"Dr. Manmohan Singh" <pmosb@pmo.nic.in>, "Chief Minister" <cmo@ori.nic.in>, "Orissa Governor" <govori@ori.nic.in>,
<abhijit.sen@yojana.nic.in>, <anwarul.hoda@yojana.nic.in>, <b.mungekar@yojana.nic.in>, <dch@yojana.nic.in>, <kirit.parikh@yojana.nic.in>, <mvraja@yojana.nic.in>, <plancom@nic.in>, <s.hameed@yojana.nic.in>, <vl.chopra@yojana.nic.in>, <yugandhar.bn@nic.in>, "subas@nic.in" <subas@nic.in>

cc to journalists: <abcxy123@hotmail.com>, <admin@dailypratap.com>, <akb@businessstandard.com>, <alokmehta7@hotmail.com>, <ankur@jaintv.com>, <arindam.sengupta@timesgroup.com>, <colpnk@hotmail.com>, <dr.jain@jaintv.com>, <editet@timesgroup.com>, <editor@deccanmail.com>, <editor@the-week.com>, <feedback@tehelka.com>, <ie.pksahoo@gmail.com>, <indinon@vsnl.in>, <karanthapar@itvindia.net>, <klnandan@yahoo.com>, <letters@deccanherald.co.in>, <letters@tribuneindia.com>, <lngoel@zeenetwork.com>, <mashriq@vsnl.net>, <mnutan@hotmail.com>, <mythilib@gmail.com>, <npnawani@indiatimes.com>, <nsuri@milap.com>, <pjoshi@hindustantimes.com>, <prabhu@intoday.com>, <punit.jain@timesgroup.com>, <punjabidigest@hotmail.com>, <pvohra@hindustantimes.com>, <rajc@intoday.com>, <ratnam@intoday.com>, <saeednaqvi@hotmail.com>, <sargamstudio@rediffmail.com>, <shishir.joshi@aajtak.com>, <takhatram@hotmail.com>, <tarunvijay@vsnl.com>, <thehindu@vsnl.com>, <toieditorial@timesgroup.com>, <ttedit@abpmail.com>, <vmehta@outlookindia.com>, <vsanghvi@hindustantimes.com>, "braja k mishra" <brajakmishra@gmail.com>, "manorama" <maya@mitraprakashan.com>, "Prasanta Kumar Sahoo" <pksahoo2002@gmail.com>, "Shishir Bhate" <shishirb@rediff.co.in>

cc to Orissa NDA mps: <ananta@sansad.nic.in>, <bmahtab@sansad.nic.in>, <deobk@sansad.nic.in>, <dharmendra@deogarhorissa.com>, <jualoram@sansad.nic.in>, <makswain@sansad.nic.in>, <mayfair@sansad.nic.in>, <pmajhi@sansad.nic.in>, <pyarimohan@yahoo.co.uk>, <pyarimohanap@sansad.nic.in>, <rknayak@sansad.nic.in>, <rn.pany@sansad.nic.in>, <surendra@sansad.nic.in>, "B J Panda" <office.bjpanda@gmail.com>, "Balbir Punj" <punjbk@gmail.com>, "jual oram" <jualoram@hotmail.com>, "Tathagata Satpathy" <tatzaudi@yahoo.com>

cc to Orissa opposition biggies: "janardan pati" <j_pati_orissa@yahoo.com>, "rohit pujari" <rohit_pujari2001@yahoo.com>, "Srikant Jena" <srikant_jena@hotmail.com>, "Chandrasekhar Sahu’s OSD" <skpattanayak@hotmail.com>

