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Relief operation stepped up in flood-hit districts

BHUBANESWAR: With the floodwater fast receding and access to marooned villages becoming easier, the State government on Friday intensified its relief operation in Balasore and Bhadrak districts.

For the first time relief material could be sent by a special train that travelled from Jajpur Road to Kantiaroad. It gave the administrative machineries more options to reach out to villagers affected by the flood in Balasore’s Jaleswar block.

Briefing mediapersons here, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Manmohan Samal said floodwater entered newer districts such as Jajpur and Kendrapara.

The affected population in five districts has been estimated to be well over 10 lakh, he said. As per the official communication, districts such as Balasore, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur and Kendrapada have come under the grip of flood. Floodwaters touched more than 1,200 villagers in these districts. Official death toll has also gone up to three with one more person sweeping away in swirling floodwaters in Bhadrak district.

Although reports from Balasore district suggested that several villages were yet to be touched by the government officials with relief materials, Mr. Samal said they covered 95 per cent of the affected villages. Meanwhile, the State government has extended relief distribution from three days to a week.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik requested Defence Minister A. K. Antony to spare more helicopters, which could be used for dropping food materials in marooned villages. The State government was expecting five helicopters, two of those to be large ones, for carrying out relief and rescue operations more effectively. The State government also sent 40 doctors’ teams to flood-hit districts to prevent diseases in post-flood period. Personnel of Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and health workers were delivering essential medicines at the spot as well as picking up people to nearby health centres.

Meanwhile, State government also dispatched a letter to the Union Surface Transport Minister T. R Balu seeking his intervention for redesigning the National Highway 60, which was stated to have blocked natural release of water.

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