-Down to Earth The children, mostly girls, were rescued from a railway station Child trafficking has seen a spurt in Odisha — especially in tribal-dominated districts of the state — following the resumption of train services amid the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. At least 20 adolescents, mostly girls (18) aged 15-17, have been rescued by activists from non-profit Childline Foundation of India (CFI), from Berhampur railway station in Ganjam district from July...
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Nearly 4,000 Odisha villages free of child marriage now -Priya Ranjan Sahu
-Down to Earth Child marriages surged after COVID-19 first wave; streamlined state efforts helped arrest the trend, claim officials As many as 3,970 villages in Odisha were declared child marriage-free between January and the first week of July 2021. The development has coincided with second wave of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic; the state had registered a surge in child marriages during the first wave. In 2020, only 62 villages were declared...
More »Tribals in Odisha flee villages fearing inoculation -Satyasundar Barik
-The Hindu They are misled by some videos which predicted death within two hours of vaccination, says official BHUBANESWAR: Tribals in Odisha’s Rayagada district fled their village after locking up their houses afraid of being given the COVID-19 vaccine. The incident took place at Champakana under Kolnara block of Rayagada on Wednesday. The district administration had held an awareness camp explaining the benefits of inoculation. “However, when our team reached the village with 100 doses...
More »Sowing the seeds of climate crisis in Odisha -Chitrangada Choudhury and Aniket Aga
-RuralIndiaOnline.org In Rayagada, Bt cotton acreage has risen by 5,200 per cent in 16 years. The result: this biodiversity hotspot, rich in indigenous millets, rice varieties and forest foods, is seeing an alarming ecological shift “Everybody is doing it. So we are too,” said Rupa Pirikaka, somewhat uncertainly. ‘It’ is genetically modified (GM) Bt cotton seeds, now easily bought at the local market, or even in one’s own village. ‘Everybody’ is countless other...
More »What Adivasis of Odisha Could Teach Urban Indians in the Age of #Metoo -Parul Abrol
-TheWire.in The community has a traditional approach to sex education and finding a partner. The key is openness, conversation and guidance. Rayagada, Odisha: In his village of Singoroda, 80-year old Langi Nathika commands great respect – mostly as the husband of a bejuni, a priestess in their Kondh tribe. Like many in his community, Nathika cherishes their traditional approach to sex education and finding a partner. He may have something for us to...
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