Test runs on Gunupur-Naupada railway track

BERHAMPUR: A regular broad gauge engine made its debut run on the newly constructed Gunupur-Naupada railway track on Sunday. This test run of the engine on the track seemed to be a homage to the erstwhile king of Paralakhemundi, Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati, whose birth anniversary was celebrated on Sunday. The erstwhile narrow gauge track between Gunupur and Naupada was the work of the former royal family of Paralakhemundi. This narrow gauge track was converted to broad gauge. On Sunday a team of engineers of the East Coast railways led by its chief administrative officer and chief engineer took part in the test run of the engine on this track.
The engine started from Naupada at around 10.30 am. It reached Paralakhemundi at around 1.30 pm. The railway official said they would now apply to the Railway Safety Commissioner for safety clearance of track so that passenger and goods trains could be run on the track.Around 109 years ago the erstwhile royal family of Paralakhemundi had formed ‘Parlakimedi Light Railway’ (PLR) to lay this two-foot six-inch gauge railway to connect the capital Paralakhemundi with Naupada.
The British government had sanctioned the project in 1898. It opened for traffic in 1900. This narrow gauge railway line was built at a cost of Rs. 700,000 . There were demands to convert the track to broad gauge after independence. Surveys were made for gauge conversion in 1950, 1964 and 1967. But the foundation stone for the Gunupur-Naupada gauge conversion work was laid at Naupada on Sept. 27, 2002.
From 2003, this railway track became a part of the East Coast Railways. The former narrow gauge track was totally closed for gauge conversion on June 9, 2004. People await for the day when passenger trains would again run on the historic track.

Source: The Hindu

Tripathy and Rao make Berhampur proud

Non-Resident Berhampurians (NRBs) have again made the city proud at the national level. This time Shri Upendra Tripathy and Shri R. Venkat Rao have been honoured for distinguished achievements in their personal fields. Shri Tripathy recently bagged the prestigious PM’s award for excellence in Public Administration. Karnataka cadre IAS officer Upendra Tripathy, who is credited with turning around the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation into a profit-making entity, hails from a village near Berhampur in Ganjam District. Similarly, Shri R. Venkat Rao who hails from Berhmapur city has been appointed the Vice-Chancellor of the prestigious law institution, the National Law School (NLS) of India University, Bangalore.

Two mega food parks to come up in south Orissa

The Orissa government is planning to set up two mega food parks in south Orissa’s Ganjam and Gajapati districts at an investment of Rs 200 Crore. The proposal to set up the parks is pending before the Union Government’s concerned departments.Of the total investment, the Union Government is likely to bear 50 per cent of the cost, while the balance 50 per cent will be provided by the Orissa government. Two mega food processing units are likely to be set up in the food parks to facilitate vegetable and fruit processing. The proposed food parks will offer marketing avenues for different agricultural and horticultural products from the farmers after these products are scientifically processed.

Source: www.hospitalitybizindia.com

‘Berhampuri pattu’ to get GI recognition soon

The famous handloom silk sarees manufactured in Berhampur in Orissa would soon be included in the Government of India’s Geographical Indications (GI) registry.

This registry would provide statutory recognition of the geographical origin of these handloom textiles to their respective places of traditional manufacture.

Scientific officer of the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC), Bijaya Kumar Sahu, stated this during his address at a two-day regional seminar on ‘Intellectual property and innovation management in knowledge era’, which concluded on the Berhampur University campus on Friday.

Mr. Sahu said under the Geographical Indication of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, agricultural, natural or manufactured goods originating or manufactured in the territory of a country or a region or locality in that territory, could register as Geographical Indications (GI). It provides the registered proprietor and its authorised users would get exclusive legal right to use the GI. They also have the right to obtain relief in case of its infringement. The GI registration would be a boon for handloom textile manufacturers of Berhampur and Sambalpur as it would ensure that only genuine products are marketed in the name of Sambalpuri saree or Berhampuri Pattu.

Source: The Hindu

IG Police Range for South Orissa and Police Commissionerate system for Berhampur City

R.P.Tripathy

The present state of lawlessness in South Orissa should be a cause of concern for the State as maoist strikes, violence, murder and gang war has become common of late in this region. People here are under panic for the last few months but the administration seems to be unmoved. Till now the region has been grappling with Maoist activities and added to this the heinous murder of revered Swami Laxmananda Saraswati and other monks, the violence following that incident in Kandhamal, Gajapati and Jeypore, gang-war and day light murder in Berhampur, murder for liquor license in Ganjam District, political murder and violence in Aska, Sorada and Bhanjanagar, rising maoist violence in Rayagada and Malkangiri shows the inability of the State Government to maintain law and order in South Orissa.

