Harish Rawat

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 17: Union minister of state for agriculture Harish Rawat today said the floods could have been avoided with better coordination between the Orissa and Chhattisgarh governments.

On a day’s visit to the state to take stock of the flood situation, Rawat said he would urge the Central Water Commission (CWC) to set up a hotline between Chhattisgarh and Orissa to regulate the water flow into the Hirakud reservoir, particularly during the monsoon.

The Telegraph in its Friday’s edition had carried a report on Hirakud reservoir’s management stimulating a debate on whether the current flood could be attributed to human error. On Saturday, it carried another report on Opposition’s demand for a techno-judicial inquiry into the “man-made” disaster.

Addressing mediapersons after visiting the flood-hit areas in Puri district, Rawat said: “A number of people have alleged that it was a man-made disaster. Not just the people, even I wonder why 59 gates of Hirakud reservoir were opened suddenly without any notice.”

He also felt that the existing communication system between the Orissa and Chhattisgarh governments had failed. “Had the system been working properly, the disaster could have been avoided,” he said.

Urging the two neighbouring governments to be more vigilant in the matter, Rawat said: “I don’t want to comment any more on this issue. It is time to provide relief to the people. The Centre would provide all necessary assistance to the state government.”

The Union minister further said that an inter-ministerial team had already been constituted to visit Orissa for an assessment of the flood damage.

“We are waiting for the state government’s groundwork for the visit of the central team. It is expected this week,” he said.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik today asked the Centre to immediately sanction one lakh Indira Awas houses for the flood-hit people. The government also urged the Centre to supply 1,50,000 quintals of groundnut, 700 quintals of mustard, 2,000 quintals of moong, 2,000 quintals of grams and 200 quintals of sunflower seeds for the coming rabi crop.

On the other hand, senior Congress leader and in-charge of party’s Orissa affairs, Jagdish Tytler, who also accompanied the minister to the flood-hit areas, said: “It is a man-made flood. Forty-two to 44 gates of the dam could have been opened three to four days before the floods struck and excess water could have been released. However, the sudden opening of 59 gates triggered floods in the lower reaches of Mahandi river basin.”

Tytler further accused the government for failing to provide relief to the people. “Many people have not even received a sheet of polythene. The relief is also not adequate.”

“Tytler’s statement was politically motivated,” said revenue and disaster management minister Sujya Narayan Patro.

The state government, on its part, geared up to provide relief materials to the flood-affected people. Chief secretary Bijay Patnaik directed district collectors to send a damage assessment report by September 20.