SAMBALPUR: Heatwave has gripped western Orissa with the temperature refusing to relent. And the clear sky with no rain forecast for the coming days, there has been little relief for the denizens with water scarcity staring in their faces.
The district has witnessed a sudden rise in maximum temperature that is hovering between 32 and 38 degree Celsius till now.
SAMBALPUR: When three years back family problems forced Parbati Bhoi of Kudgunderpur village to quit school, little did she know that a small step towards economic independence would help realise her dreams.
SAMBALPUR: A public hearing was held by regional office of State Pollution Control Board at Rengali tehsil office to elicit views on the proposed expansion of coal mining by Hirakud complex of Hindalco.
SAMBALPUR: Arjun Rohidas of Kasada village in Jamankira still goes about the annual routine of reaping the harvest. What is missing is the sweet taste of his own labour.
Crop failure over the last two seasons has forced Arjun to work as a daily wager at Padiabahal.
His is not the only case, drought affected farmers of western Orissa have turned farm hands for a living.
SAMBALPUR: Voices of dissent and demand for 'drought' tag are growing shriller with farmers staging a demonstration and taking out rallies in Jamankira, Rairakhol and Rengali.
SAMBALPUR: A recent reply from the Rengali Tehsil office to a query under RTI Act has opened a can of worms.
Having failed to get a response on the rampant pollution due to growing industrialisation in the block, Sarpanch of Rengali gram panchayat Laxmi Narayan Sahu had sought information on land acquired by the 10 industries besides land leased out for mining on July 26.
SAMBALPUR: The first spell of flood waters received by Hirakud dam from upstream will be released on Wednesday at 11 a.m. The flood water will be released after performing certain rituals as has been the practice since inception of the dam. Although water level in the dam had come down to 599.73 feet on Thursday, it shot up to 604.23 feet this afternoon.
