DHENKANAL:  The district made news in 2018 for wrong reasons after the tragic death of seven elephants due to electrocution at Kamalanga. The incident sparked massive public outrage in the country prompting an upset Union Minister Maneka Gandhi to urge Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to take steps for protection of elephants in the State.

It also exposed the laxity on the part of the Forest department and CESU which were accused of negligence for not repairing sagging high-intensity electricity wires in the elephant corridors. The Balarampur tree felling incident also brought the district a bad name. Hundreds of locals opposed the district administration’s decision to cut down trees for setting up a beer bottling plant in their village. Bowing down to public pressure, the Chief Minister scrapped the project. 

The illegal shelter home at Beltikiri blew the lid off the pitiable condition of children who were subjected to exploitation and torture in the child care institutions run by Good News India Dream Centre across the State. The district administration was exposed for failing to take action against the shelter home authorities despite being aware of its running without valid registration. This issue gave opposition parties enough ammunition to attack the Government in the Assembly. 

The murder of district BJD youth president Jasobant Parida in Kamakshyanagar town in broad daylight sent shockwaves in the region. Parida was an active BJD member and supporter of Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Mallick. However, the district also had its share of success stories. Two Taekwondo players of Dhenkanal bagged medals in the 3rd India International Taekwondo Championship held at Kolkata. 

Geetanjali Marandi, a Class X student of Kapilash Girls High School made the district proud by participating in ‘The Niine Movement’s Menstrual Awareness Conclave’ held at ITC Maurya in New Delhi. She shared the stage with dignitaries like Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar, actress Shabana Azmi, former Secretary General of UN Women Laxmi Puri and head of Royal Commonwealth Society Shivani Wazir Pasrich.This apart, Dhenkanal was ranked best among aspirational districts of the State on financial inclusion and rapid development work.