Smart city

Bhubaneswar: The municipal corporation will shortly introduce a special-purpose vehicle for implementation of the smart city project. Chief secretary A.P. Padhi on Friday held a video-conference with Union cabinet secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha and decided to initiate the works from February. All the components will be covered within the next six months.

Five held

Bhubaneswar: Saheed Nagar police on Wednesday arrested five persons for burning four huts in a slum opposite Satsang Vihar. Sources said Om Prakash Panda, one of the accused, had an argument with two women staying in one of the houses in the slum. He alleged that the women tried to snatch his mobile and also thrashed him. Following the incident, residents cameto his rescue and allegedly set four huts on fire.

Injustice cry

Bhubaneswar: Five visually-challenged persons, who were allegedly removed from the Odisha Association for the Blind, have sought intervention of chief secretary A.P. Padhi. They have threatened extreme steps if the government failed to ensure justice.

Book release

Bhubaneswar: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday released the English edition of Konark, published by Odisha Sahitya Akademi.