Naveen lays foundation stone for Sankara Eye Hospital, Khallikote Cluster University, BU Satellite Campus & several projects for Berhampur University at Berhampur

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on 29 April, 2015 laid the foundation stones for Tata Steel funded 100-beded Super Specialty ‘Sankara Eye Hospital’ and an ITI by NTPC at Hinjili near Berhampur city in Ganjam district.

The MoU with NTPC for seetting up the ITI at Bhusanda, near Berhampur city was signed by the government recently. “It will be a world class ITI and every year, around 200 skilled students will pass from this institute,” chief minister said at a public meeting at Sheragada.

The proposed ITI will be constructed at a cost of Rs 7.72 crore. It will have civil work for workshop, academic building, a hostel building as well as plant and machineries. It will also have advanced vocational training facilities in manufacturing, automobile, electrical and others to cater the high-end finishing skill training, officials said.

 

The 100-beded super specialty Sankara Eye care Hospital to be built on 4.5 acres of land, will be run by Tamil Nadu-based Sankara Eye Hospital and offer modern eye care services to the people of Odisha and Eastern India.

Chief minister handed over a cheque of Rs 6.7 crore to Sankara Eye Hospital authorities, as a part of the grant of Tata Steel for construction of the hospital.

In January 2015, a grant agreement was signed between Tata Steel and Sankara Eye Hospital to extend of financial support as a grant up to Rs 42.3 crore for the construction of the hospital and the required infrastructure, sources in the steel major said. Tata Steel had earlier provided Rs 3 crore for the purpose.

The hospital will have facilities like comprehensive eye care, investigations and outpatient treatment, low vision and contact lens clinics, special clinic for children, day care options like same day surgeries and glaucoma services among others.

Tata Steel is also setting up a 500 beded multi- specialty hospitals at Sitalapali near Berhampur city.

Patnaik also laid the foundation stones for eight different projects for Berhampur University, including its satellite campus at Rayagada and first Khallikote cluster university at Berhampur.

The cluster university would come up by upgrading the 137-year old Khallikote autonomous college, Berhampur under Rashtriya Uttachatara Sikshya Abiyana (RUSA, a centrally sponsored programme.

Noteworthy, Berhampur university will celebrate its golden jubilee next year and therefore, the government has sanctioned Rs 23 crore for the first phase work of the institution, officials said.

Khallikote Autonomous College to become first Cluster University of Odisha

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on 29 April, 2015 laid the foundation stone to upgrade 137-year-old Khallikote Autonomous College of Berhampur to become first Cluster University of the State.

During his whirlwind trip by helicopter to his home district Ganjam on 29 April, the CM took part in a series of foundation stone laying ceremonies. It included a proposed 100-bed super-speciality eye care hospital at Samarjhola in Hinjli Assembly segment represented by Mr Patnaik. This eye hospital would be managed by Sankar Eye Hospital of Tamil Nadu. Tata Steel has proposed to invest Rs.42.3 crore on this project.

Mr. Patnaik also laid foundation stone for an Industrial Training Institute (ITI) at Shergarh, again in his Assembly segment. This ITI is proposed to be established at Bhusanda of Shergarh block with support of the NTPC that has signed a MoU with the Odisha government to make capital expenditure of Rs.7.72 crore for this project.

At the Berhampur University campus, Mr Patnaik laid foundation stone for Khallikote cluster university as well as for the satellite campus of Berhampur University in Rayagada. The proposed Khallikote Cluster University would include the Khallikote Autonomous College and four other colleges including S. D. Women’s College and Binayak Acharya College in Berhampur, and government colleges at Chhatrapur and Gopalpur. It is envisioned that this first cluster university of Odisha would start operating from current academic session. Funds to upgrade this heritage autonomous college to a cluster university would be provided under the Rashtriya Uchachatara Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA).

According to sources Rs.18 crore have already been sanctioned this year for Khallikote Cluster University project. Apart from its existing campus in Berhampur, the administration has already identified 20 acres of extra land for the cluster university on the outskirts of the city.

Mr Patnaik was the chief guest of the students’ union function at Berhampur University. He urged the students to work hard and declared that around Rs.60 crore is to be spent on infrastructure development of the university. Naveen Patnaik laid foundation stones of many projects in his home district

Berhampur Thakurani Yatra- 2015

 

 

Berhampur Thakurani Yatra 2015

 

 

 

Berhampur Thakurani Yatra 2015

 

 

Bhanja Vihar (Berhampur) moots satellite campus in Rayagada

The Berhampur University (BU) has sent a proposal to the state government, requesting infrastructure facilities for a satellite campus at Rayagada. "Since educationally-backward Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri districts falls under BU's jurisdiction, we felt the need for a satellite campus," said vice-chancellor of the university Deepak Kumar Behera.

