(Thanks to an IRFCA poster for the pointer.)

See details at http://www.google.co.in/mobile/default/sms/#. The number to SMS is 9-77-33-00000.

• To get PNR status of Indian Railways train ticket one just needs to enter their 10 digit pnr number
• To get the list of trains from Delhi to Mumbai: Just search –  trains delhi to mumbai

Following is an excerpt from a report in Pioneer.

The Ministry of Railways has decided to extend the Howrah-Sambalpur Ispat Express up to Titlagarh from March 1. The train will leave Sambalpur at 4.50 pm and arrive at Titlagarh at 8.20 pm. In the return direction, the train will leave Titlagarh at 5.20 am and arrive at Sambalpur at 8.35 am to go Howrah. The train will stop at Hirakud, Bargarh Road, Barpali, Balangir and Saintala between Sambalpur and Titlagarh. The timings and stoppages of the train between Sambalpur and Howrah will remain unchanged.

With this extension and the proposed new train between Koraput and Rourkela, there will be 4 daily trains in the Titlagarh-Balangir-Sambalpur-Jharsuguda-Rourkela segment of western Orissa. The other two are Koraput Howrah express and Dhanbad-Allepey express. In addition there are the Yeshavantpur-Hatia (biweekly) and Yeshavantpur-Tata (weekly) express.

The Titlagarh-Sambalpur sector has two more daily trains: Raipur-Bhubaneswar express and Rayagada-Sambalpur Express.

Following is an excerpt from a report in Indopia:

Passengers to Kolkata would now have as many as three Rajdhanis to choose from, with the Railways deciding to extend Bilaspur Rajdhani up to Howrah with immediate effect.

At present, Howrah and Sealdah Rajdhanis connect Delhi to Kolkata.

However, the extension will be on an experimental basis for four months a release issued by Northern Railway said.

The extension would also benefit the people of the steel city of Rourkela, located between Bilaspur and Howrah, as they had been for long demanding a Rajdhani linking to the national capital.

The proposed revised timings are:

2441 (From HWH Friday and Saturday w.e.f 27.02)

HWH: 21 25
TATA: 01 00
ROU: 03 15
Brajrajnagar: 05 02
Raigarh: 05 52
Champa: 07 05
BSP: 08 40
NDLS: 06 05

2442 (From New Delhi Wednesday and Thursday w.e.f 25.02)

NDLS: 20 40
BSP: 17 20
Champa: 18 12
Raigarh: 19 19
Brajrajnagar: 20 17
ROU: 22 20
TATA: 00 50
HWH: 04 30

Composition: AC1: 1, AC2: 3, AC3: 4, PC: 1.

Note that Brajrajnagar is 12 kms from Jharsuguda Jn and 60 km from Sambalpur.

Following is an excerpt from the article at http://bihartimes.com/Newsbihar/2009/Feb/Newsbihar16Feb7.html.

Sometimes it is quite difficult to understand why leaders from Bihar are so squeamish about helping their home state when leaders from other states are so brazen in doing this.  Defense Minister A K Antony has gone about making the defense PSUs set up their facility in Kerala.  Even non politicos like Dr Madhvan Nair have selected Kerala to set up "Indian Institute of Space Technology" at Thiruvananathpuram while being fully aware that Bihar does not have any ISRO center worth mentioning. I hardly find anyone questioning why the benefit of all the Farm Loan Waiver Schemes have been cornered by so called developed states like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu. Moreover, I’m yet to see any one questioning as to how  Mr T R Balu has focused just on developing roads and sea ports in his home state of Tamilnadu only. As per his own claim, he has brought investment of over Rs. 50,000 crores ( Rs 33,000 crores in road sector and balance in ports) to Tamilnadu. Similarly, Mr Velu has lobbied hard to get Rs 7000 crore worth railway project approved for TN. Politicians from Andhra Pradesh were being indignant at their state being ignored. One must add up the fund Andhra Pradesh has cornered over last 10 years.
 
If the central government had not formulated the policies and its programs the way it has been doing till now, all these so called developed states would have been underdeveloped.  The states which have been the worst sufferers have been actually the states like Orissa, Jharkhand, MP and Chhatishgarh. If any state has any right to be indignant at all, it is only these states.