cc to BJP bigwigs: <advanilk@sansad.nic.in>, <ananta@sansad.nic.in>, <asahu@nic.in>, <ashourie@sansad.nic.in>, <bjpco@bjp.org>, <bjpco@del3.vsnl.net.in>, <bpapte@vsnl.com>, <chandan.mitra@sansad.nic.in>, <covdnhrc@nic.in>, <deobk@sansad.nic.in>, <gandhim@sansad.nic.in>, <george@sansad.nic.in>, <iisatwal@hotmail.com>, <jaswant@sansad.nic.in>, <jualoram@sansad.nic.in>, <kjana@sansad.nic.in>, <makswain@sansad.nic.in>, <minister@mit.gov.in>, <mnaqvi@sansad.nic.in>, <mprasad@nic.in>, <msgill@sansad.nic.in>, <murli@sansad.nic.in>, <mvnaidu@sansad.nic.in>, <najmah@sansad.nic.in>, <pati@nic.in>, <pilania.g@sansad.nic.in>, <pmajhi@sansad.nic.in>, <rajnath@sansad.nic.in>, <rn.pany@sansad.nic.in>, <spokesman_rss@yahoo.com>, <surendra@sansad.nic.in>, <swaraj@sansad.nic.in>, <vajpayee@sansad.nic.in>, <ysinha@sansad.nic.in>

cc to UPA bigwigs: <10janpath@vsnl.net>, <ambika_aicc@yahoo.com>, <arjuns@sansad.nic.in>, <chavanprithviraj@sansad.nic.in>, <cpim@vsnl.com>, <jairam@vsnl.com>, <kapilsibal@hotmail.com>, <km.sahni@nic.in>, <nath@sansad.nic.in>, <oscar@sansad.nic.in>, <praful@sansad.nic.in>, <sjaipal@sansad.nic.in>, <speakerloksabha@sansad.nic.in>, <svpatil@sansad.nic.in>, "Dr. Manmohan Singh" <pmosb@pmo.nic.in>, "Jairam Ramesh" <jairam@sansad.nic.in>, "Kamal Nath" <cim@nic.in>, "Ram Vilas Paswan" <psmin.cpc@sb.nic.in>

 FAX: PMO at 23016857 , 23015603 (Delhi STD code is 11), CMO at 674 2590 833 (home) 674 2535 100 (office) and Planning Commission at 23096699

To:

Dr. Manmohan Singh

Prime Minister of India

Cc: Mr. Naveen Patniak, Chief Minister of Orissa

Cc: Shri Muralidhar Chandrakant Bhandare, Governor of Orissa

 
Subject: Solving the greater Kandhamala problem – going after the root cause in a war footing

Dear Dr. Singh: 

While the civil society in Orissa, the nation and the world is disturbed by the  communal violence in Kandhamala, I would urge you to take steps to eradicate the root cause of the violence in Kandhamala and the nearby tribal, hilly, forested, awfully connected, poor and backward districts of Orissa (and its neighboring states). In this regard, please note that the violence did not spread to the major towns and cities of Orissa (such as Bhubaneswar, Puri, Cuttack, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Berhampur, Balasore etc.)  that are well connected (by Rail and roads), decently developed and have a civil society. 

While the violence involving the murder of Swami Laxmanananda on August 23^rd 2008 and the subsequent communal violence that has taken about 40 lives is most deplorable and is in the forefront of the media, please also recall the following events that also took place within the last year in these areas:

1. February 15 2008:  400 to 500 armed Naxals raided the Nayagarh armory and killed 15 people including 13 policemen.
2. June 29 2008: 30 elite anti-insurgency policemen were killed by Maoists near Malkangiri.
3. July 16 2008:  21 Orissa policemen were killed in a land mine explosion and firing by the ultras in Malkangiri.
4. Dec 27 2007: Eleven churches were ransacked and torched in several areas of Kandhamal district.

Please note that these events happened in places in Orissa (Nayagarh, Malkangiri and Kandhamal) that are badly connected, near or within forests, have a large tribal population, and are among the most backward districts of India. The following map shows these districts are surrounded by large tracts of dense and open forested areas, and partly explains why the naxalites and Maoists are able to make them their base and why it has been difficult to deploy adequate police there in a timely manner.

