Year of floods and Naxal abduction

Septembers twin floods marked one of the worst spells the state had ever seen,affecting 60 lakh in 21 districts,and killing 83

2011

FLOODS & POLITICS: Septembers twin floods marked one of the worst spells the state had ever seen,affecting 60 lakh in 21 districts,and killing 83. Opposition leaders called the floods man-made,blaming it on mismanagement in the Hirakud reservoir. Flood politics continued in December when Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik described the Centres Rs 921.3 crore relief package as a politically motivated gift ahead of panchayat polls. In between,Tourism Minister Prafulla Samal said,The flood zone is also a tourist zone. Tourists will enjoy visiting the flood-affected areas.

NAXALS: Maoists abducted the Malkangiri district collector and a junior engineer in February 17. They made the government agree to their 14-point demands including the halting of Operation Greenhunt and the release of Maoist leader Ramakrishnas aide Ganti Prasad and wife Padma. On September 24,they gunned down BJD MLA Jagabandhu Majhi and his security officer at a function. They have killed 36 civilians and nine security personnel over the year.

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MNREGS PROBE: In April,following an NGOs petition,the Supreme Court ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the implementation of MNREGS in six backward,KBK (Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput) districts. The NGO has questioned Orissas claims about the amount of employment provided and alleged the government of siphoning NREGS funds.

2012

MINING PROBE: All eyes will be on the Orissa High Court with the expectation that it will ask the CBI to probe a multi-core mining scam that took place between 2003 and 2008 when the price of iron ore jumped from Rs 400 to Rs 4,000 a tonne in the international market. Also coming up is the report of the Justice MB Shah Commission probing irregularities in mining in the country. The Shah Commission visited Orissa in December.

PANCHAYAT POLLS: The three-tier panchayat polls in February will be a litmus test of Naveen Patnaiks popularity after his image took a beating following the NREGS and mining scams. Naveen has announced sop after sop for voters.

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