…

Bihar certainly deserves a better treatment now before it is too late for Indian Union to manage inequities between various states. Till date Bihar has been marginalized in setting up institutions and assets of national importance, putting it at huge economic disadvantage. As recently as last month, even in the case of ‘Institute of Translation Research’, Bihar’s case was ignored to favour Andhra Pradesh. How long the fellow countryman and the policy makers think that people of Bihar should meekly accept this discrimination. Central policy makers are so blatant that they have not even bothered to release a reconstruction and rehabilitation package for flood ravaged region of Kosi, as they did in case of other national calamities like Gujarat Earthquake and  Tamil Nadu Tsunami. It is hard to comprehend why different yardsticks are being followed for citizens of the same country. Most paradoxical thing has been that the central policy makers are focusing on developing regions which has been traditionally inimical to people coming from other parts of country and ignoring the ones which have been receptive all along.
 
Anyway, talking about the railway, Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav has only partially fulfilled the wishes of the people of state in this Interim Budget. He has made more noise and delivered less in this budget than his earlier budgets even while conceding that it was only an Interim Budget. I would have expected him to take up some railway lines for which surveys were announced in his previous budgets. Also, he has announced survey of Mono Rail for Patna last year with much fanfare but there is no confirmation whether the same is going to happen any soon now. After returning from Japan he forgot his old promise of Mono Rail and ended up on a new promise of Bullet Train which is even less likely to happen soon.  Of particular interest for state would have been announcement pertaining to a Rail Bridge between Chapra and Arrah over the Ganges River and perhaps two more at Bakhtiyarpur and Sahibganj over this mighty river. He could have also ventured to provide fast track connectivity for Kosi Region to the state capital by linking up Saharsa, Kusheshwarsthan, Samastipur and Hajipur using a rail Bridge on Kosi at Kusheswarsthan.
 
Though the minister has done a commendable job for Bihar over the last five years, yet he is leaving a lot of things incomplete.

The site is http://www.odishabusservice.com/index.php and it seems nicely made and looks useful.

Update: A new train and another frequency increase may be in the offing. They are:

• Increased frequency of Vizag-Hzt Nizamuddin Samata Express that goes via Rayagada and Titlagarh.

• A new train between Nabadwip Dham and Puri.

Following is excerpted from http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/budget-0910/ENGLISH-Speech-0910.pdf.

New Trains:

• Koraput-Rourkela Express via Rayagada (daily)
• Kolkata-Gandhidham Superfast Express (weekly) [Will it be via Rourkela – Jharsuguda?]

Increase in frequency:

• 2443/2444 New Delhi – Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express (from 2 days to 4 days)   Last year 2421/2422 New Delhi – Bhubaneswar Rajdhani express frequency was increased from 2 days to 3 days. So when this years proposed frequency increase is implemented there will be a Rajdhani between Bhubaneswar and New Delhi every day of the week.
• 2887/2888 Howrah-Puri express from weekly to Bi-weekly

Following is an excerpt from a report in Telegraph.

… Aimed at coaching and training boys from 11 to 19 years, the Orissa Cricket Academy envisions acting as “an educational institution and a nursery” to “effectively tap and groom young talent for the future”.

It has already enrolled the first batch of 40 trainees selected on the basis of performance and record during the under-15, under-17 and under-19 inter-district matches. They are being provided free accommodation and food within the Barabati Stadium complex. …

The youngsters would be imparted training and coaching on modern techniques and physical fitness by qualified and experienced coach, physio trainer and video analyst. …

As part of a major infrastructure development project underway at the stadium, OCA has set up the academy at a cost of Rs 6 crore, 50 per cent of which was provided by the BCCI. National Cricket Academy director Dav Whatmore, … said: “It will act as a state-of-the-art workshop and nursery to enhance performance levels by producing well-talented cricketers with well-rounded personalities to meet the current challenges of international cricket.”

Sprawling over a 2-acre area on the southwest corner of the stadium complex the academy has 10 pitches — six natural turfs, two synthetic (one designed to help pacers and other for spinners) and two concrete. The academy, supported with hi-tech multi-gym facility. R. Srikant has been appointed chief coach with Sourajit Mohapatra, Manas Ray and Daniel Rout to assist him in bowling, batting and fielding, respectively.

The state cricket association had undertaken a major infrastructure development work is in progress at the stadium.

The Rs 56-crore project with 50 per cent funding from BCCI envisaged extension of pavilion, galleries, an indoor hall for practice sessions during inclement weather, swimming pools for players, a permanent academy and hi-tech dressing room of international standard.

The NDTV site of the 13 Orissa sites is at http://7wondersofindia.ndtv.com/vote.aspx?id=9. The youtube videos below are from http://www.youtube.com/user/7wondersofindia. The descriptions below and the pictures are from the NDTV sites and the youtube sites.

