Fragile safety of women in Odisha

Series of fatal crimes against women in last few years and the latest one in particular make clean examples of how efficiently and promptly the whole system works to ensure enhanced security to women in Odisha.
 

Death of woman teacher Itishree Pradhan, who was set ablaze in a school hostel in Odisha’s Rayagada district, has once again brought the issue of safety and rights of women to the fore again. Growing numbers of such crimes against women have raised serious doubt over the actions of Odisha government to ensure safety to the women in the state.

Worked as a contractual teacher at Tikiri Upper Primary School in Rayagada district, Itishree was set afire on October 27 and she finally succumbed to the born injuries after struggling for life for five days in a private hospital in Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.

People versus the State: Conflict over POSCO Project grows in Odisha

The dream project of Odisha government has become a nightmare for the people living in the proposed Posco project area. The conflict between Industrial development and livelihood has brought the State and people face to face. In such a situation, it may not become an easy sail either for POSCO or the protesting people to arrive at any logical conclusion.

No matter if it was lawful or unlawful. But the government of Odisha was determined to deal with any hurdle on the way of land acquisition for South Korean Steel major Posco’s 12 Million tonne Steel Plant project in the eco-sensitive coastal plains of Jagatsinghpur.

After a year long halt, Odisha government suddenly took an aggressive stand to restart land acquisition operations in Jagatsinghpur for the Posco Steel project. Accompanied by huge police forces the district administration entered the place of demonstration by anti-posco protesters on February 3, 2013, at about 4 am. The administration exercised its muscle to drive out the protesters by beating even the women and children brutally.

A potential Onion Exporter in Onion Crisis

Odisha produces less than 20% of its consumption needs and for the rest it has to depend on imports from other states. So, every time there is a problem in Nasik or Maharashtra, Odisha has to face Onion crisis.

This is happening because of negligence to Onion farming and apathy to the issues of Onion growers.