New Delhi  - Police found three more bodies Wednesday of people killed in clashes between Hindus and Christians in India's eastern state of Orissa, bringing the death toll to 11, news reports said.

A few fresh incidents of rioting and arson led authorities to impose shoot-on-sight orders in parts of the curfew-bound Khandamal district, where the death of a Hindu leader has sparked violence since Monday, the PTI and IANS news agencies reported.

Bhubaneswar, Aug 28 : Violence continued unabated on Thursday in Kandhamal District of Orissa for the fifth day inspite of the shoot-at-sight order imposed in eight blocks of the communally sensitive district.

The latest outbreak of violence was reported from remote places of Tikabali and G Udaygiri where the police have failed to reach.

Earlier, incidents were reported from Sundergarh, Rayagada, Gajapati and Bolangir districts.

In a backlash to the killing of VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati and four others on Saturday night, the violence has claimed ten lives in Orissa so far.

New Delhi, Aug 29 : The Central Government on Friday favoured a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the violent incidents that claimed at least ten lives in the communally sensitive Khandhmal District of Orissa following the killing of a VHP leader and four others.

Expressing serious concern over the communal violence in Orissa, Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said: "We would have liked ideally that this matter be handed over to the CBI because those responsible should get justice immediately as judicial probe takes longer time,"

New Delhi - Nearly 50,000 schools, colleges and educational institutions run by Christian organizations and individuals across India shut down Friday to protest continuing violence against Christians in the eastern state of Orissa.

"According to our estimate, 50,000 schools and colleges and other educational institutions were closed today," said Sam Paul, spokesman of the All India Christian Council.

Agartala, Aug. 29 : Christian in Tripura brought out a silent rally Friday to protest the continued violence against the community in Orissa, where at least 11 people have died in sectarian violence.

All Christian schools and institutions across the state remain closed.

The United Christian Forum of Tripura brought out the rally from RMS Choumhuni and went to the Raj Bhavan to place a deputation to the Governor.

Hundred of protestors including women and young children wearing black badges walked through the streets of Agartala in silent.

Bhubaneshwar/Bangalore, Aug 30: Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has claimed that the situation is improving in Orissa's Kandhamal District, which was gripped by religious violence following the killing of VHP leader Laxamananda Saraswati.

Patnaik, who will visit the district today, said: "The situation in Kandhamal district is returning to normal."

The visit comes as the Central Government has indicated that it favours a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the violence that claimed at least ten lives.

Jalsapeta (Orissa), Sep 1: Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has offered floral tribute to VHP leader Laxamananda Saraswati, who was killed by a mob recently.

Patnaik visited a religious home established by Swami Lakshmananda at Jalsapeta village in Kandhamal district on Sunday, where he and four others were killed by a group of 30 heavily armed men.

Patnaik said the Central Government has assured more forces to quell communal clashes.

"I spoke to the Union Home Minister and asked him to send ten companies of force. I have been informed that the situation in Jeypore of Koraput district is now under control. Forces have been sent there and more forces will be sent to Jeypore town," he said.

Bhubaneswar, Sep 1 : Orissa is limping back to normalcy as all academic institutions are opened on Monday in the Phulbani sub-division of the state’s communally sensitive Kandhamal District.

In the Baliguda sub-division, schools and colleges are expected to start after two to three days.

According to official sources, the deployment of eleven companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), three companies of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and 26 platoons of the State Armed Police would continue to infuse confidence among the public. Two helicopters are also being sent by the Centre to assist in force mobilisation and relief operations.

New Delhi, Sep 1 : Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today assured a delegation led by former Kerala Chief Minister Oomen Chandy that the Central government has taken very serious notice of the happenings in Orissa.

Dr. Singh said that he has personally spoken to the Orissa’s Chief Minister Navin Patnaik to ensure communal harmony and bring to book the culprits behind the violent incidents.

The Prime Minister mentioned that the Orissa Chief Minister has assured firm action in the matter.

Bhubaneswar, Sep 1 : The Orissa Government today said that over 558 houses and 17 places of worship have been burnt in communal riots following the murder of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati''s on August 23.

The government further claimed that the situation in Kandhamal and elsewhere in Orissa was under control.

After a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Chief Secretary Ajit Kumar Tripathy said, “While 543 houses were burnt in the worst hit Kandhamal district,
15 houses had been set ablaze in Gajapati district.”

New Delhi, Sept 2 : The Archbishop of Cuttack today filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe into violence against the Christians in Orissa.

The petition also sought the involvement of the National Human Rights Commissions (NHRC) to conduct a probe and find out as to which organisation was behind the Kandhamal violence.

Senior Advocate Collin Gonsalves informed about the filing of the petition to a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, which agreed to hear the matter later in the day.

New Delhi, Sep 2 : Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil will be visiting Orissa on Wednesday for an on the spot assessment of the situation in the violence-hit areas of the State.

He will also discuss the situation with the representatives of the State government in Bhubaneswar. Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal also visited the State recently.

The Union Home Secretary and other senior officers of the Home Ministry have been in close touch with the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and other senior officers of the State.

Bhubaneswar, Sep 2 : Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday termed the communal riots following the killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, as an unfortunate incident.

Stating that the people of the state had a long record of being peaceful, secular and tolerant to all faiths, Patnaik told reporters the riots were “an unfortunate occurrence during the eight-and-a-half years of my government.”

Bhubaneswar, Sep 3: Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil will arrive in Orissa today for an on the spot assessment of the situation in the violence-hit areas of the State.

During his visit, Patil will discuss the situation with the representatives of the State government in Bhubaneswar. Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal also visited the State recently.

The Union Home Secretary and other senior officers of the Home Ministry have been in close touch with the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and other senior officers of the State.

Bhubaneshwar, Sep 3 : Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil today reviewed the situation in Kandhamal at a meeting held at Raj Bhavan in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, senior officials and leaders of political parties.

Patil also toured some of the worst-affected areas and relief centres in Kandhamal, official sources said.

Under attack for prohibiting outsiders from visiting Kandhamal, the state government on Wednesday lifted restrictions on entry into the district. Senior BJP leaders are likely to visit Kandhamal on Thursday.

New Delhi, Sept 3 : Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Wednesday said that he fully understood the anguish expressed by many people over the violent incidents in Orissa and said the Centre is monitoring the situation in the State.

The Prime Minister was replying to a letter from Sister Nirmala of the Missionaries of Charity. He said it has been emphasised to the state authorities that every step must be taken to restore normalcy.

Bhubaneswar, Sept 4 : Orissa is slowly returning to normalcy as banks, shops, business establishments, schools and other offices are opened on Thursday following the lifting of day curfew in Jeypur town of Koraput District.

The day curfew has been lifted after four days as situation has improved. The vehicular traffic from the district headquarters of Koraput and Jeypur has resumed.

According to official sources, no fresh violence or untoward incident has been reported from anywhere in the district for the last three days.

Bhubaneswar, Sept 4 : Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Praveen Togadia’s proposed yatra carrying the ashes of slain Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati throught Orissa will not be allowed assured the State’s Government told the Supreme Court on Thursday.

A bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, directed the state government to ensure that no untoward incident takes place in riot-hit Kandhamal District.

The Orissa government said prohibitory orders under section-144 have been clamped in the area.

Mumbai/Patna, Sep 8 : Christians took out a rally in Mumbai on Sunday to protest against the recent violence in Orissa''s Kandhamal District.

Eminent social activists Teesta Setelvad and Swami Agnivesh joined the rally, expressing concern on the attacks against the minority community.

Chandipur (Orissa), Sept 13: India on Saturday successfully test fired the ''Astra'', which is an active radar homing Beyond Visual Range Air-To-Air Missile (BVRAAM), from the integrated test range (ITR) at Chandipur in Orissa.

The ''Astra'' missile was test-fired from a launcher in the launch pad number 2 of the ITR complex at about 12:05 p. m., defence sources said.

Chandipur (Orissa), Sept 13 : ''Astra'', the indigenously air-to-air anti-aircraft missile was successfully test fired for the second consecutive day on Sunday from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur in Orissa.

The Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile, capable of ducking radar eyes and attacking enemy targets up to 110 km, was test fired from launch pad number two of the ITR complex at about 11.47 a. m., according to reports.

Bhubaneswar, Sept 16 : Fresh violence erupted on Tuesday in Orissa as an armed mob gunned down a police constable and torched a police station at Gochapada in the communally sensitive Kandhamal District.

Armed with country-made guns and crude weapons, a group of about 500 shot dead a constable and set ablaze the police station early this morning, police sources said.

New Delhi, Sept. 16 : The National Human Rights Commission will be sending an investigation team to the violence affected areas of Orissa to make an inquiry on the spot to ascertain the factual position.

The Commission’s move comes on a petition submitted to it by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, seeking protection from violence at the hands of the fundamentalists.

The petition said that the attacks on Christians started with the murder of VHP leader Lakshmanananda Saraswati on August 23, 2008 in Kandhamal District.

Surendranagar (Gujarat) /Sambhalpur (Orissa), Sept 18 : With no appreciable improvement in weather, flash floods caused due to incessant heavy rains continue to stall life in various parts of India.

People in Surendranagar District in Gujarat are grappling with the flood situation as many areas are under knee-deep water.

The region has received heavy rainfall in last 24 hours and many places have turned into virtual islands making movement difficult in the region.

Bhubaneswar, Sept 19 : The death toll in the current rain and flood has gone up to twelve in Orissa.

Three children were washed away in Tel river in Subarnapur district.

According to the state Disaster Management department, the water level in Mahanadi river system is steadily rising though rainfall has stopped in upper and lower catchments.

Evacuation operation has been launched on a big scale to shift the residents of low-lying areas to safer places.

As many as 26 gates of the Hirakud dam on Mahanadi have been opened for quick discharge of water as the level in the reservoir reached its full capacity of 630 feet, official sources said.

Bhubaneswar, Sept 20: In Orissa, thousands of people were affected by severe floods as seven breaches occured along the Mahanadi embankments which swept away many villages.

Over 15 lakh people have been hit by the current floods in Mahanadi river system. More than 500 villages remained marooned in Nayagad, Cuttack, Kendrapada and Jagatsinghpur District for the last three days.

New Delhi - Thousands of people were evacuated from low-lying areas of Orissa state's coastal districts Saturday as the Mahanadi river breached its embankments after days of incessant rain, officials and news reports said.

The floodwaters submerged hundreds of villages and claimed seven lives, an official of the flood-control room in the state capital Bhubaneshwar said.

"We have received reports that more than 26,000 people have been evacuated in the coastal district of Kendrapada alone as floodwaters have breached embankments in several places," S Das said.

New Delhi - At least 21.8 million people have been affected by floods brought on by incessant rains in 16 states across India during the current monsoon season, a federal government release said Sunday.

A total of 2,229 people have died in rain-related incidents, the federal Disaster Management Department release said. Officials said most of the deaths were cases of drowning or caused by landslides, house collapses and water-borne diseases.

Bhubaneswar, Sept 21 : Relief work has been speeded up in Orissa, which is facing floods by one of India''s largest rivers killing 16 people and forcing evacuation of some 200,000 at the weekend.

Large parts of the coastal Orissa were inundated after authorities were forced to open dozens of sluice gates of a dam on the Mahanadi River following heavy rain in the catchment’s area.

Flood victims said though they have been saved from drowning, but all their belongings and wealth were destroyed.

Pipli (Orissa), Sept 22: Around 16 villages in Pipli district of Orissa continued to grapple with floods which have wreaked havoc in the state for the past few days.

Villages have been inundated and people could be seen wading through knee deep water, while many moved away with their belongings to safer places.

"We are living in deplorable conditions. We have not had anything to eat for past three days. We are waiting for some aid from the government but it is not paying any attention to our plight," said Chittanarayan, a local.

Bhubaneswar, Sept 22 : Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday undertook an aerial survey of the flood affected regions of his state to assess the impact of the calamity that has claimed at least 17 lives.

Patnaik did an aerial survey of Cuttack, Nayagarh, Sonepur and Boudh districts of the state.

Speaking to reporters after landing here, he said: “Free kitchen services have been started in the region and clean water is also being made available in the region. Air droppings have been initiated in Cuttack, Kendrapad and Jagatsingh Pur Districts.”

New Delhi, Sept 22 : Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil will be visiting Orissa on Tuesday to take stock of the situation in the flood-hit areas of the State.

He will hold a meeting with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to discuss the flood situation.

The Union Home Minister will undertake an aerial survey of the flood-hit districts including Puri, Cuttak, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Jajpur.

He will be accompanied by the Minister of State for Rural Development, Chandra Sekhar Sahu, the Secretary (Border Management) and other senior officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs. (ANI)

Bhubaneswar, Sept 23: Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil will arrive in Orissa today to take stock of the situation in the flood-hit areas of the state.

During his visit, he will hold a meeting with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to discuss the flood situation.

The Union Home Minister will undertake an aerial survey of the flood-hit districts including Puri, Cuttak, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Jajpur.

Due to the fear of serious flood, hundreds of families have started for the highway in Kendrapara.

Due to the heavy floods in new areas in the coastal district, people had to move away from homes. The water breaches in the river embankments have increased with a shocking speed.

Local people reported, “The water around our village has been rising too fast and that's why we decided to get out.”

New Delhi, Sept 23 : Five comprehensive diving teams with all technical support elements from the Eastern Naval Command have been pressed into action for rescue and relief operations in the flood affected areas along the Mahanadi River in Orissa.

The diving teams along with inflatable rubberized boats with out board motors, rescue equipment and medical supplies left for Bhubaneswar on Monday.

They will join two teams of INS Chilka which is already deployed in the affected areas, in assisting the special relief commissioner.

Boudh (Orissa), Sept 23 : Flood situation in Orissa remained grim on Tuesday following heavy rains in the catchment area of Mahanadi River.

Large parts of the state were inundated after authorities were forced to open dozens of sluice gates of the Hirakud dam on the Mahanadi River.

The Mahanadi breached its banks at several places and floodwaters had swept away highways in some areas.

In Boudh District of Orissa, many villages like Kutasingha, Panimora, Kaleswar, Kumari, Bankapudi remained marooned today.

New Delhi, Sept 23 : Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil undertook an aerial survey of flood affected areas of Orissa to day.

Union minister Chandra Shekhar, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Leader of Opposition J B Patnaik, state Congress president Jaydev Jena and senior Home ministry officials accompanied Patil.

Patil also held a closed-door meeting with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and discussed the latest flood situation.

Pipli (Orissa)/Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh), Sept 24 : Flood-situation in Orissa remained grim with hundreds of thousands of people still stranded in villages with no food and water.

Despite falling water level in rivers including the Mahanadi, surging waters from over 100 breaches continued to submerge fresh areas in coastal areas of the State.

Inundation of more areas in Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Cuttack districts worsened the plight of the marooned villagers in Mahanadi delta region with relief teams still finding it tough to reach many inaccessible pockets.

Around 16 villages in Pipli District of the State continued to grapple with floods, which have wreaked havoc in the state for the past few days.

Kandhamal (Orissa), Sept 25 : Curfew was clamped in nine sensitive areas of Orissa''s Kandhamal district today in the wake of fresh violence in the region.

Nearly 100 houses and a couple of churches and prayer houses were either set afire or damaged in about half-a-dozen places under Daringibadi, G Udaygiri and Tikabali police stations around dawn break.

At least 42 companies of security forces including CRPF and Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been deployed since violence broke out after the recent killing of VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati.

Though additional forces were rushed to several sensitive areas to control the situation, movement of security personnel was badly affected due to obstructions on roads placed by miscreants.

Bhubaneswar, Sept 25 : In the wake of 43 new breaches on embankments in Mahanadi delta region in Orissa, flood situation worsened on Thursday with more areas submerged in floodwaters.

The Flood Control Cell in Bhubaneswar said: "Fresh areas are inundated as the number of breaches in Mahanadi system, which stood at 100 till yesterday, rose to 143 today."