EIGHT Sites near Bhubaneswar:

A 64 Yogini Tantrik Site

Located in Bhubaneswar, Orissa.
The Sixty Four Yoginis temple at Hirapur is a circular enclosure with a narrow doorway to the eastern side. The diameter of the enclosure is 7.62 meters or 25 feet and height of the wall on the paved floor inside is 1.87 metres or 6 feet 2 inches. Yogini was considered sacred, hence this temple was created. Inside the temple there are 60 niches and in every niche there is a figure of a Yogini. All the Yogini images stand and are carved on black chlorite stone.

Nandan Kanan National Park

Located in Chandaka Forests, 20km from Bhubaneshwar, Orissa.
The park is spread in about 4 sq.km. of area, while the wildlife
sanctuary is spread in around 5 sq. km. The park is home to more than 75 species of mammals and reptiles.The Nandan Kanan National park houses the very first captive gharial breeding centre of the country. Nandan Kanan justifies its literal meaning i.e. "Garden of Pleasure".

Lingaraja Bhubaneshwar Temple

Located in Bhubaneswar, Orissa.
The Lingaraja temple is located in a spacious courtyard covering
over 250000 sq feet and is bounded by fortified walls. Its tower rises up to 180 feet and is elaborately carved. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and the Lingam here is unique which is a harihara lingam -half Shiva and half Vishnu.
Built by Yayati Kesari in the 7th century. This temple is dedicated to Tribhubaneshwar or the Lord of Three Worlds. The Lingaraja temple is about 1000 years old.

Udaygiri and Khandagiri Caves

The caves are located atop the twin hills known as Udayagiri
(meaning the hill of the sunrise) and Khandagiri (meaning the
broken hill) which rise abruptly from the coastal plain, about 6km
West of Bhubaneswar, separated by a highway. Udaygiri caves are approximately 135 ft high and Khandagiri caves are 118 ft high.
The main attraction of these caves consists of its stupendous carvings. Of all the caves in Udaygiri, the largest one is the Rani Gumpha or the Queens Cave. The origin of the rock cut caves of Udaygiri and Khandagiri dates back to the 2nd century BC.
The caves are reminiscent of influence of Buddhism and Jainism in Orissa. The inscription and carvings on the walls show that they once served as Jain Monasteries.

Raghurajpur Craftsman Village

Located 14 kms from Puri in Orissa. The village is inhabited by artisans producing sheer poetry on pieces of treated cloth, dried palm leaf or paper. The Villages runs from east to west with houses arranged in two neat rows facing each other. In the centre runs a line of small temples. The village has a community of artisans who produce different verities of handicraft items like pata paintings, palm leaf
engravings, stone carvings, wooden toys and mask, wood carving, wooden toys, cow-dung toys, tusser paintings, etc. 

Puri Beach

Located on Shores of Bay of Bengal, at a mere distance of 35 kms from the Sun Temple and 65 kms from Bhubaneshwar. Pilgrims from all over India visit Puri to take a dip in the holy water of the rolling waves which is considered religious. It is renowned for the sand sculptures created particularly by the internationally famed Sudarshan Patnaik. Puri is the abode of Lord Jagannath and considered one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage destinations. The beach is a festive place where people come to relax and be entertained. It serves as the venue of the Puri Beach Festival.

Sun Temple, Konark

Situated at a distance from the famous religious and tourist centre of Puri (35 Km.) and the capital city of Bhubaneswar (65 Km). The entire temple was designed in the shape of a colossal chariot with seven horses and twenty four wheels, each about 10 feet in diameter, with a set of spokes and elaborate carvings. The Sun Temple of Konark marks the highest point of achievement of Kalinga architecture depicting the grace, the joy and the rhythm of
life all it`s wondrous variety. It was built by King Raja Narasinghs Deva-I of the Ganga Dynasty in the thirteenth century. It is a temple to Surya, the sun God.

Chilika Lake

Chilika Lake (also called Chilka lake) is a brackish water coastal lake in India`s Orissa state, south of the mouth of the Mantei River.
The area of the lake varies from 1165 km sq. in the monsoon season to 906 km sq. in the dry season, and is studded with numerous small islands. The lake is an important habitat and breeding ground for both
resident and migratory and aquatic birds, most notably flamingoes.
The lake was formed due to the silting action of the Mantei River
which drains into the northern end of the lake, and the northerly
currents in the Bay of Bengal, which have formed a sandbar along the eastern shore leading to the formation of a shallow lagoon.
The main attractions inside the lake are Kalijai Island, Honeymoon Island, Breakfast Island, Birds Island, Nalabana (Island of Reeds) and Parikud Island.

