Beginning on a spiritual note with the inauguration of a series of development projects at religious sites across the state, including Srimandir, in January-February, the year 2024 saw the dethroning of the 24-year-old BJD regime and dawn of BJP on the state’s political landscape in June. The year also saw momentous events like the reopening of Ratna Bhandar after a gap of 46 years, and Odisha tableau bagging the first prize at the Republic Day parade. While the state continued to make strides on the economic front, incidents like fugitive Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun’s threats during the DGP/IGP meet in Bhubaneswar, the spate of crimes and alleged police highhandedness raised concerns over the law and order situation. The state’s wildlife continued to remain under stress with poaching, vanishing of forests, destruction of wetlands and dearth of feeding grounds taking a toll on those already struggling to survive.
Dana hits coasts
Severe cyclonic storm Dana made landfall in the early hours of October 25 with wind a velocity of 100-110 kmph between Bhitarkanika and Dhamara in Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts, damaging over 1,80,000 hectares of standing crop. Cyclone-induced floods impacted Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts due to prolonged heavy rains.
Nearly 3.62 lakh people were shifted to 7,285 cyclone shelters from vulnerable villages in 14 districts. Due to the prompt and timely measures initiated by authorities, the danger passed off without causing any loss of life.
In June this year, the government confirmed the death of a total of 30 persons due to heat-related ailments during summer season. The deaths were among the 147 cases of suspected sunstroke deaths caused by the heat wave conditions. Most of the casualties were reported from Bolangir, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda,
Sambalpur and Keonjhar districts.
Ratna Bhandar reopens
Ratna Bhandar, the revered treasury of Srimandir, was reopened in July after 46 years for an inventory of valuables and the repair of its structure. The members of a committee set up by the state government entered the temple and the vault was reopened after the conduct of rituals. The reopening of Ratna Bhandar had become a major political issue during the Assembly elections.
Targeting the then-ruling BJD over its missing keys, the BJP had promised that it would make efforts to reopen Ratna Bhandar if it wins the polls. Three keys of the outer chamber were available — one was with the Gajapati Maharaj, another one was with the SJTA and the third one was with a servitor. Three locks of the inner chamber were broken as none could be opened with the key available with the district administration.
All ornaments and valuables kept in outer chamber of Ratna Bhandar were shifted to the temporary strong room inside the shrine. In November, a technical team of ASI did a laser scanning of the outer walls of Ratna Bhandar.
Jumbos in peril
The year 2024 was yet another disastrous year for wildlife, especially elephants as 67 jumbos died by December 2, while the toll for the last 11 years stood at 857. This was stated by Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia in the Assembly.
Electrocution was a key cause of the unnatural death of the gentle giants, he had said. Similarly, 66 elephants died in Odisha during 2023-24. Diseases, accidents, poaching and electrocution and other issues contributed to elephant deaths during the period. As per statistics furnished by the minister, 149 elephants were electrocuted to death between 2014-15 and 2024- 25 (till December 2), while poachers killed 30 elephants.
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Diseases claimed the lives of the highest number of elephants (305), while 229 elephant deaths were attributed to natural reasons. Similarly, 29 elephants were killed after being hit by trains while seven others died in road accidents and two by poisoning. However, the Forest Department could not ascertain any reason behind the death of 90 jumbos while 16 elephants died due to infighting.
Lord Balabhadra falls
In an unusual turn of events during this year’s Bahuda Yatra, Lord Balabhadra’s idol fell from Taladhwaja chariot, evoking a mix of surprise, devotion, and concern among thousands of devotees gathered outside the Gundicha Temple. Reports indicated that the incident occurred when the chariot made a sudden halt due to uneven movement on the path.
Eyewitnesses said the incident caused a brief moment of shock but was soon followed by chants of ‘Jai Jagannath’ and ‘Haribol’ from the devotees, who believed it to be a ‘divine act’. The servitors quickly sprang into action to safely restore the idol to its rightful position on the chariot. They performed immediate rituals to ensure the sanctity of the deity was maintained.
The administration confirmed that no damage occurred to the idol and the procession resumed without further interruption. The incident sparked spiritual interpretations among devotees. Many view it as a divine message urging humanity to remain humble and connected to their faith.
‘Srimandir Parikrama Prakalpa’
The ambitious Rs 800-crore Srimandir Parikrama Prakalpa or Jagannath Temple Heritage Corridor project was inaugurated January 17 in the presence of seers and holy men who converged from across the globe.
The project includes parking areas, a new bridge and a road to ease pilgrim movement, a pilgrimage centre, restroom facilities, cloakrooms, toilets and other amenities for devotees in and around Srimandir. The state government announced a public holiday to facilitate people’s participation in the grand ceremony.
Samalei Project
Ten days after the inauguration of Srimandir Parikrama project, the revamped precincts of Maa Samaleswari Temple in Sambalpur was thrown open to devotees January 27. More than 39 acres peripheral area of the 16th-century monument on the banks of the Mahanadi underwent a transformation under the Rs 200-crore project.
Bharatpur: Blot on khaki
A road rage incident under the jurisdiction of Bharatpur police station in the City in September this year snowballed into a major controversy, and triggered unprecedented public outcry over the conduct of the police with the public.
