Puri: Tourists and sea lovers Friday demanded immediate measures to clean up the Puri beach and maintain hygiene after dead jellyfish were frequently spotted near the shore.

The demands came after several people, mostly tourists, complained that dead jellyfish were floating in the sea and that they came into contact with them while bathing.

Some also reported itching on their bodies and had to seek medical attention.

“One or two persons visit the district headquarters hospital daily with complaints of itching on their skin after taking a bath in the sea. We do not know whether it is due to jellyfish or something else. Around 50 people have complained of itching after a sea bath over the past month,” Dr. Narayan Prasad Nanda, in-charge of disease control in Puri district, told PTI.

Manik Ghosh (35), a tourist from Kolkata, said, “While taking a bath, I felt some slightly sticky substance on my body. The sticky substance was like gel, thick and clear. Later, I felt an itching sensation on my skin. This could be due to jellyfish.”

He claimed that some dead jellyfish were also seen floating on the seawater near Digabareni area.

Lifeguards and local fishermen confirmed that the sticky substance was nothing but dead jellyfish.

“People with sensitive skin feel an itching sensation, while it has no impact on us,” said Govind, a fisherman.

While none are certain about jellyfish invasion on Puri coast, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Vivek Kumar said those might have washed up due to the wind patterns during summer.

“Jellyfish are mostly seen away from the coast and in deep-sea areas,” said another forest department official, adding that such incidents were also reported in April last year.

“During this period, jellyfish mostly come to the shore,” he said, noting that similar cases were witnessed in June 2022 and May 2021, before the landfall of cyclone Yaas on the Odisha coast.

Environmentalists, however, expressed concern over the deaths of jellyfish in deep sea.

“Jellyfish are generally found in deep sea, but the dead ones come near the shore due to the wind patterns,” said Rathindra Mishra, a local resident.

Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) regional centre Friday warned that severe heatwave conditions are likely to prevail in several parts of Odisha until March 18 at least.

Issuing a severe heatwave alert for Odisha, it warned of rising temperatures at many places in the state from March 14 to 18 with several districts expected to experience intense heat, warm nights, and high humidity, increasing health risks, especially for infants, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses.

IMD Bhubaneswar’s Director Manorama Mohanty has urged people to take necessary precautions to avoid heatwave-related illness.

“The maximum temperature is rising significantly across Odisha, with some areas recording 5-6 degrees Celsius above normal. We advise people to stay hydrated, avoid direct sun exposure during peak hours, and follow safety measures,” she said.

As per reports, Jharsuguda recorded a high of 40.2 degrees Celsius while Sambalpur reported 40 degrees Celsius temperature till 2.30 p.m. Friday.

The western Odisha city of Jharsuguda recorded the state’s highest temperature, at 41.4 degrees Celsius, Thursday.

The IMD Bhubaneswar Friday issued an Orange warning predicting that heat wave to severe heat wave conditions is very likely to prevail at several places over the districts of Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, and Mayurbhanj during the next three days. Similarly, an Orange warning of severe heatwave conditions has also been issued for the Sundargarh, Boudh, and Balangir districts of the state for the next couple of days.

The IMD has issued an advisory urging people to avoid sun exposure between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., wear light, loose cotton clothing, and cover their heads when outside. It advised the people to drink plenty of fluids, including ORS, lemon water, buttermilk, and sugarcane juice. People have also been asked to avoid alcohol, tea, coffee, and carbonated drinks, which can dehydrate the body.

The farmers have been advised to ensure irrigation for crops and provide water for livestock.

The agency directed the people to remain watchful for heatstroke symptoms like dizziness, nausea, and excessive sweating, and to seek medical help, if needed.

Bhubaneswar: Dola Purnima was celebrated with a festive fervour across Odisha Friday.

The state will, however, celebrate the festival of colours a day after Holi as per the tradition.

Dola Purnima is celebrated on a full moon day in the month of Falguna, marking the onset of spring.

