Academy for Civil Services Pvt. Ltd.

IAS YAN

CSEINTERVIEWMATERIAL

2020ODISHA STATE

RELATED MATERIAL

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ODISHA STATE RELATED MATERIAL

1. Bits and Pieces of Odisha’s History and Geography

Odisha, with a rich heritage that is more than two thousand years old, has a glorious history of its own. Various

periods gave different names to state of Odisha: Kalinga, Utkal or Odradesha.

Seaports flourished along the coast as early as the 4th and 5th centuries B. C., when the sadhabs, the Odishan

seafaring merchants, went to the islands of Java, Sumatra, Borneo and Bali with their merchandise.

Kalinga had made its mark in the Indian history when Ashoka, the Great invaded Kalinga in 261 B. C. and

conquered her. But the terrible bloodshed on the banks of the river, Daya that preceded Ashokas victory changed

his heart. He embraced Buddhism and preached peace and goodwill for the rest of his life.

The Kalingan Empire reached its zenith of glory during the reign ofEmperor Kharavela, great conquerer and

patron of Jainism, in the second half of the Ist century B.C who even pursued the Greek King Demetrius out of

India. The inscriptions on Hati Gumpha(Elephant Cave) on the Udayagiri Hill in Bhubaneswar record the story of

his reign.

Odisha came under the rule of King Sasanka and later King Harsha Vardhana in the 7th century A. D. when the

Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang visited Odisha.

The end of the 8th century saw the emergence of Jajpur-on-Baitarani as an epicentre of Brahminical religion

In the eleventh century A. D. Illustrious Ganga kings ruled Odisha for nearly three hundred and fifty years and

they were followed by Suryavamsi Gajapati Kings and Mukunda Deva Harichandan of the Chalukya dynasty.

This period witnessed the most of breathtaking Kaligan architecture we see in today‘s world.

The Hindu state of Odisha came under the Muslim rule in 1568 A. D. when King Mukunda Deva lost to the

Sultan of Bengal, Suleiman Karni. Subsequently, Odisha came under the Mughals and the Marathas and finally in

1803 A. D., under the British rule.

Odisha became a separate province in 1936 A. D. with Cuttack as its capital. The new capital was built in

Bhubaneswar after independence. However, the state tookits present shape only in 1949 with the merger of the

princely states including Mayurbhanj

GEOGRAPHY

The state may be divided into four distinct

geographical regions: the Eastern Plateau,

the Central River Basin, the Eastern Hill

Region and the Coastal Belt.

The Odisha Coastal Plains are the

depositional landforms of recent origin

and geologically belong to the Post-

Tertiary Period.

The plateaus are mostly eroded plateaus

forming the western slopes of the Eastern

Ghats with elevation between 305-610

metres. There are two broad plateaus in

Odisha: (i) the Panposh - Keonjhar -

Pallahara plateau comprises the Upper

Baitarani catchment basin, and (ii) the

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Nabrangpur - Jeypore plateau comprises the Sabari basin.

The entire territory lies in the tropical zone as a result of which high temperature is recorded particularly during

April-May.

The state is drained by six important rivers: the Subarnarekha, the Budhabalanga, the Baitarani, the Brahmani, the

Mahanadi and the Rusikulya.

ART AND CULTURE OF ODISHA

The early monuments date back to the third century B.C. The remnant of an Ashokan pillar, turned into a Siva

Lingam and enshrined in the Bhaskaresvara temple at Bhubaneswar.

The rock cut caves of Khandagiri and Udaygiri and the inscriptions recording Kharavelas short but eventful reign

during the first century B. C. constitute the second phase of the evolution in Odishan art. The fortification of

Sisupalgarh near Bhubaneswar is yet another monument of ancient Odisha.

Odisha was at the height of her superb artistic glory during seventh to thirteenth century A. D. Somavamsis and

the illustrious Gangas are particularly known for temple building. The Mukteswar Temple is the finest piece of

architecture of Kalinga. The Lingaraj Temple at Bhubaneswar, Jagannath Temple at Puri and Sun Temple at

Konark belonging to the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth centuries respectively stand as silent witnesses to

Odishas glorious past.

Odisha‘s handicrafts also required a special mention. Silver filigree work of Cuttack, horn work of Cuttack

andParlakhemundi and the famous applique work of Pipili deserve special attention.

Pattachitra, a form of folk painting of Odisha, is a unique craft

Various prophets blessed Odisha with their visits.Adi Sankaracharya in 9th century visited Puri to make it a center

of his spiritual ideology & message. He established four monasteries in four corners of Indian Peninsula out of

which ―The Gobardhan Pitha‖ of Puri was one of the most significant.

Another Great Saint Ramanujacharya, the propounder of Visista Dwaita philosophy also visited Puri and

established the Emar Matha.

Odisha is also the abode of Jayadev, who composed the world famous lilting treatise ―Gita Govinda‖.

Demographic Profile of Odisha: Taken from Census 2011 and NFHS-4

• Share in India‘s population: 3.47% (approx. 4.2 crore).

• Decadal growth rate = 14.05%

• Population density:- 270 /km2

• Literacy rate: 72.87%

• Sex ratio: 979 as compared to national value of 943

• Child sex ratio: 941 as compared to national value of 918

No. of Tribes:- 62 (out of which, 13 are Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups [PVTGs])

Odisha has the largest diverse groups of tribal population in India.

Tribal populations are found in the entire seven districts of Kandhamal, Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh, Nabarangpur,

Koraput, Malkangiri and Rayagada, and in parts of six other districts.

• NFHS- 4 Data (NHFS-5 data for the state of odisha hasn‘t published yet)

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WILDLIFE IN ODISHA

One of the greatest benefits of Odisha ‗s vast expanses of unspoilt natural landscape has been its ability to offer a

protected yet natural habitat to the state‘s incredible wildlife. Apart from the Nandankanan sanctuary and

Similipal National Park, there are atleast eighteen smaller sanctuaries which are home to a wide variety of flora

and fauna. Current happenings in Odisha related to wildlife:-

1) Forest fire in Simlipal Biosphere Reserve (Sourece:- The IE; Economic Times)

Context:-Recently, a massive fire broke out in the Similipal Biosphere Reserve in Odisha. The core area of the

biosphere was untouched by the fire, however the fire is threatening damage to its rich biodiversity

About Simplipal Biosphere reserve:-

Similipal derives its name from ‗Simul‘ (silk cotton) tree.

It is situated in the northern part of Odisha‘s Mayurbhanj district.

It includes three protected areas — Similipal Tiger Reserve, Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary with 191.06 km2 (73.77

sq mi) and Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary

It was formally designated a tiger reserve in 1956 and brought under Project Tiger in 1973.

It was declared a biosphere reserve by the Government of India in June, 1994 and has been part of the UNESCO

World Network of Biosphere Reserve since 2009

It boasts of having tropical semi-evergreen forests, tropical moist deciduous forests, dry deciduous hill forests,

high level sal forests and sprawling meadows.

S. No Major Indicators Odisha

1 Population Below 15 years age (in %) 26.6%

2 Sex Ratio 1036

3 Sex Ratio at Birth 932

4 Women Literacy 67.4 %

5 Total Fertility Rate 2.1

6 IMR 40

7 U5MR 48

8 Average out of pocket expenses in public facility Rs. 4226

9 Institutional Births 85.3 %

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Vulnerability of Simlipal towards Fire accidents

Generally, with the onset of summers and towards the end of autumn, the forest area remains vulnerable to forest

fires.

They are a recurrent annual phenomenon, but are also brought under control due to short span of precipitation

This duration coincides with the shedding of deciduous forests in the forest areas. The fallen leaves are more

vulnerable to catching fire and facilitate the spreading of these forest fires quickly over the entire forest areas

Causes of Forest Fires:-

Natural causes :- such as lighting or even soaring temperatures can sometimes result in these fires. With dried

leaves and tree trunks, even a spark can lead to a raging fire.

Man-made factors like Instances of poaching and hunting wherein the poachers set a small patch of forest on fire

to divert the wild animals can also lead to such fires.

Collection of mahua flowers: jungle areas near to the reserve are also set on fire by villagers to clear the dry leaves

on the ground for easy collection of mahua flowers.