The Other Five sites in Orissa:

Olive Ridley Sea Turtles

Found in the Indian Ocean along the Bay of Bengal is Orissa. Average weight of the turtles is just over 100 lb (up to 50 kgs). They have a high-domed shell, with a carapace length of only 30 inches (70 cms). Olive Ridleys are omnivorous, feeding on crabs, shrimp, rock lobsters, sea grasses, snails, fish, sessile, pelagic tunocates and small invertebrates. The Orissa coast is one of the three sites worldwide where mass nesting of the olive ridley turtle occurs. This sea turtle is especially known for its mass nesting when several thousand turtles migrate to the breeding ground to mate and nest simultaneously. Hindu mythology worships sea turtles as an incarnation of one their gods. Over the past five years, sea turtles have suffered mass mortality along the Orissa coast due to death by drowning as incidental catch in trawl- fishing nets. About 5000 to 10,000 dead turtles have been washed ashore each year, a total of over 100,000 in the last ten years.

Sitabinji Caves

Situated on River Sita, 30 km from Keonjhar.  The structure is like a half opened umbrella. It depicts a royal procession.
It has gained prominence for the ancient fresco painting on a rock shelter called “Ravan Chhaya”.

Khandadhar Waterfalls (youtube videos)

Khandadhar Waterfall is located amidst the forest of Sundergarh  (specific location is Nandapani). The Khandadhar Falls is categorized as a horsetail waterfall. The falls appear to be located on a smaller watercourse, though are said to be perennial.
During the monsoon months the water from the Koprani Nala, a rivulet, overflows and it drops down as a fall from a height of 800 feet.
This waterfall because of its height is visible from a distance of about 5 kilometres.

Hirakud River Dam (youtube videos)

Located 15 km from Sambalpur, Orissa. The Hirakud Dam is built across the Mahanadi River, about 15 km from Sambalpur in the state of Orissa in India. The dam regulates the flow of the Mahanadi River and produces hydroelectricity through several hydroelectric plants. Hirakund dam is about 4.8 km long, bordered by earthen dykes on its left as well as right. Built in 1956, the dam is the world`s largest earthen dam. The dam helps control floods in the Mahanadi delta and irrigates 7,500,000 hectares of land. Hirakud dam was the first post- independence river valley project in India.

Sleeping Vishnu Temple

The sleeping statue of Lord Vishnu is situated in Bhimkund, at a distance of about 28 kilometres from Talcher. The sleeping image of Vishnu at Bhimkund is second only to Gomateswar (Karnataka) in size. It has the honour of being the largest sleeping image in India.
In spite of its magnanimity, image contains a natural softness. The period of its creation is believed to be 8th-9th century AD.

(Thanks to Prof. Satya Mohanty for the pointers.)

Following are two excerpts. The first is from a report in Hindu on Puppetry.

BHUBANESWAR: New Delhi-based Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA), the apex body of performing arts of the nation, in association with the Orissa Sangeet Natak Akademi (OSNA) would host a four-day puppet festival in the city in September.

… Scheduled to be hosted from September 8 to 11, it would feature all the four styles – string puppetry, glove puppetry, rod puppetry and shadow puppetry, he added. “Orissa is one of the few Indian states to have all the four styles of traditional puppetry but lack of adequate patronage has made these largely marginalised over the years. The festival would be an attempt to revitalise these dying arts practices of the State,” explained Mr. Satapathy.

The Central Sangeet Natak Akademi has expressed its concern over the rich but dying puppetry tradition of Orissa, he added.

Eight troupes – each style being represented by two troupes – would be invited to participate in this four-day festival that would include interactive seminars and workshops during the day time and performances during evenings. The thrust would be on documentation of the proceedings and deliberations on innovative ways to promote these ancient forms in the contemporary society, Mr. Satapathy hinted.

The following about Pala is from another report in Hindu.

BHUBANESWAR: The dying arts tradition of pala – the 400-years-old popular folk theatre of Orissa – has found a saviour in the Prafulla Pathagara of Jagatsinghpur district, one of the prominent cultural institutions of the State.

Gramya Sahitya Bikash Samsad – an offshoot of the institution engaged in conservation and popularisation of literature and culture in rural region – hosted a four-day State-level pala competition on its premises at Odishagarh last week, inviting 18 troupes from various parts of the State.

Six troupes were short-listed for the final round that awarded three winner troupes. “Our objective is to revitalise the marginalised troupes by hosting an annual competitive pala festival,” explained Pathagara secretary Bijay Pati.

… For their pioneering contribution towards popularisation of pala, Umesh Chandra Mohapatra (Baleswar district), Niranjan Roul (Jagatsinghpur) and Bhaskar Chandra Sahoo (Cuttack) were conferred Chhanda Bibhusan, Tatvabibhusan and Lasyabibhusan titles respectively during the concluding ceremony.