As per the tradition, processions are held in villages with idols of Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha on ‘dola’ or swings. Devotees also play colours on the occasion.

Heartiest greetings and best wishes to everyone on the occasion of the holy Dola Purnima. May everyone’s life be filled with happiness and peace by the immense grace of Dola Govinda, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said.

Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik said, Warm greetings and best wishes on the auspicious occasion of Dola Purnima. May the grace of Lord Shri Dolagobinda fill everyone’s lives with joy.

On the day, Lord Jagannath is worshipped as Dola Govinda. The idols of the sibling deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra at the Puri temple are adorned in ‘Suna Besha’ or gold attire.

PTI

Bhubaneswar: Former Odisha minister Badri Narayan Patra has accused an IAS and an IPS officer of promoting the multi-crore mining and transport scam in the Keonjhar district.

The senior BJD leader’s allegations came after the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Odisha Crime Branch arrested Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD) leader Soumya Shankar Chakra (alias Raja Chakra) for his alleged role in illegal mining operations.

The Economic Offence Wing of the Crime Branch, Thursday, arrested Biju Yuva Janata Dal state vice-president Soumya Shankar Chakra, alias Raja Chakra, Thursday in connection with an alleged multi-crore mining and transport scam.

Patra, a six-time BJD MLA, alleged that as per my information, the then district magistrate-cum-collector and the superintendent of police, Keonjhar district, provided full protection to Raja Chakra.

The collector and SP were also part and parcel of such illegal activities. The duo had a share in the loot of minerals, financial irregularities, and kickbacks. They were in Keonjhar for nearly 5-6 years, the sitting BJD MLA from Ghasipura alleged.

Sources said that one Odisha cadre IPS officer of the 2010 batch was the superintendent of police (SP) of Keonjhar district for a long time, during which Raja Chakra was allegedly involved in illegal mining and transportation activities.

The IPS officer concerned is also a recipient of three police medals for gallantry from the President of India, a senior official said, adding that the officer was shifted from Keonjhar.

Similarly, Patra took the name of a Maharashtra-born IAS officer of the 2011 batch and said that he had served as the district collector of Keonjhar from 2018 to 2024.

I am sure these two officers will now also be getting shares from Raja Chakra’s illegal earnings, Patra alleged, demanding that all those, including the All India Service officers who supported Raja Chakra in illegal activities be arrested.

He alleged that Raja Chakra could undertake all illegal activities due to the protection from the district collector and SP.

The district administration was in Raja’s pocket, he alleged.

Patra, being a senior leader of BJD from the mineral-rich district, further revealed that he had informed the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) during the previous government.

I had given a confidential report to a senior officer (also an IAS officer) in the CMO before the 2024 elections stating that massive irregularities were being done in the Keonjhar district. I had also mentioned that these activities could be detrimental to the ruling BJD’s electoral prospects, and exactly that happened in the polls, Patra, a former minister in the Naveen Patnaik council of ministers, claimed.

Asked whether he had informed the then chief minister Naveen Patnaik regarding the illegal activities, Patra said No I have not told anything to the then chief minister. But, I submitted the report at his office.

The veteran leader also said that it would be wrong to blame just one individual (Raja Chakra). Some influential people were backing him.

Though belonging to the Opposition party, Patra thanked the Mohan Charan Majhi government for cracking down on illegal activities.

He said, “I am not sure whether the investigating agency could reach the root of the scam.

Odisha’s law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said that the BJP government would ensure that all the persons involved in the illegal mining and transportation activities in Keonjhar district were booked.

Chakra, while being taken to the court, said I have faith in the judiciary.

Chakra was, on Friday, produced before the OPID Court in Balasore and remanded to judicial custody till March 19, his lawyer Raghunath Pradhan said.

OPID stand for Odisha Protection of Interests of Depositors (in Financial Establishments) Act, 2011, a court dealing with cases related to financial establishments and depositors’ rights in the state.