Traditional Practices: Villagers also

believe burning patches of sal trees

will lead to better growth when

planted again.

Support of Climate Change: This

year, along with man-made factors,

an advanced heat wave with the

early onset of summer further

deteriorated the condition.

Measures To Prevent And Control

Forest Fires

Clearing camping sites of dried

biomass, early burning of dry litter

on the forest floor, growingstrips of

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fire-hardy plant species within the forest etc. can prevent the forest fire to some extent.

Forecasting fire-prone days using meteorological data is essential.

Creating fire lines in the forests is also a method to prevent fires. Fire lines are strips in the forestkept clear of

vegetation to prevent the fire from spreading.

Once a fire starts, early detection and quick action by fire-fighting squads is crucial.

Including community members to mitigate incidents of fire

2) Mahendragiri Hills (Source :- Down to earth; The Hindu)

Context:-The Odisha government has proposed a second biosphere reserve in the southern part of the state at

Mahendragiri Hills

About the Hills

Mahendragiri is a mountain in the Rayagada

subdivision of the district of Gajapati, Odisha,

India

It is situated amongst the Eastern Ghats at an

elevation of 1,501 metres

The area of the proposed Mahendragiri

Biosphere Reserve is around 470,955 hectares

and is spread over Gajapati and Ganjam

districts in the Eastern Ghats.

The hill has water streams and is the origin

point of the Mahendratanaya River

Mahendragiri is home to the Soura people, a particularly vulnerable tribal group as well as the Kandha tribe.

Need to designate it as a Biosphere Reserve:-

According to IUCN, Twenty-nine of the 41 species of threatened medicinal plants found in Odisha are found in

Mahendragiri Hills

The rich flora in Mahendragiri represents 40 per cent of the reported flora of Odisha

The hill ecosystem acts as a transitional zone between the flora and fauna of southern India and the Himalayas,

making the region an ecological estuary of genetic diversities

What is a Biosphere reserve?

A biosphere reserve is an area of land or water that is protected by law to support the conservation of ecosystems,

as well as the sustainability of mankind‘s impact on the

environment.

To carry out the complementary activities of biodiversity

conservation and sustainable use of natural resources,

biosphere reserves are traditionally organized into 3

interrelated zones, known as:

the core area

the buffer zone and

a transition zone or ‗area of cooperation

3) Karlapat Sanctuary (Source:- Hindustan Times; Down to

earth)

Context:-Six elephants die of haemorrhagic septicaemia in

fortnight in Odisha‘s Karlapat Sanctuary

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About Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary

It is spread over 175 square kilometre area in Odisha‘s Kalahandi district

Have Dry Deciduous Forest as vegetation.

The sanctuary is home to a plethora of flora and fauna such as leopard, gaur, sambar, nilgai, barking deer, Bija,

Asan, Harida, Amala, Bahada, and Bamboo and varieties of medicinal plants

Haemorrhagic septicaemia (HS)

It is a disease which infects animals that come in contact with contaminated water or soil by a contagious bacteria

In this disease the respiratory tract and lungs of the animals are affected, leading to severe pneumonia

It mainly affects water buffalo, cattle and bison with a high mortality rate in infected animals

Recently, around 40 buffaloes had succumbed to the infection in Odisha‘s Kendrapara district.

The disease occurs mostly in South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and most of Africa. In Asia, this disease

outbreak is concentrated mostly in areas with climatic conditions typical of monsoon (high humidity and high

temperatures).

ECONOMY OF ODISHA

Odisha is one of the most mineral-rich states in India. Key minerals found in the state are iron, coal, bauxite,

manganese, nickel, chromite, limestone, dolomite, graphite, decorative stones, beach sand, China clay, tin ore, etc

At 34.3 per cent in 2017-18, Odisha contributed the largest share of mineral production India in terms of value.

Odisha accounts for over 55 per cent of India‘s bauxite reserves, making it an ideal location for setting up

aluminium and aluminium-based companies. The state ranks first in the country in terms of both production

capacity and actual output of aluminium

Odisha is one of the largest producers of iron and steel in India and is favoured investment destinations for

domestic and international iron and steel players

Odisha is amongst the top ten states accounting for the highest number of MSME enterprises. The state offers a

wide range of fiscal and policy incentives for businesses under the Industrial Policy Resolution, 2015. The state

government has constituted "Team Odisha" to help with investment promotion

Tourism is another star of Odisha‘s economy. It is one of the critical sectors of the state‘s economy, in terms of

foreign exchange earnings as well as employment generation opportunities.

Initiatives taken by State Govt. for Regional Development

The Odisha Cabinet has approved the Odisha start-up policy, aimed at setting up at least 1,000 start-ups over the

next five years and bringing the state amongst the top three start-up hubs by 2020

Odisha government is planning to invest US$ 28.69 billion in the manufacturing sector generating nearly three

lakh job opportunities by 2020

A mega food park is being established near Bhubaneswar over 282 acres through the PPP mode.

In order to build up the health infrastructure & services, a provision of INR 1, 572 crore was made under the

Mukhyamantri Swasthya Seva Mission.

Special about State Budget

Total budget outlay of INR 1, 70, 000 Crores.

It was presented in 2 parts – ‗Agriculture Budget‘ & ‗General Budget‘.

Introduction of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Budget document.

ABADHA (Augmentation of Basic Amenities and Development of Heritage and Architecture (ABADHA))

scheme to transform Puri into a World Heritage City.

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Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium, Rourkela which is one of the venues for Men‘s Hockey World Cup

2023 is set to be developed as India‘s Largest Hockey Stadium

Introduction of Fiscal risk statement for managing risk exposures.

But, despite having such abundance of resources, Odisha is considered as one of India‘s Poorest state. Odisha‘s per

capita income is the fifth lowest in the country and poverty the sixth highest amongst various states of India.

Reasons being:-

State not able to tap full potential of agriculture as most of it's population depend on agriculture.

industrial development cannot be given free hand as all rich natural resources region located in tribal areas which

makes it difficult to explore without acceptance of tribal people.

Natural calamities like cyclones effecting coastal areas every year

Development is correlated with increased pace of urbanization. But according to census 2011, Less than a sixth of

Oriyas lives in the cities.

Odisha not able to optimize the use of being a coastal state compared to Tamil Nadu, Kerela and Gujarat.

Fisherman still uses traditional practices which is affecting their economic status

Maoist areas in state which are blocking developmental process.

What can be done?

ICRIER reveals that higher productivity and income in agriculture still hold the key for faster poverty alleviation

in state

Improving status of agriculture should be the 1st priority. Increase cropped area under irrigation: by tapping

state's rich ground water resources through solar powered irrigation pumps. Tropical location of Odisha

guarantees atleast 300 sunshine days annually. This will boost agri-production & yield productivity in a cost

effective manner.

Adequate Road infrastructure: to ensure connectivity of rural economies with input & output markets (urban

centers); 46 percent villages of orissado not have all weather road connectivity that prevents farmers to realize

best prices for inputs & output.

Incentivise Diversification of agriculture

State has a significant chunk of its population comprising of tribal communities, which have been marginalized

since decades; educating such communities about modern methods & technologies used in agriculture through

local awareness campaigns & training programmes will go a long way.

Tourism sector can be tapped in more efficient way by providing communication training and workshops.

ODISHA AND CYCLONE

(Source:- TOI, The IE, Down to earth, PIB)

Context:-Government of India has initiated the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP) witha view to

address cyclone risks in the country.

About National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project:-

The overall objective of the project is to undertake suitable structural and non-structural measuresto mitigate the

effects of cyclones in the coastal states and UTs of India

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) under the aegis of Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA) is

implementing the project in coordination with participating State Governments and theNational Institute for

Disaster Management (NIDM).

Currently 13 cyclone prone States and Union Territories (UTs), with varying levels of vulnerability,

have been identified under the Project. According to vulnerability, states have been divided in 2

categories

Category I: Higher vulnerability States i.e. Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, Tamil Nadu andWest Bengal.

