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Bhubaneswar, Rourkela Flight Begins, Patnaik Thanks Modi, Aviation Minister

By LokMarg 7th January 2023

Under the UDAN initiative, operations of commercial flight services between Bhubaneswar and Rourkela commenced on Saturday morning.

Flagging off the first flight to Rourkela Airport from Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar this morning, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said that this new air connectivity would help Odisha and its people.

On this occasion, CM Naveen Patnaik tweeted and expressed his thanks and appreciation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his support to improve connectivity to the hinterland of Odisha under UDAN.

“Glad to have flagged off the 1st flight to Rourkela Airport. Thank PM Narendra Modi ji for the support to improve connectivity to the hinterland of Odisha under UDAN. It will boost connectivity, commerce, and tourism, fulfilling aspirations of people of the region,” he said in a tweet.

He also thanked Union Minister Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia for all his efforts especially to coordinate between the Steel Authority of India (SAIL) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for the flight service to Rourkela Airport under UDAN ahead of the Hockey World Cup 2023.

“Thank Union Min Scindia ji for all the efforts, especially to coordinate between SAIL and DGCA for the flight service to Rourkela Airport under UDAN ahead of HWC2023. It will offer seamless connectivity to sports fans coming to celebrate hockey in Odisha,” Patnaik tweeted.

He said that the new air connectivity will improve commerce in Odisha.

In his tweet, Patnaik said, “This new air connectivity would improve air connectivity between the Capital city of Bhubaneswar to the steel city of Odisha, Rourkela. It would improve commerce in Odisha. It would also help to develop tourism for Odisha.”

The Chief Minister further said that would provide seamless connectivity to sports fans coming to celebrate hockey in Odisha.

“With the Hockey World Cup 2023 taking place from January 13, 2023, in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, this new air operation would lead to Hockey fans enjoying swift and comfortable air mobility between the two cities where the Hockey World Cup 2023 is being held in Odisha,” he added. (ANI)

Third Russian Dies In Odisha, Body Found Onboard Ship

By LokMarg 3rd January 2023

A Russian national who was working as a chief engineer in a cargo ship was found dead onboard in Odisha, police said on Tuesday. This is the third Russian found dead in the state within a span of two weeks.

Marine police along with other statutory authorities will carry out an investigation of the death of the Russian national, namely Milyakov Sergey, and after that only the final report will be available, police said.
Earlier On December 24, Russian national Pavel Antov died after allegedly falling from a hotel’s third floor. Another Russian national Vladimir Bidenov had earlier died “due to heart attack”, Odisha Police said, citing the post-mortem report.

A team of the Crime Branch along with the state Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) experts visited Sai International Hotel in Rayagada on December 30 where the Russian nationals were found dead. The team was led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Saroj Kant Mahanta.

The CID Crime Branch of Odisha Police stepped up the investigation of the death of two Russian nationals including a prominent lawmaker, in Rayagada.

The team inspected the place where the body of Pavel Antov was found lying. The entire area was thoroughly examined with the assistance of forensic experts. The details of the spot map were drawn mentioning all relevant references to the spot. A pair of slippers said to be of deceased Pavel Antov was recovered from the spot.

The investigating team searched for evidence from room no. 203 where Vladimir and Pavel were staying on December 21. It collected all the evidence including slippers and latent fingerprints from glass and other surfaces.

The team also searched thoroughly for evidence in room no. 309 where Pavel Antov was staying alone from December 22 night. Fingerprints found on the materials like glass and water bottles were collected.

The Crime Branch team also discussed with the sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Rayagada, IIC Rayagada town police station about the evidence gathered by the local police during their spot visit on the date of the incident.

Odisha police said CID-Crime Branch has been cross-checking the information collected from their co-travellers Pansasenko Natalia and Turov Mikhail. They were further examined at CID-CB headquarters at Cuttack. Their statements were video recorded through an interpreter.

“Both the Russian tourists are fully cooperating with the inquiry,” the Crime Branch said in a statement.