The EOW said it arrested Chakra while probing an allegation made by a resident after registering a case February 7.

The IAS and the IPS officers named by Patra remained silent and could not be contacted over the phone.

Meanwhile, the state’s main opposition party (BJD) also remained silent and was yet to react to the arrest of its youth wing leader in the mining scam.

The party has also not said anything about the statement made by its sitting MLA from Ghasipura, Badri Narayan Patra.

Chakra’s name was earlier in discussion when he was accused of being behind an attack on the then-opposition chief whip Mohan Charan Majhi in October 2021.

Majhi was attacked by two bike-borne miscreants who hurled country-made bombs at his car while he was returning from a public meeting in Keonjhar district.

PTI

Balasore: Arrested BJD leader Soumyashankar Chakra, also known as Raja Chakra, was sent to judicial custody until March 19 by the Balasore court, officials said Friday.

According to reports, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has not yet filed a remand petition against Chakra, and his lawyer, Raghunath Pradhan, has not applied for bail. Earlier, authorities arrested former cooperative chairman Manas Ranjan Barik and secretary Utkal Das in connection with the case.

Chakra was arrested Thursday by the Crime Branch in connection with an alleged corruption case involving the Gandhamardan Mining Loading Agency in Keonjhar. He is accused of playing a key role in a scam worth Rs 185 crore ($22.2 million).

Authorities allege Chakra, in collaboration with other officials, siphoned off large sums of money. Official records indicate that the cooperative earned a profit of Rs 185 crore between 2017-18 and March 2024, though no audit has been conducted since 2012-13.

Dhenkanal: After mangoes, the demand for Dhenkanal’s green papaya is growing internationally.

The fruit’s unique taste and health benefits have sparked interest among consumers abroad. A total of one tonne of green papaya, cultivated by 14 women farmers from the Saptasajya Agro Producer Company under the Sadar block of Dhenkanal district, was exported to London last week.

Similarly, green papaya harvested from the Ghatipiri area of the Odapada block was shipped to Dublin in Ireland, through the Madan Mohan Cooperative Society.

This marks the first time that green papaya from Dhenkanal has been exported outside India. Most of these women farmers belong to tribal communities.

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitated the export process, aiming to provide significant economic benefits to local farmers. Previously, mangoes grown in Dhenkanal had been exported to Dubai. With the rising demand for fruits like green papaya and mangoes grown in the region, there is a crucial need for cold storage facilities.

Meanwhile, farmers have urged authorities to operationalise the abandoned mango hub and the fruit and vegetable preservation centre located along the national highway in Gobindpur under Sadar block.

Dhenkanal Deputy Director of Horticulture Gitashree Padhi stated that green papaya from the district has been exported to London and Ireland for the first time through Saptasajya Agro Producer Company and the Madan Mohan Cooperative Society, with support from APEDA.

She emphasised that such initiatives would encourage farmers and strengthen their economic standing.

PNN

Hatadihi: A court in Anandapur of Keonjhar district Thursday sentenced a 68-year-old woman to life imprisonment and slapped a penalty of Rs10,000 after convicting her for the murder of her friend.

The convict was identified as Sara Naik of Mathadahi village under Soso police limits in Keonjhar district.

The Additional District and Sessions Judge Prajyoti Rout delivered the verdict after reviewing the witnesses’ testimonies and evidence.

In default, she has to undergo an additional year in prison. The case dates back to June 25, 2022, when Sara bludgeoned her friend, Jashoda Patra, with stones.

Patra’s daughter, Shantilata, found her in critical condition near Podasingidi village and rushed her to Anandapur Sub-Divisional Hospital, where doctors pronounced her dead. Following a complaint filed by Shantilata, officials at Soso police station registered a case (110/2022) and arrested Naik the next day.

Out of 20 witnesses presented in court, 15 testified against the accused, leading to her conviction. Defence lawyer Subash Bishwal stated that the court handed down the life sentence based on the evidence presented.

