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Bhubaneswar, Aug. 8: The state government today stepped up its relief operation as floodwater started receding from most of the areas.
The move follows mounting complaints about official succour failing to reach marooned areas in the worst hit districts of Cuttack, Keonjhar, Bhadrak and Jajpur.
Government sources said collectors had been issued express instructions to reach out to the affected people through whatever means possible.
The special relief commission office said 210 relief camps had been opened in the 23 affected districts catering to 73,973 people.
“Under emergency relief, 15,613 quintals of rice, 2,284 quintals of flattened rice (chuda), 268.4 quintals of gur and 81 polythene rolls have been distributed,” said an official in the commission office.
However, complaints about relief continued to pour in. “We are not getting food. Only a small packet of chuda was provided to us two days ago,” said Phulamati Rout, 67, of Marshaghai block in Kendrapara district.
On the other hand, deputy relief commissioner Pravat Ranjan Mohapatra asserted that collectors had been issued strict instructions to make relief available to the people. “Wherever there is any gap, we directly intervene and ensure that relief reached the affected pocket,” said Mohapatra. Though the overall situation had improved in Keonjhar, Bhadrak and Jajpur districts following fall in the level of the Baitarani and Brahmani rivers, thousands of villagers still remain surrounded by floodwater.
“It will take sometime for the water to drain out. The people trapped in these villages can’t cook and also face the threat of water-borne diseases,” said an official.
Large tracts of the Mahanadi delta were still awash with water though the threat of a major flood in the region had been averted. Areas such as Kanas, Pipili and Nimapara in Puri district battled inundation caused by the waters of the Daya and the Makara, both tributaries of the Mahanadi. A breach occurred last night on the Daya embankment near Delanga. People in parts of Kanas have been taking shelter on rooftops.
Floods in the Luna, Chitrotpala and the Paika rivers have inundated Marshaghai and Garadpur areas of Kendrapara district, while large areas at Tirtol and Kujnaga in Jagtsinghpur district were also under water. The fear of a breach at Dalei Ghai remained with the Mahanadi flowing above the danger level there. People were maintaining round-the-clock vigil at Dalei Ghai.
In Cuttack district, vast areas of Banki and Athgarh were still reeling from floods. Similar was the fate of Tikarapada and Athamallick in Angul district. Though water level in the Mahanadi was receding, the river was still flowing above the danger level at Naraj and Mundali.
“Steps are being taken to regulate the Mahanadi water flow. At present, 30 gates of the Hirakud reservoir are open. While four lakh cusecs of water is entering the reservoir, it is discharging five lakh cusecs,” said an official.
Officials, however, remain worried about another low-pressure system likely to build up over the state on August 11. While rains likely to be caused by the system could pose a fresh flood threat, full moon day on August 10 could block the discharge of excess water being carried by the rivers into the sea. “This would mean waterlogged areas would continue to face problems for the next few days,” said an official. The backwaters of the Hirakud reservoir are also likely to create problems in Baragarh and Sambalpur towns.