This will be in the fitness of things for the State Government to take stern measures to contain the volatile situation in the region by the creation of a new police IG range at Berhampur by bringing together the DIG Southern Range, Berhampur and DIG South Western Range Sunabeda. Added to this Police Commissionerate system for Berhampur City has become inevitable in view of the deteriorating law and order situation in the Greater Berhampur Region. With the Army base, Gopalpur Port, IRE and other sensitive establishments situated in around the city which need enhanced security cover, the Police Commissionerate system has to be introduced in an expeditious manner. Further, appointing a Superintendent of Police for Railway at Berhampur has to be considered in view of the maoist threat perception on railway property and Berhampur being the transit point for criminals and maoist elements from Orissa and Andhra Pradesh needs special security arrangement including installation of CCTV cameras in the Railway Station. To overcome the present situation of violence, murder and lawlessness in South Orissa we urge your immediate intervention and affirmative action. The people of the region have seen enough of underdevelopment and deprivation and they can ill afford such a deteriorating environment arising out of complete lawlessness. The State Government should walk the talk of bringing normalcy and lasting peace in South Orissa by the creation of an IG Police Range at Berhampur, introduction of Police Commissionerate system for Berhampur city and creation of a new Railway Police District at Berhampur at the earliest.

Unitary University Status for historic Khallikote College

R.P.Tripathy

In the educationally backward and tribal dominated region of South Orissa, Khallikote College has been a great hope with its exceptional track record of over a century and half. The institution began as a high school in 1856 before becoming a full-fledged college in the year 1878. The Institution with its glorious past of more than 150 years has been one of the leading centers of learning and intellectual pursuits in Orissa. The Institution has the reputation of producing a former President of India and a host of Governors, Ministers, scientists, educationists and freedom fighters among a long list of illustrious persons since its establishment in pre-independent India.

Over the last few years owing to paucity of teaching and administrative staff, inadequate state support and overall deterioration of higher education infrastructure the Institution has failed to live up to theexpectations. This is high time that the State Government did something urgently to restore the lost glory and academic standards of the historic Institution.

In this regard, granting Unitary University Status to Khallikote College has become an imperative. Further, to ensure its expansion and to facilitate the opening of the new Departments, a new campus of the Institution should be planned on the outskirts of Berhampur city. As many Organizations of the region have suggested, this proposed Unitary University should be named as Khallikote Mardraj University in memory of Raja Ramchandra Mardraj of Khallikote who is one of the founding fathers of the modern day Odisha State.

The State Government should exhibit the same seriousness and urgency, as was the case with Ravenshaw College and University College of Engineering, to grant Unitary University Status to Khallikote College with a new campus at the earliest.

Set up the Nano car Plant at Goplapur in Orissa

Set up the Nano car Plant at Goplapur in Orissa

R.P.Tripathy

Gopalpur near Berhampur City of Orissa was chosen as the location by the TATA group some 13 years ago for the biggest steel plant of India. Unlike Singur in West Bengal there was no such fierce opposition in Gopalpur over land acquisition and the state administration successfully acquired the huge tract of land, but even then the steel plant didn't come through. As a matter of fact, the TATA group is still in possession of the 3800 acres of land even today by the side of NH-5 and NH-217 and Howarh-Chennai main rail line near the upcoming Goplapur Mega port.

From a lay man's point of view, when so much hue and cry is created over 1000 acres of land in West Bengal for the Nano plant, why can't the TATA group consider Gopalpur in Orissa as an alternate location to house the Nano car plant? Seen otherwise, those people whose land was acquired by the State government and TATAs, showing them the dream of a huge steel plant where they will get jobs and there will be overall economic prosperity are now virtually begging in the streets of Berhampur city and elsewhere, having lost their livelihood and with no industry in sight. Won't it be logical now to give something to those people who lost their source of livelihood for the sake of the steel plant and in return got only miseries for their life time? Today there is no one to listen to their plight and no one is ready to take the responsibility for this fiasco. So, it reinforces the belief of a section of society who oppose industrialization under the pretext that it doesn't help those who suffer the most and eventually they prove to be correct in cases like this. To dispense the myth we need true corporate responsibility, patronage and commitment which are missing in the case of TATAs at Gopalpur.