PNN

Kendrapara: Residents of Charigharia village, located inside the Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapara district, are reportedly planning to intensify their agitation for adequate resettlement as their decade-old struggle over the same has yielded no results so far.

At present, over 70 households in the village, which falls under Rajnagar Forest Division, are living in a perpetual state of anxiety as they have been slapped with repeated eviction notices from the Forest department, while the district administration has started preparations for their eviction without making any resettlement arrangements, reports said.

They demand their rehabilitation in line with the relocation of Satabhaya villagers in the Rajnagar block to Bagapatia. The relocation of Satabhaya residents was necessitated due to coastal erosion. “We have been fighting for relocation to Bagapatia for over a decade now. However, a recent eviction notice has heightened our concerns.” Santosh Kumar Sarkar is a resident of Charigharia village.

Sarkar claimed that their ancestors had been living in the area long before Bhitarkanika was declared a national park. In the aftermath of the 1971 cyclone, four families settled down in the area, giving rise to the name ‘Charigharia Sahi. ’ At present, the number of households has grown to over 70.

The Central government declared Bhitarkanika a wildlife sanctuary in 1975 and upgraded it to a national park in 1998. According to villager Reshmi Das, life in Charigharia has become increasingly dangerous. “The Forest department has dug canals near the village, which have become breeding grounds for crocodiles.

Villagers and livestock frequently fall victim to crocodile and other wildlife attacks,” Das said. She said that despite living in a forest area, strict restrictions imposed by the Forest department have hindered their traditional livelihood activities, such as firewood collection.

While many villagers are willing to relocate, they expressed frustration over the administration’s alleged lack of urgency in facilitating the process. Sukumar Das, another villager, stated that the villagers are ready to shift immediately if the government includes them in the resettlement plan and provides land and financial assistance in Bagapatia.

He said the villagers have staged repeated protests and hunger strikes over the demand for fair resettlement. Meanwhile, the Tesildar, Amiya Kumar Swain, said that the process of relocating Charigharia residents to Bagapatia is under consideration.

“A total of 148 families have been identifi ed for relocation,” he said. Swain claimed that ‘some individuals’ are trying to claim multiple plots under the resettlement scheme.

PNN

Basudevpur: Two horses have been on the rampage in the Basudevpur area of Bhadrak district, terrorising people, as more than 20 individuals have been bitten by the horses over the past 15 days.

The horses have been roaming freely in Basudevpur market and surrounding areas and entering shops in search of food.

It remains unclear whether they are aggressive due to hunger or exhibiting some other abnormal behaviour.

One of the horses has been in the area for nearly a month, while the other arrived recently. However, their origin remains unknown. Despite repeated attempts, local authorities have failed to capture the horses. The Forest Department, Animal Husbandry Department, and municipality have not taken effective action, leading to growing frustration among residents.

Concerns regarding public safety have been raised during a road safety awareness meeting attended by District Collector Dilip Routaray, MLA Ashok Kumar Das, and police officials.

When questioned, Municipal Executive Officer Sudhanshu Mohan Swain stated that steps would be taken to capture the horses with the support of relevant departments.

PNN

Rajnagar: The movements and lifestyle of the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle still remain shrouded in mystery, despite extensive conservation efforts being undertaken owing to their significant role in maintaining ecological balance.

To study their migration patterns and shed light on their secret underwater lives, scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) have deployed satellite tags on two Olive Ridley turtles at Nasi in Gahirmatha beach here in the Kendrapara district.

Every year, lakhs of these turtles gather at Gahirmatha for mass nesting, but researchers still do not fully understand where they come from, why they choose this location, or where they go after laying their eggs.

While scientists have observed both hatchlings and egg-laying adult turtles, juvenile and sub-adult turtles remain elusive, adding to the mystery of the species’ life cycle. For the first time in several years, researchers from WII have tagged two turtles with satellite transmitters.

The matter came to the fore after a team from WII reached the Nasi Islands at Gahirmatha and attached the devices to the turtles Wednesday. The collected data will be analysed by WII’s Dehradun-based research centre.