A total of 147 colleges in these districts are affiliated to BU. In 2006, the University Grants Commission (UGC) launched the concept of satellite campus with the aim to offer professional and academic courses to students in rural and far flung areas and save them from coming all the way to the cities to pursue higher education. "It will also help to enhance the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER)," Behera added.

The state has a GER of 16% as against the national average of 19.4%. It is less than 10% in the southern Odisha districts with high percentage of ST/SC population, said a BU official. Higher education minister Pradeep Panigrahy said, "The government is examining the proposal."

After getting the government's nod, the university will start the satellite campus with a few departments. The rest will be put in place in phases. The BU is also planning to introduce some job-oriented professional courses, the official added.

TNN | Apr 23, 2015

Orissa CM's nod for university status to Khallikote, RD colleges

The state government on Thursday approved the proposals to upgrade Khallikote Autonomous College, Berhampur and, RD Autonomous Women's College, Bhubaneswar to universities.

Higher education minister Pradeep Panigrahy told the media that the universities would function from 2015-16 academic year. RD will become a women's university. Around 50 women's colleges, which are under Utkal University, will be affiliated to it. The exact shape of the university and its affiliated colleges will be decided soon. Besides the existing 25-acre campus, the government will look for another 25 acre for its second campus, the minister said.

Khallikote will be part of a cluster university, comprising five nearby colleges. The other four are S D Women's College and Binayak Acharya College in Berhampur, besides colleges at Chhatrapur and Gopalpur, the minister said.

The government will spend Rs 55 crore each on infrastructure development of the two universities. The funds will be drawn from Rashtriya Uchhatar Shiksha Abhiyan, a central-sponsored programme for higher education.

-TNN | Apr 24, 2015

Famous Thakurani Yatra extended by 11 days in Berhampur

In view of popular demand, the district administration in Ganjam has extended the famous Thakurani Yatra on April 19, 2015 in Berhampur by 11 days. The biennial festival, which started on March 28, will continue till April 27, officals said today.

Initially, the district administration had allowed the festival committee to hold the yatra for 20 days even though the latter had sought permission for 31 days.

"Several people approached the district administration requesting for extension of the festival", said Sub-Collector (Berhampur) Nikhil Pawan Kalyan.

The festival is attracting huge crowd from different places and hundreds of the people are thronging the Silk City to witness the famous Yatra. Locals dressed like mythological characters are seen moving around the city and so are chariots in different shapes like boita (ship) and doli (swing).

Four laning of NH-59 in Berhampur city delayed

   Condition of roads in the city pathetic

National Highway 59 passing through Berhampur has become an agony to ride on. Big holes have emerged at several roads, which are part of the NH. Though upgrading of the highway started in September 2013, it is not yet completed as per the schedule.

The highway is one of the important highways connecting Berhampur to several other cities. It passes through many roads of Berhampur such as Aska Road, Courtpeta Road, Engineering School Road, Haridakhandi and Khodasingh road. However, several holes on these roads irritate commuters.

Samantha Panda, a local resident said, “I ride a bike and pass through the Aska Road while going to the office every day. But there are several big holes on the road, which can cause back injuries while passing through it on a two wheeler.”

The Works Department of Government of Odisha looks into the construction and maintenance of the National Highways.

The Executive Engineer of the National Highways, R.K. Maharana, said, “We are almost done with the renovation work at several parts of the NH 59. Water leakage is the main issue on the Courtpeta Road, Haridakhandi Road and Aska Road. We have repaired them at some places. But unless the pipelines get repaired, the roads can't be reconstructed.”

 The four laning of the NH 59 has also started at some parts, but the project is running behind the original schedule.

 Maharana says, “The widening of the highway couldn’t be done at 10 points due to which four laning project has been delayed. Due to drain alignment, road side electric polls and PHD valves on the road, the widening of roads is delayed.”

