Co-op bank merger setback 

BHUBANESWAR: The state government’s decision to merge central and state co-operative banks to make banking facilities accessible to people throughout Odisha was dealt a blow with elected office bearers of co-operative agencies opposing the move. The government has constituted a six-member team to weigh the pros and cons of the new development and submit the findings within a month.

Environment meet

BHUBANESWAR: The eighth edition of the Odisha Environment Congress will be held between December 20 and 22 on “Environment and Sustainable River Basin Management”.  

Strict station vigil

bhubaneswar: The vigilance wing of East Coast Railway and Railway Protection Force personnel have begun checks at important stations such as Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri and Sambalpur against possible touting activities and other malpractices during the festive season. Railway officials said the forces was keeping an eye on touts and unauthorised agents at reservation counters and misuse of e-ticketing facilities. The vigilance team is keeping a watch on the IRCTC website for those using fake IDs.

Matric exam seat 

bhubaneswar: The state government is making arrangements to ensure that matriculation students do not appear for the final exam conducted by Board of Secondary Education (BSE) in their respective schools. A discussion on this has been held among senior officials recently. It has been decided that examination centres would be chosen within a radius of five kilometres from schools concerned. A final decision on this is likely to be taken this week.

Facebook arrest

Kendrapada: A 22-year-old year youth was arrested here on Sunday for allegedly posting on Facebook obscene photos of a woman whom he had befriended. The accused, Seikh Mohammed, a native of Pattamundai, had developed relationship with a local college student through Facebook. Cyber wing probed the woman’s complaint and arrested the youth. He was forwarded to court on Sunday and was later sent to jail as the court rejected his bail plea.

Truck theft

bhubaneswar: Jajpur police on Sunday arrested two persons for allegedly stealing a truck from Tamando on the 
city outskirts. The two accused has stolen the truck of Trilochan Barik from Chandikhol in Jajpur district. Police are interrogating both the accused.

Inundation

bhadrak: Around 200 hectares of agriculture field were inundated in Bhadrak after floodwater gushed in following breach of an embankment patch of Kochila rive, a subsidiary of Baitarani river.  The embankment surfaced near Jena Sahi, Balipatna under Arjunpur gram panchayat of Dhamnagar block. The irrigation department has repaired the breach under temporary arrangement by stacking sand bags.

Chopper help

malkangiri:Ration was delivered to the Kunturpadar camp of the Border Security Force in Malkangiri district by a Pawan Hans chopper on Sunday after Maoists reportedly looted two boats laden with grocery items six days ago. The chopper will remain stationed in the district for another few days. The rebels had looted the entire ration meant for the BSF after intercepting the boats at Kotagoda Ghat on October 16.

Air Odisha

mumbai: Bhubaneswar-based Air Odisha is likely to launch flight services under the UDAN scheme from next month even as it has agreed to reduce the proposed services to four as against six schedules from New Delhi earlier. Air Odisha will start flight services from Ahm-edabad to Bhavanagar, Jamnagar, Diu and Mun-dra in the first phase.  PTI

Diarrhoea cases

berhampur: At least 20 cases of diarrhoea were reported at a community health centre of Polsara town in Ganjam district in the past four days, a health official said on Sunday. Some patients were released after basic treatment, while 10 people were still under care at the health centre. The condition of all the patients was stable.  PTI

Ferry driver killed

Berhampur: Maoists shot dead Sama Pangi, a ferry driver, at Chitrakonda spillway on Sunday. He was punished by a Maoist kangaroo court for allegedly having been a police informer. 

Ex-Maoist lynched

Berhampur: Former Maoist Manisha Bada Majhi of Vithal village in Gajapati district, who had surrendered to the police recently, was beaten to death by the villagers on October 19.