This year, 6,06,933 Olive Ridley turtles participated in the mass nesting event at Gahirmatha. At Nasi-2 Island alone, 3,11,483 turtles laid eggs, while another 2,95,450 turtles nested at Nasi-1—the highest recorded number in 33 years. Female turtles come ashore to lay eggs, while males spend their entire lives in the ocean. A total of 10 previously tagged turtles were observed nesting at Gahirmatha this year.

PNN

Ramanaguda: A 15-year-old girl committed suicide by hanging after she lost a significant amount of money while playing an online game on her mobile phone at Ganaptiguda village under this block in the Rayagada district.

The deceased, identified as Saina Sahu, 15, ended her life by hanging using a scarf.

The matter came to the fore after her aunt Lili Pattnayak lodged a complaint in this connection at the Ramanaguda police station Wednesday evening.

Police sources said the girl used to live with her grandmother and was regularly playing an online game. She had reportedly lost over lakhs in the game but continued playing despite repeated warnings from her family. She told her grandmother Wednesday that she was going to the toilet in the backyard but did not return for long.

When her grandmother went to check, she found Saina hanging and immediately informed the police.

Gunupur SDPO Babuli Nayak, Tehsildar Pranakrishna Panigrahi, Ramanaguda IIC Sunita Behera, and ASI Pruthwiraj Jhankar reached the spot and recovered the body.

A scientific team was also pressed into service. Police registered a case and handed over the body to her family members after post-mortem.

When contacted, IIC Sunita Behera said that the actual reason behind the death could be ascertained only after the post-mortem report is available.

PNN

Sambalpur: A first-year engineering student of Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT) in Burla drowned in the power channel of the Hirakud dam while bathing Thursday.

The deceased has been identified as Priyanshu Prakash Behera, 19, son of Sanjay Behera from Dhenkanal. Priyanshu was pursuing civil engineering at VSSUT.

According to reports, Priyanshu and some of his friends went to the power channel of the Hirakud dam Thursday morning for a bath.

While bathing, the 19-year-old was swept away into deep water and drowned.

His friends immediately rescued him and rushed him to Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), but doctors declared him dead.

PNN

Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police Thursday claimed to have made a major breakthrough in bike-lifting cases in the City with the arrest of four members of a notorious gang.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Jagmohan Meena said Dipuna Mallick alias Chuna, 24, Bijaya Kumar Khatei alias Kundura, 30, Taslim Khan alias Tuku, 41, and Deepak Kumar Das alias Raja, 25, were involved in about 40 cases of motorcycle thefts all over the state, with 10 in the Bhubaneswar Urban Police District (UPD) area.

Police recovered 10 motorcycles, two number plates, and a bunch of duplicate keys from the accused. Meena said police got a whiff about the gang’s activities while investigating a motorcycle theft complaint lodged by Old Town resident Prabir Mohanty at Lingaraj police station February 6, this year.

The DCP said the complainant had parked his Royal Enfield motorcycle (OD 02 CT 7203) in front of his house when it was stolen. After a monthlong chase, the special squad arrested the foursome from their hideouts in the City on credible intelligence, Meena added.

During their interrogation, police learnt that Dipuna and Bijaya used to steal vehicles from busy market locations using duplicate keys and later sold those to Taslim and Deepak.

They would particularly target old Honda motorcycles as those were easier for them to unlock with duplicate keys. Meena said Taslim and Deepak used to sell the stolen vehicles in the Kakatapur and Astaranga areas. In a few cases, they dismantled the vehicles and sold the parts to garages.

The accused were booked under Section 303 (2) of BNS and produced before a local court for remand.

PNN

Bhubaneswar: A new community radio station titled ‘Radio Bhubaneswar 89.2 FM – The Temple City Radio’ is set to launch soon in the Capital city by Outreach, and will broadcast on 89.2 MHz FM band, announced its founder Subrat Kumar Pati recently.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Outreach have signed the necessary agreements for the launch. “Radio Bhubaneswar will feature programmes covering a wide range of topics, including agriculture, education, arts, culture, sports, traffic awareness, environmental pollution, and human rights,” said Pati.