New Delhi, Sept 25 : Keeping in view the continuing incidents of violence against the members of a minority community in Kandhamal District of Orissa, the Central Government has asked the Orissa Government to take effective, focused and firm measures to stop the violence and restore peace and normalcy in the State.

In a communication sent by the Union Home Secretary, Madhukar Gupta today, the Centre has asked the State Government to take measures including identification and apprehension of the elements who continue to stoke communal violence and hatred and indulge in disruptive activities.

Bhubaneswar/New Delhi, Sept 26 : Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has demanded more forces from the Central Government to control the situation in Kandhamal district.

"The administration is controlling the situation in Kandhamal district. Every effort is being made for law and order to be maintained. The Central Government has been asked for ten more companies of force in that area," said Patnaik here on Thursday after he reviewed the situation with officials.

Bhubhaneswar, Sept 26 : The Centre on Friday rushed more para-military forces to riot-hit Kandhamal District of Orissa, where curfew was clamped in nine sensitive areas in the wake of fresh violence on Thursday.

Following a request from State Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, about 700 para-military force personnel were deployed in troubled areas of the district to strengthen security and prevent further flare up.

Washington, Sept. 26 : About 100 people, holding placards staged a protest in front of the White House on Thursday to get the attention of visiting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue of attacks on Christians in India.

Indians and Americans clustered under a forest of umbrellas, several of those standing in Lafayette Park waved signs such as "Stop the Gang Rape of Nuns" and "Shame on India."

New Delhi, Sept 26 : The National Human Rights Commission has sent its investigation team to look into the issue of the alleged attacks on the Christians in Kandhamal District of Orissa.

The fact finding team is headed by a Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP). The action was taken on the petition filed by Catholic Bishop Conference of India on September 16 seeking protection from violence at the hands of fundamentalists.

The Commission also issued a notice to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police of Orissa on the same day to submit a report within two weeks on the issue.

Kandhamal, Sept 27: The day curfew was relaxed today in Raikia town of Kandhamal district of Orissa with the improvement in the situation.

The State Government has decided to deploy armed police in every ten kilometer stretch of major roads to stop road blockades, in the district.

State Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will review the law and order situation in the district headquarter town Phulbani later today.

New Delhi  - At least eight people, including six children, were killed in an explosion in a village in eastern India as people were making firecrackers ahead of a festival, news reports said Monday.

Two villagers were injured in Sunday's explosion in Balasore district, 230 kilometres north of Orissa's state capital, Bhubaneshwar, the PTI news agency reported.

The blast occurred when people were illegally making firecrackers in a house and some of them caught fire, police told The Statesman daily.

Raikia/Bhubaneshwar, Sept 29 : A dead body was found floating in a river near Raikia region of Orissa on Monday, just two days after communal clashes in riot hit Kandhamal District of the State.

According to reports, the body is allegedly of a Christian man who had gone missing after the communal clashes, which broke out on Friday.

Though no fresh incidents of violence have been reported from the Kandhamal, situation continues to be tense and security forces have been deployed to restore peace in the area.

Kandhamal (Orissa), Sept 30: At least three people were killed and several were injured when the police opened fire to disperse the violent mob in Orissa’s Kandhmal District today.

Police opened fire when a 500-strong mob of women attacked the Raikia police station demanding release of two tribals arrested in connection with communal riots.

According to sources, the local tribals have blocked all roads to Raikia by placing logs of trees and boulders to prevent entry of additional police forces.

On Monday, a dead body was found floating in a river near Raikia region of Orissa.

New Delhi  - A woman was killed and more than a dozen people injured in renewed violence Tuesday in India's eastern state of Orissa, where clashes between Hindus and Christians have claimed 30 lives in the past month, news reports said.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, during a visit to France, condemned the violence and instructed the Orissa government to maintain law and order.

Local news outlets reported that mobs set fire to more than 100 Christian homes and a church in three different places in the central district of Kandhamal.

New Delhi  - Hindu rioters defied a curfew and torched Christian homes and a church in renewed violence against the community in India's eastern state of Orissa even as the police arrested 40 people on charges of arson, news reports said Thursday.

At least 30 houses and a church were set afire in a village near Phulbani, the main city of the central Kandhamal district on Wednesday, the NDTV network reported.

In an attempt to clamp down on the rioting, authorities had issued a curfew in the region over 300 kilometres west of state capital Bhubaneshwar after a Christian woman was killed and 12 people injured in Hindu-Christian clashes on Tuesday.

Milan (Italy), Oct 2 : The recent attacks on Christians in Orissa and Karnataka are tarnishing the secular image of India in Europe. Christians are questioning the effectiveness of the law and order machinery in the country.

Christians in Italy want to seek Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s intervention to ensure safety of their co-religionists and churches in India against activities of hoodlums.

Members of the Christian community in Italy were developing a dislike for Hindus and Sikhs residing in the European countries.

With the unceasing violence taking place in Orissa and Karanataka, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes have resolved to take up the issue before the Cabinet meeting which is scheduled to take place on Friday.

The matter needs to be reviewed and some concrete measures have to be taken before it gets worse. With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh citing the attacks on Christians in the States of Orissa and Karanataka as “acts of national shame” and the issue being aggravated, reaching a solution will be given a priority at the Meeting.

New Delhi - Authorities in the eastern Indian state of Orissa launched a drive Saturday to seize guns in Khandamal district, which has been wracked by violence against minority Christians, news reports said.

A total of 144 persons surrendered their firearms, while 361 others who had licensed guns ignored the order, Khandamal district police chief Praveen Kumar was quoted as saying by PTI news agency. He said these guns as well as illegal ones would be seized.

At least 103 person have been arrested for instigating violence in the district.

New Delhi, Oct 4 : Home Minister Shivraj Patil today said that the Centre is unhappy with Orissa Government''s lack of action and there is growing demand on Presidents’ rule in the State.

While reacting to the ongoing violence in the State, in a private TV channel, Patil said that six warnings have already been sent to the Orissa Government.

Patil said the Orissa Government''s inaction is a breach of the Constitution and there is a growing demand for President''s rule in the state.

Bhubaneswar, Oct 4 : Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday in a letter to Tata Motors Chairman Ratan Tata formally invited him to set up the “Nano” small car manufacturing unit in the state.

Patnaik asked Tata to utilise the company''s unused land at Gopalpur in Ganjam District and avail all facilities provided to investors under the Industrial Policy Resolution-2007.

Bhubaneshwar, Oct 7 : Superior-General of the Missionaries of Charity Sister Nirmala on Tuesday exhorted the Orissa government to continue with strong steps to restore peace in areas affected by violence against Christians.

Sister Nirmala called on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneshwar today to apprise him of sentiment of the Missionaries of Charity about recent violence against the Christian community in Kandhamal District.

New Delhi, Oct 8 : The Union Cabinet will meet here today to discuss the recent spate of attacks on Christians in Orissa and Karnataka.

The Cabinet is expected to mull over the "growing demand" for the dismissal of the BJD-BJP Government in Orissa in the wake of communal violence in Kandamal district.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had recently sought a report on attacks on Christians in Orissa, Karnataka and other states from the Home Ministry.

In an interview to a TV channel from a deserted forest, the leader of the banned outfit Vamsadhara Dalam, Sabyasachi Panda claimed responsibility for the death of VHP Leader Laxmananand .The leader spoke with his back to the camera and face covered with a towel and said "Hindu organizations such as VHP are targeting minorities, particularly Christians, attacking them and burning their homes. They are playing riot politics. Our organization is giving all support including arms and man power to the minority Christian members at some places in Kandhamal district to put up resistance against attack on them by Hindu Fundamentalist".

New Delhi, Oct. 8 : The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has decided to inquire into the recent attacks on Christians in various parts of the country.

A full-fledged team of the Commission chaired by NCSC Chairman Buta Singh will visit Orissa on October 17 and 18 to inquire into the whole episode.

The team will visit the worst affected Kandhamal District and adjoining areas to assess the situation. NCSC members will also hold meetings with the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and the police chief of the state.

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 8 : Orissa Police on Wednesday confirmed that they had arrested the prime accused in the alleged rape of a young nun during the anti-Christian attacks in Kandhamal District.

