Odisha HRD

32 Writeup

• 1. Tejeswar Parida  |  September 8th, 2010 at 10:59 am

  It is very unfortunate that all these happening against the Vedanta University Project. It was a shocking news for us to find this news today in Indian Express at Delhi . We can not tolerate this at all. Enough is enough. As last week Delhi Oriya Students’ Association (DOSA) members sat on Dharna in front of Parliament aginst Polavaram issue we may arrange something regarding Vedanta University. Any how we all want University in Orissa. We can not see this project being transfered to other states. At least we are planning to organise ” We want Vedanta University in Orissa” seminar in Delhi. We knoe most of us have remained passive supporters of this University project, we have to be active supporters. Here I appeal all the readers of Orisalinks.com please support us to ensure that Vedanta University remains in Orisa. I appeal all of you please provide us logistical support for this , sothat we students and research scholars can materialise it. Please contact us and let us know in which way we can get help. We want Vedanta University in Orissa . Please contact us at : 09958805058 ( Tejeswar Parida , President, DOSA)
  09999691964 (Dr. Nityanand Agasti, Ex-President ,DOSA)
  Email- contactdosa@gmail.com
  tejeswarparida@gmail.com

  Your positive immediate help is sought to retain Vedanta University in Orissa. Vande Utkala Janani .

• 2. R.K. Ghosh  |  September 8th, 2010 at 11:36 am

  I am not quite sure if Vedanta actually wanted to set up an university in the first place. Now it appears a township, holiday resorts, private beaches were perhaps seen as lucrative investment opportunities by the company. The university plan was added as a cover for all these. If it indeed is the case then it is a classic case of deception. I sincerely wish that vendanta actually sets up a university of grand scale any where in India (be it karnatak, andhra, etc).

• 3. Abh  |  September 8th, 2010 at 3:35 pm

  All people from Orissa should support the proposed university.
  We should join hand together agaisnt the relocation of the University to other states.
  what Orissa needs today is investment in education, infrastructure and industries.
  The days are gone when Orissa is known for is backwardness.

  Please join hand together to support the developement.

• 4. Abh  |  September 8th, 2010 at 3:36 pm

  LETS BUILD A POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS ORISSA

• 5. Umashankar  |  September 8th, 2010 at 3:38 pm

  Strictly speaking land will be a problem anywhere they go. Even 5000 acres will be difficult to get anywhere. POSCO did the same in karnataka. They havent reached anywhere so far.

  This is more of a pressure tactic against the state Govt to allot new mines for Lanjigarh . Hence, the press leak. Looking at people who gloat over the moving from the eastern region to Southern India, they must understand that this will have it’s consequences. There is a lot of public anger on this already.

  Calcutta used to be the capital of this country before 1911. Today, it is an old decrepit place which is only famous for Trade Unions, strikes and convenient holidays on a whiff of an wish. Thankfully, Bhubaneswar is going in the reverse direction completely. It symbolises growth and development. Today, students from the eastern region prefer studying in Bhubaneswar as compared to Calcutta. This is a sign for the future.

  Historically speaking, Calcutta was a fishing village before 1757. But, Cuttack and Bhubaneswar have a 1000 year old recorded history. If you take sisupalgarh, it is 2500 years old history. Economics is in the lifeblood of these areas. That will not change in future.

• 6. Sangram Keshari Mallick  |  September 8th, 2010 at 3:47 pm

  I am in total agreement with Mr Ghosh when he says that the University was merely a smoke screen for the proliferation of Vedanta’s business interests. As a matter of fact Vedanta’s record as a good corporate citizen is immensely doubtful. I can say this because I am a student at one of the top National Law Universities and as part of the Environment law course I had done a project on Niyamgiri. The flagrant violations of Environment Norms that has happened in the project is just mind-boggling. Vedanta’s indiscretions are not only limited to India, its copper mining project in Zamibia has run into rough weather with allegations of labour law and environmental norm violations. So, if Vedanta is packing its bags from Orissa I see no reason why we should pity ourselves for missing the ‘opportunity of the century’ because the want of development does not give anyone a license to plunder our environment.