Sir: As an economist and a world leader you must know that lack of connectivity, lack of development, lack of a civil society, entrenched forest and mountainous areas together with a different population base is a recipe for the sprouting of troubled areas. This is true all across the world; from J& K and North eastern areas of India to caucuses in Asia. While one cannot and should not get rid of the mountains or the people, the problem can be solved by making the areas well connected and bringing development. The Indian government is doing that in J & K and in the northeast; but has mostly forgotten about the similar areas in Orissa, Chhatisgrah, and Andhra Pradesh, which are the favorite bases of the Naxals and Maoists.

Sir: We would like you to pay the same attention to these areas in terms of connectivity, development, and creation of civil societies, as you do to the North east and J & K. In particular we would request that following be done in a war footing during the 11^th plan.

(i)                  The Vijaywada-Ranchi highway that passes through many of these areas be completed.

(ii)                Broadband connectivity be brought to these districts with adequate access locations.

(iii)                Two Railway lines, parts of which have already been sanctioned by the Railways but are progressing slowly, are completed and made operational. Those lines are:

a.       Khurda Rd – Balangir (passes through Nayagarh and Boudh) – This line was sanctioned in 1994-95 is progressing very slowly.

b.      Bhadrachalam Rd (Andhra Pradesh) – Malkangiri – Jeypore – Nabarangpur – Junagarh – Lanjigarh Rd – passing through Kandhamala – Boudh – Angul – Talcher – Bimlagarh: Several segments of these lines are approved but progressing slowly. Those segments are Junagarh – Lanjigarh Rd and Talcher – Bimlagarh. Angul – Talcher is operational.

(iv)              With the above lines operational, development should be brought into Kandhamal, Boudh, Gajapati, and KBK districts (including Kalahandi and Malkangiri) through 1-2 Rail factories and public sector units that can use the steel and aluminum and power produced in abundance in Orissa.

(v)                Orissa govt. should be encouraged and aided to establish a university in Kandhamala and another in Kalahandi.

(vi)              A branch of the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University be established in one of these districts.

(vii)             Orissa govt. should be encouraged and aided to establish a government medical college and nursing college in Kandhamala or Boudha district.

Sir:  In regards to the cost of establishing the Railway lines, please note that as per the calculation in  http://kbkrail.orissalinks.com/ Indian Railways is scheduled to make a profit of 2679.72 crores/year from its operations in Orissa. If 1500 crores of this money (the rest may go to Indian Railway’s current plans for Orissa) is put into Orissa, in just 2-3 years the above mentioned lines could be completed.

Sir: We sincerely hope that you will translate the great concern you have shown towards the recent violent events to the above mentioned action items that address the key issues of lack of connectivity and development in these areas and thus provide a long term and real solution.

Sincerely

Appendix:

1. Estimated profit Indian Railways will make from Orissa in 2008-09:

2.  One of the earlier planning commissions has noted in http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/stateplan/sdr_orissa/sdr_orich2.doc

“Railways have always played an important role in economic development and rapid social transformation in all parts of the globe. It is one of the key economic infrastructures. However, it is most unfortunate that in a poor and backward state like Orissa, development of rail networks has received much less attention of the Central Government in the post-independence period. There are as many as seven districts like Boudh, Kandhamal, Deogarh, Nayagarh, Kendrapara, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur out of the 30 districts of the state, which do not have any railway line passing through them. In the year 1998-99, the density of railway route length per 1000 sq. km of area in Orissa was only 15.03 km as against 42.66 km in West Bengal and 19.11 km. at all-India level”.