Lifetime achievement award – Chhanda Martanda – was conferred on Banamali Pati of Jagatsinghpur district on the occasion.

…  A deliberation on the revival of pala was a part of the festival that was chaired by Prafulla Pathagara president Hrudananda Samantasimhara and attended by Odissi music scholar Kirtan Narayan Padhi, Odissi dance guru Naba Kishore Mishra of Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, advisor to the Pathagara and Commissioner of Income Tax Prasanna Kumar Das and writer-journalist Gourahari Das who delivered the key-note address.

The following is from http://www.vipulgroup.in/bhubanerwar.html.

Vipul Gardens Bhubaneswar a luxury Group Housing offers all the luxuries and amenities of contemporary living. Every home in Vipul Gardens will be seamlessly connected to futuristic facilities and services that are at par with the best in the world. From leisure to entertainment to daily activities it will bring you a splendid array of services. Be it the convenience of ample surface and basement parking power back-up or the professional management of the entire property at Vipul Gardens Bhubaneswar every moment will become extraordinary.

Total Built Up Area – 10 acre (approx).

Choice of living – 4 BR,3BR & 2BR+study.

Following is an excerpt from a report in Telegraph.

Eight power companies today promised to invest Rs 42,000 crore in the state to build plants that will generate over 4,780MW.

…Naveen added that his government’s initiatives during the past four years in encouraging value-added steel, aluminium and cement projects had led to promised investment of around Rs 6 lakh crore out of which Rs 50,848 crore had already been realised.

The companies, which signed MoUs today, were Astaranga Power Company Ltd (2,640MW), Sahara India Power Corporation (1,320MW), Ind-Barat Energy Utkal Limited (700MW), Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (1,320MW), Visaka Thermal Power Pvt Ltd (1,100MW), Kalinga Energy & Power Limited (1,000MW), Arati Steel (500MW) and Chambal Infrastructures and Ventures Ltd (1,200MW).

While Astaranga Power Company intended to establish 2,640MW thermal power plants in two phases at Astaranga in Puri district with an investment of Rs 11,200 crore, Sahara India Power Corporation proposed to set up 1,320MW thermal power plant at Turla village in Bolangir district at an estimated cost of Rs 5,604 crore.

Similarly, Ind-Barat Energy Utkal planned to set up 700MW thermal power plant at Sahajbahal near Banharpali in Jharsuguda district with an investment of Rs 3,150 crore. Visaka Thermal Power will set up a 1,100MW coal-based power plant at Bhandaripokhari or Banto block in Bhadrak district at an investment of Rs 4,800 crore. Jindal Steel and Power proposes to set up a 1,320MW thermal power plant at Athamallik tehsil in Angul district with an investment of Rs 5,940 crore.

Besides, the Kalinga Energy plans to set up a 1,000MW thermal power project at an investment of Rs 4,261 crore at Babuchakuli.

While Arati Steel proposes to set up a 500MW thermal power plant at Ghantikhal in Cuttack district, Chambal Infrastructures and Ventures Ltd plans to set up 1,200MW power plant at Siaria in Dhenkanal district.

According to the MoUs, the state would get the benefits in shape of contribution to the environment management fund, value-added tax, coal royalty and water cess.

Around 1,174 to 1,370MW of power would be available to Orissa at variable cost (less than Rs 1.50 per unit), depending on the coal block availability.

This benefit would be extended to the consumers so that got power at cheaper rate, said energy secretary P.K. Jena, who signed the MoUs on behalf of the government.

Following is an excerpt from a report in Expressbuzz.com.

… In India, just five natural sites have been accorded the WHS status. Manas, Kaziranga, Keoladeo, Sundarbans and Valley of Flowers – all national parks – have made it to the list between 1985 and 1988. No natural site has made into the list after that.

Currently, the Sun Temple at Konark is the only site in Orissa to have been accorded the elite WHS status. The Sri Jagannath Temple at Puri was proposed but in vain.

This time around, the Government of India has chosen seven natural sites to be projected before Unesco. Deserts have made it to the list this year.

It is Bhitarkanika’s unique eco-system that has worked in its favour. After Sunderbans, it is home to the second largest mangrove forest in India.

The wetland, one of India’s finest coastal ecosystems, is home to the country’s biggest salt water crocodiles. The latest crocodile census has put their number at over 1,500. Besides, it possesses Gahirmatha, largest nesting ground for Olive Ridley turtles in the world.

However, much depends on the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun, which is entrusted with the responsibility of presenting the case of the natural sites before Unesco. In fact, role of IUCN too would come to play during selection in case of natural sites.