Somanath Pradhan of Rajaghar village, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Baliguda police station in Kandhamal district, was arrested yesterday. State police officials said that so far five persons have been nabbed.

New Delhi, Oct 11 : Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today criticised a reported move by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government to consider imposing President''s rule in his state.

Referring to a demand by opposition parties for dismissal of his government, the 62-year-old Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader said, "It is totally unjustified and politically motivated."

"My government is doing its best to bring the situation under control," he added.

New Delhi, Oct. 13 : India, the world’s most populous democracy and officially a secular nation, is today haunted by a stark assault on one of its fundamental freedoms.

In Orissa, which has been riven by six weeks of religious clashes, Christian families like the Digals say they are being forced to abandon their faith in exchange for their safety.

A New York Times report says that these forced conversions come amid widening attacks on Christians here and in at least five other states across the country, as India prepares for national elections next spring.

New Delhi, Oct 13 : Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said that the recent incidents of violence in the State were a manifestation of the "conflict of interest" between Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, at the National Integration Council (NIC) meeting here on Monday.

While referring to two incidents of communal violence in Kandhamal, Patnaik said there were clashes between members of SC and ST communities in the past due to conflict of interest in matters of land rights, employment opportunities and religion.

At last the Orissa govt. has decided to act for the major cause of tribals.

The non-tribals holding tribal lands in the scheduled areas of the state will be evicted. The state revenue and disaster management department has issued instructions in this regard to the district collectors and sub-collectors in the scheduled areas. The districts, where the problem of grabbing of tribal land by non-tribals is rampant, include Kandhamal, Koraput, Malkangiri, Raygada, Gajapati, Nawarangapur, Sundergarh, Mayurbhanja, Keonjhar.

Besides, some areas in the Balasore (Nilagiri) and Sambalpur district (Kuchinda) are also included in the scheduled areas.

Netaji Subhash Birthplace National Museum in Cuttack would have an exclusive gallery to display Indian National Army (INA) memoirs including photos, portraits and regalia of INA soldiers.

The gallery is expected to be completed and opened to public on the 112th birth anniversary of Netaji on January 23, 2009.

'We are going to add three new galleries to the existing eight of the double-storied museum this year which would be inaugurated on the birth anniversary of the legendary leader. Of these, one gallery would be exclusively dedicated to INA memorabilia,said an official.

Killing of Swami Laxmananda Saraswati has taken a new turn as the crime branch desribed it as a pre-planned murder. The investigating agency claimed that a group of Maoists were hired to execute the crime and there was a master mind behind the murder. But it didn't reveal anything about the master mind saying he had been identified.

The plan to eliminate Saraswati was made immediately after the December 2007, communal violence in Kandhamal. Laxamananda Saraswati's killing sparked a wave of communal violence in Kandhamal district Of Orissa which left more than 40 persons dead and thousand of houses damaged. .

Police prevented the entry of a a group of senior Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal leaders from visiting Kandhamal on Friday 17th of October. The VHP's all India joint general secretary Shyamji Gupta, state secretary Gauri Prasad Rath and Bajrang Dal national convenor Subash Chouhan were among those prevented from visiting Kandhamal, police said. Later they were driven out of the district.

The Supreme Court has granted time to the Orissa government to file a counter-affidavit to the petition seeking a CBI investigation into the alleged rape of a nun in Kandhamal. The Orissa Government submitted before the Supreme Court that the petitioner, who is seeking a CBI investigation in the Kandhamal nun rape case, should be directed to place on record some reliable and concrete evidence to substantiate his allegations.

Bhubaneswar, Oct 18 : The judicial investigation into the Kandhamal violence in Orissa has begun.

A one-man Commission headed by a retired judge of Orissa High Court, Sarat Chandra Mohapatra, is probing the incident.

Justice Mohapatra has held initial discussions with district officials and senior police officers in Phulbani before proceeding to the Jaleshapata Ashram, where Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his aides were found dead on August 23.

Orissa's annual flagship industrial exhibition 'Enterprise Orissa' 2008 was inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday.

Mr Patnaik emphasised on mega-industries pro-actively playing the role of mother industries and encouraging ancillary and downstream development activities.

"While traditional steel, aluminium and power sectors continue to grow rapidly, we are happy to see a more diversified and broad based industrial portfolio in the state today," he said while referring to agro-processing, advanced manufacturing, ship building and IT.

Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan has softened his stand on Orissa violence. Now he has decided to demand for CBI enquiry rather than article 356. He would lead a delegation of eminent persons from all minority communities to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh soon to demand a CBI probe into the recent incidents in Orissa.

The minister met a delegation of prominent Christian leaders and described the violence against the community members as naked dance of communalism.

After withdrawing curfew from riot-hit Kandhamal, the district administration has now focused on the safety of refugees.  Refugees sheltering in relief camps will be given full security if they return to their homes, assured the police on Saturday.  

The DG of Orissa police Manmohan Praharaj, who is in Kandhamal to review the situation has asked the refugees not to worry. The refugees were afraid of returning to their villages fearing violence.

Steps are being taken to ensure return of people who fled the district and even left the state in search of livelihood, the DGP told.  

One more person was arrested in connection with the alleged rape of a nun in Orissa's riot-hit Kandhamal district on Saturday.

The accused Gajendra Digal was arrested last night from the locality of K Nuagaon area where the nun was allegedly raped.

The 29-year-old catholic nun was allegedly raped during Orissa bandh on August 25.

With this arrest, the total number of arrested persons rose to nine. Out of them, Crime Branch had arrested five persons in Kandhamal district, three others were nabbed in Kerala, but the nun remains untraced.

Director General of Police Manmohan Praharaj had claimed that the main accused was among the arrested persons, though none of them have so far confessed the crime.

Orissa has become the top most state in terms of communal violence in India. Orissa has registered 158 cases of communal violence, the highest among all states in the country, according to the Centre. This is the figure for the year 2008.

The number of such cases registered in the first nine months of the year were more than all such incidents reported in the state from 2000 to 2007.

Hundreds of Congress activists Sunday took out a massive rally in BJP strong hold Baliguda town in Orissa's Kandhamal district.  

Congress workers marched through the main roads of the town spreading the message of communal harmony among the people.

The Orissa Government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to set up Rs 2000 crore integrated titanium complex and sector specific special economic zone (SEZ) at Chhatrapur in Ganjam district.

The MoU was signed between the state government and Titanium Products Private Limited (TPPL), a joint venture between the government of Russian Federation and Saraf Group.

SM Shroff, chairman of TPPL and the state industry secretary, A P Padhi signed the documents in the presence of Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik in the state secretariat.

The company will invest about Rs 2000 crore in two phases. While the first phase will cost about Rs 1200 crore, another Rs 800 crore will be invested in the second phase.

Violence has again returned to strife-torn Kandhamal district. A tribal was shot at and two houses torched in G Udaygiri block of Kandhamal late on Saturday evening.

Sources said that a group of unidentified people shot Manoj Pradhan (33), a Hindu, in his leg outside his residence. "The attackers fired five rounds at Pradhan but only one bullet hit him. He was rushed to a local hospital and later shifted to district hospital, Phulbani. The attackers couldn't be identified. But the possible role of Christian group of Maoists is being probed.

The state level Single Window Committee of Orissa Government has cleared 13 industrial projects involving a total investment of Rs 27,193 crore. It includes three power projects, one steel, two cement, five iron ore beneficiation and pelletisation, on photo cell and one brewery project.

The panel cleared six of the 13 projects that involve an investment of less than Rs 1000 crore. The rest, which involve investments of more than Rs 1000 crore each, have been recommended to the High-Level Clearance Committee (HLCC) headed by chief minister Naveen Patnaik. Chief Secretary of the State heads the State level Single Window committee.

Rushikulya Gramya Bank (RGB), a premier Regional Rural Bank (RRB) of Orissa operating in Ganjam and Gajapati districts, has joined hands with Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance, India’s leading private life insurance company to provide life insurance solutions through its branches.

Under the arrangement, Rushikulya Gramya Bank will offer insurance products through its distribution network of over 79 branches, spread over in two districts.

