Major fire breaks out at Athagarh TS Alloys
Cuttack: A major fire broke out at Anantpur-based TS Alloys factory at Athagarh in Cuttack district late on Tuesday night, in which a blast furnace was completely gutted. The blast furnace number one of the high carbon ferroalloys plant burst into flames while around 30 workers were working. Five fire engines were pressed into action to subdue the flames. The fire was controlled around 4 am in the morning.
Paradip train passenger looted of Rs 12K
Paradip: A passenger of the Cuttack-Paradeep train was robbed of Rs 12,000 and personal belongings after being given slow poison in betel by a co-passenger on Wednesday. The victim was identified as Jagan Jena of Kankardia village under Jagatsinghpur district’s Abhayachandpur police station. The Abhaychandpur police has started investigation into the incident.
B’kanika park to be closed from Jan 8 to 17
Kendrapada: The Bhitarkanika National Park will remain closed for visitors from January 8 to 17 for the annual census of saltwater crocodiles and migratory birds. Forest officials said 17 teams would be deployed for the census.
Theatre fest from Jan 11 in Brahmapur
Brahmapur: A five-day-long 8th State-level Theatre Festival organised by the Odisha Natak Samaroha Samitee (ONSS) would begin from January 11 here at the Bandhan Kalyan Mandap. ONSS president Anil Kumar Patra said theatre groups of Dhenkanal, Koraput, Paradip, Bhubaneswar and Ganjam would participate in the festival. ONSS general secretary Dr Mihir Kumar Tripathy, working president Rabi Narayan Behera, vice-presidents Upendranath Mishra and Raju Padhy and other members of the organisation were present at a preparatory meeting for the festival on Tuesday.
Kisan Rath flagged off in Balangir
Balangir: District Collector M Muthukumar flagged off ‘Kisan Rath’ to spread the information of CM’s packages and other agriculture schemes for farmers here on Wednesday. “We have flagged up the Kisan Rath to disseminate the message of Chief Minister’ packages for the farmers and to give more information about the Rabi cultivation in the district,” said Muthukumar. This Rath would move in the 14 blocks of the district for15 days and would cover all the villages, he added. Deputy Director, Agriculture, Manoranjan Mallick, Balangir Zilla Parishad President Bjaya Pradhani and other Agriculture Department officials were present.
Preparatory meet for Republic Day held at Champua
Champua: A preparatory meeting for the Republic Day was held at the Block Training Centre Hall here on Tuesday. It was decided to request to corporate houses like the Rungta and the Sirajuddin company for construction of sheds and repairing works of the Nehru Stadium, where the programme would be held. Sub-Collector SK Mishra presided over the meeting. ITDA PA Shreedhar Naik, BDO Kushelaswar Naik, SDPO Sushil Kumar Pradhan and representatives of different educational institutions were present at the meeting.
Mohana ICDS Supervisor arrested taking bribe
Cuttack: Gajapati district’s Mohana block ICDS Supervisor Soubhagyabati Jena was arrested by Vigilance officials on Tuesday for demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 1,16,600. She demanded the bribe from Anganwadi Worker Kabita Nayak of Dengaskhal village in the district for releasing payment of Rs 12, 00,000 in favour of Anganwadi Workers of 19 Anganwadi Centres of the block towards midday meal. On Nayak’s complaint, a trap was laid and Jena was caught red-handed by Vigilance officers in her rented house at Tibatin Colony, Chandragiri.
Data Entry Operator takes bribe, held in K’handi
Kalahandi: Vigilance officials on Tuesday arrested Data Entry Operator Satyanarayan Choudhury at the Narla Tehsildar office in Kalahandi district for demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 5,000. Choudhury had demanded the bribe from Susanta Sahoo of Sanakhiching village to process files for issuance of ID and password for his Jan Seva Kendra under the E-District scheme.
Youth dies after truck hits bike in J’suguda
Jharsuguda: A 20-year-old motorcycle pillion rider was killed on the spot while the rider narrowly escaped on Wednesday when a coal-loaded truck hit them from backside on SH-10 near the BTM Bypass Chowk here. The deceased was identified as Manoj Mali, a resident of Ganganagar under the Brajrajnagar police station. The truck driver was arrested.