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Category II: Lower vulnerability States i.e. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Goa, Pondicherry,Lakshadweep,

Daman and Diu, Andaman and Nicobar Islands

The project will be funded by the World Bank as an Adaptable Programme Loan (APL) with an

International Development Association (IDA) credit

Appreciation of Odisha in handling cyclones:-

Learning its lessons from the super-cyclone of 1999 which claimed 10,000 lives in Odisha, the eastern state has,

over the years, emerged as a role model in disaster preparedness.

In the aftermath of Cyclone Fani, one of the worst cyclones to hit India‘s eastern coastline, Odisha had proved it is

one of the most disaster-ready states in the world.

According to UN, Odisha‘s zero casualty approach to managing extreme weather events is a major contribution

to the implementation of the Sendai Framework

How Odisha handle cyclones every year

Cyclone shelters:- The Odisha State Disaster Mitigation Authority (OSDMA) designed some 800 multipurpose

cyclone and flood shelters in the coastal districts in association with the Institute of Information Technology (IIT)

Kharagpur.

Millions of SMS messages were sent out by Location Based Alert System (LBAS) and Group Based Alert System

(GBAS) to warn people. The ―SATARK‖ (System for Assessing, Tracking and Alerting Disaster Risk Information

based on Dynamic Risk Knowledge) of Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) has won the IT

Excellence Award in 2019 for its innovative conception by using information technology in the field of disaster

management.

Early Warning Dissemination System (EWDS) proved to be a saviour every time. Using the mechanism, OSDMA

can activate sirens across 122 towers operational across the state‘s 480 km coastline, alerting the population at the

press of a single button.

Disaster Management cannot be done without the cooperation at grass root levels. Thus, Empowering the

community has been a big game-changer.Odisha has managed to create a sense of community during such

disasters that other states can also emulate. Cyclone evacuation is a social process, and people‘s decision to

evacuate depends on how they perceive the risk from the warning message

Why Odisha is in the eye of a storm more often than other east coast states?

Between 1891 and 2018, over 100 tropical cyclones lashed Odisha (with some huge destroyers like 1999 cyclone,

Phailin in 2013, Titli in 2018, Fani in 2019, etc.)— the highest number among other states on the coast.This is

drastically higher from the western coast of India, which faces just a third of such storms or fewer.

As a state, the geography and topography of Odisha plays a big role in acting as a magnet for tropical cyclones.

Geographically, the landmass between Puri to Bhadrak juts out a little into the sea, making it vulnerable to any

cyclonic activity in the Bay of Bengal

Such cyclones and storms in the Bay of Bengal region travel in the northwest direction, upward, owing to the

shape of the Indian landmass and the storms‘ anti-clockwise spin.

Because Odisha lies right at the point where India‘s coastline curves, its large shore makes for an easy target for

most storms.

Furthermore, the Bay of Bengal also welcomes cyclones formed over the Pacific Ocean. As there is no landmass

big enough to stop them, they pass through Malacca Strait the Gulf of Thailand and enter the Bay of Bengal. They

end up circulating here because the Himalayas and the Western Ghats prevent the winds from crossing over.

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Tropical Cyclones:-

Tropical cyclone is an intense circular

storm that originates over warm

tropical oceans and is characterized

by low atmospheric pressure, high

winds, and heavy rain.

The temperature of the top layer of

the sea, up to a depth of about 60

meters, need to be at least 28°C to

support the formation of a cyclone.

That is why the April-May and

October-December periods are

conducive for cyclones.

The low level of air above the waters

needs to have an ‗anticlockwise‘ rotation (in the northern hemisphere; clockwise in the southern hemisphere).

COUNTRY'S FIRST GOVERNMENTAL WASTE TO ENERGY PLANT (Source:- The Hindu, PIB, TOI)

Context:-Indian Railways has commissioned the country's first governmental waste to energy plant, having capacity

of 500 Kg waste per day, in Mancheswar Carriage Repair workshop at Bhubaneswar under the East Coast Railway

zone

This Waste to Energy Plant uses a patented technology called POLYCRACK, first-of-its-kind in Indian Railways

and fourth in India.

It is world‘s first patented heterogeneous catalytic process which converts multiple feed stocks into hydrocarbon

liquid fuels, gas, carbon and water.

Using Polycrack Plant, all types of waste including plastic and e-waste can be converted to Light Diesel Oil which

is used to light furnaces. It can be fed with all types of Plastic.

One of the biggest advantage of this technology is that Pre-segregation of waste is not required to reform the

waste. Waste as collected can be directly fed into Polycrack.

It is an enclosed unit hence the working environment is dust free

Waste to energy

Waste-to-energy (WTE) plant is a waste management facility that combusts wastes to produce electricity. This

type of power plant is sometimes called a trash-to-energy, municipal waste incineration, energy recovery, or

resource recovery plant.

Incineration-based waste-to-energy plants rely on mass burning of municipal solid waste, which involves

complete combustion into ash. Depending on what is being combusted, the gases generated may contain dioxins

and furans, which are toxic and can be lethal

Despite NITI Aayog, as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission, envisaged 800 Mega Watt from WTE plants by 2018-19,

which is 10 times the capacity of all the existing WTE plants put together, the mechanism didn‘t became successful

because:-

Municipal solid waste in India has low calorific value and high moisture content.

As most wastes sent to the WTE plants are unsegregated, they also have high inert content (inert materials like

soil, sand, grit, etc).

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These wastes are not suitable for burning, and therefore to burn them, additional fuel is required which makes

these plants expensive to run. Also, costs of the projects are high as critical equipment for a project is required to

be imported.

Generally, the tariff at which the power is purchased by to waste to energy plants across the country is around ₹7-

8 KwH which is higher than the ₹3-4 per KwH generated through coal and other means. This could be a serious

challenge, as the selling price of power cannot be increased corresponding to the purchasing price.

Lack of conducive policy guidelines from State Governments in respect of allotment of land, supply of garbage

and power purchase / evacuation facilities. Also, lack of devolution of financial resources to Municipal

Corporations/Urban Local Bodies

WTEs have also triggered widespread criticism from citizens. For instance, there has been a continuous protest

against the Okhla WTE plant in Delhi for polluting the environment.

What can be done?

With climate change at the doorstep and India‘s focus on renewable source of energy and burgeoning population,

the WTEs approach is needed to address the growing energy need in a sustainable way. However, it is also

important to ensure their effectiveness.

For this, Urban local bodies (ULBs) should invest in preparing an action plan on waste management in

accordance with the Solid Waste Management (SWM) rules, 2016 within a time-bound approach and promote

and adopt the key elements of waste hierarchy as refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle and recover.

It is also important to focus on segregation at source, spreading awareness, preparing an action plan for the city

for waste management by adopting decentralised technologies. This will not only improve effectiveness of WTEs,

but will also ensure protection and improvement of our environment as envisaged in Article 51 A(g) of our

Constitution

ODISHA BORDER DISPUTES

(Source:- The IE)

Context:-Recently, a border dispute between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh once again resurfaced when Andhra

Pradesh announced panchayat polls in three villages of Kotia panchayat in Koraput district of Odisha.

This is the first time Andhra has held panchayat polls in any of these villages

Border Disputes of Odisha:-

Odisha was carved out of the Bengal-Bihar-Odisha province in 1936, but the inter-state border disputes continue

even today.

Odisha continues to have unresolved border disputes with

four neighbouring States in its 8 out of 30 districts.

However, the disputes over Kotia villages in Koraput district

bordering Andhra Pradesh is the only major border conflict

Kotia Dispute

Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are locked in a territorial dispute

over Kotia gram panchayat since 1960. Dispute is over 21

villages in Kotia gram panchayat.

Residents of Kotia panchayat receive benefits from both

Pottangi block in Koraput and Salur in Vizianagaram district

of Andhra Pradesh. They depend on both the blocks for their

day to day activities.

Prior to April 1, 1936, villages under Kotia panchayat were

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part of Jeypore Estate.

In a joint survey of Odisha, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, seven villages of Kotia gram panchayat were recorded as

revenue villages and revenue was collected by the Odisha government, but the exercise left out the 21 villages

now under dispute.

