Ball set rolling for city bus services in Berhampur

The state government has decided to soon introduce city bus services connecting Berhampur to its adjoining towns like Chhatrapur and Gopalpur. The decision is based on a survey by a Mumbai-based consultant on bus services in the biggest town in southern Odisha. The final project report will be submitted to the state government before tender is issued, which will invite private companies to work through public private partnership. The government is likely to provide the buses while the chosen private company will be responsible for services management. Berhampur Development Authority (BDA) will act as a nodal agency. "The government is likely to provide the required buses as no transport operator was coming forward to provide buses when the BDA floated the tender earlier," said BDA chairman Kailash Rana.

At a high-level meeting, held recently in Bhubaneswar, the consultant recommended introduction of at least 25 buses in the first phase in Berhampur, Gopalpur and Chhatrapur. "The district administration will extend all support to BDA in this," district collector Krishan Kumar said. "We have already discussed the matter with the government and talks are in advanced stage," said Purna Chandra Pathy, vice-chairman, BDA. On project cost, he said it was not finalized. Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Notified Area Councils of Gopalpur and Chhatrapur will be other stakeholders in the project. "We have been asked to identify the bus stops within the town. We will soon do that," said BMC commissioner A K Mohanty.

The Berhampur civic body had introduced town bus services in the 1990s. But the services were withdrawn after the municipality incurred heavy losses. Now, there is no government transport service linking Chhatrapur, the district headquarters town, and Gopalpur, a tourist spot, with Berhampur and people have to depend on trekkers and matadors. With rise in population and tourist visits, authorities feel the services will be feasible this time. Source: Times of India

London Olympics 2012: Berhampur rallies to boost weightlifter Ravikumar's morale

BERHAMPUR:Sports lovers and well wishers in Berhampur are agog over local lad weightlifter K Ravi Kumar's participation in the London Olympics, which kicked off on Friday. A Berhampur-based artist P Vinod Kumar has created a wax sculpture of the weightlifter, who is a medal hopeful in the mega sporting event. The wax model of Ravi Kumar in a weightlifting pose is kept in glass case. "I want to present the sculpture to Ravi Kumar after his return from London" he said. "Winning or losing is immaterial for us. His participation in the Olympics has made us proud," Vinod Kumar said.

Meanwhile, several sports lovers and former weightlifters took out a rally in Berhampur wishing success to Ravi Kumar. The rally on Friday was organized by the Veer Hanuman Circus Physical Institute. Ravi Kumar started his career as a weightlifter from the Veer Hanuman Circus Physical Institute before he was selected to join in the SAI hostel in 2005. "Since he is a member of our club, it is a proud moment for us and we organized a rally wishing his success in the Olympics," said club president BK Panda. "The rally in his home town will definitely boost Ravi's morale. Moreover, it will install sportsman spirit among children," he added.

Source: Times of India

Source: The Sambad

Non-veg food on Grand Road (Puri) banned

PURI: Sale of non-vegetarian food along the Grand Road will be banned henceforth. This was decided at the final preparatory meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on the annual Rath Yatra, held on June 22. This year, the Rath Yatra will be held on July 3.

It was also decided that all billboards and hoardings obstructing the temple view would be removed. Naveen directed the officials concerned to limit the number of servitors on the three chariots as per the guidelines. The old Kanakmundi, a decorative canopy above the Ratna Simhasan in the sanctum sanctorum, would be replaced by a new one by the Archaeological Survey of India.

This apart, the house directed the authorities concerned to seal five unsafe buildings close to temple. 

Month long famous ‘Chaitra' festival begins at Tara Tarini hill shrine near Berhampur

BERHAMPUR: Traditional Chaitra festival began at Tara Tarini hill shrine of Ganjam district on Tuesday. Four Tuesdays of Hindu month of Chaitra are celebrated as a festival called ‘Tara Tarini Chaitra Jatra' at this hill shrine. Over a lakh devotees thronged to this hill shrine on the first Tuesday of Chaitra. A new ghat road to the hill top was also opened for devotees. Apart from the road communication there is also a ropeway to the hilltop. But most of the devotees who visited the hill shrine on Tuesday preferred to trek to the hill top rather than opting for easier modes of travel. As per Pramod Panda, secretary of the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB), special buses have been arranged to transport devotees to the hill top, yet devotees including the aged, women and children preferred to climb 999 steep steps to reach the hill shrine. Around 95 per cent of the devotees preferred to climb to the hilltop. Flow of devotees continued from 4 a.m. when the gates of the temple were opened. It continued till evening. The TTDB authorities arranged medical facilities. A village fair also came up at the foot hill. Devotional cultural programmes continued at the hilltop and downhill.

The authorities had put strict curbs on animal sacrifice at the hill shrine. It was totally banned on the hill and in area in close proximity to the hill.

This year, the almost complete new temple of this hill shrine attracted the visitors. According to TTDB authorities, the date for the ritualistic inauguration ceremony of the new temple would be decided a meeting to be held Thursday. Twelve senior Vedic pundits from all the nine traditional taluks of Ganjam district will attend the meeting.