• 7. Chitta Baral  |  September 8th, 2010 at 4:55 pm

  @Sangram So can not we take care of the environment as well as have the opportunities in Odisha. Must they go to other states and as a result many of us go and study/work in other states and other countries. At the same time due to lack of jobs our people leave their homes and become slave labor or cooks in other states.

  @RKGhosh My thought is that if one assumes the worst then the worst will happen. Tata nano is now thriving in Gujarat and many other industries are being developed in the surrounding environment. Similarly when we repent after seeing Vedanta University flourish in another state, it will be too late. I would rather give them a chance (in Odisha) now but watch them like a hawk to make sure that they don’t divert from their stated goals.

  @Umashankar Land would be a problem everywhere. But it is reported that they already have bought 4500 acres in Puri and were ready to start the medical school in a small part of it. Why not let them do that and then judge if their medical school is really world class or not and then make a judgment on the rest of the project.

  The article at http://ibnlive.in.com/news/nri-billionaire-to-replace-mukesh-as-richest-indian/129357-7.html?from=network18 mentioned that Anil Agarwal may become the richest Indian. The amount mentioned there (I am not sure how it was calculated) suggests his worth will become close to $35 Billion. This is comparable to Bill Gates $53 Billion and Warren Buffet’s $47 Billion. See http://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/10/billionaires-2010_The-Worlds-Billionaires_Rank.html . Both of them have donated 10s of Billions to the Bill Gates foundation.

  With the way Anil Agarwal’s worth is speculated (in the above pointer) to be increasing who knows, he may soon surpass both of them. People at that level (or even at his current level) compete with each other in terms of who has a bigger foundation and who donates more. So its quite believable that he wants to put a lot of his worth on a university and his $1 Billion pledge for a $3 Billion university is for real. For us to say NO to it and let it go to another state perhaps explains why we are at the bottom of everything.

• 8. Devasis  |  September 8th, 2010 at 5:02 pm

  If this happens this will be really bad. On a personal front I do not think so for the following reasons.
  1. Vedanta has got 6000 acres by paying 10 crores (escrow amount while passing the bill) + the amount given to Jagannath Temple for land of their possession (3 lac per acre for HT land). They will not get cheaper land in any other state. This is vital from their business point of view. We need to know that Anil Agarwal is a shrewd businessman after all.
  2. Vedanta cannot easily move its Aluminium plant as it is more or less complete. End of the day Orissa also has 26% bauxite reserves. This also mandates them to start here.
  3. The actual people who throng the colleges are from eastern and north eastern india and he will sure want to tap it.
  4. Puri is the cheapest JNURM city. So all development will happen at Govt cost. No opportune businessman can miss it.
  However if we do not show any respect to the business man he is bound to do less than he promised as we have given what he wants.

  What is needed is that we go to him with a business justification presentation saying what all the Orissa Govt and people of Orissa have done for him and ask him to make a statement to the contrary and press him to start the Hospital – big as 1600 beds in the first phase itself.

  if we lose time then we lose land and Univeristy both. Becoz technically he has ownership of land I supose..

• 9. Rasmi Ranjan choudhury  |  September 8th, 2010 at 5:19 pm

  I am strongly agree with Chitta .I request all My odiya Friends fight for vedanta University.We want at any cost vedanta university will be in our state.

• 10. Chandra  |  September 8th, 2010 at 5:25 pm

  @chitta Babu,
  Personal wealth has nothing to do with university. To acquire a land for a university a trust foundation has to be registered by as publich which is clearly mentioned by lokapl in his report, which it self how is the violation.
  Now with the mines lease in quandry, vendanta is using pressure tactis to get the land allocated. Your arguments based on news reports seems more focussed on Anil aggrwal foundation and his net wealth.
  I want to know you professional endorsements and why do you haev such a personal emergency over vedanata issue.

  One more thing to note:- Your reported articles always quote references from a website named Tathya.in. I want to know if the website is so representing orissa, why it was not allowing new registered users to post comments on it.I have been trying to get registerd id for last 6 months and everytime it says it is temporarily closed.Why do you keep referencing such biased and henious webiste for your unsubstantiated claims?