In view of its exquisite flora and fauna, the State Government had notified it as a wildlife sanctuary in 1975. The sanctuary spreads over 672 sq km. In 1998, the core area of Bhitarkanika consisting of 145 sq. km was declared a national park.

The area was accorded the status of Ramsar site of International Importance in 2002 in view of its unique and fragile biodiversity. A proposal to notify it as a biosphere is underway.

The following map is from http://www.orissatourism.gov.in/IMAGES/map/bbhitar.jpg.

Following are some pictures from a report in Tathya.in.

Following is a description of it from http://www.orissatourism.gov.in/bhitarka.html.

Widely acclaimed for its biodiversity in flora and fauna, it is the second largest compact mangrove ecosystem in India. It is also a Sanctuary and National Park. Extending over more than six hundred square kilometres, it is one of the very few evergreen repository of most luxuriant mangrove vegetation in the world. More than sixty varieties of mangrove plants are found here which provide home to a variety of rare and endangered species. The pneumatophores, better known as breathing roots, stand like sentries of the land.

Bounded by rivers on the three sides and the sea on the fourth, Bhitarkanika is criss crossed by numerous creeks and canals which finally meet the sea and make the estuarine delta, the playground of the Bay of Bengal. When the tide enters, the forest floats and the water kisses the foliage. As it recedes, the multi layer mud flats on the banks of the creeks expose their bosom with fiddler crabs, mud skipper fish, little reptiles and the like. it’s a sight to watch.

This deltaic region comprises a couple of tiny islands formed by the meandering creeks. With Dangmal at the centre stage (the others being Ekakula, Habalikhati etc), Bhitarakanika is a natural habitat of a lot of wild creatures like Crocodiles, King Cobra, Pythons, Wild Pigs, Rhesus Monkey, Sambars, Spotted Deer etc. There. is a Crocodile Breeding Farm at Dangmal. The pride possession of this Farm is the White Crocodile Sankhua, a rare species in the World.

Over 170 species of resident and migratory birds of different hue enhance the beauty of the wild. Prominent among them are King Fisher, Open billed Storks, Sea Eagles, Kites, Sand Pipers, Darters, Whistling Teals, Sea Gulls, etc. The chirping of birds nesting at Baga Gahana is sure to leave an indelible impression in any body’s mind. Watching the wildlife in their natural habitat while cruising through the creeks is a thrilling experience. A trek on the laid out routes will also be equally rewarding.

Another amazing phenomenon of nature here is the visit of Olive Ridley Sea Turtles to Gahirmatha in lakhs twice every year between January and March to lay eggs en masse.

An unexpected additional attraction is the remains of tw 9th century monument – a temple dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva and the other, a Shakti Shrine at Dangmal.

Away from the blinding lights and deafening sound, Bhitarakanika is a different world altogether, a real retreat in the lap of nature. Once in here, the world outside will virtually disappear. Back in work place, the memory will haunt like a fairy tale.

Entry Points :
Permission to visit Bhitarakanika can be obtained from Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar, PIN : 754225, Ph: (06729) 72460 or Assistant Conservator of Forests, Chandbali, Pin . 756133, Ph: (06786) 20372 on payment of prescribed fees.
Best season to visit – October to June.

Approach : Bhitarakanika can be approached only through water ways. Most convenient entry points being –

    *      Chandbali (60 km from Bhadrak and 190 km from Bhubaneswar)
    *      Rajnagar (30 km from Kendrapara and 130 km from Bhubaneswar)
    *      Gupti (25 km from Rajnagar)

Motor boats are available on hire
Rajnagar to Dangmal – 3 hrs
Chandbali to Dangmal – 3 hrs
Gupti to Dangmal – 1.5 hrs
Regular bus service are available to Chandbali and Rajnagar.

Nearest Rail head –

    *      Bhadrak (60 km from Chandbali)
    *      Balasore (110 km from Chandbali)
    *      Cuttack (110 km from Rajnagar)
    *      Bhubaneswar (190 km from Chandbali and 130 km from Rajnagar)

Nearest Airport – Bhubaneswar and Kolkata

ACCOMMODATION :

    *      Aranyanivas, Chandbali
      Reservation : Tourist Officer, Balasore. Ph : (06782) 362048
    *       Forest Lodge-Dangmal, Ekakula, Gupti and Habalikhati.
      Reservation : Divisional, Forest Officer, Mangrove,,Forest,Division, Rajnagar. Dist: Kendrapada, PIN -754225 Ph.(06729), 72460. 

Following is excerpted from a story in The Week.