When the state of Andhra Pradesh was created in 1955, the villages were not surveyed by the Andhra Pradesh

government

In the early 1980s, Odisha filed a case in the Supreme Court demanding right and possession of jurisdiction over

the 21 villages

In 2006 the Supreme court ruled that disputes belonging to the state boundaries are not within the jurisdiction of

the Court.The matter can only be resolved by Parliament and passed a permanent injunction on the disputed

area. Till then, no new development occurred from judiciary side.

Kotia :- These villages are inhabited by Kondh tribals. The region, once a Maoist hotbed, is also rich in mineral

resources like gold, platinum, manganese, bauxite, graphite and limestone

Other Border issues of Odisha

With Jharkhand:-The border dispute between Odisha and Jharkhand arises due to change in course of river

Baitarani. The Baitarani river originates

from the hill ranges of Keonjhar district of

Odisha. Major portion of its catchment lies

in the state of Odisha and a small patch of

the upper reach falls in Jharkhand

With West Bengal:-Odisha and West Bengal

have disputes over 27 plots in Balasore

District and some areas in Mayurbhanj

district of Odisha.

With Chhattisgarh:-With Chhattisgarh,

Odisha has disputes relating to villages in

Nabarangpur and Jharsuguda district.The

Central Government constituted Mahanadi

Water Disputes Tribunal in 2018

What can be done:-

The only effective way forward is

deliberations in Inter State councils and

Tribunals.

Sticking to the spirit of Cooperative

federalism should be adopted to resolve

such disputes

INITIATIVES UNDER ODISHA’S 5T MODEL OF GOVERNANCE (Source:- ANI, PIB, The Hindu)

Context:- CM launched several online services under the 5T Initiatives

5T Model:-5T Model of Governance is based on the philosophy that technology, transparency, teamwork and time-

laid leads to transformation. It was started to bridge the gap between the highest political decision-maker in the state

and the most far-flung citizen.

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Key Initiatives under 5T:-

―MO Sarkar :- is the Odisha government‘s citizen-centric

project that takes feedback from ordinary people regarding

their experience at the government-run facilities in the state.

The objective is to provide service with dignity to people

who are coming to government offices for different purposes.

It will also help to make the governance people-centric.

BLUIS –It stands for Bhuwaneshwar Land Use Intelligence

System. It is a web and the mobile-based solution which will help in the monitoring of government land in

Bhubaneshwar.

ORTPSA Online Module:- It is a dashboard for monitoring delivery of notified public services.

state prisons directorate has decided to introduce e-custodysystem in jails. Once introduced, e-custody certificates

of prisoners can be sent onlineto courts in quick time.

Mo-Chhatua App:-For Real time monitoring & efficient supply chain management of Take Home Ration

(Chhatua)

Mo Sishu Portal:-An information management & monitoring system created exclusively for child protection

services. It will enable systematic report & centralized recording of cases related to Child protection by

Enforcement agencies.

MAMATA App &MIS:-Citizen centric app & MIS (Management Information System) for registration of pregnant

and lactating women for cash transfer of INR 5, 000 under MAMATA Flagship scheme.

HOW ODISHA FIGHT COVID-19 (Souce:- TOI, PRS, WHO)

Context:-Odisha‘s response to Covidearns praise from WHO

Odisha is among handful of states that is at the forefront of India‘s fight against a rapidly growing COVID-19

pandemic. Even before the national lockdown was imposed by the Union government on March 24,2020, Odisha

was only state to have imposed partial lockdown in select districts.

Points Highlighted by WHO

Early start:-The state was the first in the country to initiate strict measures. It was also first state that took

proactive steps to ramp up its health care system particularly having a COVID-19 hospital with intensive care

units (ICUs) on public–private partnership mode

Setting up one of the biggest COVID health facility in the country in a record time of just one week; with the

Kalinga Institute of Medical Science and SUM Hospital established as model COVID hospitals

The state laid down a strong governance framework with ‗Empowered Group of Ministers‘ for quick decision

making and dedicated teams for social distancing, capacity building, containment strategy, isolation and

treatment, and awareness campaign. The dedicated teams put up a synchronized effort by working in close

coordination with the Department of Health and Family Welfare.

By the end of May 2020, the state managed to build a robust infrastructure with a capacity of 22 340 beds in the

dedicated COVID health facilities.

Effective monitoring:-Utilizing their polio experience, the National Public Health Surveillance Project (WHO-

NPSP) team prepared fifteen planning templates, to undertake activities such as control room meetings,

supervision, containment zone microplanning, and community mobilization, etc.

Leveraging technology: Digital application is leveraged in monitoring movement of cases and contacts.

Identification of containment zones is also guided through a geographic information system (GIS). Besides,

dedicated call centers are established to address public queries

P a g e | 13

State engaged with the

private sector to expand the

surveillance to trace

Influenza-like Illnesses (ILI)

and Severe Acute

Respiratory Illnesses (SARI)

cases helped to identify and

isolate the risk groups

Patient care: Telemedicine

services to enable patients to

avail health services through

direct consultation with the

doctors have started at 41

health institutions.

India saw the huge distress

of Migrant movement

during 1st lockdown. The state also witnessed a huge influx of migrants. To manage this, the government adopted

multi-pronged approaches such as monitoring of migrant‘s movement, issue of online e-pass, contact tracing,

provision of food and accommodation, monitoring health and adherence to safety measures, etc. A dedicated

online Grievance Redressal Portal exclusively for migrants was also set up.

The decentralized approach in collaboration with Gram Panchayats:-Gram Panchayats are entrusted with the

responsibility of isolating suspect cases. This decentralized approach has worked well, as identifying and

isolating suspects was managed at the local level.

Involvement of Self-help Groups under the Mission Shakti were done and trained through a cascade training

model supported by UNICEF and UNFPA. The SHGs came together to stitch a whopping 1 million masks in a

record time to address the acute scarcity of masks. This also provided an opportunity to improve livelihood of the

women.

As many as 46,627 ASHAs have emerged as key pillars against COVID-19 in closely operating with Gaon Kalyan

Samitis in the rural areas and Mahila Arogaya Samitis in the urban areas to address the health needs

Challenges Ahead

A rapid surge of infections despite improved recoveries have brought enormous stress on health care system

particularly in major cities particularly Cuttack and Bhubaneswar which continue to be the major hotspots.

Challenges related to poor health infrastructure are proving too difficult to overcome.

Shortage of health care professionals and quality medical facilities have started hurting the state‘s emergency

response. For instance, in Ganjam district, of the 567 posts sanctioned for doctors, only 219 are occupied

Odisha provided series of material and economic packages to vulnerable populations including pensioners, aged

and returnee migrant workers. With pandemic showing no sign of slowing down and economic activity still on a

low key, livelihood and employment of most informal workers including returnee migrants are at stake.

PLACES AND PERSONS IN NEWS

1) Chilika Lake:-

2) (Source:- Down to Earth)

Context:- A study by the marine archaeology department of the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Goa, has

found that Chilika Lake was once part of the Bay of Bengal.

P a g e | 14

About Chilika Lake:-

Chilika Lake is a brackish water

lagoon, spread over the Puri, Khurda

and Ganjam districts of Odisha.

It is located at the mouth of the Daya

River, flowing into the Bay of Bengal

and is the largest coastal lagoon in

India and the largest brackish water

lagoon in the world after The New

Caledonian barrier reef.

It has been listed Ramsar Site as well

as a tentative UNESCO World

Heritage site.

The lake has been a useful centre for

maritime activities since the third

millennium before the Common Era

(CE). Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang (7th century CE) recorded ‗Che-li-ta-lo-Ching‘ as a flourishing port, located at

Chhatargarh on the banks of the Chilika

The Brahmanda Purana (10th century CE approximately) says the Chilika was an important centre of trade and

commerce, with ships sailing to Java, Malaya and Ceylon.

How Chilika Lake get separated from the Bay of Bengal:-

The process of the formation of the Chilika might have begun in the latter part of the Pleistocene epoch, around

20,000 years ago

India‘s peninsular river Mahanadi carried a heavy load of silt and dumped part of it at its delta.As the sediment-

laden river met the Bay of Bengal, sand bars were formed near its mouth.