• 11. Anuj Patra  |  September 8th, 2010 at 5:36 pm

  The main reason for not making tthe vedanta minining in niyamgiri is oposition rulling in Orissa not the envirnoment issue.Resources are there and it should be explored for growth.How long these resources would be kept under the earth?
  For how long these tribal should be exploited and deprived from mainstream.Give them good standard of living by utilizing the locational resources not play the politics of vote banking and political milage.Even these innocent tribal dont know what’s beneficial for them.
  Are these politician really concerened about envirnoment?
  Then how come pallavarm got cleared? whats the situation of our great rivers across India say Ganga,Yamuna .How come Polluting industry still stand near the cities?
  Please give these poor people chance to lead better life.
  Local people and every political party support required to make the path through for University

• 12. Chitta Baral  |  September 8th, 2010 at 5:58 pm

  @chandra
  The trust is a public trust. One of the readers sent me the proof. See http://www.orissalinks.com/wp-content/uploads/image/2010%2004%2006%20Anil%20Agarwal%20Foundation.JPG

  You can also go to the site http://www.mca.gov.in/MCA21/dca/masterdata/Master_data.html
  Click on View Company Master Data (link is on the left)
  Put U91990MH2004NPL146228 in CIN/FCRN and click Submit

  It shows the Anil Agarwal Foundation is a Section 25 Company.
  It gives registration number as 146228

  (Where did I get U91990MH2004NPL146228 )

  Click on Access Public Documents; View Public Documents
  Type Anil Agarwal Foundation as the Company Name and Click Search
  It gives you U91990MH2004NPL146228 as the CIN/FCRN

  Why I endorse Vedanta University? What is the urgency?

  Basically because it is an unparalleled opportunity that we should not let go. Andhra is trying hard to take it away from us. If you don’t believe me, just read what the Andhra CM is supposed to have written ( see http://www.orissalinks.com/archives/5221 ):

  QUOTE

  In his letter to Agarwal, who is also the chairman of Anil Agarwal Foundation (AAF), Rosaiah said, “I request you to choose Andhra Pradesh as the state has a unique capacity and culture to nurture the institute of your dreams that will put Indian education back on the global map. I depute the chief executive officer of AP Invest, the state government’s nodal agency, to make a detailed presentation to you in this regard. I assure you that the state government will extend every possible support to this endeavour.”
  “Your vision of building a research university of the stature of Stanford in India, your dream of providing higher education of global standards to over one lakh students is all the more heartening. My government strongly believes in nurturing great institutions of learning in the state. As part of this vision, we have successfully invited institutions of excellence like Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Chrisitian Medical College-Vellore and Indian Institute of Science-Bangalore to start their academic and research campuses in the state”, the letter added.

  ENDQUOTE

  More reasons at http://petitions.orissalinks.com/ in detail.

  Urgency is: Do we want this to go to Andhra rather than stay in Odisha? If we don’t act urgently there is a chance it may indeed go to Andhra.

  That may suit people and NGOs whose bread and butter is to survive and thrive in the name of poor people and make themselves rich. That may also suit people who themselves are outside Odisha in Gurgaon or Hyderabad or USA or Canada etc. enjoying the opportunities there but for whatever reason want Odisha to remain poor and backward and bring the bogey of environment as if one can not take care of environment as well as have opportunities.

• 13. Chitta Baral  |  September 8th, 2010 at 6:00 pm

  @Chandra:

  On tathya.in. What they let you do or not do, you need to take it up with them.

  I do cite it sometimes but not always. For example, there is not one citation to tathya.in among the last 20 postings in this site.

  In regards to unsubstantiated claims by me, please point which unsubstantiated claim you are referring to.

  Please note that this is a moderated site. If you make random and false accusations like the one you do in your last paragraph without substantiating it, it will be edited.

• 14. Ranjan  |  September 8th, 2010 at 6:07 pm

  I will say it is because of bad politics of congress and BJP we are loosing this beautifull project.

