Revenue loss of Rs. 50 lakhs due to Nimapara Cold Storage

Loss of Rs. 50 lakhs to State Exchequer due to mismanagement of  only one  Cold Storage located at Nimapara of Puri district, Odisha   by the Govt., exposed through RTI

Last Year ( 2014), the farmers of Nimapara  area of Puri district  had  lodged complaint to District Collector  and filed FIR in local Police station  against the lease holder  of  Cold Storage  located at Nimapara  which  is under control of M/s Nimapara Multi-Commodities  Storage and Marketing Co-operative Society Ltd. The allegation was that the Lease Holder had sold all the potato   kept in cold storage by the farmers. The farmers came to know about it when they had gone to lift potato from cold storage. The approximate cost of the potato as mentioned in the FIR was more than five lakh rupees. Though the farmers organised rally, demonstration, Dharana to get their potato returned back, the Govt. precariously failed to deliver potato and pay compensation to the farmers till today.

To find out  the  details of information about management of Cold Storage  by the Society, RTI Application was submitted to the PIO, Dept. of Cooperation, Govt. of Odisha  on 7.3.15.  After five months, the information was supplied by the Secretary, office of  M/s Nimapara Multi-Commodities  Storage and Marketing Co-operative Society Ltd, Nimapara  which is as follows.

A.   For the management of Cold Storage, the  Nimapara Multi-Commodities  Storage and Marketing Co-operative Society Ltd. ( LESSOR) entered  lease agreement with M/S Seashore Agricultural Promotion Company ( LESSEE)  on 25.3.11 for a period of 2 consecutive  operational seasons  ending in the month of November 2012. The lessee will pay a sum of Rs. 1, 75,000/- as monthly lease rent payable each month. Failure to pay the monthly lease amount by the stipulated date, the lessee shall pay penalty @ Rs. 100.00 per each day of default in addition to monthly lease amount. But the Seashore Company violated lease agreement and did not pay the monthly rent. An outstanding amount of Rs. 28, 75,000.00 is yet to be recovered from Seashore Company Ltd.

B.   After cancelling lease agreement with  the Seashore Company, the Nimapara society ( LESSOR)  entered into another  lease agreement with Sri Harish Chandra Prusty( LESSEE) , at-Beherasahi, Near Nayak Plaza, Puri , Odisha  on 8.3.13 for management of cold storage  on lease  on a monthly rent  of Rs. 1,05,000/- for a period of 2 consecutive operational seasons ending in the month of Nov. 2014. Sri Harish Prusty did not pay monthly rent which caused a loss of Rs. 33,05,610.00  from state exchequer.  Without paying any rent,  he  sold the potato of the Farmers kept in cold storage.  Till yet, the State Govt. has neither recovered  Monthly rent outstanding amount of Rs. 33,05,610.00   nor the potato from him. The poor farmers are still suffering without getting their potato or the compensation against it. Now the Society has cancelled his lease agreement.

C.  Presently, the   Nimapara Multi-Commodities  Storage and Marketing Co-operative Society has entered into new lease agreement with Sri Bishnu Charan Baral ( LESSEE) , At-Badagaon, Post- Ohala, PS- Nimapara, Dist-Puri for management of cold storage  on lease  on a monthly basis rent of Rs. 1,11,111.00 for a period of two  calendar years from 4.3.2015 to 3.3.2017. Sri Baral  has already paid Rs. 5,55,555.00 towards monthly rent.

Remarks:
Due to mismanagement of Cold storage and non-payment of monthly rent by the lease holders, the farmers could not get any benefit nor their materials protected properly.  This is one of the reasons  for which  the farmers  are  found not interested for  agriculture. This is general phenomena across the state.

Pradip Pradhan, M- 9937843482, Date- 12.09.2015 

Clarification regarding Swami Shankaranand Giri issue on Z Kalinga

  Clarification and Demolishing Confusion about fraud and forgery of Swami Shankaranand Giri, President of Kriya Yoga Foundation Trust and News telecast by Z Kalinga

It got too late to respond  to the queries, allegations and counter opinions given  by readers   following my appeal  for participation  in the  Emergency Meeting of Civil Society Groups on Attack on Media organized  at Red Cross Bhawan on 5.9.15 at 10 am.