These created a backflow of the seawater into the sluggish fresh water at the estuary, resulting in the huge

brackish water lake, what we known as Chilika Lake.

Marine archaeological studies on the Odisha coast clearly show that the Chilika once acted as a safe harbour for

cargo ships bound for Southeast Asia and other parts of the world

Some studies revealed that due to tectonic movements, it was separated from the Bay of Bengal through a barrier

split near Palur around 4,000 years ago

3) Lingaraj temple (Source:- The Hindu, Hindustan Times)

Context:-Odisha to bring special law for managing 11th century Lingaraj temple. Also, Odisha government has

decided to give a facelift to the 11th century Lingaraj Temple.

About Temple:-

Bhubaneswar is called the Ekamra Kshetra as the deity of Lingaraja was originally under a mango tree (Ekamra) as

noted in Ekamra Purana, a 13th-century Sanskrit treatise

Act:-

Government has drafted a Bill similar to that of Jagannath temple Puri (passed in 1955), to manage the rituals and

other activities of the 11th century Lingaraj temple, the biggest temple in Bhubaneswar.

The Lingaraj Temple Bill, 2020 would free the temple in old Bhubaneswar area from the Odisha Hindu Religious

Endowment Act and put the Shiva temple under the control of Lingaraj Temple Managing Committee with a full-

time administrator looking after day-to-day affairs of the shrine.

P a g e | 15

Under Lingaraj Temple

Bill, a fund would be

created in which the

income derived from the

movable and immovable

properties of the temple

would be deposited.

Renovation:-

Facelift to the 11th century

Lingaraj Temple will be

akin to its pre-350-year

structural status.

This announcement has

come despite the massive

financial burden on the State economy in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.

The efforts will be to create a spiritual and ecological ambience in and around the Lingaraj Temple

Further, the government is planning a barrier-free access between the Temple and Bindusagar lake

This is a part of the Lingaraj Temple Heritage Development Project under Ekamra plan

4) Shantanu Mohapatra (Source:- PIB)

Context:-Legendary Odia musician, Shantanu Mohapatra passed away

He was the first Odia music composer to collaborate with legends like Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey and Md Rafi

and also the first to work in Hindi, Bengali, Assamese and Telugu film industries

He composed the first Modern Odia ballad ―Konark Gatha‖

Mohapatra, who retired as the Director of Odisha Mining Corporation, received several awards including the

Odisha Film Critic Award for his contribution to Odia music

5) Jagannath heritage Corridor Project (Puri)

Context:-The ODISHA assembly unanimously passed a resolution regarding the Jagannath Heritage Corridor project

The project‘s draft architectural plan and design, with an estimated cost of Rs 3,200 crore has been recently

approved by the temple management committee

The project is divided into nine zones and to be completed in three phases

The project includes plans to beautify and develop the 75-metre corridor around the temple's boundary walks

(meghanada pacheri)

Shree Jagannath Heritage Corridor (SJHC) projectwill be undertaken under the Augmentation of Basic Amenities

& Development of Heritage & Architecture at Puri (ABADHA) scheme, which was approved by the state cabinet

in 2019

Adding to the uniqueness of the plan is that the entire project is 100 per cent sustainable with services in place for

rain-water harvesting, facilitated by an intricate canal, water filtration system and drainage system. Other

elements such as renewable solar energy have also been incorporated to make the intervention as self-sufficient as

possible

Khondalite rocks will be used for development of the corridor and other projects with an aim to maintain Kalinga

architecture style

The heritage corridor is targeted to be completed by February 2022

The heritage corridor project was approved days after the Centre withdrew its notification for the draft heritage

bylaws for Puri's Shree Jagannath Temple

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Jagannath temple

It was built in 12th century by King Anatavarman Chodaganga Deva of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty.

It is also called ―YamanikaTirtha‖ as it is believed that the the power of ‗Yama‘, the god of death has been

nullified in Puri due to the presence of Lord Jagannath.

Also called White Pagoda and is famous for annual RathaYatra or Chariot festival, in which the three principal

deities (Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra) are pulled on huge and elaborately decorated temple cars

In front of the entrance stands the Aruna stambha or sun pillar, which was originally at the Sun Temple in

Konark

Kaḷinga architecture style

Kaḷinga architecture style is a style of Hindu architecture and a sub-style of Nagara architecturewhich flourished

in the ancient Kalinga previously known as Utkal and in present eastern Indian state of Odisha and Andhra

Pradesh. Most of the main temple sites are located in ancient Kalinga—modern Puri District, including

Bhubaneswar or ancient Tribhuvanesvara, Puri and Konark.

The temple complex is surrounded by a wall on each side of which is a gate over which rises a pyramid-shaped

roof

A typical

Kalinga

Odishan temple

consists two

parts, a

sanctuary

where an idol

or linga is

placed and a

hall where

pilgrims can

view the lord

installed in the

sanctuary.

In Kalinga style

the temple is

made up of two structures. Shikhara is called Deul and is almost vertical and suddenly curves sharply inwards at

the topand Deuls are preceded, as usual, by mandapas called jagamohana in Odisha. It covers the garbhagriha.

The walls of both the deul and the jagmohan are lavishly sculpted with architectural motifs and a profusion of

figures

The ground plan of the main temple is almost always square, which, in the upper reaches of its superstructure

becomes circular in the crowning mastaka

The style consists of three distinct types of temples: Rekha Deula, Pidha Deula and Khakhara Deula. The former

two are associated with Vishnu, Surya and Shiva temples while the third is mainly with Chamunda and Durga

temples

Rekha Deula is generally the Shikhara above the sanctum sanctorum. The Rekha Deula is etymologically called

―curvilinear temple‖ because the Shikhara here is curvilinear with less density in the lower part but highly dense

in the upper part. The famous temple of Lingaraja at Bhubaneshwar and Jagannatha at Puri are two prominent

and gigantic examples of Rekha Deula

The Pidha Deula is etymologically called ―flat seat temple‖ because the Shikhara here is like a stepped but

compressed pyramid. It is marked by a series of flat platforms placed one over the other, in diminishing order,

P a g e | 17

each one representing a storey. It is topped by an Amalaka as a rule. Bhaskareshwar Temple at Bhubaneshwar is,

however, the only known free-standing specimen of Pidha Deula style

Khakhra Deula is an elongated, barrel-roof shaped shrine. This could be called the Kalingan interpretation of

Vallabhi shrines (Nagara form of temples generally seen in the Himalayan region). This form is inspired by the

Shala element seen in Buddhist architecture.The most famous example of this style is Vaital Deula,

Bhubaneshwar, and Varahi Deul, Chaurashi in Odisha

Examples of Kalinga architecture: Rajarani temple (Bhubaneshwar); Jagganath Temple, Puri

PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TRIBAL GROUPS IN ODISHA

(Source:- The IE)

Context:-Covid-19 reaches remote tribes(Bondas and Didiayis) of Odisha.

PVTG:-

The classification among tribes was adopted by the Government after the Dhebar Commission (1960-1961) stated

that within the Scheduled Tribes there existed an inequality in the rate of development.

During the 4th Five Year Plan (1969-74), a sub-category was created within Scheduled Tribes to identify groups at

a lower level of development. This sub-category was called ―Primitive tribal group‖, which is now PVTG.

75 tribal groups have been categorized by the Ministry of Home Affairs as PVTGs.

PVTGsareidentified based on their:

Relative physical isolation,

Stagnant or declining population,

Low levels of literacy,

Absence of written language,

Pre-agricultural stage of economy, such as hunting, food gathering, shifting cultivation and terrace cultivation

Ministry of Tribal Affairs implements the Scheme of 'Development of PVTGs' exclusively for them

PVTGs in Odisha:-

Of the 62 tribal groups in Odisha, 13 are recognised as PVTGs - the highest in the country.Odisha has a

population of 2.5 lakh belonging to the PVTGs

The PVTGs of the state have been identified as: Bonda, Birhor, Chuktia, Didayi, Dongaria Kandha, Juang, Kharia,

Kutia Kondh, Lanjia Saora, Lodha, Mankirida, Paudi Bhuyan and Saora.