• 15. Siriyal  |  September 8th, 2010 at 6:36 pm

  Chitta Sir,
  Whatever the case may be, we should not leave any chance for the VU to move out. If we just decide to wait and see, what their real intention is, then it will be too late for us to do anything if they actually plan to relocate. I would suggest as a first step, we should try to clear the fog out of it (created by some newspaper reports). If someone is in print and electronic media sector, they can try to arrange a direct interview (or just a news bite) directly with Mr. Anil Agarwal.

  Thanks

• 16. Anuj Patra  |  September 8th, 2010 at 7:08 pm

  BJD goverment especially Mr Naveen Patnaik s trying hard to invite industrial community to set up their venture in Orissa.Unfortunately Central & Local Anti politics does not want the venture to take the shape.This is cheap politics & really horrible.Even after years POSCO,VEDANT,MITTAL unable to set up their venture due to local opposition.
  Unless & Untill local people & anti politician stop their agitation and understand real opportunity of growth,these dream project could not be executed

• 17. Prasanna Mishra  |  September 8th, 2010 at 7:11 pm

  We may first objectively analyse how the Ravenshaw University is functioning. Whether it has blossomed into a Centre of Academic Excellence? Let us see whether Kanika Library today retains its treasure and shine. Let us see how many Professors of the University have applied for patent rights; how many PhDs, DScs have come out. I have a feeling that the University should be run with greater far sight and academic vision. We should therefore not grieve so much on Vedanta; we should make our existing institutions run appropriately.

• 18. Chitta Baral  |  September 8th, 2010 at 7:29 pm

  Dear Prasanna babu:

  We can aim to have the existing institutions like Ravenshaw run appropriately as well as try to keep Vedanta University.

  Please also note that the budget the state gives to Ravenshaw and our other universities is miniscule compared to national institutions and central universities. Even if they get some money from UGC it is still not much.

  Just for comparison purposes: Annual budget of IISc Bangalore is about 220 crores. Annual budget of all our 15 IITs put together is 2000 crores. Annual budget of my university is about 8000 crores. Annual budget of Stanford and Harvard is about 16000 crores each. Budget of Ravenshaw and other state universities in Odisha is about 10s of crores.

  cheers
  chitta

• 19. Umashankar  |  September 8th, 2010 at 8:54 pm

  @Chitta babu,
  I dont have any complaints against the VU. All I’m saying is that this is a big stakes game. Therefore, one should not be disheartened. I would like to see it happen in Puri.

  There are so many forces which dont want it to happen in Odisha. I will request everyone who supports the university to register it in many ways. NGO’s are organised. Their jobs are to send e-mails opposing this and that. Our jobs are completely different. But, time has come to support such endeavours. Register in facebook. Support the Vedanta University page. Write on it’s wall..Blog about it. If we lose VU, we will always be 2nd class citizens in our own country.

• 20. Aum Yagna Dutta Mohapatr  |  September 8th, 2010 at 11:05 pm

  My Dear Oriya Brothers,

  Let not talk in Net we will come up to road and fright for Vedanta… It is useless talk or comment in net.

  The situation will not in our hand do something before that..

  Dnt sleep unless untill vedanta will decide to stay in our State…

  Lets not make second mistake as we had done for IIT Kharagapur… Now it is biggest IIT in INDIA… One day Vedanta will become Biggest University in World….

  Come up my all Oriya Bhai’s….

• 21. Jyotirmayee Kar  |  September 9th, 2010 at 4:18 am

  Academician should be appointed as VCs in our universities not IAS or others. Only academicians can understand student’s problems properly. Universities should try to generate their own fund up to certain extent and they should not depend fully on UGC or other funding agencies.
  Ravenshaw and other universities are facing a lot of problems because of the lack of the above mentioned points. We should have more professional courses, quality faculties ( I doubt the faculty selection process in our universites), faculties should be much research oriented.

• 22. Sangram Keshari Mallick  |  September 9th, 2010 at 6:12 am

  @ Mr Baral. I sincerely hope that we are able to reconcile the conflicting paradigms of Environmental protection and development. But there is something called a rebuttable presumption, which essentially means that the presumption would stay unless it is conclusively rebutted. Now the presumption here (through the various independent and legal sources) is that Vedanta has had a history of legal mischief and it continues to do so worldwide. Has it done anything to allay these fears? The answer is No. Vedanta University itself is caught in CRZ regulatory violations. Mark the irony here a future ‘Centre of educational excellence’ would be resting on the bedrock of illegality.