3. The tribal population percentage of the KBK districts are as follows:  Malkangiri  58.36% ST  (+19.96% SC),  Rayagada 56.04% ST  (+14.28% SC),  Nabarangpur 55.27% ST (+15.09% SC), Koraput 50.67% ST (+13.41% SC), Nuapada 35.95%  ST(+13.09% SC), Kalahandi 28.88% ST (+17.01% SC), Sonepur 22.11% ST (+9.5% SC), Balangir 22.06% ST (+15.39% SC). Two adjacent districts also have high tribal population. They are Kandhamala 51.51% ST (+18.21% SC) and Gajapati 47.88%  ST(+8.77% SC). 

4. The literacy rates in the KBK districts are abysmally low. Malkangiri 31.26%, Nabarangpur 34.26%, Rayagada 35.61%, Koraput 36.2%, Nuapada 42.29%, Kalahandi 46.2%, Balangir 54.93%, Sonepur 64.07%. Two adjacent districts also have low literacy: Gajapati 41.73% and Kandhamala 52.95%. The state average is 63.1%.

5. Population below the poverty line in southern Orissa (of which KBK is a part) is reported to be 89.17% of the people according to the 1999-2000 NSS data and 72% of the families according to the 1997 census.

Pragativadi reported that land acquisition for Talcher Bimalagarh railway line is delaying the project.

Following is from http://rc.orissa.gov.in/writereaddata/sublinkimages/167.doc.

PRESS RELEASE

January 30, 2008

Reg:   Submission of Memorandum by the House Committee of OLA to the Hon’ble Minister of Railways on 30.01.2008.

        The members of House Committee on Railways under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Speaker, Orissa Legislative Assembly, accompanied by the Members of Parliament submitted a Memorandum to the Hon’ble Union Minister of Railways in his office chamber. In the said meeting, Chairman, Railway Board and other high officials of Ministry of Railways were present.

          Orissa is on the threshold of major industrial upsurge and first progressing towards rapid industrialization. The large number of MoUs have been signed with several companies for setting up Steel Plants. Similarly, MoUs have been signed for setting up Alumina Plants and Super Thermal Power Houses. Several ports are also coming up along the Orissa coast. It is expected that additional generation of traffic will be staggering 200 to 250 MTPA by 2016.

          In the background of such massive transportation requirement, the rail infrastructure require urgent strengthening and expansion.

           Hence, the committee has given a proposal for enhancement of allocation of funds for the six ongoing projects to the tune of Rs.655 crore, for electrification of two Sections for Rs.50 crore, for gauge conversion Rs.125 crore, for doubling Rs.500 crore, altogether totaling to Rs.1330 crore, in the ensuing Railway budget.

-        2 –

          Hon’ble Railway Minister gave a patient hearing to the various demands raised by the House Committee and assured to look into the various proposals positively. He further assured that additional funds will be given for the projects in the execution stage for their early completion.

          On Puri-Konark project, Hon’ble Minister suggested that if land can be provided by the State Government, the project can immediately be taken up by the Government of India keeping in view the huge tourist potential of the area.

          The Committee also requested Hon’ble Minister to sanction nine new railway lines for which survey has already been completed. Hon’ble Minister assured that sanction of viable projects will be processed for approval of Planning Commission. The Committee also put forth demand for introduction of new train services, extension of selected existing services, increasing frequency of popular trains, improving quality of onboard services and amenities at the major Railway stations in the state.

          The Hon’ble Minister, Railways directed the Railway officials to examine the proposals given by the House Committee on Railways of OLA.

Various news reports mention some additional details. For example, New Indian Express reports that the committee asked for the following:

Lanjigarh Road-Junagarh- Rs 120 crore, Khurda Road- Balangir-Rs 150 crore, Haridaspur-Paradip-Rs 175 crore, Angul-Dubri- Sukinda Road-Rs 75 crore,Talcher-Bimalagarh-Rs 75 crore, Daitari-Banspani-Rs 60 crore.