It's good news for people of Orissa. The state government will now force companies investing in the state to provide at least 90% of the jobs in their projects to the locals.

New Delhi, Oct 22 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to hand over to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the alleged rape of a nun in Orissa''s Kandhamal District by some Bajrang Dal activists.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan said that at this stage we do not think that handing over the investigation into the case from the state police to the CBI is in the interest of the victim and in the interest of justice. We think that the victim will cooperate with the state police.

The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, rejected a plea for CBI probe into the rape of a nun in Kandhamal district of Orissa. At the same time the Court has asked the Nun to co-operate in Crime Branch enquiry.

A three judge bench headed by Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan also asked the Orissa government to take generous view in re- building churches in the riot-hit Kandhamal.

The bench, consisting of Justice P. Sathasivam and Justice J.M. Panchal, rejected the plea for a CBI probe of Cuttack Archbishop Raphel Cheenath saying that the state police have already arrested nine accused.  

The riot-hit Kandhamal district of Orissa is slowly returning to normalcy. District authorities have lifted the prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPc from entire district from today. But the night curfew in five worst affected police stations will continue. 

District collector of Kandhamal Dr. Krishan Kumar said, "The night curfew would be lifted at any time from these areas while reviewing the law and order situation. There is no news of any untoward incidents in last fortnight."

17 Bangladeshi fishermen were arrested near Orissa coast for illegally fishing in the Bay of Bengal.

They were arrested near Paradip Port of Orissa according to police. "They were fishing illegally in Indian waters some 35 nautical miles from the port. The coast guards caught them and handed over to police. "said a police officer of Paradip area.

This has become a regular problem in Orissa coast in which Bangla fishermen crossing international boundaries are forcibly fishing in Orissa coast. Even they have started to live in that area permanently. Population of these migrants could touch a figure of 30 thousand in Erasama and Rajanagar block of Jajgatsinghpur and Kendrapara district respectively.

Rejecting the plea of father, The Apex court of the country had advised the Nun to cooperate in CB probe. 

Meanwhile the State Govt. expressed its willingness to conduct test identification (TI) parade at any place on the choice of the Nun.

The nun who was raped by a rampaging mob in Kandhamal district of Orissa on August 25 finally broke her silence. On Friday she accused the Orissa police of completely failing to protect her and demanded that the case be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation. 

Her face covered, Sister Meena Lalita Barwa made a statement at a press conference under the auspices of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India. 

Bharat Biotech International Limited, one of the fastest growing biotechnology companies in India, has been selected by the Orissa government to develop the state's first public-private-partnership Biotech Pharma IT park at Andharua near Bhubaneswar.

The Orissa government has allocated 54.86 acres to Bharat Biotech, which will be handed over in two phases towards the development of the integrated industrial park to attract and promote pharmaceutical, biotechnology and IT industries in the state.

The Orissa government has ordered for Crime Branch enquiry to the death of Father Bernard Digal. Father Diggal was allegedly attacked in Kandhamal and died in Chennai in Last Tuesday.

A criminal case in this regard had been registered in a Police Station at state Capital Bhubaneswar. Father Joseph Kalathil, the vicar-general of the archbishop's house in Bhubaneswar has lodged the complaint, said police DG M.M Praharaj. Father Digal will be creamated today near St.Vincent Church. A post-mortem was conducted at the Capital Hospital here after the deceased's body was flown from Chennai via Mumbai.

Bhubaneshwar Oct 31 : Orissa government today suspended five policemen in the nun rape case in Kandhamal district.

Talking to reporters Home Secretary T K Mishra said that five policemen have been placed under suspension for misconduct and negligence of duty in connection with the nun rape case.

The action was taken on the basis of a joint report filed by Kandhamal district collector Krishna Kumar and Superintendent of Police Prabin Kumar.

According to official sources, the policemen who were suspended are assistant sub-inspector Rasananda Mallick, Havildar major K N Mohapatra and Havildars S K Hamim, J S Khan and B K Mohanty, official sources said.

Orissa Government has suspended five policemen, including an ASI in the controversial Nun rape case in Kandhamal for dereliction of duty.

Earlier the catholic Nun, in her statement, had accused these policemen of behaving "friendly" with the attackers. She said that these policemen had refused to help her despite her request.

Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Pattanaik, embarrassed over the incident, directed top police officers to identify the guilty officers, who were deployed at K.Nuagaon, when the incident occurred.

The Nun was allegedly raped on September 25, during Orissa bandh at K.Nuagaon in riot-hit Kandhamal district.

Angry over the dismissal of three of their colleagues, who had allegedly cut off the palms of five tribals' nearly 2500 Government doctors in Orissa resigned en masse to protest the Government decision.

"The doctors have sent the mass resignation letters to the state health secretary, Anu Garg," Madhusudan Mishra, president of the Orissa Medical Service Association (OMSA), told.

OMSA has total of 3000 members. Remaining doctors would tender their resignation in a day or two he said.

The controversy of cutting palms erupted while these three doctors were performing autopsies on five tribals killed in police firing in kalinganagar industrial hub in Jajpur district, 120 Kms from Bhubaneswar.

The South Korean steel giant, Posco is committed to complete Posco's Orissa project, despite global financial crisis. The director of Posco-India project, Mr Sung said that the global slowdown would not affect the project and company would go for Rs 51,000 crore projects in Orissa. He also reviewed the work of the project during a meeting called by the chief secretary Mr Ajit Tripathy.

Violence returned to Kandhamal district of Orissa, after a month with the killing of a Hindu leader by unknown gun men.

Dhanurjay Pradhani of village Kumbharigaon under Brahmanigaon police limits was shot dead by three un-identified armed extremists at a construction site near the village school on Wednesday afternoon.

Pradhani was an activist of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and said to be influential in the locality.

'We suspect Maoist hand in the killing,' Arun Sarangi, deputy inspector general of police, told.

But the locals have blamed Christians for the murder.

SP Praveen Kumar with one company of CRPF personnel has rushed to the spot.

The Catholic nun, raped during Kandhamal communal violence, has finally agreed to co-operate Orissa police for test identification parade.

But she has demanded for a change in the venue for parade.

"She is under treatment and therefore cannot travel such a long distance," Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Archbishop Raphael Cheenath said on Wednesday.

"She had undergone a traumatic experience at Kandhamal, therefore she would not like to go there again to identify the culprits," added Chennath.

The catholic nun was allegedly raped during Orissa Bandh on 25 August at Knuagaon.

The Union Government has decided to send a Ministerial committee (GoM) to riot-hit Kandhamal of Orissa to take stock of the situation within a fort night.

Central Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar will head the team. Other members of the team are Social Justice Minister Meira Kumar, Tribal Affairs Minister P R Kyndiah and Transport Minister T R Baalu.

The team, during its visit, would inspect the relief camps and would also discuss the situation with the state Government.

According to sources, the Ministerial team is likely to apprise the Centre of its observation before the beginning of Parliament session. The session is scheduled to begin on 10 December.

Orissa police have registered a case against a judge for allegedly misbehaving with a woman in a train, an official said Friday.

Jhum Mohanty a resident of Damanjodi o Koraput district had filed the complaint.

According to police sources, while she was traveling to Bhubaneswar by Hirakhanda Express Santanu Rajguru, Chief Judicial Magistrate of Nabarangpur allegedly misbehaved with her.

"We have registered a case against Rajguru under sections 509 (making insulting gestures) and 323 (causing hurt with full knowledge and intention) of the Indian Penal Code," a police officer in the Bhubaneswar Railway station said.

The killing of RSS worker Dhanu Pradhan by un-identified extremists had triggered tension in the riot-hit Kandhamal district once again.

A mob of 2000 tribals gheraoed the Brahmanigaon police station and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.

All shops and business establishments at Brahmanigaon  and villages near it remained closed.

Meanwhile the district administration has enforced prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPc in the local area as a pre-cautionary measure.

"We don't rule out escalation of violence in view of the murder," Director General of Police Manmohan Praharaj said.

The Health Department of the State government has accepted the resignation of seven doctors including that of Madhusudan Mishra, president of Odisha Medical Services Association (OMSA), the organization heading the agitation in the state from the last few days.