The meeting was held with participation of around 35 members of Civil Society Groups, advocates and Social Activists at Red Cross Bhawan on 5.9.15. The members interacted about the details of the issues, fraud and forgery of Swami Shankaranand and attempt of vested Groups to demoralize Satya Prakash Nayak.   It was decided to file a petition to Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bhubaneswar to enquire into detailed of allegation made against Swami Shankaranand and organize demonstration expressing solidarity with Satya Prakash Nayak, Z Kalinga and upholding Freedom of Press. Accordingly, FIR was lodged   against Swami Shankaranand  in Saheed Nagar  on 5.9.15 at 2 PM  and  a 15-member delegation  met Deputy Commissioner of Police  and submitted  petition protesting immediate lodging of an FIR  against Satya Prakash Nayak  without preliminary enquiry and  requested  him   to conduct enquiry into allegations against Shankaranand.    

Mass Demonstration expressing solidarity with Satya Prakash Nayak  and protesting against Govt. for curtailing freedom of press  was held at lower PMG with participation of  hundreds of journalists, Activists, academicians, teachers etc.

Expressing their reaction on my appeal for solidarity with Satya Prakash Nayak, the Readers have given their opinion that the news broadcast on allegations made against Swami Shakaranand  Giri is false. As I along with my Activists friends are quite active in exposing   illegal land grabbing  by Ministers, MLAs, IAS and IPS officers and fraud Babas  since last few years,  we  took it  as challenge  and constituted  a fact-finding team  to enquire into details of forgery of land documents and land illegally grabbed  by Shankarananda.   while going through the documents  obtained through RTI, it was found that  there was a Land Lease-Deed agreement  signed  between Sri K.C. Das, Secretary, Kriya Yoga Foundation Trust, Kriya Yoga Ashram, Bhubaneswar , District-Khurda  and Swami Shankaranada Giri, President, Prabhujee English Medium School, V.S.S. Nagar, Bhubaneswar, Dist-Khurda  in 2001  in the office of District Sub-Registrar, Bhubaneswar.  As per Lease Agreement,    Sri K.C. Das, Secretary, Kriya Yoga Foundation Trust has handed over a portion of its land measuring 3 Ac on lease basis to Swami Shankaranand Giri to run Prabhujee English Medium School.  The Schedule of the property of the land is Hal Plot No- 5168/5169 under   Mouza- Gadakana of  Bhubaneswar Tehsil. The location of the land  is  East- Hospital and Ashram Main Gate, West-  Ashram Land, North- Ashram road and Building , South-  Institute of Hotel Management.

On 8^th and 9^th Sept. 15, the Team visited Gadakana and Ragamatia village and met the owner of the land ( Hal Plot No- 5168/5169) and enquired   to know the details of the land  and its location.  It  was found that  the owner of  Hal Plot No 5168 ( Khata No-875) is Sri Giridhari Bhoi, Gokul Bhoi of  Surath Bhoi, Father of Gadakana Mouza. The owner of Hal Plot. 5169( Khata No.-707)  is Sri Keshab Das of Rangamatia village. Both these lands are located far away from Prabhujee English Medium School. So, Swami Shankaranand  has produced forged document to CBSE ( Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi) to get affiliation of the school.  While looking at land records of Department of General Administration,  It  was also  found that  the said  school is situated  on the land  of  General Administration of Govt. of Odisha  which has been  encroached  and illegally  occupied  by Swami Shankaranand since long. Interestingly, due to nexus of Swami Shankaranand with corrupt bureaucracy, the State Govt.  has not taken any step to recover the encroached land.  On 9.9.15, we filed a complaint petition to CBSE, New Delhi through Regional office, at Alok Bharati Building, Bhubaneswar and FIR was also lodged in Saheed Nagar Police station against Shankaranad to initiate criminal proceeding against him.

While going through another document obtained from office of Inspector General of Registration, Cuttack, it was found that Swami Shakaranand Giri is no more president of Kriya Yoga Foundation Trust as per order of IGR dated 27.4.2002. In 1998, the Founder-president of Kriya Yoga Foundation Trust Swami Hariharananda Giri had written a letter to IGR, Cuttack appraising anti-social, criminal and illegal activities of Swami Shankaranand and intimated his order of removal of Shakaranand and other members from Trust. 

Other allegation about his forgery and illegal activities will be exposed very soon. So, the news telecast in Z Kalinga is based on FACT. If anybody has guts to challenge the abovementioned fact, please come out with fact and figures.

