Chhattisgarh: In a theatre set up by police, tribals in naxal hotbed get to watch ‘Bahubali’
Chhattisgarh, Sept 30: In an effort to connect the tribals of the region to the mainstream, the Chhattisgarh police have set-up a mini-theatre in the state’s Abhujmad region, news agency PTI reported on Sunday. The theatre, which was inaugurated on Thursday at Basing village of the Naxal-affected region, will be used as a platform to entertain as well as educate the people of the region, police said.
The theatre has been set-up through a special central assistance wherein around Rs 30 crore is being given to each Naxal-affected district to provide public infrastructure and various services, Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Shukla told PTI. The theatre, which has been set up at a cost of nearly Rs 15 lakh, will cover around 13 villages in the vicinity, Shukla said. Seven more theatres will be set up in the region through the fund, he added.
Shukla, who is also the mastermind behind this initiative, told PTI, “The idea is to connect tribals of Abhujmad to the outside world which has been unknown to them largely because of Maoist activities.”
“Television and mobile phones are almost non-existent in the Abhujmad region, which is home to various aboriginal tribes, and except for the local market held once in a week, people do not have access to any means of entertainment. Even the Narayanpur town does not have a cinema hall or theatre,” he added.
The first film to be screened at the free-of-cost theatre was S S Rajamouli’s grand epic ‘Bahubali’. Villagers would also be shown films, documentaries, and TV channels through direct to home (DTH) service to increase their understanding of agriculture, education, sports and patriotism, the SP said.
A gaming zone has also been created in the theatre premises where people can play table tennis, carrom, and chess. A committee of people, comprising youth and children of the area, will manage and operate the theatre, the SP said.
Rajni Usendi, a member of the Orchha janpad panchayat which covers Abhujmad area, welcomed the initiative. “The smiles on the faces of tribals were quite evident when they watched ‘Baahubali’ movie. It shows how a little thing can make them happy and excited,” she said.
This was probably the first time that people from the interior area watched a movie, Usendi said, adding the initiative will have a positive impact on Abhujmad’s future.
Courtesy: indianexpress.com
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