The Orissa government for the first time would use the Geo Filter Tube (GFT) technology in construction of sea wall to save the Satbhaya village from constant threat of sea erosion.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is scheduled to lay foundation stone of the much ambitious project, estimated to cost Rs 15 crore to the state exchequer, Aul Saline division executive engineer Rajkishore Ghadei said.

Official sources said a high-level scientist team from Chennai-based Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), which earlier visited the sea erosion prone Petha village under Rajnagar, had asked the district administration and the state government to erect a sea wall by using the Geo-Filter Tube technology.

Mr Ghadei … The erosion control measures, he said, would be easily solved by installation of the Geo-Filter Tube erosion barrier. Shoreline restoration is also easily achieved by the installation of the Geo- Filter Tube which acts as a natural sand filter to reduce the insecticides.

It is a low cost shoreline restoration system easy and fast to install with little or no impact on existing landscape at 25 per cent of the cost of the conventional bulkheads or sea walls.

According to Ghadei, the Geo-Filter Tube is constructed of a spun-bond polyester fabric sewn together to form a custom diameter tube. The tube is interconnected along the water-edge, then a small sand pump is used to fill the tube with the same sand and organic material that has been eroding into the lake or canal.

The final result is a long lasting fully contained sand filter barrier that would stabilise the bank from erosion and filter rainwater and irrigation run off.

The Geo-Filter Tube erosion barrier could be installed on any shoreline contour or stacked pyramid fashion to create a more substantial barrier to protect against soil erosion during heavy rains.

The Tubes are geo-textile encapsulated soils used to replace rock as conventional building blocks in marine Geo-tube wall to prevent sea erosion and hydraulic engineering structures,Ghadei.
 

Following is from a report in Business Standard.

In order to bring about a more inclusive growth in Orissa through improved transport and irrigation facilities, the World Bank has earmarked $444 million (around Rs 2,200 crore) assistance package for the state.

The package comprises three projects that will aim to improve the state’s road network (with an allocation of $250 million or Rs 1,225 crore), its agricultural tank systems ($112 or Rs 548 crore) and increase livelihood opportunities for its rural poor ($ 82.4 million or Rs 404 crore).

“The emphasis is not only to build on what has been achieved so far, but also target inclusion of the poorest of the poor,” said Roberto Zagha, World Bank country director for India, in a statement.

“These projects will bring in lessons learned from roads, tanks and livelihood projects across India and help Orissa provide its poor better access to finance, improve the efficiency of the transport systems and increase the availability of water for its farmers,” he added.

Despite doing well on economic front, especially in the mining, agriculture and services sectors, Orissa remains one of India’s poorest states with nearly half of its 38 million people living under the official poverty line, most of them in rural areas.

Under the $250 million Orissa state road project, efforts would be made to remove bottlenecks in transport corridors. The project will also increase the role of private sector in road infrastructure, and assist the state government in establishing an institutional framework in the sector.

Only 22 per cent of the state’s roads are paved, even as most village and district roads remain unconnected to the national highway system. “An efficient road transport system is critical for improving the state’s investment climate and promoting a private-sector-led economic growth,” said Binyam Reja, World Bank senior transport economist and task leader for this project.

The Orissa community tanks management project, which is worth $112 million will rehabilitate about 900 tanks covering a cultivable area of about 120,000 hectares spread across 29 districts of the state. This is expected to increase productivity in agriculture, livestock and fisheries, and promote more effective and sustainable management of tank systems.

The project will support improvements in production technologies and management practices, and better market linkages. It will also strengthen community-based institutions, enabling them to assume greater responsibility for tank management.

The Orissa rural livelihoods project aims to empower the rural poor, especially women and disadvantaged groups, through their inclusion in self-help groups (SHGs). These groups are the primary mechanism for channeling microfinance to the poor in the state. The project will also support creating new SHGs and strengthening existing groups.

Following is from a report in Expressbuzz.

The Mission Biofuels India Pvt Limited has submitted a proposal to the State Government to set up a biodiesel refinery in Orissa.

The Mumbai-based company has sought 35 hectares of land to set up the refinery at an estimated cost of Rs 350 crore. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company Asish Swaroop today met Chief Secretary Ajit Kumar Tripathy at the Secretariat to discuss the proposal.

The company gave a power point presentation on the project.

The project is expected to give returns from the fourth year. It is estimated that 3 kg of jatropha yields one litre of bio-diesel, the production cost of which comes to around Rs 22. The company has invested Rs 40 crore for taking up jatropha cultivation in 12 districts of the State. The cultivation will be taken up on the land of BPL families with the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) funds.