Let us come to other issues raised by the readers of the group and my response to it. In democracy, everybody has right to speak, write and give their opinion in public domain on any issue and we must respect it.  Similarly, a news channel or news paper has also right which is termed as Freedom of Press to disseminate or telecast any news on their wish. Similarly, they have also right to choose or judge whom they will invite to their press and take opinion or reject anybody.  Public opinion hardly matters. If someone’s opinion, views or comments hamper anybody’s dignity or privacy, he or she is legally empowered to file defamation suit or take any legal action against the person concerned.  For example, Odisha Information  Commission  has filed  defamation case against me in Civil Court , Bhubaneswar for my criticism to their  anti-RTI functioning. The case is yet to be disposed of. Similarly, if anybody feels anything wrong in media, they can file a complaint to Press Council of India, New Delhi or follow legal procedure against it. Many times, the affected parties i.e, State Govt. with acrimonious attitude tried to control media or individual activists working to expose misdeeds of the administration by putting baseless and false charges . Many journalists and Human Rights Activists have been victim of the State sponsored Attack in Odisha since last few years.  

 We have to accept the greater role played by media in terms of sensitizing the people about various issues in our state more particularly exposing fraud Babas since last one month. Though the Rationalists Groups have been working hard to sensitize the people against fraud Babas and their so-called Prabachana, art of mesmerizing the illiterate poor people since many years, they were found hardly successful in their effort to refrain the people from visiting Ashrams.  But the media succeeded alerting the people about fraud Babas within very short span of time.  

It is also fact that the media is also controlled by corporate sectors. A corporate house or any individual establishing Printing Press or Electronics media has their own business agenda. Within their own framework, we have to find out the space where we can raise our issues of the public importance. Each media has their own issues of priority and public imprtance. Flat allegation against any press without understanding about politics of media house is meaningless and just throwing stone at mountain. As media houses get controlled by corporate dalas day by day, the news about public issue gets less importance and space for highlighting public cause gets squeezed. That’s why the activists and concerned citizens have started using social media to fight for cause of the people.  Blaming this media or  that media with personal vendetta  will no way solve any problem  of the state.

Pradip Pradhan, M-9937843482

Date- 13.9.15 

Why Odisha suffers from Electricity Crisis ?

The State  Govt. has taken decision  for power  cut  of one  hour   in urban areas and more than  four hours  in rural areas in every  till June 2016.  The reason cited by Govt. is   shortage of water  in  Hirakud Dam  and other Dams.  But there are  other reasons  for which   Odisha suffers  from   shortage of electricity.   A good number of companies signed MOU with Govt. to set up  power  plant    has  failed  to  do so since last  fifteen years. Similarly, the  Companies signed MOU to generate Hydro-power  have also fialed to set the  Dydro-Power project.  The details of information obtained through RTI  is as follows. 

3 out of 28 MOU Signed Companies have started power generation plant in Odisha

  

Since coming to power in 2000,  Nabin Patnaik  Govt.  has signed  MOU with number of Companies  for  establishment of industries  in the state.  The basic purpose behind signing MOU and inviting companies to the state is to generate employment   and bring prosperity   in the state. The State Govt. has also taken a lot of credit by attracting and allowing a number of companies to Odisha to start their operation in the state. But the result is big zero.

To understand the Status of MOU-Signed-Companies and their operation in Odisha, RTI Application dated 17.4. 15 was submitted to different Dept.  of Govt. of Odisha.  The information sought for about companies is as follows.

i.Provide name of the Companies with which the State Govt.  has signed MOU  with  them and year of signing MOU.

ii. Provide name of the MOU-signed Companies which have already started their operation in the state.

iii. Provide details of employment generated by these companies in the state 

The PIO, Dept. of Energy has supplied the information on 6.5.15 which is as follows.

1.       28 Companies have signed MOU with State Govt.  to establish power plant  in different location  the State. The details is as follows.

