This Article is From Aug 10, 2014

Government Not Doing Enough, Say Odisha Villagers Who Lost Everything in Floods

Over one lakh people across 400 villages in Odisha are still marooned.

Bhubaneswar: A fresh spell of rains triggered by low pressure in Odisha's northern districts has added to the woes of the flood-hit state.

Though water has receded in several rivers, those who had sought shelter on embankments and other places are facing a fresh bout of trouble due to the rains.

Over 18 lakh people have been affected by the rains in 23 districts; 38 have lost their lives.

The state government is focusing its rescue and rehabilitation efforts in Puri, Kendrapada, Cuttack and Jagasinghpur. Authorities are also bracing for heavy rain in the districts of Baleshwar and Bhadrak in the next 48 hours.

In Jajpur, one of Odisha's worst flood-affected districts, 60-year-old Sanjulata Parida and her family have been living on a prayer, and little else, over the last few days. Floods in the area have submerged their homes and destroyed their crops.

The family was forced to escape to higher ground; they were later rescued by a team of the National Disaster Response Force.

"We lost all our belongings. We have been living on a roof top; we have not even been provided with a polythene. We have been without food for days. We were provided with a few water pouches and dry biscuits," says Sanjulata.

Over three lakh people across 526 villages are still marooned. 200 boats and 30 disaster response teams have been deployed in the flood-affected areas to rescue stranded villagers. The government is also setting up free kitchens and relief camps.

But those displaced by the floods claim the government could have done much more.

"The administration is telling lies. We are not getting any relief items. We are not getting either dry food or cooked food," said Sudershan Kumar Parida, a local villager.

But government officials say there may be a problem in isolated cases, but relief and rescue is on track in most parts of the state.

"We have provided free kitchens to nearly 22,000 people and supplied dry food. Medicines and drinking water have also been provided. There were a few communication disruptions, but they have now been restored because the water is receding fast," said Anil Kumar Samal, Collector of Jajpur.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has also carried out an aerial survey of flood-affected areas.
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