Week-long Bhanja birth anniversary celebrations from May 16: CM

Berhampur: Curtains came down on the four-day Gopalpur beach festival on Friday night, with chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi attending the closing ceremony.The CM said the govt has taken initiative for a coastal economic zone and to establish 14 new ports. While a new major port will come up at Bahuda at an investment of Rs 21,500 crore, expansion of the existing Gopalpur port will made at a cost of Rs 16,554 crore. When it is developed, it will handle 50 million tones of cargo and generate direct and indirect employment for around 5,000 people.
The CM said the chair instituted in the name of Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja in Berhampur University will be revived. Besides, the govt would celebrate the week-long Bhanja Jayanti from May 16. "During the celebrations, Odissi dance and seminars on Bhanja's work will be organised by the culture department across the state," he said. "We have given priority to local folk artists during the festival. Around 50 dance groups performed during the festival," said commerce and transport minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena, also the festival committee chairman.On Thursday evening, the food safety team of Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) destroyed over 40 kg of stale food from various stalls at the festival venue. BeMC was one of the organising partners."Around 55 food stalls were installed in the makeshift food court at the festival, which began on Jan 27. On the direction of BeMC commissioner Prathamesh Arvind Rajeshirke, the food safety team inspected prepared food from the beginning of the festival on Jan 27. On Thursday, they inspected around 50 stalls," said Liza Mishra, BeMC food safety officer.Two ice-cream vendors were ordered to shut down for selling products without proper labelling, including manufacturing or expiry date, despite earlier warning.