Sl.	Name of Company	Location	Ultimate Capacity  ( MW)	Date of MOU with GOO
1	GMR Kamalanga Energy Limited	Kamalanga, Dhenkanal	1400	9.6.2006
2	Jindal India Thermal Power Ltd.	Deranga, Angul	1800	26.9.2006
3	Monnet Power Company Ltd.	Chhendipada Tahasil	1050	26.9.2006
4	Sesa Sterlite Limited	Bhurkamunda, Jharsuguda	2400	26.9.06
5	Ind. Barath Eergy  ( Utkal) Ltd.	Sahajbahal, Lakhanpur, Jharsuguda	1360	7.2.09
6	Lanco Badandh Powers Ltd.	Kurunti Kharagprasad, Dhenkanal	1320	26.9.2006
7	Maadurga Thermal Power Compay  Ltd.	Bainchua, Tangi, Cuttack	120	9.4.10
8	KVK Nilachal Power Ltd.	Kandarei , Athagarh, Cuttack	1050	26.9.06
9	CESC Ltd.	Neulapoi, Dhenkanal	1000	26.9.06
10	Visa Power Ltd.	Brahmanabasta, Athagarh, Cuttack	1000	26.9.06
11	Nava Bharat Power Ltd.  ( Taken over by Essar Power)	Meramudali ad Khadagprasad, Dhenkanal	1050	9.6.06
12	NSL Nagapatam Power & Infrastructure Ltd.	Talcher Angul	1320	9.6.06
13	BGR Energy System Ltd.	Bhapur, Nayagarh	1320	9.4.10
14	JR Powergen Pvt. Ltd.	Kishorenagar, Angul	1980	9.4.10
15	Sahara India  Power Corp. Ltd.	Titilagarh, Bolangir	1320	7.2.09
16	KU Projects  Pvt. Ltd.	Pitamahul, Tevapodar, Sonepur	1320	3.1.2011
17	Tata Power Company Ltd.	Naraj Marthapur, Cuttack  ( site Changed)	1000	26.9.06
18	Bhusan Energy Limited	Ghantigadia, Talbahal, Angul	2000	26.9.06
19	Arati Steel limited	Ghantikhal, Cuttack	500	7.2.09
20	Astaraga Power Corp. Ltd.	Astaraga, Nuagarh, Puri	2640	7.2.09
21	Chambal Infrastructure & Ventures Ltd.	Siaria, Dhenkanal	1320	7.2.09
22	Jindal Steel  and Power Ltd.	Badkerjang, Angul	1320	7.2.09
23	Kalinga Energy and Power Ltd.	Sodamal, Kalabira, Jharsuguda	1320	7.2.09
24	Visaka  Thermal  Power Ltd.	Dimirimunda, Rairkhol,  Sambalpur	1320	7.2.09
25	Adhunic Power  and Natural Resources  Ltd.	Telimal, Birmaharajpur, Sonepur	1320	9.4.10
26	JSL Energy  Ltd.	Luni, Dhenkanal ( applied for change of place)	1320	6.5.10
27	SPI Ports Pvt. Ltd.	Mahakalpara, Kendrapara	1320	3.1.11
28	NSL Orissa Power  and Infratech Pvt. Ltd.	Boinda, Angul	1320	3.1.2011
	Total MW electricity  could have been  generated  by 2014		37510

If these MOU-signed-Companies had established power generation plant in the state within 14 years, Odisha would have been largest power producing state in the country.

2.   Total no. of three MOU signed Companies have started their operation in Odisha. These Companies are as follows.

   

Sl.No	Name of Company	Location	Capacity ( MW)	Starting of Operation
1	GMR Kamalanga Energy Ltd.	Kamalanga, Dhenkanal	1400	Unit-1- Jan-13, Unit-2-Sept.-13 Unit-3-Nov-13
2	Jindal India Thermal Power Ltd.	Deranga, Angul	1800	Unit-1-March-14
3	Sesa Sterlite Ltd.	2400	Bhurkamunda, Jharsuguda	Unit-2-8.11.10 Unit-1-30.3.11 Unit-3-19.8.11 Unit-4-26.4.12

3.     The PIO has remained silent  on employment generated  by these Companies in the state.

Pradip Pradhan, M-9937843482

Date- 12.05.2015

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26 Companies   signing  MOU for setting up 32 Small Hydro Electric Project (SHEP) Development in Odisha ended in fiasco

Since coming to power in 2000,  Nabin Patnaik  Govt.  has signed  a number of MOUs  with different  Companies  for  establishment of industries  in the state.  The basic purpose behind signing MOU and inviting companies to the state is to generate employment   and bring prosperity   in the state. The State Govt. has also taken a lot of credit by attracting and allowing a number of companies to Odisha to start their operation in the state. But the result is big zero.

To understand the Status of MOU-Signed-Companies and their operation in Odisha, RTI Application dated 17.4. 15 was submitted to different Dept.  of Govt. of Odisha.  The information sought for about companies is as follows.

i. Provide name of the Companies with which the State Govt.  has signed MOU  with  them and year of signing MOU.

ii. Provide name of the MOU-signed Companies which have already started their operation in the state.

iii. Provide details of employment generated by these companies in the state 

The PIO, office of the Engineering-in-Chief Electricity-cum- Principal Chief Electrical Inspector, Govt. of Odisha has supplied the following information on 9.6.2015.

    

·      Total No. of 26 Companies have signed MOU with Govt. for establishment of 32 Small Hydro Electric Project (SHEP) from 2000 to 2015.

·      Almost all Companies are  from erstwhile  Andhra Pradesh

·      Only 2 Companies M/S Orissa Power Consortium Ltd.,   M/s Meenakshi Power Ltd., Hyderabad have started operation in three places.