  P.S. The situation of a college in a place does not guarantee the enrollment of students from that very place. 50% of students studying at Oxford are not even citizens of the UK.

  @ Mr Anuj Patra at Comment 11: I am sorry to say this but Sir I think you have completely lost the plot. References such as ‘these innocent tribal dont know what’s beneficial for them’ and ‘Please give these poor people chance to lead better life’ are nothing but an affront on the very people whose cause you seem to be eulogising. The tribal junta may not be as articulate as a city dweller like you but they are very well aware of their societal interest. And for your information the internationally recognised principle of Self Determination mandates that indigenous people have an inherent right to their lands and this finds mention in Schedule V of the Indian Constitution. So, please let the tribal choose what he wants from a better life than you shoving your definition down his throat.

  @ “We will fight this out on the streets “– Before you people do what you wish I only urge you to take a deeper thought about the efficacy of this.

  And for everyone on this thread please read: THE CONFESSIONS OF AN ECONOMIC HITMAN by John Perkins.

• 23. Chitta Baral  |  September 9th, 2010 at 6:51 am

  @Mr Mallick

  If you do not know or fail to realize the importance of world class universities and their impact on the area they are in regardless of where the students come from, there is nothing much to argue with you. Since you asked people to read several things, I may as well point you to a book. (Title: The great American University. Author: Jonathan R. Cole.)

• 24. Ranjan  |  September 9th, 2010 at 4:31 pm

  @Sangram Please donot come your personal thought to It.We odiya donot go your Useless idiology we want our state to develop all the way for that we want to sacrifice anything.

  If a big rally required we will come front to protest If required we will come to road we will protest and will not move the vedanta university to other state .you are ready please join your hand .

• 25. Anuj Patra  |  September 10th, 2010 at 4:38 pm

  @Mr Sangram : No tribal living on that peice of mining plot ,its only their sorrounding area.If developement happen in that area,these tribal will be first beneficiary of these project.Everbody know’s whats the situation of interior orissa,they dont have even basic amminities like health ,education etc.Vedanta already started these services in that area.I am not denying that their societal interest should not be fulfilled or we define whats good or bad for them,My say is that their basic needs will be fulfilled if growth happen in that part of the world just like Nalco & HAL changed the livelyhood of nearest Damonjodi & Sunabeda area.Directly & Indirectly sorrounding livelyhood get benefitted.I was there in Sunabeda for one year and visited nearest tribal & inetrior area and well aware of the pathetic condition of these locality.No need to read others book and learn lesson.we need to define our own term.We as a oriya already suffered a lot due to poor politics and considered as poorer state in India Opportunity knocks the door only once.Big project like Vedanta,Posco,Mittal knocking our door,Its our choice to open the door or close.Others state are eagerly awaiting to welcome with red carpet.Interior orissa like KBK is known for hunger death & now its Maobadi.Choice is ours.Progress or Poverty???

• 26. Sangram Keshari Mallick  |  September 10th, 2010 at 11:36 pm

  @ Mr Patra My heart warms to see the passion with which you seem to be arguing for Vedanta. But I am not normally given to impassioned argumentation and only rely on hard facts. Here are a few facts which I provide for your perusal.

  Keonjhar: Produces 21% of India’s iron ore; has 60% population living Below the Poverty Line; ranked 24th out of the 30 districts of Orissa in Human Development Index.

  Koraput : Produces around 40 percent of India’s Bauxite; 79% of its population lives Below the Poverty Line; ranked 27th out of the 30 districts of Orissa in Human Development Index.

  Jajpur: Produces 95% of India’s chromite. Ranked 22nd out of the 30 districts of Orissa in Human Development Index.

  [Source: Centre for Science and Education’s presentation to the Group of Ministers, Government of India, June 26 , 2007.]

  So Mr Patra do you still believe that rapid industrialization would bring about accelerated growth? As I see from the facts above there has been anything but growth; for if your assertion had been true then these districts should have been the most prosperous districts of Orissa going by the quantity of Industrial mining that has taken place.

