The people of Banpur are experiencing a harrowing time for the past three days following heavy rains and the resultant overflow of water in Salia Dam which has damaged roads and thereby crippled movement.
As per the instructions of Chief Secretary Jugal Kishore Mahapatra, the ODRAF team along with State Chief Fire Officer Sukanta Sethi came to Banpur to rescue the inmates of Nehru Seva Sangh Children’s Home which was submerged under four feet of water. The children were shifted to a nearest flood and cyclone rehabilitation centre and were provided relief under the supervision of tehsildar Bijay Ku Nayak and BDO Ajit Babu.
At present, about six feet water is running in the premises of the children’s home and huge loss of reading and writing materials, including furniture and clothes. The incessant raining that has been going on for the past 48 hours has caused overflow of Salia Dam, that has caused breaches at many places and has damaged about 20,000 hectares of paddy crop.
Rescue teams have been engaged in carrying out relief and rehabilitation measures in villages, including Balidiha, Bhuskapada, Buda Kapiliswar, Galua, Pandiripadar and Godipadar, sources said. Also, near Chianka Sahi, Galua Chhak, Meghamberi Road, four to five feet water is flowing, as a result of which communication has been totally disrupted.