While the temple itself is the stuff of legend, a 500-year-old tree at the temple site is an added attraction, with devotees offering prayers to the tree in the belief that the elephant god appears in the tree. According to historians, the temple was built by king Purushottam Dev during his Kanchi Abhijan to marry princess Padmabati, daughter of King of Kanchi. While the king was sleeping, he heard a celestial voice instructing him to appease Lord Ganesh before leaving the place. He was told if the elephant god was pleased, the princess would surely be his. Thereupon the king and his troops set about looking for an idol of Lord Ganesh. After a long search, they discovered the idol in the tree. The kind worshipped the god and after returning from Kanchi, built a small temple at the site. Five 'Raula' families in the village were engaged to perform rituals for the deity. According to locals, since then devotees from Ganjam and other districts of the state, as well as neighboring Andhra Pradesh, have been visiting the temple to appease the god. "We have given a proposal to the tourism department to declare the place as a tourist place and to develop its infrastructure," said Goplalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi.

Source: Times of India