 When iamin spoke to PHD officials, he said, “the pipelines were laid in the middle of the roads since the beginning. It is proposed to the state government to shift the pipelines to the edges of the roads. But it will take time”.
-Friday, 17 April 2015 - 6:57pm IST | Ronalisa Parida, DNA

BDA approves Greater Berhampur Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP)

Berhampur Development Authority (BDA) has approved the final Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) for Greater Berhampur. The plan would be sent to the government for gazette notification, Chairman of the agency Subash Moharana said. “The final plan includes 407 suggestions and objections received from people in three months after issuing a public notice,” Secretary Dipti Mohapatra said.

“At least five industrial zones, an airport and ring roads are proposed in the CDP. Greater Berhampur spread over 320 sq km will include areas under Berhampur Municipal Corporation, Chhatrapur, Gopalpur NACs and adjoining villages. Around 8 sq km at Laxmipur on Purushottampur road has been earmarked for the proposed airport.

The CDP was prepared by the town and country planning organisation (TCPO) under the ministry of urban development, keeping in view its possible growth in the next two decades, Mohapatra said. “Almost all facilities required in the next two decades are included in the CDP, which is necessary for development of the town in a planned manner. The builders and industrial houses are facing problems in getting their plan approved in the absence of a masterplan. I hope it will help all stake holders in developing the town,” Berhampur MLA R C Chyaupatnaik said.

The last master plan for Berhampur was prepared in 1969. Since then the authority made several efforts to prepare the CDP. “The TCPO took 26 months to prepare the draft CDP. It prepared the final plan on March 30 after incorporating all suggestions,” Mohapatra added.

— By PTI | Apr 16, 2015

Thakurani Yatra

Thakurani Yatra – The Festival of the Goddess visiting her parental abode like a common married girl leaving behind her temple

"Bagha Besha" is the main attraction in Thakurani Yatra and the tradition is as old as the Yatra itself

Glimpses of the ongoing Thakurani Yatra in Berhampur

Danda Kali Yatra in Berhampur

Glimpses of the Thakurani Yatra in Berhampur

(The sambad & prameya)

Tara Tarini Shrine Development

Berhampur's MKCG Medical College and Hospital needs more ICUs

By Ronalisa Parida

As MKCG Medical College and Hospital is one of the oldest hospitals in the state, everyday, people from across the ten districts of Southern Odisha visit the hospital and emergency cases from all the Private Health Centres (PHCs) and town hospitals are referred here.

However, the hospital has only four ICUs for the Department of Medicine apart from five respiratory ICUs for TB ward and a Special New Born care unit. Consequently, patients have to wait for long to get admitted in ICU, while emergency cases have to be referred to private hospitals often.

Shedding light on patients' concerns, Ayush, a patient's brother mentions, “Considering the daily footfall of the patients, more ICUs need to be constructed in the hospital,”

“Around 10 percent of the patients that come to the hospital everyday need to get admitted to the hospital. They are usually cases of Malaria, Sepsis, lung infection. As far as emergency cases are concerned like heart attacks, there is no other choice except for sending to other hospitals,” explains Junior Doctor of Medicine Department.

What adds to the woes of the patients and their kins is that there is no ICU facility in any of the private Hospitals in Berhampur. So the patients are compelled to go to Visakhapatnam or Bhubaneswar.

Recounting a difficult experience, Sunil Mohanty, son of a patient admitted in the Medicine ward recalls, “My Father was in a serious condition a couple of months ago when I had brought him to MKCG. But there were no ICUs available to admit him. So I had to take him to Bhubaneswar. Later he recovered, but everybody is not as fortunate as us.”

The ICU building under construction since October last year

It can be noted that a 20 bedded ICU block on the top floor of the medicine ward is almost ready. However, the unit lacks oxygen supply, and other essential facilities.

“Though ventilators have been arranged, there is deficit of oxygen supply due to technical difficulties. Besides, we don’t have sufficient staff to watch out the new blocks. In fact, recently air conditioners installed on the new ICU block were stolen due to shortage of staff,” explains Principal of MKCG Medical College Arun Kumar Dandapata.

It may also be noted here that funds worth Rs. 6.9 Crores have been sanctioned for a new Central ICU building in the Hospital. The Road and Buildings (R&B) Department has been assigned to construct the building in front of the Medicine Ward. Even though R&B started the work in October last year, the project has hardly reached completion. “There is a dysfunctional transformer on the site due to which the work is stopped. We have asked the SOUTHCO to shift it. After it is removed, work will start again and we will try to complete the building within end of this year,” Executive Engineer of R&B Manoranjan Tripathy assures.