  Secondly you have stated that “No tribal living on that peice of mining plot, its only their sorrounding area.” With all humility at my disposal I request you not to twist the facts. The facts as they stand is that the Niyamgiri Hills are home to several tribal peoples, among them the Dongaria Kondh is one such ‘Primitive Tribal Group’ that has a special status in the Indian Constitution. The mining project will imply that 102 families must be moved from the area. Some of these had been relocated because of the construction work on the refinery while Vedanta’s permission to mine in the area was still pending. These are not my words this was stated in the report submitted by the Central Empowered Committee appointed by the Honourable Supreme Court of Inida.
  [Source: The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) 2005: Report in IA no. 1324 regarding the alumina refinery plant being set up by m/s Vedanta Alumina Limited at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district, Orissa, 21.09.05 available @ http://www.indiaresource.org/issues/globalization/2005/CECSep2005cancellicense.html ]

  Lastly you seem to brag about the great ‘development’ that has been brought about by NALCO. I for one don’t believe that this is true; opening a corner shop for an Adivasi or putting Life size Bill boards on Cuttack- Bhubaneshwar Highway with smiling tribals is not really development. If you wish to know what NALCO has really done to/for the tribals please read this Article titled “Ecological Debt: A case study from Orissa, India by Sanjay Khatua”
  available at: http://www.ecologicaldebt.org/documentos/tipos%20de%20deuda/wcc_ecodebt.pdf

  And yes I have taken care not to suggest a foreign author lest it hurt your Oriya spirits; the author here is a Son of the Soil!

• 27. Chitta Baral  |  September 11th, 2010 at 2:11 am

  Lets stick to the university issues and not debate mining here.

• 28. Purna Mishra  |  September 11th, 2010 at 8:54 am

  Ignorant activism based on little understanding of economic and environmental theory is quite visible through the different postings.

  Our biggest curse is our own people. We have people here who do not have 50 cents in their pockets and yet they are talking about billion dollar investments. There are very few educational pioneers like our own Chitta babu and he is being questioned by people which remind me my mother. This is the way she used to describe Oriya activists. “Aa Aaa naasu pache, zilla isikule heada pandite”. People without basic vernacular education are talking like the head master of a zilla school.

  Now I question these activists who want to nail down Vedanta as a bad corporate citizen and bad for environmental ecology.

  1. Why did the Government of India allow them to take over the majority shares and controlling interest of Sesa Goa?

  2. Why did the Government of India allow them to take over Sterlite India and partnership at Balco? GOI should not get into bed with questionable corporate citizens.

  3. Cairn Energy with good cash flow from their Indian operation should be crazy to accept a bid for them to sell 60% (majority) of their Indian operation.

  4. Sesa Goa manage Thakurani Mines (Iron Ore) and exports most of the ores through Paradeep and Haladia. Why is their operation been supported by Government of India (Bureau of Mines, Ports, Custom agencies, GOO, etc).

  5. They own Indian Zinc and its operation in Goa. It must beg the answer that various Rajasthan Governments both BJP and Congress are ignorant of Vedanta.

  6. Why and how did Rahul Gandhi announc his visit to Niyamgiri 5 days before Ministry of Forest announced their decision on Vedanta? Was he preview to the decision? Remember he might be the big gun in the party but he is not a part of the government. I found it to be quite amazing.

  7. Asarco one of the largest copper mines in Arizona had agreed to sell the company to Sterlite/Vedanta. Vedanta withdrew the offer and then resubmitted. The government, the labor union all preferred the acquisition but the bankruptcy court decided in favor of Groupo Mexico. Now the Arizona state government, the employees union and the press must be ignorant about the Sterlite/Vedanta. Asarco went out of business not because copper mining was not profitable but they needed $1 billion to clean the environment. Wow it must be amazing; the worst polluter was preferred by the government and union. My little brain just could not connect the dots here.

  8. Australia must be equally ignorant as they let Vedanta to take over Tasmania Copper.

  I am not defending Vedanta not many of her actions. Here Chitta babu has a site and is leading a fight to keep Vedanta’s vision for their university located in Orissa. Mittal has their university in Gujarat and Ambani will have their in Maharashtra. Are these two environmental heros?

