Other States - Orissa   

No meltdown impact on New Year revelry

—Photo: Ashoke Chakrabarty

New beginning: The dawn of the last day of the year 2008 in Ekamra lake, Bhubaneswar, promises new hope for people in the New Year.

BHUBANESWAR: The global meltdown, frequent Maoist strikes in the State and the communal violence of Kandhamal had little impact on the New Year revellers in Orissa as they rejoiced to welcome the New Year 2009 on Wednesday night.

Almost all hotels in the Capital city as well as in Cuttack, Puri, Berhampur, Sambalpur, Rourkela and other places were illuminated to attract the revellers.

Musical programmes and parties were organised in the major hotels of the city featuring prominent singers and cine personalities to cheer the New Year revellers. There was a big rush in every hotel in the city and many people had to return as all entry tickets for the New Year Eve party were sold out.

Policemen and other security personnel had a tough time in controlling traffic and handling the rush outside the big hotels.

Thousands of New Year revellers and tourists reached Puri by Wednesday night. Tight security arrangements were made in the town as about five lakh people were expected to arrive to celebrate the arrival of 2009 and have darshan of Lord Jagannath on Thursday.

In a message, Governor Murlidhar Chandrakant Bhandare conveyed his best wishes and greetings to the people on the occasion of the New Year.

While calling upon the people to take a pledge to take Orissa forward and transform it into a leading State in the country, Mr. Bhandare said Orissa’s reputation as a peaceful and peace-loving State was well-known. “All of us need to understand that peace is a pre-condition to progress,” he said.

“Let the spirit of peaceful co-existence, religious tolerance and universal brotherhood be our ‘mantra’ for living. It is only when we defeat divisive forces that we as a people become stronger,” Mr. Bhandare said.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also wished people a happy and peaceful New Year.

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