Driven by abject poverty and unbearable pain, a bed-ridden woman in Odisha’s Ganjam district has appealed for euthanasia.

Jhunu Behera (38), a resident of K Barida village and a mother of four children, sought permission from the President and Odisha governor for euthanasia.

“Instead of causing trouble to other members of my family, I want to die,” she said in her a letter sent recently to the President.

“At least Rs 5 lakh is required to replace the valves of her heart, which were damaged. It’s impossible to arrange such a huge amount for the family as her husband is a daily labourer,” Abhiram Pradhan, brother of the patient, said.

“She dashed off the letters on October 28 last to the President and Governor seeking permission to die” Pradhan said. Even though the Governor and President’s office acknowledged receipt of the letters,there was no reply,he said.

The problem was diagnosed about three years ago, when she was admitted at MKCG Medical College and Hospital here. She also had check-ups in some private hospitals of Bengaluru and Bhubaneswar. The doctors advised replacement of the heart valves for which a huge amount is required.

“By mortgaging the house, I have treated her so far. We have no other resources.

Moreover, she is suffering from severe pain”, Surendra Behera, the patient’s husband, said.

Their elder son, aged 15 years, dropped out of school to work as a daily labourer. Other three children, including two daughters, are studying in school with financial help of their uncle.

Pradhan said they had applied for financial assistance from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The application was missing, he said.

Population of mugger, an endangered species of crocodiles in Ghodahada irrigation reservoir, near Digapahandi located about 50 km from Berhampur in Ganjam district, increased by 7 in the last two years.

The population of mugger which had counted in the 5-sq km water bodies at 41 in 2010, their number went up to 48 at present. The two-day enumeration of the crocodile ended yesterday, where at least 25 forest officials were engaged in the exercise held after two years.

While the enumerators sighted 41 adult (above 4-ft-long) muggers inside the reservoir area, other seven were sighted outside the reservoir, said divisional forest officer, Berhampur A K Jena.

With a major chunk of the mugger living in the reservoir, Ghodahada can be considered as another potential habitat for the mugger, the wildlife experts said.

Similipal, Satakosia, Ramtirth and Baisipalli in the states have been identified as the habitats of the muggers.

The wildlife lovers however were excited when they found a number of muggers housed in Ghodahada, the reservoir is meant for the irrigation purpose.

“Improvement of habitat, including the conservation measures and constant monitoring of their behaviours are some of the reasons for the increase of the population of muggers in the reservoirs,” DFO said.

The muggers in the reservoir swim safely as the local fishermen did not harm them, even though they use the water body for the fishing purpose. This despite frequent reports of destruction of the fishing nets by the animal. The forest officials in the area are also creating awareness among the local people for co-existence of men and animals.

A pilot project on “Biodiversity conservation through community based natural resources management” is being implemented in the area with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for providing alternative livelihood support to the people of the area and to protect the biodiversity in the area.

The Rs 70 lakh project which started in 2008-09 will end in the month of March next.

Rows of sugarcane-laden trucks in front of Aska Cooperative Sugar Factory speak volumes of uncertainty over latter’s functioning.

A molasses tank bursted last Sunday on the factory premises which led to the death of a woman and two children.

With the remaining three tanks filled to the brim with molasses, the authorities are in a fix as there is no place to store more after crushing the sugarcane.

A distillery unit was set up with four storage tanks in 1972 to make use of the molasses, but the work had to be stopped for lack of permission from the Odisha State Pollution Control Board.

Though the factory authorities managed their liquor preparation by purchasing spirit from outside, no steps were taken to sell the molasses stock or maintain the tanks. Factory sources said over 100 metric tonnes (MT) of molasses is produced during the crushing period and if the distillery unit is allowed to operate, 40 MT can be put to use.

Factory Managing Director Basant Behera said we are left with only one alternative that is to sell the stored molasses which would allow crushing of sugarcane.

Sai Keerthi Behera and N Bhupal Raju of Andhra Pradesh clinched the title in girls and boys single category respectively in the All India Tennis Association Championship (under-16) series here. While Behera defeated Lakhita Landa of her state Andhra Pradesh by 6-1, 6-3, Raju routed M M K Ramineni 6-2, 6-4 in the final matches held yesterday. Similarly N Bhupal Raju and Sajid UR Rehman of Andhra Pradesh and Koyal Mishra and Tanmayee Patnaik of Odisha won the title in the double boys and girls categories respectively in the tournament. Raju and Rehman beat Adarsh Sahoo and Abhilash Chandra Sahoo of Odisha by 6-1, 6-3, their counterpart Koyal and Tanmayee defeated Komal Das and Shilpi Das of Odisha by 6-1 and 6-2 to won the title. In the four-day tournament organised by Ganjam district Tennis Association and Odisha Tennis Association, players from nine states including Odisha took part.

62 cases of violation of model code of conduct in the ensuing rural polls by government officials and political leaders have so far been reported in Ganjam district, official sources said today. While highest number of 26 complaints came from Chhatrapur sub division, it was followed by Berhampur (23) and Bhanjanagar (13), district collector Krishan Kumar said. A teacher in Khallikote block was suspended on charge of violating the code of conduct after investigation, the collector said adding some other complaints were being probed and reported to State Election Commissioner (SEC). The collector said complaints against MLAs of Goplapur (Pradip Kumar Panighrahi), Berhampur (R C Chyauptaniak) and vice-chancellor, Berhampur University were also received for attending a university function. “We have issued show cause notice to them,” he said. The elections for 69 zilla parishad, 475 sarapanch and 475 samiti members and 6,943 wards will be held in five phases from February 11 to 19 next in Ganjam district. As many as 3989 candidates, including 3841 ward members, 73 sarapanchS and 74 samiti members were elected unopposed after withdrawal of the nominations, official sources said.