Around five lakh acres will be covered by 2011 for which a 200-member team of the company is working in Orissa to promote jatropha cultivation.

Following is  from a report in livemint.

Around 300 people would get directly absorbed in the proposed 2,000 mw thermal power plant in Orissa’s Angul district that is likely to be completed by 2014 at an investment of Rs8,000 crore, an official said Friday.

The project would be developed by the newly-formed Orissa Thermal Power Corp. Ltd (OTPCL), a joint venture of the state-owned Orissa Mining Corp. (OMC) and Orissa Hydro Power Corp. (OHPC), an official said Friday.

“Both OMC and OHPC will have equal share in equity for the Rs8,000 crore project,” said state energy minister S.N. Patro. Seventy percent of the funds would be met through loans, he said.

Both OMC and OHPC will provide Rs1,200 crore each to start the project making it the second state-owned thermal power unit.

The first thermal power plant at Ib valley was being operated in a joint venture between the Orissa Power Generation Corp. (OPGC) and the US-based Aes Powers.

Patro said the government had already identified land and “the water requirement of the proposed thermal power plant will be met by the reservoir at Rengali”, the exact location where the plant would come up in Angul.

The coal blocks posessed by OMC and OHPC would be utilised in the thermal power project, the minister added.

Following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=47065.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved for the six laning of following nine stretches for a total length 1409.93 km costing Rs.18238.05 crore under NHDP Phase V on DBFOT basis:

No.	Section	State	NH No.	Length	Total Project Cost including cost of LA, R&R, pre- constr. (Rs. crore)	Concession Period in-cluding construction period of 30 months
1	Delhi-Agra	UP/Haryana	2	179.10	2494.00	26 years
2	Kishangarh-Udaipur	Rajasthan	79A, 79 & 76	315	3597.47	29 years
3	Chandikhol-Jagatpur-Bhubaneshwar	Orissa	5	67.00	1104.00	27 years
4	Vijayawada-Elluru-Rajamundri	Andhra Pradesh	5	198.20	2751.15	30 years
5	Varanasi-Aurangabad	UP	2	192.40	2974.75	30 years
6	Nellore-Chilkaluripet	Andhra Pradesh	5	183.7	2433.90	30 years
7	Krishnagiri-Walahjpet	Tamil Nadu	46	148.30	1673.17	30 years
8	Belgaum-Dharwad	Karnataka	4	80.18	707.61	30 years
9	Indore-Dewas	MP	3	45.05	502.00	30 years

            The project will be developed by the NHAI through the PPP and the Concessionaire will be selected by NHAI following two stage bidding process.  The first stage of the bidding process i.e., pre-qualification of the bidders has already been completed by NHAI.  The second stage of bidding is in process.

Following is from a report in orissadiary.com.

… Sri Ghadai told the Media persons that During the Current financial year up to the month of December 3646.75 Crore has been collected. During the last year it was 3069.81 Crore. … The target of collection has been fixed to Rs. 5099.98 Crore up to the month of March. The Sales Tax officers should effort heartly to achieve the target.If it will be worked out it will be increased from 5500 to 5600 crore. The Sales Tax officers were instructed to discuss with the traders those are not filling returns. He said that the Collection of Value Added Tax (VAT) has been increased.Up to the month of December it has been collected 2745.51 Crore and it was 2226.39 during the last year . So it has been increased 23.32 percent.But this increase will reach at 25 percent. Similarly CST has been collected up to the month of December is 397.80 crore where as during the last year it was collected 368.35 crore .It shows increase of 7.99 percent.The entrance tsx has been collected 443.29 crore where as during the last year it was collected 421.50 crore.It shows increase of 5.17 percent.The profession Tax has been collected 58.57 crore as against 51.81 crore which is increase of 13.5 percent. 

Following is excerpted from a report in Indopia.

The Orissa government today formally approved investment of about Rs 35,000 crore in the power and steel sectors of the state. The high-level clearance authority (HLCA) chaired by Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik gave green signals for the investment in five power projects and one steel unit.

… The HLCA approved investment in five proposals in the power sector and one steel project, Garg said adding that altogether the projects would provide direct employment to over 6,000 people.

The projects, which got HLCA nod were – Visaka Thermal Power Limited (1100 MW), Sahara India Private Limited (1,320 MW), L&T (1,680 MW), JSPL (1,320 MW) and Ind-Bharat Limited (700 MW).

The HLCA approved JSPL&aposs another proposal of further investment in its proposed 6mtpa steel mill at Bainda.

JSPL, which had earlier proposed to invest Rs 13,135 crore in its steel project could now invest Rs 22,420 crore.