The uproar hastened a string of human rights watchdogs demand punishment to the rogue cops, while the Orissa High Court stepped in seeking explanation from the state government. It all happened when an Army Major from the Sikh regiment, posted in Kolkata, and his female friend, a lawyer by profession, went to the police station September 15 midnight to file a complaint against a group of men who ‘misbehaved with and assaulted them’ following a tiff over overtaking.
At the police station, the woman was allegedly assaulted and molested by the Inspector-in-Charge (IIC), while the Army officer was also beaten up. Following their allegations, five police officers, including the IIC, were suspended, and the Odisha Crime Branch initiated a probe against the ‘assaulters’. The state government later set up a commission of inquiry under a retired high court judge to find the veracity of the allegations and role of the accused police personnel.
While the commission’s probe is presently on, the accused cops have undergone polygraph tests. The HC, meanwhile, directed the state government to ensure functional CCTV cameras at all police stations and outposts by March 31, 2025. Side by side, the state government released an SOP on etiquette for cops while dealing with uniformed personnel at police stations.
Subhadra Yojana launched
Keeping its poll promise, the BJP government September 17 launched Subhadra Yojana, aiming on empowering women aged 21 to 60 years by providing direct financial assistance of Rs 50,000 over a period of five years.
Mango kernel tragedy
The ghost of Rayagada’s Kashipur mango kernel deaths in 2001 made a comeback in the outgoing year, and this time, it was Mandipanka village of Kandhamal where three (initially two and later one) women died after consuming mango kernel gruel November 1, 2024.
Though the state government promptly ordered a probe into the incident, the Opposition alleged that the deaths occurred due to delay in supply of ration to poor tribals. The state government ordered a RDC-level inquiry into the incident, while the Opposition demanded the resignation of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra. Southern RDC Roopa Roshan Sahoo November 6 began a probe into the incident.
Pannun’s threat
An otherwise peaceful Temple City of Bhubaneswar November 28 woke up to a terrorist threat, perhaps for the first time in recent years. The threat was issued by fugitive designated Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a day before the 59th All-India DGP/IGP Conference that was attended by PM Narendra Modi, HM Amit Shah, and NSA Ajit Doval and the key participants.
Pannun appealed his Khalistani supporters and sympathisers to take over the temples and hotels in Bhubaneswar to disrupt the conference. Again, November 30, he issued another threat mail to a City-based journalist that contained alarming warnings, including a disruption of the conference.
NEWSMAKERS
- Man of the moment
If the victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Assembly elections was a big surprise, the nomination of Mohan Charan Majhi as the Chief Minister of the first BJP government in the state was even bigger. In fact, the ascent of the four-time MLA from Keonjhar to the highest political office in the state was nothing short of a fairy tale for leaders of his ilk.
- New Guv Kambhampati
Mizoram Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati was appointed the Governor of Odisha replacing Raghubar Das, whose resignation was accepted by the President of India December 24. Kambhampati was made the Governor of Mizoram July 6, 2021 to become the first Telugu-speaking person from divided Andhra Pradesh to be appointed as Governor of the northeast state.
- Chief Justice CS Singh
Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh took oath as the Chief Justice of Orissa High Court February 7. Singh was appointed after the retirement of Justice Subhasis Talapatra October 3, 2023. In the interim period, Justice Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi was serving as the Acting Chief Justice.
- Angul boy shines in UPSC
Animesh Pradhan of Angul secured AIR-2 in UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2023, the results of which were declared April this year. Pradhan, born in the small town of Talcher, completed Class XII from DAV Public School, MCL, Kalinga area, Talcher. Later, he joined NIT, Rourkela and graduated with B.Tech in CSE in 2021.
- Swetashree tops OCSE
Swetashree Mohapatra, a 27-year-old native of Bhadrak, topped the Odisha Civil Services Examination 2022 in her first attempt. She has a BTech degree in electronics and telecommunications from NIT Durgapur.
- Pandian at it
Unfazed by the ‘outsider’ barb of his opponents, then CM Naveen Patnaik’s trusted aide VK Pandian was in news when he said he was the ‘natural successor’ to all the great values of Patnaik. In a no-holds-barred attack on BJP, Pandian had also said it is the ruling party at the Centre that has done nothing for ‘Odia Asmita’ or for promoting the language, art and culture of the state.
- Sambit’s gaffe
A purported video clip of BJP LS candidate from Puri Sambit Patra during his campaigning in May where he said ‘Lord Jagannath is a devotee of Narendra Modi’ created a fl utter. Later, Patra tendered an apology and claimed it was a slip of tongue.
- Kutey faces music
Special Secretary to former CM Naveen Patnaik, DS Kutey faced the ire of the Election Commission May 28 for ‘interfering in the poll process’. He was suspended and sent to the Resident Commissioner’s Office in New Delhi. In July, he was posted as OSD in Home department and later IG, BSF in December.
- EC axe falls on Singh
2004-batch IPS officer Ashish Kumar Singh was removed from his posting as IG (Central Range) by the EC for ‘interfering in the election process’ and reposted as IG (CM security). He is currently posted as IG, ITBP.
PNN