Justice to gangrape victim’s family
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) monitored by a sitting judge of the Orissa High Court will finally probe the Kunduli gangrape incident, which has taken several twists and turns. By conceding to opposition’s demand for a CBI probe, the Chief Minister doesn’t want to take the risk and fall into the trap of the BJP before the 2019 elections. But it would have been wiser for him to go for a CBI option to regain his party’s shaken confidence ahead of the Bijepur by-poll. All investigation reports collated so far will be handed over to this new team. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan last Sunday had alleged that the local police have destroyed the suicide note of the victim. The BJD refuted his charges, saying the allegations are baseless and intended at keeping the issue alive for the Bijepur by- poll. Even, the CBI’s probes into different cases in Odisha in the past have failed to yield any result, the BJD pointed out. It all started with police investigation followed by a Crime Branch inquiry and then a judicial probe headed by the Koraput District Judge. Mounting demand from the opposition has now forced the CM to form a SIT with a request to the Odisha Chief Justice for appointing a judge to monitor the investigation. Truth always prevails, but even if the Government is serious about digging out the truth, going by the fits-and-starts approach it is doubtful if truth would ever be unraveled.
Bijepur proving to be a BJD-BJP fight
Believed to be a three-cornered fight after Pranay Sahu was chosen as the Congress candidate for the Bijepur by-poll, the election scenario still remains unchanged; and the fight is confined between the BJD and the BJP with an edge in favour of the former. A division of pro-opposition votes between the Congress and BJP is likely to have the BJD as the gainer. If Pranaya Sahu’s road show leaves any indication of support to the Congress, it could not surpass BJP candidate Ashok Panigrahi’s and BJD nominee Rita Sahu’s caravans organised during filing of their nominations. The BJD has no doubt fielded top guns like Prasanna Acharya, Debi Prasad Mishra, Prafulla Samal, Prasanta Nanda, Sanjay Dasburma and Pranab Prakash Das besides three western Odisha Ministers Niranjan Pujari, Sushant Singh and Snehangini Churia as star campaigners. But the BJD campaign is yet to pick up. In the wake of the Union Budget and a rise in the MSP for agricultural produces, especially paddy with relaxation of FAQ, farmers seem to have tilted, to some extent, towards the BJP. Farmer suicide cases are also against the State’s ruling dispensation. To add to its woes, the BJD has been caught off guard after a streetlight scam in the constituency where croresof rupees have changed hands. District Planning Board Chairman Niranjan Pujari who is also the Minister for Housing and Urban Development is condemned for his alleged involvement in the scam. Besides, the opposition is also raising the issues of Itishree, Babina and Kunduli cases to fuel an anti-incumbency factor against the BJD. In Gaisilet block, Pranay Sahu will dent into Rita Sahu’s vote. Voters of Bijepur block are said to be going for the BJP; and in Barpali, it is again a BJD-BJP fight. Who wins in the ultimate race is the question though the BJD appears to be ahead so far.
Industrial clusters around Rourkela pollution hubs
Villagers in Kuarmunda and Bonai industrial clusters in Sundargarh district have threatened to launch an agitation if the industrial units, accused of not using pollution control devices in violation of existing norms, do not mend their ways to ensure a pollution-free environment. More often than not, the enforcement authorities overlook the units’ pollution-related activities allegedly in exchange of grafts. The Sundargarh district administration was appraised of the suffering of the villagers of Kuarmunda block. As the industries are not installing pollution control equipments, the air is filled with smoke while black layers of fire burnt coal dust cover water bodies, trees and plants, farm land and rooftops. The situation is aggravating and several villagers have developed respiratory problems. Similar is the case in Bonai sub-division, where, in protest, women of Kendrikala village took out a procession recently to the office of Bonai Sub-Collector Swadhadev Singh. A number of pollution-intensive sponge iron plants of the Bonai industrial cluster have made life miserable. The women claimed that due to high pollution levels, several people have died of kidney diseases while some others are suffering from the ailment. Instead of becoming soft, the Odisha State Pollution Control Board Regional Officer should take a tough stand on the violators who try to save cost and add to their kitty at the expenses of environment and villagers. There must be accountability and transparency of public servants, who very often escape from a close scrutiny of the high officials.
Stirring teachers take to street once again
Allegedly cheated by the Government, Block Grant school and college teachers have once again assembled in the State capital to press their demands relating to their service conditions, pay anomaly, regularisation of service besides abolition of the Block Grant system itself. The Government had conceded to the demands a couple of months back when around 40,000 teachers of 400 schools rallied in the capital under the banner of the United Forum for Odisha School, College Teachers and Employees. The agitation held earlier was called off following an agreement with the Government to fulfil almost all demands, but the Government surreptitiously included one condition of signing affidavits by the concerned schools and colleges swearing not to take recourse to law in service matters. According to Government sources, the teachers’ association had agreed to abide by this condition but backed out when they analysed its far-reaching consequences. The Government has questioned the timing of their agitation especially ahead of the HSC and +2 examinations. The agitation of teachers which included a ‘Padayatra’ from Puri to Bhubaneswar and then their threat move on to Bijepur where a by-election is scheduled for February 24, are no less than ‘blackmailing’ the Government. The Minister of Higher Education has gone a step further and commented on the teachers’ failure to produce IAS officers for which it has no option but to accept non-Odia IAS officers who are doing a good job, indirectly defending Pandian. In reply, an agitating teachers’ representative said, “To-be IAS officers are prepared in IAS coaching centres, not in schools and colleges.” The Government has taken seven days’ time to settle the issue besides threatening the forum to face stern action. The teachers, on their turn, have threatened for a march up to Bijepur to destabilise the BJD there. While the rope race is on, students and their parents sit with their fingers crossed.