  One of the worst environmental disasters was in Bhopal where 25K people died and the then Congress government accepted a peanut of 470 millions. None of this money has reached the victims. Who was the Indian company involved in this? It was Mahindra. They have been expanding their empire all over India even with a super disaster at Bhopal. The Maharashtra Government must throw them to Arabian sea.

  Now my final question: why the Adivasis of Northern Orissa has a higher education, economy base, and lesser poverty than Adivasis of Southern Orissa?

  Mineral based industry is not the final answer to bring prosperity. The down line industries are the key. Due to faulty economic policies like “Freight equalization Act”, there is hardly any manufacturing base in Eastern India. Now the activists will make sure there be no industries whatsoever in Eastern India. When the state Government does not have the money to provide basic health care (as hundreds of people are dying each year in Rayagada), it is amazing we still believe let us shut down everything, somewhere Government will have money to eradicate poverty and by making these Adivasis dancing before Westerners in the name of eco tourism we will make the Adivasis skip the poverty chain.

  Ah I am in Alice in the Wonderland (the make believe world of zombie activism).

  My 2 cents.

  — Purna

• 29. Sangram Keshari Mallick  |  September 11th, 2010 at 1:05 pm

  @ Purna Mishra: Lol your comments are seriously rib tickling ! I don’t think you intended it to be so but that’s what sycophancy does to one’s expressions. Best of luck with that.
  About me being ignorant; pretty evident since you are the one posing the maximum number of questions and I answering the max. Let there be light!
  Also you have mentioned Lewis Carrol’s Alice in Wonderland ( hope you have read it ) I thought i should quote a few lines from there ” Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here? That depends a good deal on where you want to get to, said the Cat. I don’t care much where, said Alice. Then it doesn’t much matter which way you go, said the Cat.” This very much encapsulates the development track of Orissa and its champions like you.

  P.S. I wish I could see one “Zilla Pandite”, my bad i guess, my mom put me in a boarding.

  @ Mr Baral: I do accept my previous comment was a digression from the topic but there was no way i could have answered to the questions posed by Mr Patra without doing so.

• 30. Sambit  |  September 13th, 2010 at 2:37 pm

  There is no place of Politics in this case, But we need refined policies. The Environmental issues can be avoided by proper steps in stead of making simple hue & cry. Our beloved PM is speaking about the purely development, but the Mother-Son due(G family) is speaking all bloody nuisance, giving excuse in the name of Farmer. This is a classic example of cheap politics. Please raise our voice against the shift.

• 31. Anuj Patra  |  September 13th, 2010 at 6:54 pm

  Poverty eradication is the programme of central & state government not by any corprate entity.Its their CSR (Corprate Social responsibilty) which will provide added advantage to local.Just like TATA CSR

  The interset of the displaced & locals will be improved if following will be implemented properly
  1) Proper implementation of R&R policy.
  2)The central & state goverment getting the mining loyalty and not taking care of the local developement.Thats the cause of poverty in the mining rich locality.
  I am not arguing in favour of any corporate.we want to see orissa as a rich state in all aspect as we have rich resources and it should be utlized for betterment of our socity.

• 32. DEEPAK KUMAR DASH  |  December 1st, 2010 at 10:21 am

  A Research University has a major role in the Economic development of a region. Stanford is burning example . Vedanta University could have put Orissa in the global map. It is really shocking that it is not coming up.
  There is no point in cying foul about the Enviornment here. If the land is not given to Vedanta to build a University , it would be occupied by some mafias to build resorts. If you drive down the Puri-Konark Marine Road , you would see loads of examples of illegal encroachment of the land.
  Last : For once we should put our conspiracy theories to rest. I agree – Vedanta’s reputation on Corporate Social Responsibility is questionable. But we should stop seeing a conspiracy behind everything it does. Govt of Orissa and Govt of India can never fund a research university of this stature. Dr. Baral has quoted numbers for everybody’s reference.
  We have missed our chance to get the first IIT some50 years ago. Lets not do it again. Our children wont forgive us for doing this.