English teachers’ forum formed at B’swar
Baleswar: A forum for English language teachers has been formed here. District Education Officer Prakash Joshi presiding over a meeting said the forum would work for professional development of teachers and also fulfil the expectations of students. Gopabandhu Das was elected as the forum’s working president and Harendra Rout as general secretary. laxmidhar Giri was felicitated by the forum on the occasion for his dedication and contributions in the field of education.
Praxair helps Phalin victims at Paradip
Paradip: The Praxair India Pvt ltd, an America-based multinational hydrogen gas production company and also a construction company in the Indian Oil Paradip Refinery project, has distributed blankets, tarpaulin sheets and other relief materials to hundreds of Phailin-hit slum dwellers here under the banner of ‘life beyond Phailin.’ Company GMs Sanjeev Kumar Gupta and Indrani Raychoudhury, Sivesh Choudhury, Pushpsheel Gupta, Pratik Sharma, Manish Kanti Dhar, Nilesh Prajapati, Venkat Pinnada, Haresh Patel, Amarjyoti Magar, Subhash Arumugam, Pradeep Kumar Ghatuary, Ranjit Kumar Jena, Sreekant Kumar Ghadai, Bijay Kumar Bhola and Animesh Maity helped in distribution of the relief materials. The company is doing lot of CSR activities under the banner of Samvedna Trust at Paradip since its operation in the IOCl refinery campus.
Farmers stage demo at Balangir
Balangir: Members of the Balangir Zilla Krushak Sangathan led by Arun Mishra on Wednesday held protests before the Collectorate here against the anti-farmer policies of both Central and State Governments. They submitted an 18-point memorandum to the President of India through the district administration. The demands included return of lands to farmers of village Ghumer whose lands have been taken away fraudulently, immediate payment of crop damage compensation amount, withdrawal of the BRAI Bill, compensation of `15,000 per acre for crop damage by elephants and change in the Relief Code.
NGT rules closure of illegal stone quarry
Paralakhemundi: Following a complaint by a retired engineer of Venkatapur village under Kasinager block in Gajapati district, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has passed an order to stop illegal stone quarry in the area and has noticed State Pollution Control Board authorities to attend the hearing on November 12. The petitioner told the NGT that four years ago the administration leased out the stone quarry illegally, and it has been damaging houses as well as farm lands.
K’put volunteers hand out relief in Ganjam
Sunabeda (Koraput): A 16-member team of volunteers from Sunabeda visited the cyclone and flood-affected areas in Bellaguntha block in Ganjam district recently. The team distributed dry foods, candles, match boxes, cloths and readymade dresses, pens and other writing materials, bed sheets, polythene sheets among the victims.