“Additionally, it will inform residents of Bhubaneswar and surrounding areas about various state and Central government schemes and initiatives.

The station will work closely with local administration to cater to the needs of City residents through its programmes,” she added. For the past 11 years, Outreach has been organising the country’s only radio fair in the City to promote and popularise radio broadcasting.

In 2023, Outreach established its first community radio station, Radio Outreach, in the Jagatsinghpur district.

PNN

Balasore: The centuries-old Pinchabania Holi festival, once a grand cultural spectacle in the Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts, is witnessing a decline in its traditional vibrancy. Recognized across Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand as Pinchabania Dola Melan, the festival has seen a major shift, with the iconic Radha-Krishna palanquin processions disappearing in recent years.

Earlier, multiple Radha-Krishna idols from distant villages participated in the Dola Melan, adding to its spiritual fervour. However, this practice has dwindled, with only locally worshipped village deities now featuring in the event. While commercial activities have expanded, the festival’s age-old traditions are fading, raising concerns among cultural enthusiasts.

The four-day fair continues to attract over a lakh visitors, with trade stalls offering traditional handicrafts such as Khiching’s stone figurines, Remuna’s brassware, Pipili’s applique work, and bamboo artifacts from Chandaneswar and Bhograi.

Other popular items include bamboo baskets, fishing nets, hand fans, and household wares. Despite its rich history, the festival lacks state support from the Culture and Tourism Department, making its revival uncertain. Dola Mela Cultural Committee president Sanjay Kumar Sethi has urged the government to organize cultural exhibitions and awareness programmes to restore its traditional significance.

The Pinchabania fairground in Balasore was auctioned for `6.15 lakh, while the Purunia fairground in Mayurbhanj fetched `5.77 lakh, as per block office sources.

PNN

Cuttack: Sri Sri University witnessed a memorable afternoon Thursday as legendary actress, dancer, and cultural icon Hema Malini graced the campus for an exclusive session titled “Echoes of an Era: Hema Malini Reflects on Her Iconic Films and Timeless Artistry.”

Held at the Shruti Auditorium, the event celebrated her remarkable contributions to Indian cinema and classical dance, drawing an enthusiastic audience of students, faculty, and distinguished guests. The event began with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp by Hema Malini, Vice-Chancellor Tej Partap, Director of Operations Swami Satya Chaitanya, and Dean Ratikant Mohapatra.

Mohapatra, in his welcome address, lauded her artistic journey and ability to balance cinema and dance with grace and dedication.

A mesmerising Odissi dance performance, “Vande Suryam,” by students, set the stage for an evening of artistic reflection. During an engaging interactive session, Hema Malini shared insights into her career, emphasising discipline and passion in mastering both cinema and classical dance.

She recalled her iconic role as Basanti in Sholay and how rigorous practice helped her perfect lengthy dialogues.

PNN

Bhubaneswar: To investigate the recovery of titanium dioxide from titanium minerals and vanadium-bearing titanium minerals of Indian origin, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), through its constituent laboratory, the Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (CSIR-IMMT) here has signed a research and development agreement with Australia’s national science agency CSIRO at the Dr RP Das Centre for Hydro, Bio and Electrometallurgy here Thursday.

Speaking on the occasion, CSIR-IMMT director Ramanuj Narayan laid emphasis on more such collaborative projects on critical minerals in line with the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) for ensuring a long-term sustainable supply of critical minerals, including beneficiation, processing and recovery from end-of-life products.

The project collaboration will be led by CSIRO’s principal research scientist, Goutam Kumar Das, and CSIR-IMMT chief scientist, as well as Hydro, Bio, and Electrometallurgy department head Kali Sanjay. Project coordination will be managed by CSIRO’s Critical Minerals Processing group leader, Joanne Loh, and Ramanuj Narayan.