Electrification of Kharagpur-Nimpura- Bhubaneswar and Bhubaneswar-Kottavalasa lines-Rs 50 crore, gauge conversion of Rupsa- Bangiriposi and Naupada- Gunupur lines-Rs 50 crore and Rs 75 crore respectively and doubling of Titlagarh- Lanjigarh Road-Rs 500 crore.

The following is from the PIB http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=33421. (Based on this Orissa will fall behind quite a bit: Only 2000kms of new lines
 none of the major new lines in Orissa, such as Khurda-Balangir, will get completed during the 11th plan. The states where the freight corridor will run and the states with a lot of narrow gauge lines will surge forward.)

In order to carry additional freight and passenger traffic in future, Railways have on hand 272 track capacity works, which on completion would add 20,852 kilometers to the Broad Gauge system.  The estimated throwforward cost of these works is approximately Rs. 55,000 crore.

A substantial amount of traffic moves on the High density routes viz. the ones which connect the four metropolitan cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkatta, and the Delhi – Gaulhati route.  Railways have already announced construction of two Dedicated Freight Corridors between JNPT-Tughlakabad (1483 kms) and Sonenagar-Ludhiana, (to be later extended to the deep sea port of Kolkatta) (1279 kms) at a cost of more than Rs. 28,000 crores to give relief to two of the densely saturated routes viz. Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Kolkata routes.  In addition, feasibility studies have been ordered on four other corridors – (i) North – South (Delhi-Chennai); (ii) East - West (Mumbair – Kolkotta); (iii) South – East (Vijayawada – Kharagpur ) and (iv) South – South (Chennai – Goa).

In addition, Railway proposes to augment its track capacity in XI Plan by 15,500 kilometers, including 2000 kilometer of new lines, 3500 kilometers of doubling and 10,000 kilometers of gauge conversion.

The revenue earning freight traffic in the XI Five Year Plan period is expected to increase from 728 million tonnes in 2006-07 to 1100 million tonnes in 2011-12.  The corresponding freight output is expected to increase from 475 billion ton kilometers in 2006-07 (prov.) to 707 billion ton kilometers in 2011-12.  In order to cater to the projected freight traffic, it is expected that 62000 wagons would be required during the XI Plan.  Railways will also require to induct 1800 electric and 1800 diesel locomotives for carrying the projected traffic in the XI plan.  In addition to enhance the capacity of the existing diesel and electric locomotive manufacturing units, Railways are also going in for setting up a diesel locomotive factory at Marhowra and electric loco factory at Madhepura which will produce 150 and 120 locos per year respectively.

Since capacity augmentation takes time, Railways have taken immediate steps to enhance the throughput by increasing the carrying capacity of wagons by 6 tonnes on most of the routes and by 8 tonnes on selected routes and also strengthen the track, bridges and allied structures.  In addition, 28 heavy mineral routes with over 6900 route kilometers have been further identified for implementation of 25 tonne Axle load.  Also on selected routes, double stack containers trains have been permitted to further enhance the throughput per train.

Railways also plan to induct wagons of better design, higher capacity, longer life and low on maintenance.

The passenger traffic in the XI Five Year Plan is expected to increase from 6242 million passengers in 2006-07 (RE) to 8400 million in 2011-12.  The correspondence passenger output is expected to increase from 700 billion passenger kilometers to 880 billion passenger kilometers.

In order to cater to this increase in traffic, it is expected that 22500 coaches would be required  during the XI Five Year Plan,  implying a yearly requirement of 4500 coaches.  In order to meet this requirement , the production capacities of the existing units –integral Coach Factory, Prembur  and Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthanla – are being enhanced to 1500 and 1400 coaches per annum respectively from the  present capacity of 1000 coaches per annum each.  Further, a new coach factory is also being planned to be set up at Rai Bareily to bridge the shortfall in requirement and production capacities.

Railways have constructed a total of 4084 kilometers of track in the last three years.  The details are as under :-

This information was given by the Minister of State for Railways Shri R.Velu in written reply to a question in the Lok  Sabha today.