For reasons like poverty, illiteracy, lack of safe drinking water, poor sanitary conditions, difficult terrain,

malnutrition, poor access to maternal and child health care services, superstition, nonavailability of adequate

health care services, etc., COVID in these tribes is matter of grace concern. Their immunity is very weak and may

lead to extinction of tribe seeing their depleting numbers.

According to tribal activists, the tribes‘ remote habitats also lack the required minimum administrative set-up and

infrastructure. ―They maintain a community life and if one person is infected, the infection is likely to spread,

which is why this calls for special attention

In these testing times of Covid-19, the tribal population of both mainland India and Islands territory need proper

attention. This must happen by respecting their way of living and providing ample opportunity while not

interfering with their environment.

2. ‗Blue Flag’ certification (Source:- The IE, PIB)

Context:-Eight beaches in India have been awarded the coveted ‗Blue Flag‘ certificationby an eminent international

jury, which comprises UNEP, IUCN, United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Foundation for

Environmental Education (FEE)

The Chandrabhaga beach on the Konark coast of Odisha is the first in India to get the Blue Flag certification

P a g e | 18

About Blue Flag

Certfication

Blue Flag beaches are

considered the cleanest

beaches of the world

The Blue Flag

Programme for

beaches and marinas is

run by the

international, non-

governmental, non-

profit organisation FEE

(the Foundation for

Environmental

Education) since 1985

and in areas outside

Europe since 2001.

The Blue Flag is one of the world‘s most recognised voluntary eco-labels awarded to beaches, marinas, and

sustainable boating tourism operators

On the lines of Blue Flag certification, India has also launched its own eco-label BEAMS.

BEAMS (Beach Environment & Aesthetics Management Services) is launched by the Society of Integrated Coastal

Management (SICOM) and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

INTER-STATE TIGER RELOCATION PROJECT

(Source:- IE, Down to Earth)

Context:-Sundari — a tigress shifted as part of India‘s first inter-state translocation project in 2018 from Madhya

Pradesh to Odisha has returned home.

Tiger relocation project:-

Tiger relocation project was initiated in 2018 wherein two big cats, a male (Mahavir) from Kanha Tiger Reserve

and a female (Sundari) from Bandhavgarh from MP were relocated to Satkosia Tiger Reserve in Odisha.

It was the first inter-state tiger relocation project

The translocation project was as per the NTCA guidelines and in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India

and the Government of India.

Relocation was meant to serve two purposes

To reduce the tigers in areas with excess tiger population, mainly to reduce territorial disputes

To reintroduce tigers in areas where the population has considerably reduced like Odisha.

Satkosia Tiger Reserve and why was it chosen?

Encompassing an area of 963.87 sq km, the Satkosia Tiger Reserve spreads across four districts and has as its core

area 523 sq km

It is located where the Mahanadi River passes through a 22 km long gorge in the Eastern Ghats Mountains

Mammals found include the leopard, indian wild dog (also known as dhole), wild boars, striped hyena, sloth

bear, leopard cat and the jungle cat

It was declared as a Tiger Reserve in 2007 with a population of 12 tigers then. The numbers reduced to two in

2018.

According to NTCA, Satkosia falls under reserves where ―there is a potential for increasing tiger populations‖.

P a g e | 19

The main purpose of the relocation was to repopulate tigers in the reserve areas

Why the project failed?

Relocation saw severe protests by villagers living on the fringes of the reserve and the matter eventually became a

poll issue.

The villagers feared the big cats would endanger their livelihoods, lives and livestocks. They also alleged that

they were not consulted or informed prior to the translocation

Relocation of tigers led to displacement of tribals from Raigoda in the core area to Saruali on the outskirts of the

reserve which eventually led to attack on forest officials by villagers

The major reason which contributed to the failure of the project was the lack of confidence and trust-building

between the forest department and the villagers.Within months of the translocation, Mahavir was found dead

and was killed in poaching.

Sundari‘s proximity to human habitations which are in abundance even close to the core area in Satkosia could

have led to the human-animal conflict

Protection was not up to the mark and the only undisturbed, prey rich habitat was already occupied by the old

resident tigress causing Sundari to occupy human dominated, disturbed areas

OLIVE RIDLEY CONSERVATION

(Source:- The Hindu, IE)

Context:-Orissa High Court took suo motu cognisance on the death of around 800 Olive Ridley sea turtles due to

negligence by Odisha‘s forest and fisheries departments

The state‘s Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is known as the world‘s largest rookery of sea turtles. It extends from

Dhamra Rivermouth in

the north to Brahmani

river mouth in the

south

Olive Ridley Sea Turtles

The Olive ridley turtles

are the smallest and

most abundant of allsea

turtles found in the

world, inhabiting warm

waters of the

Pacific,Atlantic and

Indian oceans

These turtles, along with their cousin the Kemps ridley turtle, are bestknown for their unique mass nesting called

Arribada, wherethousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs

The coast of Orissa in India is the largest mass nesting site for the Olive-ridley, followed by thecoasts of Mexico

and Costa Rica

They come under Schedule- 1 of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and under Vulnerable in the IUCN Red list

What are the major threats to Olive Ridley Sea Turtles?

Unfriendly fishing practices, development and exploitation of nesting beaches for ports, andtourist centres

Most severe threat is the accidental killing of adult turtles through entanglement in trawl nets andgill nets due to

uncontrolled fishing during their mating season around nesting beaches

They are still extensively poached for their meat, shell and leather

P a g e | 20

Government initiatives for their protection and conservation

To reduce accidental killing in India, the Odisha government has made it mandatory for trawls to use Turtle

Excluder Devices (TEDs), a net specially designed with an exit cover which allows the turtles to escape while

retaining the catch

To ensure the safety of olive ridley turtles during their breeding and mating season, the Odisha government

clamped a seven-month prohibition on sea fishing activity within 20 km of the coast at the river mouths of

Dhamara, Devi and Rusikulya.

Three-member panel constituted by the Orissa High Court that would assessed the measures taken for the

conservation of endangered olive ridley sea turtles.

Odisha Govt. requested WII to conduct fresh study on Olive Ridley turtle movement for better conservation of

turtles.

The state governmentis organising 61 onshore and five offshore patrolling camps for keeping a close watch on

mass nesting of turtles

NAXALISM IN ODISHA

Naxalism

The term ‗Naxal‘ derives from the name of the village Naxalbari in West Bengal, where the movement had its

origin.

The Naxals are considered far-left radical communists, supportive of Maoist political sentiment and ideology.

Their origin can be traced to the split in 1967 of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), leading to the formation

of the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist).

Initially the movement had its

centre in West Bengal. But

gradually, it spread into less

developed areas of rural

southern and eastern India,

such as Chhattisgarh, Odisha

and Andhra Pradesh through

the activities of underground

groups like the Communist

Party of India (Maoist). The

whole area infamously known

as ―Red Corridor‖.

Naxalism in Odisha

Years leading up to the origin of

the Naxalite movement in

Odisha witnessed the rural

poor‘s exploitation and the tribals at petty landlords‘ hands

Poverty in Odisha was too high, especially in the southern and western regions of the state, including Koraput

and Ganjam districts. As a result, an agricultural revolution broke out from these regions, which eventually grew

into the infamous Naxalite movement in Odisha

2007 arguably marked a peak in left-wing extremism in Odisha

Ironically enough, what started as a mere peasant movement in a small district of Odisha came to constitute ―the

greatest internal security threat to the nation‖- as stated by former PM Manmohan Singh on Naxalism in India

P a g e | 21

How Odisha handled Naxalism

In 2019, Odisha Chief Secretary claimed that ten out 15 Maoist-hit districts are now free from the influence of Left

Wing Extremism

One of the crucial

reasons behind

Odisha Police

success against LWE

has been a clear

strategy – strong

intelligence set-up

and ground

operations.

Odisha created its

anti-Naxal force

Special Operations

Group (SOG)

modelling on

Andhra Pradesh‘s

Greyhounds,

besides setting up

Special Intelligence Wing (SIW), a dedicated intelligence apparatus, after it suffered some of the worst at the

hands of Maoists in the 1990s and 2000s.