So, it is high time that the possibility of locating the proposed Nano car plant at Gopalpur is explored. This would require zero displacement and the land being with TATAs would ensure its early commencement. If Gopalpur is not found suitable for the Nano car plant it must be ensured that the land under possession of the TATA group is returned to their owners, so that at least livelihood of thousands of families is not threatened and is brought back to normalcy

Railway Infrastructure in Berhampur and South Orissa remains pitiable

Railway Infrastructure in Berhampur and South Orissa remains pitiable in the absence of a coaching terminal, though East-Coast Railway is in the pink of its health

R.P.Tripathy

It is a matter of great disappointment for the people of Berhampur and South Orissa that the divisional and zonal authorities are taking least interest in developing Berhampur Railway station and the overall development of railway infrastructure in South Orissa . The more than a century old Berhampur Railway station, built by the British is the second busiest railway station in the state of Orissa, after Bhubaneswar and it enjoys an “A” grade status. But, this is one of the poorly managed stations under the East Coast Railway Zone.

For the past 20 years the people of South Orissa have been demanding for a railway coaching terminal at Berhampur railway station, so that the long distance trains terminating at Bhubaneswar and Visakhapatnam could be extended up to Berhampur, the principal city of South Orissa. Several agitations, protests and memorandums have not helped in its materialization. Infact, the state government has also requested for a coaching terminal at Berhampur, but in vain. Coaching terminal at Berhampur railway station would solve some of the long felt problems of the people of Berhampur city and South Orissa but the railway authorities have remained unmoved so far.

Requests for direct train links to Rourkela , Tata, Surat and Allahabad etc. and extension of Orissa Sampark Kranti Express to Berhampur have not materialized yet. These are only some of the examples of the kind of seriousness the railway authorities attach to Berhampur railway station which caters to at least five million people of 4 southern districts of Orissa.

Most of the assurances of the East Coast Railway authorities have fallen flat as the railway foot over bridge to give connection the fourth platform in the Berhampur Railway Station has taken more than 4 years and is far from complete and the work on expansion of the 4th platform is yet to begin despite the shifting of the goods shed from the station to the outskirts of the city. The Lanjipalli railway over bridge is under construction for the last 7 years. The demand for a new passenger halt at Industrial Estate in the city has not been addressed so far.

The demand for a new railway division at Berhampur for ensuring better railway infrastructure in South Orissa is very old. Even the Hon’ble Union Minister of Railways has concurred this in the Rajya Sabha vide question (unstarred) number 728 and dated 17th August 2007. A new railway division at Berhampur will definitely help in better railway services for the people of South Orissa .

Sincere steps are needed to address the above issues and the issue of coaching terminal in particular. Berhampur and South-Orissa deserve better attention and augmentation in resources from the Indian railways to come out of the vicious circle of underdevelopment.

On the need to locate the proposed I.I.I.T (Indian Institute of Information Technology ) at Berhampur

R.P. Tripathy

South Orissa , comprising a large part of KBK and other backward districts like Kandhamal, Ganjam and Gajapati, lag behind on almost all parameters of social and educational development. At the moment South Orissa doesn't have a single centrally funded institution for Higher and Technical education. The concentration of central institutions around the State capital has led to large scale discontent among the people of South Orissa and KBK region. In this regard, it will be logical to move out to not so well of places of the state for locating the centrally funded institutions like I.I.I.T.

Berhampur, which is emerging as an alternate IT and ITES destination of Orissa also happens to be the biggest urban cluster of South Orissa and KBK region. Further, the STPI at Berhampur will be an added advantage for locating the I.I.I.T at Berhampur and also in building the Bhubaneswar-Berhampur Knowledge corridor. The proposed IT and commercial complex at Berhampur by IDCO under PPP route will ensure better infrastructure for the IT companies. Presence of Berhampur University , a good chunk of Engineering Colleges and other technical education institutions in Berhampur will work to its advantage.

Berhampur, being the gateway to the vast region of South Orissa and KBK, will certainly attract more IT companies for its strategic location, higher education base, huge human resource potential of the region and its connectivity with all the major cities of India by rail and road. The modest climate of Berhampur will also be to its advantage. The upcoming Gopalpur port and SEZ are likely to make the environment more industry friendly.

The Central government and Planning Commission have plans for 20 new IIITs (Indian Institute of Information Technology) across the country during the 11th plan. Going by news paper reports, Orissa is definitely going to get one of these IIITs. In this respect locating the proposed IIIT at Berhampur, apart from the one planned for Bhubaneswar , would be in the larger interest of the state. In this regard, it becomes imperative for the State and central government and the nodal agencies like Planning Commission to expand the IT education base by adhering to the principle of distributive justice.

Berhampur and South-Orissa deserve better attention and augmentation in resources from the State and Central Government to come out of the vicious circle of underdevelopment. We must strive to esure the realization of this prestigious institution at the earliest.