A helicopter drops relief materials at a village in Puri district. (PTI)

Cuttack, Sept. 14: Floods have cast a shadow over Durga Puja in the Millennium City, where the pomp and gaiety of the festival draws lakhs of people every year from adjoining areas.

The Cuttack Mahanagar Puja Committee has decided to make Durga Puja and the immersion ceremony a “simple affair” keeping in mind the floods.

Various other puja committees of the city also gave similar proposals at a preparatory meeting for Durga Puja in the city convened by police commissioner B.K. Sharma on Monday. “All the 154 puja committees of Cuttack city have decided to make this year’s puja a simple affair,” said Cuttack Mahanagar Puja Committee’s secretary Pravat Tripathy.

“The decision will be placed before the general body of the Cuttack Mahanagar Puja Committee, which is headed by the district collector, for formal approval on September 16,” Tripathy said.

“The committees have decided to donate portions of this year’s puja budget to the flood-affected people. It is up to them whether they will contribute and undertake individual relief operations or give their donations to the chief minister’s relief fund through the district administration,” he added.

Balu Bazar Puja Committee’s president S.N. Sangneria said: “We have decided to contribute Rs 11,000 to the chief minister’s relief fund.”

Badambadi Puja Committee’s secretary Bibhuti Jethi said: “Our committee has decided to reduce expenditure and contribute Rs 25,000 to the chief minister’s relief fund.”

More rain

Meanwhile, torrential rain since last night triggered by low pressure over the Bay of Bengal has further compounded the plight of thousands of homeless flood-hit people who have been taking shelter on rooftops and in other safe places under the open sky in Jajpur district.

The water level has gone up in Bari, Jajpur, Dasarathapur, Barachana and Dharmasala blocks in the district.

Many flood victims vented their anger at the “callous attitude” of the administration.

“We have not received any sort of help, not even a polythene sheet for shelter. Many people are suffering from fever and cold. We fear diarrhoea and gastroenteritis may soon break out,” said Rankanidhi Samal of Mahakalapada village in Bari block of Jajpur district.

Narayan Gantayat of Pipaladiha village in Dharmasala block said: “We have not received assistance of any kind from the administration even a week after the floods. We are taking shelter under the open sky braving the heavy rain.”

Jajpur collector Anil Kumar Samal said: “The floodwaters are now receding. We are making every effort to provide polythene sheets to the flood-affected people.”