In order to make the government concede to their various demands, nearly 2000 doctors across the state had submitted their resignation papers a few days ago.

The government on the other hand has termed the doctors resignation as illegal.

Taking a tough stand against agitating government doctors, Orissa government on Friday imposed Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against them.

The govt. has also accepted resignation of seven of their leaders. The govt. has prohibited strikes in health services with effect from today for a period of six months invoking the provisions of ESMA, 1988.

ESMA will be applicable for all the doctors working in different hospitals across the state.

Bhubaneswar, Nov 8 : The State Government of Orissa has decided to impose Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against the government doctors threatening to go on strike from Sunday.

The state government has declared the proposed strike as "illegal, unjustified and detrimental to public interest".

The doctors have been protesting against the dismissal of three doctors and seeking their reinstatement.

Besides, they are demanding the creation of a cadre structure and security at workplaces. (ANI)

Malkangiri (Orissa), Nov 8 : The Special Operation Group (SOG) personnel of Orissa on Friday nabbed four Maoists, including three women, from Malkangiri district for their alleged involvement in several criminal cases.

The four Maoists were arrested during a raid on a Maoists training camp in Jakalkunda forest area, about 700 kilometers from Bhubaneshwar.

Bhubaneswar (Orissa), Nov. 10 : A team of Christian leaders, including the Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Raphael Cheenath, met Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar on Monday, and reportedly discussed the fallout from the anti-Christian attacks in the state''s Kandhamal District.

Urging Patnaik to take additional measures to restore normalcy in the riot-affected district, the Christian leaders said that they wanted those who have fled to be brought back to their homes.

Baliguda court in Orissa Monday directed the nun, who was allegedly raped in Kandhamal, to appear for test identification parade on 19 November.

“The nun had sought one month’s time through her lawyer from the court citing that the she was ill and could not come,” assistant public prosecutor B. Loknath Dorai said.

“However, the court of Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate Dola Gobinda Barik at Baliguda re-fixed the date to Nov 19 rejecting her plea for one month’s time and directed the nun to attend the legal procedure on scheduled date,” Dorai said.

The Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Archbishop, Raphael Cheenath, has said that he is facing a threat to his life after the killing of Swami Laxmananda Saraswati and violence that followed it.

"I received an anonymous letter from some Hindu youth organisation which threatened to eliminate me," Archbishop Cheenath said.

He met Chief Minister Naveen Pattanaik on Monday. He told that he had informed the CM about this threat.

The letter came to him in Last week of August.

Swami Laxamananda Saraswati's was brutally killed in Kandhamal district on August 23.

World's largest steel maker Arcelor-Mittal will submit its detailed project to Orissa government soon. And also the company would proceed in a phased manner to implement its Orissa project.

Company's Chief Executive Officer (India) Vijay Bhatnagar said that the detailed project report is ready and an expert panel is going to examine it.

"Once the study by the technical experts is over, the DPR will be submitted to the state government," Mr Bhatnagar informed.

Balasore (Orissa), Nov. 12 : India successfully test fired the medium-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile ''Shaurya'' on Wednesday.

The missile has a range of 600 kilometers and can hit targets inside Pakistan and China.

The indigenous missile was launched from an underground facility with an in-built canister at 11.25 am from Complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, DRDO sources said.

The sleek missile has a flight duration of 485 seconds and is capable of carrying conventional warheads with a payload of about a ton. (ANI)

Puri (Orissa), Nov. 14 : Police in Orissa''s coastal city of Puri have arrested an Australian doctor for allegedly assaulting minor boys in an orphanage.

Paul Allen, an Australian volunteer working in an orphanage run by France''s Mary Ellen Berger, was accused of abusing orphans aged between 13-17 years.

Allen was picked up from Vishakapatam, Andhra Pradesh, where he had gone absconding since November 5, the day Mary Ellen had lodged a complaint.

A 65-year-old Australian doctor, working as a volunteer in an orphanage in Puri of Orissa, has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing children.
Allen was working as a volunteer at an orphanage run by the Mary Ellen Gerber Foundation.

The arrest was made after the orphanage's founder, a French national Mary Gerber, lodged a criminal complaint to police.

Allen was picked up from Vishakapatam, Andhra Pradesh, where he had gone absconding since November 5, the day Mary Ellen had lodged a complaint.

“The medical examinations were conducted. He is totally involved in this crime. After the examination, he was produced before the court. Now he is remanded to judicial custody,” said a senior police officer of Orissa.

At least six workers were killed and several others injured Friday in an open pit mine in Orissa’s Jajpur district when a mound of earth collapsed on them.

“A group of workers had gone to a quarry to extract laterite in a mining area located under Sukinda police station. A heap of earth suddenly collapsed on them,” police SP of the district told.

Six bodies have been recovered from the debris as the fire brigade launched a rescue operation with the help of local residents

At least 17 workers were killed and dozens injured when a mound of earth collapsed on them.

The incident happened in Sukinda mining area of Jajpur district while they were extracting laterite from a quarry.

"A group of workers had gone to a quarry to extract laterite in a mining area located under Sukinda police station. A portion of the quarry suddenly collapsed on them," District Superintendent of Police D.S. Kutey said.

The exact number of workers at the open laterite mine in Jajpur district, about 150 km from state capital Bhubaneswar, was not known, Kuttey said.

The district administration fears that there could be two or three more people stuck under the debris.

New Delhi, Nov 15 : Hundreds of people marched in New Delhi on Saturday to protest against a plant being built by South Korean steel maker POSCO in Orissa.

Activists belonging to anti-POSCO groups - POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti - PPSS, POSCO Pratirodh Solidarity and All India students Federation held placards and banners to pursue central government about the drawbacks of the project.

Anti-POSCO project activists have come to New Delhi to raise their voice against the project and also to demand release of at least three anti-POSCO leaders arrested in Orissa last month.

Now it’s a direct challenge to Orissa govt.

Thousands of Hindus have warned that they would observe Orissa bandh on coming Christmas Day if the state government failed to arrest the killers of the VHP leader by December 15.

Despite a heavy downpour on Saturday morning, more than 50 thousands of Hindus from across Orissa gathered in Bhubaneswar for a rally called by Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati Shradhanjali Samiti.

Bhubaneshwar, Nov 20 : A Group of Ministers (GOM) sent from the Centre to Orissa''s Kandhmal District has announced a six-point strategy to strengthen peace, normalcy and communal harmony in the area.

In a review meeting with State Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday, the Central Ministers asked the State Government to protect the lives and properties of minorities in the district.

The three-member group led by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar assured the State Government of the Central Government''s support on confidence building measures for people in Kandhamal.

Pawar said a report would be submitted to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on the visit.

Bhubaneswar, Nov 21 : Unable to withstand the loss and sufferings, hundreds of milkmen in Bhubaneswar on Friday, took to the streets with milk cans on their heads and pour it on the road, in front of the collector''s office.

According to the protestors, the state government headed by Naveen Patnaik, is showing apathy towards the issues relating to the milk producers.

Milkmen, together with their milk cans, gathered in front of the District Magistrate''s office and poured 5,000 litres of milk on the road.

Authorities in Orissa have imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in some parts of the riot-hit Kandhamal district on Monday to prevent a rally planned by tribals.

The Kui Samaja Kalyan Samittee had announced to hold a massive rally at Parampanga village. The rally was planned to protest alleged police atrocities against innocent tribals.

"We have clamped prohibitory orders in Daringbadi area and banned the rally as it may flare up tension in the region," a district police official said.

The SDJM Court of Baliguda in Kandhamal district has postponed the hearing of controversial Nun rape case till Dec 6.

'No petitions were filed before the court today (Monday) either by the crime branch or by the nun. The court posted the date in the case to Dec 6 without making any observation,' Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) B. Loknath Dora said.

The Court had issued a notice the nun last month, directing her to be present at the TIP at Baliguda Nov 10. Subsequently the date was changed to Nov 19 following her petition for more time.

The Orissa government has cleared projects worth Rs 1,27, 727 crore covering areas like Steel Complex, Power Projects, Aluminum Smelter, downstream and ancillary projects.