The wing created a roadmap for the SOG to take the battle to the rebel camp.The State Police has used the Maoist

strategy against the Maoists – acting on ground intelligence and used small operational units

Against the guerillas, they have used Naxal‘s tactics by mobilizing smaller units which help them to adapt, attack

and escape when required.

Another crucial aspect is Odisha Police has taken ownership and accountability of anti-Naxal operations despite

having CRPF and BSF for support. All operational intelligence is shared with the State Police first before any plan

is put into action. On the other hand, other states like Chhattisgarh and Andhra banked heavily on Central forces

The advantage with State Police remaining in charge is its strong connect with local population which is key in

the fight against Maoists

Specific schemes included providing rights over forest land to over 1,41,471 tribal families, improving road

communication with 29 completed road projects under Road Requirement Plan-I (RRP-I) whereas, another 33

projects sanctioned under RRP-II are under implementation

Initiatives by Govt. of India

The MHA established a robust mechanism under which timely

reviews are conducted and policies and strategies are amended or

fine-tuned

From 223 districts that were affected due to naxalism in the year

2010, the number has come down to 90 in nine years

SAMADHAN-A Comprehensive Policy Tool: An integrated

strategy through which LWE can be countered with full force and

competence. This is a compilation of short term and long-term

policies formulated at different levels

Bastariya Battalion: The CRPF has decided to enhance local

representation in its combat layout deployed in the Bastar area to

P a g e | 22

provide the ‗Bastariya‘ youth better avenues of employment under its Civic Action Programme

In developing these capabilities, the MHA has deployed at least one Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) or Mini-

UAV for each CAPF battalions. More helicopter support is provided for CAPFs to rush in supplies and

reinforcements

The government even started ‗Relief and Rehabilitation Policy‘ for bringing naxalites into mainstream

he Ministry of Home Affairs has set up a Multi-Disciplinary Group (MDG) comprising officers from various

central and state enforcement units.

The issue of unemployment and illiteracy was addressed through ―Skill Development in 47 LWE affected

districts‖ and PMKVY.

The Centre, under the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), had upgraded schools and girls‘ hostels

have been sanctioned in 35 most affected LWE districts

MAN- ANIMAL CONFLICTS IN ODISHA

(Source:- Hindustan Times, Researchgate, The Hindu)

Context:- Odisha Government formed a State level task force under the chairmanship of principal chief conservator of

forests (wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden for preparation of a master plan to reduce man-animal conflicts in state

during the next three years.

Recently, a wild elephant went on rampage killing atleast 4 persons and

critically injuring 3 others in Puri District.

Similarly, in January this year, around 600 schools in Jajpur were closed

after an elephant killed 2 persons in the district.

A farmer in Angul district was trampled to death by a tusker when he was

in his paddy field.

In 2019-20, Odisha recorded 115 human casualties and 132 injuries due to

man-elephant conflict in a year, probably the highest ever in India.

Retaliation by people with electric fences, live wire poaching, poaching for

ivory etc have taken a heavy toll of elephant lives too

Reasons of such conflict:-

Encroachment of human beings in wildlife habitats for residential purposes

and city expansion.

Accidents are also being caused due to expanding road networks and increase in vehicular traffic. Some of the

road networks even pass through protected areas, hence creating danger zones for wild animals

Unscientific structures and practices of forest management in the country are another central contributor to man

animal conflicts

Land use transformations such as change from protected forest patches to agricultural and horticultural lands

and monoculture plantations are further destroying the habitats of wildlife

Infestation of wildlife habitat by invasive exotic weeds like lantana, eupatorium and parthenium have resulted in

decreased availability of edible grasses for wild herbivores. As a result, herbivores come out of forest areas and

cause depredation of agricultural crops on the fringes

Tourism without proper guidelines disturbs animal habitats and further leads to man animal conflict.

Odisha govt response:-

Government has formed a task force headed by its chief wildlife warden to prepare a 3-year master plan for

reduction of man-animal conflict

P a g e | 23

Odisha‘s Athagarh Forest Division has started casting seed balls (or bombs) inside different reserve forest areas to

enrich food stock for wild elephants. This will prevent man-elephant conflict. A seed bomb is a little ball generally

made up of a combination of compost, clay and seeds.

The compost offers nutrients for the seeds to germinate and grow strong during their infancy and the clay binds

the seed bomb, making it hard enough not to break when it hits the ground.It is used in re-vegetation and

reforestation of the fragile ecosystems.

Further, the Government has taken initiative for fodder and water augmentation in forest areas so that animals

get food and water in forest areas and not come outside. LiDAR technology is being used for the same

Govt. has identified 14 Elephant corridors in Odisha for safe movement of the pachyderms which frequently

come out of their habitat in search of food and water.

Training programmes for forest staff and police to address the problems of human-wildlife conflicts.

Other than this, community based practices are required which can supplement the Govt initiatives like safe

methods of driving away elephants must be practiced.

Crops that are unpalatable to elephants are encouraged to be farmed in highly vulnerable areas

What more can we do:-

Relocation of human settlements should be done, which will alter the ecological setting in favour of wild animals,

and thus prevent conflict

Ecocentric tourism must be promoted so that the unique habitats of animals do not get disturbed or polluted.

Prompt delivery of compensatory assistance for the victims of conflicts may help mitigate local hostility towards

animals to some extent. This is one of the major reason behind locals angry reactions towards animals and govt.

Cooperative Federalism is required between center and state Environment ministries for improvement of habitats

to augment food and water availability, and to minimize animal movement

Awareness programmes should be conducted to sensitize the people about the Do‘s and Don‘ts to minimize

conflicts

Encouraging and supporting involvement of research and academic institutions, and leading voluntary

organizations having expertise in managing human-wildlife conflict situations.

Constructing solar powered fencing, protection walls, using natural fencing (eg. bee barriers) will also help in

minimising conflict between human and wildlife

Global and regional practices which can be inculcated in India

To keep elephants at a safe distance, African villagers use all-natural solutions: bees and hot peppers. Elephants

dislike the chemical capsaicin found in chili peppers, prompting farmers in Tanzania to smother their fences with

a mixture of oil and chili peppers.

Villagers in India have had recent success preventing tiger attacks by exploiting their knowledge of big cat

behavior. Tigers stalk their prey and attack from behind, so forest workers began wearing masks on the back of

their heads to prevent sneak attacks

Solar powered electric fences keep crop-raiding elephants out of fields in Africa

A new conservation initiative in Western Ghats has utilized texting as an early warning system to prevent

human-elephant encounters. Elephant tracking collars embedded with SMS chips automatically text nearby

residents, warning them of recent elephant movements

In Canada, they constructed wildlife corridors, areas of preserved native habitat in human dominated regions,

providing wildlife with a safe pathway as they travel between one to another

Hanging fences and rubble walls in Karnataka

P a g e | 24

WILDLIFE CORRIDORS

(In Odisha, we will specifically talk about Elephant Corridor)

(Source:- The Hindu, Down to earth)

Elephant corridors allow elephants to continue their nomadic mode of survival, despite shrinking forest cover, by

facilitating travel between distinct forest habitats. These corridors play a crucial role in sustaining wildlife by

reducing the impact of habitat isolation

Recently, the Supreme Court (SC) upheld the 2011 order of the Madras High Court (HC) on the Nilgiris elephant

corridor, affirming the right of passage of the animals and the closure of resorts in the area. It said that the

government is fully empowered under the 'Project Elephant' of the Union government as well as Article 51 A(g)

of the Constitution to notify the elephant corridor in the state‘s Nilgiris district

Recently, NGT directed the Odisha government to prepare an action plan within three months on 14 identified

elephant corridors for providing stress-free migration to jumbos from one habitation to another in the State

Issues with Elephant Corridors in India

Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) identified and recorded

details pertaining to 101 elephant corridors across

India, out of which

Only 22% corridors are of a width of one to three

kilometres in 2017, compared with 41% in 2005,

pointing to how constricted corridors have become in

the past 12 years

Only 21.8% of corridors were free of human

settlements in 2017

Almost two-thirds of the corridors have a National or

State Highway passing through them, fragmenting

habitats and hindering elephant movement further

Two in every three elephant corridors in the country

are now affected by agricultural activities

All the corridors in northern West Bengal (100%) and

almost all in central India (96%) and northeastern

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India (52.2% under settled cultivation and 43.4% under slash and burn cultivation) have agricultural land

RIVER WATER DISPUTE

Mahanadi River Water Dispute (Source:- The Hindu, IE)

Sharing of Mahanadi river water has been a bone of contention between the states of Odisha and Chhattisgarh

Mahanadi River:-

The Mahanadi River system is

the third largest of peninsular

India after Godavari and

Krishna, and the largest river of

Odisha state

It rises from a place near Sihawa

in Bastar hills in the state of

Chhattisgarh to the south of

Amarkantak

Major Tributaries are Seonath,

Mand, Ib, Tel, Hasdeo, etc

Its basin is bounded by the

Central India hills on the north,

by the Eastern Ghats on the

south and east and by the

Maikala range on the west

Odisha‘s concern:-

Odisha is arguing that Chhattisgarh has been constructing dams and weirs (small dams) upstream the Mahanadi

riverwithout consulting Odisha.