According to the CID-Crime Branch, a preliminary investigation has revealed that the Russian nationals were on a trip to the tribal region of Odisha. (ANI)

Night Trial Of 5000Km-Range Agni-V Missile Successful

By LokMarg 15th December 2022

India successfully carried out the night trials of the nuclear-capable Agni-5 ballistic missile, which can hit targets beyond 5,000 km on Thursday.

“The test was carried out to validate new technologies and equipment on the missile which is now lighter than before. The trial has proved the capability to enhance the range of the Agni-5 missile if required,” sources said.

Sources said the missile has been made lighter by adding lighter composite material which will enable the missile to go longer ranges.

India launched the last Agni-5test in October 2021.

The launch was carried out at approximately 5: 30 pm from APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha.

The missile, which uses a three-stage solid-fuelled engine, is capable of striking targets at ranges up to 5,000 kilometers with a very high degree of accuracy, according to the Defence Ministry.

The ministry further stated that the successful test of Agni-5 is in line with India’s stated policy to have ‘credible minimum deterrence’ that underpins the commitment to ‘No First Use’. (ANI)

Odisha Trusts Modi: Pradhan On Poll 2024

By LokMarg 10th December 2022

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday exuded confidence in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s performance in the general elections 2024 by saying that the people of Odisha have immense faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the development of the state.

To a question on will the BJP’s drubbing in the Padampur by-polls will have any repercussions on general elections, slated to be held in 2024, Dharmendra Pradhan said, “Many days left for the general elections. Several issues will emerge. As per democratic norms, parties will fight the elections with their agendas. We had also fought in 2019 and now we are the major Opposition party in the State.”
“We are fighting with all our responsibilities and agendas. I strongly believe that the people of Odisha have immense faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the development of the State,” he added.

“What we had thought has not materialized. However, we accept the mandate in Padampur. Boasting is natural for the winner. However, they must keep it in mind that the BJP has garnered 78,000 votes,” the minister said further.

Speaking at the event in Bhubaneshwar, Dharmendra Pradhan hinted that the general elections in Odisha will be preponed.

“I have heard that the general polls may be held early in the State,” he said. (ANI)

Voting Begins For Assembly By-Elections In Seven Constituencies Across 6 States

By LokMarg 3rd November 2022

The voting for Assembly by-elections in seven vacant seats spread across the states of Maharashtra, Haryana, Bihar, Telangana, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh began on Thursday morning.

Polling is being held from 7 am to 6 pm amid tight security and the counting of votes will be conducted on November 6.
Bharatiya Janata Party is in a fierce contest with regional parties such as the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the Samajwadi Party (SP), and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in the Assembly by-polls in seven constituencies spread across six states.

The seven Assembly constituencies where the elections are taking place are 166-Andheri East from Maharashtra, 47-Adampur from Haryana, 93-Munugode from Telangana, 139-Gola Gokranath from Uttar Pradesh, and 46-Dhamnagar from Odisha.

The two constituencies of Bihar where the bye-elections are being conducted are 178-Mokama and 101-Gopalganj.

Mokama Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Anant Kumar Singh was disqualified in July after his conviction in a case, while BJP’s Subhash Singh, who held the Gopalganj seat, passed away in August.

The Andheri East, Gola Gokrannath, and Dhamnagar constituencies, too, fell vacant due to the demise of their respective legislators.

The Shiv Sena’s Ramesh Latke died in May and BJP’s Arvind Giri and Bishnu Sethi both passed away in September.

In Haryana, the resignation of Kuldeep Bishnoi, and K Rajagopal Reddy in Telangana, led to vacancies in the Adampur and Munugode segments respectively.

The contest in Telangana’s Munugode Assembly constituency is crucial for all major parties in the State- the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and Opposition parties Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress.

While 47 candidates are in the fray, the eye is on BJP’s Raj Gopal Reddy, former TRS MLA Kusukuntla Prabhakar Reddy, and Congress’ Palvai Sravanthi.