The high-level clearance authority (HLCA) headed by chief minister Naveen Patnaik gave green signal to 15 high-value projects in one go.

The list includes 3 projects in the steel sector, 2 projects in the aluminium sector, 6 projects in the power sector, one downstream unit, and two beneficiation and pelletisation units.

Bhubaneshwar, Nov 26 : The winter session of Orissa Assembly begins on Wednesday.

The first supplementary statement of expenditure for the year 2008-09 will be presented during the session.

The Orissa Municipal Corporation Amendment bill, Orissa Contingency Fund bill, the Orissa Reservation of Vacancies of Posts and Services Amendment bill and the Orissa Doctors and Health Service workers Protection bill are among eight bills to be introduced during the session.

The Orissa government today gave its nod to the projects worth Rs 1,27, 727 crore for the industrialization of the state. New projects would be started in the field of steel, aluminium, power, downstream and ore beneficiation.

Orissa Finance Minister Prafulla Ghadei on Wednesday presented the supplementary budget of Rs 7587.69 crore for financial year 2008-09 in the Assembly amidst protests from BJP legislators.

The State Government will spend Rs 188.89 crore under plan, Rs 5388.93 crore under state non-plan, Rs 98.78 crore under Central plan and Rs 211.11 crore under centrally sponsored schemes.

'This is the highest supplementary budget since independence,' Ghadei added.

Orissa government has sounded high-alert all over the state to prevent an outbreak of bird flu in the state after the disease hit areas in Assam.

The Govt. has directed all officials to be on alert and take measures to prevent an outbreak.

"The fishery and animal husbandry resource development department has alerted all its officials across the state", director of the department Bishnupada Sethi told.

"No flu has been detected in our state. But still we are taking all precautions," he said.

The 29-year-old Catholic nun, who was allegedly raped in Kandhamal, has filed a petition in the Orissa High Court for shifting the venue of the Test Identification parade of the accused persons from the riot-hit district.

"The TI Parade may be allowed to be held at New Delhi or at any other place in Orissa, preferably Bhubaneswar or Cuttack. Many criminal elements are roaming free in the area and if she goes to Baliguda Court there is reasonable chance of danger to her life," the petition urged.

The Orissa High Court on Friday directed Crime Branch to conduct the identification parade of catholic nun, who allegedly raped during kandhamal violence, at Cuttack.

The single judge bench of Justice B K Patal, which had earlier completed hearing on the nun's petition, did not, however, fix any date for the TIP.

Accordingly the prosecution (crime branch of Orissa police) was directed to make an application before the court of the sub-divisional judicial magistrate at Baliguda in Kandhamal district for further action.

The four jawans of Orissa State Armed Police (OSAP) who were abducted by a group of armed Maoists in Malkangiri on Friday were released on Saturday afternoon. 

The four returned to their camp at Janbai safely at around noon, Malkangiri district Superintendent of Police Satyabrata Bhoi said. 

The jawans were returning from Chitrakonda market to their camp at Janbai under Papermetla police station area, about 80 km from district head quarter, on Friday evening when the Maoists abducted them, Bhoi, said. 

Following the incident, combing operation and patrolling by security forces have been intensified in the entire area, which border Andhra Pradesh, to track down the ultras, police said. 

Bhubaneshwar, Dec. 11 : Orissa's Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, Manmohan Samal , has resigned following disclosures of his involvement in a sex scandal.

Samal tendered his resignation to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The Chief Minister has sent the resignation letter to State Governor M C Bhandare..

Samal however, defended himself, saying that it was a ''''conspiracy'''' to defame him and the party.

''''It is a well-planned conspiracy by the opposition to drag my name into the controversy to tarnish the image of the party and government,'' he said.

Samal's resignation came after the opposition led by the Congress called for his ouster from the State Cabinet.(ANI)

A police man was seriously injured when Maoists exploded a landmine near a police outpost in Orissa's Rayagada district early Thursday.

Maoists set afire a police outpost at the Danga Sorada village, two houses of policemen and an ale house, locally known as Mada Bhati, where country liquor is served.

"When policemen reached the outpost, the booby trap left by the rebels in a leaflet exploded," District Superintendent of Police A.K. Singh told.

The injured jawan was admitted to Christian Medical Hospital at Bisamkataka where his condition was stated to be critical.

The Naxals put up banners and posters near the police outpost and also attacked a liquor godown, police said.

A Congress MLA was suspended from the Orissa Assembly for seven days for allegedly throwing a headphone towards the Speaker on Thursday.

Speaker Kishore Mohanty suspended legislator from Koraput Tara Prasad Bahinipati for seven days when the Government Chief Whip Bikram Keshari Arukh moved a resolution in this regard.

Though the Speaker asked Bahinipati to leave the House, the Congress MLA refused to do the same.

Orissa Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Manmohan Samal resigned on Wednesday evening in the wake of a controversy generated by his alleged involvement in a sex scandal.

Mr. Samal, who has been under pressure from various quarters for the past several days, met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at his residence and handed over his resignation letter.

The CM has accepted his resignation and forwarded it to the Governor, said Govt. soures.

The report presented by the state vigilance directorate has confirmed the presence of flourishing fake medicine racket in Orissa. Report submitted in Orissa High Court yesterday confirmed a thriving racket in the supply of substandard drugs and transfusion fluids for government hospitals.

Report said that the corrupt officials of the state health department, responsible for purchase and storage of drugs valued at several crore, are suspected to be hand in glove with manufacturers.

Report said: “In most cases, spurious drugs circulation is carried out with the knowledge and connivance of officials of the drug controller, Orissa, and local drug inspectors who are on the payroll of unscrupulous dealers.”

Orissa Crime Branch arrested four more persons on Sunday in connection with the killing of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his aides at his ashram at Jaleshpata on Aug 23.

"Four persons were arrested on Sunday. Some more persons were also detained for questioning" state Inspector General of Police (Crime Branch) Arun Kumar Ray said.

The arrests came just a day before the VHP's ultimatum to the Orissa Govt. to arrest the killers of Swamiji.

The saffron organization has threatened to shut down the state if the culprits were not arrested before 15 December 2008.

Police arrested those four including a hard core Naxalites from the Kotagada area of the tribal dominated district Kandhamal.

On Monday, Orissa govt. stated forcefully that it will not permit the state-wide shut-down on Christmas day called by some Hindu groups.

Announcing this in side assembly Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, "No shutdown will be permitted Dec 25. The government will come down heavily on those who try to create any trouble.”

Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati Sradhanjali Samiti (SLSSS), an organization linked to Hindu out-fits has threatened to observe Orissa Bandh on Dec 25 if the Govt. fails to arrest all those involved in the murder of Swami Laxmananda Saraswati. 

The police have already arrested seven persons, including four on Sunday in connection with the killing of Swamiji.

Orissa government has decided to implement the recommendations of the sixth pay commission for state. The revised pay scale of employees would be effective from January along with the 40 percent of the arrear for 35 months. The decision is aimed to get the support of thousands of employees in the forthcoming election of state assembly.

Engineering and construction major, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has received three orders worth Rs 1,372 crore from three different steel companies for engineering related works.

The company has received an order worth Rs 516 crore from Vedanta Aluminium for setting up of an alumina refinery at its three-million-tonne-per-annum (MTPA) Lanjigarh plant in Orissa.

The scope of the order, which would be completed in 20 months, involves civil, structure, tanks, equipment erection, piping and commissioning assistance for the alumina refinery.

A census conducted at Bhitarkanika National Park in Orissa this year has shown the presence of over one lakh birds.

"An estimated 1,01,293 birds, including migratory feathered guests were sighted during the annual bird census 2008, carried out in the water bodies of the Bhitarkanika National park and its nearby areas on December 11 and 12," informed Rajnagar forest (Mangrove) and Wildlife Division DFO P K Behera.

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 23 : Artisans from different parts of the country and abroad are exhibiting their works at an ongoing 13-day handicraft fair here.

The fair is a major draw for art and craft lovers to watch a variety of works of art including palm-leaf paintings, woodcrafts, ethnic hand-woven clothes and sculptures.