The joint collaboration aims to develop the processing technology for extracting titanium and vanadium from ilmenite and vanadiferous magnetite ores, which are found abundantly in India and Australia.

Titanium and vanadium are classified as critical minerals in both countries.

Titanium is widely used in metal alloys, while vanadium is also a key component in redox flow batteries, which are rechargeable and well-suited for large-scale energy storage.

The collaboration is funded by CSIRO’s India-Australia Critical Minerals Research Partnership, an initiative under the Australian Federal Government’s updated India Economic Strategy (IES) to 2035.

PNN

Cuttack: The Special Task Force of the Odisha Crime Branch Thursday busted an illegal gun manufacturing unit in Cuttack city and arrested four persons, a police officer said.

Acting on intelligence inputs, an STF team raided the Bayalis Mouza area Thursday and busted the unit operating inside a makeshift facility near a cattle shed, he said.

Police have seized more than 30 pistols, gun-making machines, tools and raw materials from the spot, and arrested four persons in connection with this, the officer said.

PTI

Bhubaneswar: Teacher training institutes in Odisha will soon offer a four-year B.Ed course, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj said Thursday.

The course will be offered at eight of the 16 teacher training institutes or B.Ed colleges across the state while the remaining eight institutes will implement the programme in the near future, he said.

The eight institutes signed memorandums of understanding (MoU) with the nearest government degree colleges to implement the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP). The MoUs were signed in the presence of the minister here.

ITEP will soon be introduced in these institutions in accordance with the regulations of the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).

This initiative will enable teacher training institutes to adopt a multidisciplinary approach, he said.

“Our goal is to strengthen the foundation and infrastructure of the colleges and to provide quality education to the students. ITEP will allow students to complete their B.Ed within four years after class 12,” Suraj said.

Earlier, students had to complete a three-year undergraduate degree followed by a two-year B.Ed programme, requiring a total of five years.

However, with ITEP, students can directly enrol in the integrated programme and complete the course in four years. This initiative aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and aims to strengthen the education system in the state, the minister said.

Additionally, the Higher Education Department has allocated Rs 168 crore to enhance the infrastructure of 189 private degree colleges in the state.

This financial support will be used for the construction of additional classrooms, laboratories, canteens, libraries, common rooms, multipurpose halls, administrative and academic buildings, he added.

PTI

Bhubaneswar: Youth Congress activists Thursday scuffled with the police during a protest over the alleged rise in crimes against women and the suspension of senior party MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati from the Assembly.

The agitators, led by Youth Congress leader Ranjit Patra, marched from Bhubaneswar Club towards the chief minister’s official residence. However, they were stopped midway by the police, leading to a scuffle.

The agitators broke through the police barricades before courting arrest.

They also demanded the formation of a House Committee to inquire into the crimes against women and the formulation of a stringent law to deal with cases of violence against women.

The Youth Congress, later in a statement, came down heavily on the BJP, accusing its MLAs of attacking opposition party members in the House.

“If an MLA is not safe inside the House, how can the government ensure the security of 4.5 crore people in the state?” it questioned.

The protesters demanded action against Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling and senior BJP MLA Jaynarayan Mishra for an “attack” on Bahinipati in the Assembly Tuesday.

Bahinipati, a senior Congress MLA from Jeypore, was suspended from the assembly for seven days by Speaker Surama Padhy following a scuffle between the Congress and BJP members in the well of the House Tuesday.

Bahinipati was accused of unruly behaviour in the House while demanding a statement from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who is also in charge of the home department, on “rising” violence against women across the state.

The Congress MLA first attempted to climb the Speaker’s podium in a bid to stall the proceedings. As she continued to run the House amid the din, he rushed to the seat of Urban Development Minister KC Mohapatra, where he was allegedly attacked by BJP members including Jaynarayan Mishra, who held him by his shirt collar.

PTI