Sl. No	Name of MOU signed Company	Name of SHEP	Capacity (MW)	Year of signing of MOU	Year of operation started
1	M/S Orissa Power Consortium Ltd.	Jalaput Dam Toe SHEP	18	1994	Not  yet
2	M/s Venus Energy  Pvt. , Secunderabad	Lower Machhkund SHEP	20	2002 &  revised in 2005	Not yet
3	M/s Sharvani Energy Pvt. Ltd. Hyderabad	Dumajhori SHEP	15	2002 & revised  in 2006	Not yet
4	M/s Baitarani Power  Project  Pvt. Ltd.	Lower Baitarani  SHEP	24	2005 & revised in 2006	Not yet
5	M/s  Sri Avatika  Power  Generation  Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad	Kharagpur SHEP	10	2002	Not yet
6	M/s Sidheshwari  Power Generation  Pvt.  Ltd., Hyderabad	Kharagpur SHEP	10	2002	Not yet
7	M/s Kakatiya Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. , Hyderabad	Bargarh Head Regulator SHEP	9	2001 & revised in 2005	Not yet
8	M/s  salandi Hydro Power  Projects Pvt. Ltd.	Salandi Dam  Toe  SHEP	9	2005	Not yet
9	M/s  Jeypore  Hydro  Power Projects  Pvt. Ltd.	Outlet Drop  of jeypore  Main Canal  SHEP	6	2004 & revised in 2005	Not yet
10	M/s Arun Power Projects Pvt. Ltd.	Hatipathar SHEP	10	2004 & revised in 2005	Not yet
11	M/s Sileru  Power Generation  Pvt. Ltd. , Hyderabad	Saheed Laxman Nayak  SHEP	25	2001 &  revised in 2004	Not yet
12	M/s Pallavi power  & Mines  Ltd., Secunderabad	Tentuliguma SHEP	15	2005  & revised in 2006 & 2010	Not yet
13	M/s  Smile  Energy  Pvt. Ltd.	Lower Indra SHEP	4	2009 & revised in 2013	Not  yet
14	M/s  SCL Infratech  Ltd. , Hyderabad	Taraba SHEP	10	2006 & revised in 2014	Not yet
15	M/s Indravati Power Ltd. , Guntur	Indravati  I&  II SHEP	3.5	2006	Not yet
16	M/s Sri Avatika Contractors, Hyderabad	Sindhiguda  SHEP	15	2001 & revised in 2005	Not yet
17	M/s Sri Avatika Contractors, Hyderabad	Salimi SHEP	12	2001 & revised in 2005	Not yet
18	M/s Radon Power Projects Pvt. Ltd.	Kumbhikota SHEP	2	2005	Not yet
19	M/s Radon Power Projects Pvt. Ltd.	Ranitugra SHEP	3	2005	Not yet
20	M/s  Utkal  Hydro  Energy  Ltd.	Banjari SHEP	5	2006	Not yet
21	M/s Coolroc Technologies  Ltd., Hyderabad	Sirivada SHEP	15	2005	Not yet
22	M/s Shiridi  Sai Power  Projects Pvt. Ltd. , Hyderabad	Kenduguda SHEP	15	2008	Not yet
23	M/s Sri Shakti  Hydro Power Projects  Pvt. Ltd.	Gotta SHEP	4	2008	Not yet
24	M/s Golden  Nest Builders  & Developers  Ltd., Bangalore	Malimunda SHEP	5	2008	Not yet
25	M/s  Bhuvana  Bio Energy  Ltd., Secunderabad	Bonamarha SHEP	12	2010 and  revised in 2015	Not yet
26	M/s Saaki Power Project Ltd.	Patala SHEP	9	2010	Not yet
27	M/s Yeshwari Green Energy Pvt. Ltd.	Upper Shunki SHEP	10	2010	Not yet
28	M/s Yeshwari Green Energy Pvt. Ltd.	Lower  Shunki SHEP	24	2010	Not yet
29	M/s Golden Nest Builders & Developers  , Bangalore	GGandahati SHEP	3	2014	Not  yet
30	M/s Meenakshi Power Ltd., Hyderabad	Middle Kolab SHEP	25		Started from 2009
31	M/s Meenakshi Power Ltd., Hyderabad	Lower Kolab SHEP	12		Started from 2009
32	M/S Orissa Power Consortium Ltd.	Samal Barrage  SHEP	20		From 2009

Pradip Pradhan, M-9937843482

Date- 13.6.15