In Andheri East, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena faction has fielded Rutuja Latke, the wife of incumbent Sena MLA Ramesh Latke whose death in May necessitated the poll.

The BJP fielded Murji Patel, but he later withdrew his candidature after the party decided not to contest.

This will the first election after the revolt in the Shiv Sena by Eknath Shinde and 39 other legislators which led to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

For the Mokama by-polls, the BJP has fielded Sonam Devi p against RJD’s Neelam Devi, whose husband Anant Singh’s disqualification has necessitated the by-election.

Mokama is said to be the stronghold of Anant Singh since 2005. He won the seat twice on JD(U) tickets.

BJP has given the ticket to Kusum Devi, the wife of incumbent BJP MLA Subhash Singh while RJD has fielded Mohan Prasad Gupta for the Goapalgunj by-election.

Haryana’s Adampur seat is witnessing the contest between BJP, Congress, Indian National Lok Dal, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Kuldeep Bishnoi’s son Bhavya is contesting the by-poll as the BJP candidate.

The Congress has fielded former Union minister Jai Prakash while the INLD picked Congress rebel Kurda Ram Nambardar as its candidate. Satender Singh is AAP’s candidate.

Kuldeep Bishnoi, son of the former Chief Minister of Haryana, Chaudhary Bhajan Lal, recently resigned from Congress and joined the BJP. Adampur’s seat fell vacant after Kuldeep Bishnoi resigned. Adampur seat is considered a stronghold of Bishnoi.

Meanwhile, eyeing the by-poll in Adampur, Panchayat, and Zila Parishad elections, AAP is trying to get a foothold in Haryana.

Bypolls to the Gola Gokarannath assembly constituency: The BJP has fielded his son Aman Giri while the Samajwadi Party (SP) has given a ticket to former MLA Vinay Tiwari.

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has fielded Abanti Das for Odisha’s Dhamnagar by-polls while the BJP has fielded Suryabanshi Suraj Sthitaprajana the son of Bishnu Sethi, BJP MLA after whose death, the assembly seat fell vacant, as its candidate for the by-election.

The AAP is also in the fray and has given a ticket to Anwar Sheikh. (ANI)

Odisha Hamlet Declares Itself Birds Village To Protect Migratory Birds

By LokMarg 26th September 2022

Govindpur village in the Bargarh district of Odisha has declared itself a “Birds Village” and pledged to protect and conserve the migratory birds coming to Hirakud reservoir every year.

This is the first instance in Odisha, where villagers have joined hands to keep their villages pollution-free in order to conserve and protect birds and the Hirakud landscape.
“With Govindpur village, two other adjoining villages named Tamdei and Ramkhol have also joined hands with them, all three villages promised and pledged in a recently held meeting that they will protect and conserve the migratory birds coming to Hirakud reservoir every year,” informed Anshu Pragyan Das, Divisional Forest Officer, Hirakud Wildlife Division.

“More than 2 lakh foreign birds migrate from different parts of the world to Hirakud every year during October and halt here for six months ( More than 100 variety of birds),” she said.

As per Das, many tourists from Chhattisgarh (Raigarh, Raipur etc), Jharkhand and nearby districts like Jharsuguda, Bolangir, Sonepur, Sambalpur and all locals of Bargarh districts visit these three villages for a picnic, boating and birding. Many photographers too come here for photography of temples submerged at Hirakud, wildlife of Debrigarh who come down to water morning and evening, the beauty of vast Hirakud Lake and forested hills inside water.

“All houses in these villages will have wall paintings of the colourful birds like Redcrested Pochard, Moorhen, Skimmer etc and they will as guide take tourists for boating and explain to them interesting features of these birds, from which country they have come, why they have come,” Das added

“To keep the landscape clean, villagers have taken the responsibility, Hirakud Division will provide all required help including installation of enough dustbins for this purpose.”

The declaration of Hirakud Lake as a Ramsar Site in 2022 will invite many travelers, tourists, photographers, and trekkers to this area in the coming years. (ANI)