Most of the stalls here are looking like thatched huts fitting well into the theme of the fair "Rural crafts making".

New Delhi - Midnight Christmas mass was attended by thousands of Christians amid heavy security across India's eastern state of Orissa that had witnessed widespread anti-Christian violence earlier this year, a news report said Thursday.

"We have not received information of any trouble. It seems to be all peaceful," Raphael Cheenath, Archbishop of Bhubaneshwar, the state capital, told the IANS news agency.

Cheenath said the Christmas mass was held with prayers and singing in churches across the state, adding that he was satisfied with the security arrangements made by the government.

Kandhamal (Orissa), Dec 26 : Somber celebrations marked Christmas for Christians living in the shadow of communal violence that rocked their lives earlier this year in Kandhamal district of Orissa.

Leading a life of discomfort in refugee camps, they, unlike in the past, observed the festival in a low key.

Instead of decorations and fanfare, high police presence in and around their camps deployed for ensuring security was manifest in the area this year.

Unlike previous years Christmases, it was a normal day for the victims as they went about their routine in the area.

Bhitarkanika (Bhubaneshwar), Dec 29 : As hundreds of migratory birds have started flocking the Bhitarkanika National Park in Bhubaneshwar, authorities have sounded high alert following the outbreak of bird flu in West Bengal.

Several migratory birds and residential avian species like sand piper, plover, duck, goose, heron, spoon bill and egret flock the park every winter.

Many shore bird species like sand piper, plover, duck, goose, heron, spoon bill and egret were seen around the park.

Avocet, which comes from cold places like Siberia and Bar-headed Geese from Ladakh, were also sighted near Raitapatia and Chataka.

TATA group owned Tata Consultancy Services started its new IT development center in Bhubaneswar on Sunday. The development came when entire IT sector is facing the heat of global financial crisis. The new center was inaugurated by Orissa Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik in a function held in state's capital. 

The function was also attended by Surjya Narayan Patro, Minister of Energy, Culture & Information Technology, Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, IT, Orissa and TCS leadership team of S Ramadorai besides Managing director of Tata Steel, B Muthuraman.

On Monday the authorities in Orissa were ordered by the Supreme Court to offer security to thousands of Christians who fled their homes after some of the worst religious violence in decades last year, said the officials.

The order came to light as a measure to support Christian leaders who criticized the state government since it failed to provide enough security for scared Christians still living in camps and forests.

The top court also banned the State government which is run by a coalition of a regional party with Hindu nationalists, from withdrawing troops from riot-infested zones without permission of the central government.

Kondh (Orissa, India), Jan. 7 : A blockade mounted by more than 50 protestors stopped British mining company Vedanta entering the land of the Dongria Kondh and other Kondh tribes under cover of darkness last night.

According to a press release issued by Survival International, the FTSE 100 company plans to mine bauxite on the Dongria Kondh’s sacred mountain in the state of Orissa, laying waste to the forests they depend on for their survival.

Tuesday night’s action follows high level meetings at the weekend between Vedanta’s billionaire chairman Anil Agarwal and Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who backs the mine.

After the meeting, Agarwal told journalists that mining would start ‘within a month or two’.

Communally sensitive Kandhamal district of Orissa is all set to carry another vague record. The district, dominated by the tribals has registered country’s highest infant mortality rate (IMR).   

In its latest publication of “Infant and Child Mortality in India : District Level Estimates'', a New Delhi-based Population Foundation of India (PFI) estimates that IMR in Kandhamal was 121 per 1000 live births, while the national infant mortality rate per 1000 live births stands at 54.

Bhubaneshwar, Jan 15: The government will begin withdrawal of its Central forces from Orissa''s Kandhamal District in a phased manner from today.

The Central forces had to be deployed in Kandhmal following the communal violence between Hindus and Christians that triggered after murder of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh leader and anti-conversion leader Lakshmananand Saraswathi.

New Delhi - Hundreds of tribe members, armed with bows and arrows, staged a march in India's eastern Orissa state Saturday to protest a mine planned by British firm Vedanta Resources, news reports said.

The tribe members assembled at Semelbhata village in Kalahandi district, about 600 kilometres south-east of the state capital of Bhubaneshwar. They marched for about five kilometres, shouting slogans against Vedanta and the state and federal governments, the IANS news agency reported.

Koraput (Orissa), Jan 20 : Terracotta art has given the artisans in Orissa a fresh enthusiasm in their lives.

Villages like Kusumi, Dashmantpur, Laxmipur, Kumbharput in the district are practising the craft to earn their livelihood.

"People here are involved in this art for past eight to ten years. It has been really of benefit. When this was not there, we had to go out to work as hired labourers. But now after this, we are earning better. We also have mini-trucks to carry out products," said Rajiv Kumar, an artisan.

Bhubaneshwar, Jan 22: Orissa recently hosted a classical music festival in the backdrop of an 11th century temple in a bid to promote tourism.

Hundreds of music lovers gathered here to savour the essence of Indian classical music blended with the architectural beauty of 11th century Rajarani temple.

The three day long festival that concluded on Tuesday provided a platform to over 11 artists who showcased both classical Indian music and non traditional music.

Kesoram Industries has announced that the company will close production of tyres at its Balasore, Orissa facility to reduce expenditure and cut costs amid tight financial conditions.

B K Birla flagship Kesoram Industries is a leading manufacturer of yarn, tyres and cement and facing low demand from domestic and international market. The ongoing slowdown and liquidity problem are the major reasons cited by the company to halt production at its Orissa facility.

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 30: The crime branch of the Orissa Police on Friday filed a chargesheet against seven people for the murder of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and his aides.

A crime branch source said the chargesheet was filed in a lower court of Kandhamal District.

"Investigations will, however, continue and we may go for some more arrests in the case and file a final chargesheet later," he said.

Koraput, Feb 2 : Tribals of Koraput district in Orrisa are being provoked by Maoists to oppose the decision of the administration to give 400 acres of land for setting up Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA) battalion to fight the Maoists.

Scared that the backlash by the Maoists and threat to intensify their movement, people are opposing the setting up of land in the area.

"Thirty villages in the district are opposed to this decision. We have written to the local representatives and collector. If the authorities do not listen then we would take out protests," said Sonu Majih, a villager.

Shri Muralidhar Chandrakant Bhandare, Governor of Orissa, has presented the prestigious ‘St. John Ambulance Award – 2008’ to Vedanta Aluminium Limited, Lanjigarh for its involvement towards training and promotion of First Aid not only among its staff, contract workers and other shareholders but also in whole region of Kalahandi, at large.

Dr. Mukesh Kumar, Company’s CEO received the award at the Annual General Meeting of St John Ambulance held at Raj Bhawan, Bhubaneswar on February 3, 2009.

In a bid to acquire a majority stake in Orissa Sponge Iron & Steel, three un-listed Indian firms have jointly made an open offer to acquire 26 percent of its equity, for Rs 300 per share.

Under the arrangement, Bhushan Power and Steel Ltd along with Titanic Steel Industries and Olympian Steel Industries would acquire stake in Orissa Sponge through open offer.

The open offer is for the acquisition of 52 lakh shares of Rs 10 each of Orissa Sponge from its existing shareholders. The offer will open on April 3 and close on April 23.

The clash between rational and disciples of astrology has been continuing for hundreds of years.

The first group believes that astrology is a mere superstition and a nice gambit to deceive people, while the later group has wide regards for it.

After the introduction of internet or other sophisticated technology, the attraction of Indian astrology knows no bounds.

The foundation of Indian astrology or Jyotisha is the idea of bandhu of the Vedas or scriptures, which is the link between the microcosm and the macrocosm.

Jaypore, Feb. 11 : People in Orissa's Jaypore town are living in fear, after receiving threats from Maoists.

Naxals (local Maoists) have reportedly pasted posters at various places in the town, threatening the people and issuing death threats to local politicians and police officials.

The town is located in Koraput District, one of the worst Naxal-affected districts in Orissa.

Panic-stricken people hardly step out of the town fearing naxal attacks.

The minimized traffic movement in and outside the town is a testimonyl to the constant feeling of fear and uncertainty.