This would affect the flow of the river downstream and affect drinking water supply in Odisha.

Odisha also alleged that Chhattisgarh would utilise water far in excess of the equitable share of the waters of

Mahanadi

Moreover, the weirs and other projects would impact the flow of water in the Hirakud reservoir, a multipurpose

river valley project, which is a lifeline for many in the state.

Water Disputes Resolution in India

The Interstate River Water Disputes Act, 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under

Article 262 of Constitution of India to resolve the water disputes that would arise in the use, control and

distribution of an interstate riveror river valley.

Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating conflicts

surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the state/regional governments.

Parliament may by law provide that neither the Supreme Court nor any other court shall exercise jurisdiction in

respect of any such dispute or complaint.

Any river water sharing treaty made with other countries, has to be ratified by the Parliament as per Article 253

after deciding the share of the Indian riparian states per Article 262 to make the treaty constitutionally valid or

enforceable by the judiciary

Way forward:-

Under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 a tribunal can be formed to resolve water disputes

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Odisha has long been demanding the formation of a tribunal for resolving the Mahanadi river water dispute.

However, notably only three out of the eight existing tribunals have given awards accepted by the states

concerned

The Central Government has constituted Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal in 2018 under Section 4 of the Inter-

State River Water Disputes Act, 1956. The tribunal is expected to give its verdict within a period of three years

Vamsadhara River Water Dispute

Context:-Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha hold talks to clear out all differences with regard to the

sharing of Vamsadhara river waters. Andhra Pradesh wants to build the Neradi bridge across the river which

will be possible only after Odisha‘s consent.

Andhra Pradesh also wants to complete the inter-linking of its Nagavali river with the Vamsadhara and expand

the Madduvalasa Reservoir project soon.

Vamsadhara River

It is an east-flowing river which originates in Kalahandi district of Odisha, flows in Odisha, along its boundary

with Andhra Pradesh and finally joins the Bay of Bengal at Kalingapatnam, Andhra Pradesh

It is the main river of north-eastern Andhra region and the Boddepalli Rajagopala Rao Project was constructed on

it to meet the irrigation needs of the region

The total catchment

area of the river

basin is about 10,830

square kilometres

Odisha‘s concerns:-

In February 2006,

Odisha sent a

complaint to the

Central Government

under Section 3 of

the Inter-State River

Water Disputes

(ISRWD) Act, 1956

regarding its water

disputes with

Andhra Pradesh

pertaining to Inter-State River Vamsadhara. It demanded for the constitution of an Inter-State Water Disputes

Tribunal for adjudication

Inter-State Water Disputes Tribunal was setup in 2010 by Central govt and it submitted it‘s report in September

2017. But Further report is still pending.

Odisha is concerned about the adverse effect of undertaking the construction of a canal (called a flood flow canal

at Katragada, Andhra Pradesh) taking off from the river Vamsadhara

The flood flow canal would result in drying up the existing river bed and consequent shifting of the river

affecting the groundwater table

Odisha also raised the issue of scientific assessment of available water in Vamsadhara at Katragada and Gotta

Barrage, Andhra Pradesh and the basis for sharing the available water

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KBK REGION

(Source:- IE, Planning commission)

KBK stands for Kalahandi Balangir Koraput Region

These are the districts of Southern and Western Odisha which are regarded as the most backward region by the

planning commission.

During 1992-93, the three larger districts were re-

organized into eight districts viz. Malkangiri, Koraput,

Nabrangpur, Kalahandi, Rayagada, Nuapada, Balangir

and Sonepur

The four tribaldominated districts of Koraput,

Malkangiri, Nabarangpur and Rayagada along

withKalahandi form part of Eastern Ghats, and are hilly,

forested and criss-crossed withseveral rivers.

Balangir, Nuapada and Subarnapur districts are mainly

part of Central Table lands, which have varied

topography including plain agricultural lands, hills and

rolling uplands.

KBK districts are also rich in mineral resources such as

bauxite, chromite, lime iron and manganese

Region account for 19.72% of the State‘s population but contributes 48% of state‘s poor people. (2011 census)

Region occupy over 30.59% geographical area of the State. Around 90% of the people of this region still live in

villages.

The literacy rate at 43.3% is much lower than the State average of 63.1%.

Reason for backwardness

Persistent crop failure, lack of access to the basic service and entitlements, starvation, malnutrition and migration

are the leading manifestations in the region.

Unequal distribution of industries, educational and health infrastructure compared to northern and eastern

Odisha.

Inadequate irrigation facilities aggravated the situation in KBK region as Govt focused more on fertile Eastern

stretch.

Weak agro-climatic conditions, poor connectivity and infrastructure, physical isolation, and low social capabilities

among tribals characterize this region, which suffers from multiple deprivations and backwardness: (i) tribal

backwardness, (ii) hill area backwardness, and (iii) backwardness due to severe natural calamities.

SPECIAL AREA DEVELOPMENT APPROACH

Removal of regional disparities has been one of the important planks of the development strategies adopted by

Government of India as well as the State Government during successive Five Year Plans. However, due to several

economic, social and institutional obstacles, this region in Odisha has not shared gains of development in an

equitable manner and continues to languish

Therefore, in consultation with the Government of India, State Government has adopted a special area

development approach for this region with a view to focusing attention on it and accelerating its development

A Long Term Action Plan (LTAP) for the KBK districts was formulated in consultation with the Government of

India for a period of seven years from 1995-96 to 2001-02 with 2 principal objectives:- drought proofing and

poverty alleviation. However, only a meager allocation of Rs. 20.49 crore was received, therefore Therefore,

LTAP; 1995-2002 did not take off due to non-availability of sufficient funds

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A Revised Long Term Action Plan (RLTAP) for the KBK

districts was submitted to Government of India in 1998 on

their advice with additional objective of improving

quality of life along with 2 former objectives.

Biju KBK plan:- To improve socio-economic and human

capital development in the region

Biju Kandhamal O Gajpati Yojana (BKOGY)- Scheme

focused on providing basic amenities in the region like

electricity, roads, water and employment.

Other schemes like AKANKSHY (Construction of hostel

for tribal girls); KALIA scheme for farmers and other

special assistance schemes were started to improve

human development in the region

The specially targetted schemes to address the

development deficits such as RLTAP, BRGF (Backward

Region Grant Fund), IAP (Integrated Action Plan) started

making visible impact by addressing the critical gaps in

the field of infrastructure.

Strategies For Development Of KBK Districts

Building rural productive infrastructure (e.g., roads,

bridges, irrigation projects, tanks, watershed

development, markets, warehouses) and conserving

natural resources (e.g., forests, soils and water).

Development programmes for income generation on

sustainable basis (e.g., productive rural infrastructure,

SGSY, SGRY, EAS, agriculture development, and micro-

credit support)

Mobilizing and energizing the rural poor (e.g., Self Help

Groups, Vana Samrakshana Samities, Pani Panchayats,

and Bhumi Panchayats).

Restructuring and energizing social security system (e.g.,

emergency feeding programme, special nutritional

programme for children under 3 years, mobile health

units, promotion of education among ST/SC girls)

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