12 Maoists killed in Saranda forest in Jharkhand

Around 12 Maoists have been killed in the massive anti-Naxal operation launched jointly by security forces of Jharkhand and Orissa since Saturday in Saranda forest, a top police official said on Monday.

Jharkhand Director General of Police Neyaz Ahmad said that ten to 12 Maoists have been killed since Saturday, with some of the bodies having been found.

Meanwhile, the Maoists blew up a hostel and panchayat bhawan at Anandpur and triggered three landmine blasts in the Tirilposhi jungle this morning, CRPF DIG Bhanu Pratap Singh said.

Security personnel had camped at the panchayat bhawan and hostel nearly two months ago.

Two helicopters, CRPF personnel, CoBRA personnel, state armed police and district police together with securitymen of neighbouring Orissa were taking part in the operations.

The security personnel smashed two training camps, a bunker and seized two weapons and five grenades.

Three securitymen have been killed in the operations so far.

Target 15,000 farm ponds: 141 completed

The target set for digging of farm ponds in Sambalpur district this year is abysmally low.  As per the reports, for 2010-2011 a target of 15,000 farm ponds across nine blocks of the district had been set in the annual action plan. But till August, only 141 farm ponds have been dug up as yet. And this despite the fact that 7,616 applications had been received from beneficiaries and 4,783 work orders issued against it. Although work on 4,458 farm ponds has reportedly been initiated against the 4,783 work orders, only 141 have been completed. While 2,000 each farm ponds have been targeted in the rain-fed blocks of Rengali, Jujomura, Kuchinda, Jamankira, Bamra, Rairakhol and Naktideul, 750 farm ponds have been targeted in Maneswar block and 250 in Dhankauda block. However, work has been completed in over seven farm ponds each in Rengali and Rairakhol blocks, while work on 26 each in Dhankauda and Bamra blocks has been completed.  Attributing the delay in completion of farm ponds to lack of job card holders under NREGS, the farm pond beneficiaries informed that the job card holders prefer working on road projects rather than digging of earth. Moreover, since use of machinery is not allowed under NREGS there was little they could do. Suggesting that digging of farm ponds should be taken as solitary work under NREGS in villages, they said that such a step will only push available job card holders for early completion of farm ponds.  Sambalpur Zilla Parishad president Sobharam Pradhan said that he was aware of the fact and directed officials to work out a strategy so that the ongoing work on farm ponds is completed at the earliest.

Vedanta Sterlite Power Plant in Orissa temporarily shut down

Vedanta Sterlite Power Plant at Jharsuguda has been temporarily shut down on Wednesday for alleged violation of pollution control norms as a result of which 600 MW power generation from the unit has been affected.

Following vehement protest from locals, the district Collector  of Jharsuguda Shivnarayan Mishra directed for the closure of the plant till the technical snag is resolved.

The district administration had earlier intervened into the matter after the locals blocked the Sarbahal road in protest of the pollution caused by the Vedanta’s power plant.

It may be mentioned here  that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had recently inaugurated the unit recently on 21st August .