The recent cyclonic storm Phailin and subsequent incessant rain for five consecutive days has affected various crops in 17,385 hectares of land worth Rs 123 crore in Gajapati district.
This was informed by district Agriculture Deputy Director Chandra Sekhar Rao at a district level meeting organsied to observe Odisha Disaster Preparedness Day here at Zilla Parisad convention hall in presence of district Collector Basudev Bahinipati on Tuesday.
“The incessant rain which occurred soon after the cyclone Phailin caused a huge damage to the crops including standing paddy and other food grains. While on October 13, the district recorded 215 mm rain, on October 22, 23 and 24 it went up to 1176 mm,” said Rao.
Speaking on the occasion, Collector Bahinipati laid emphasis on proper distribution of relief materials and warned the officials of strong legal action in irregularities in relief and rehabilitation operation.
On the other hand on Wednesday, Zilla Parishad members boycotted the Zilla Parishad meeting in protest against the absence of officers and staged demonstration in front of Collector’s office demanding legal actions against relief looters.
Allegation were also leveled against officials that they even are delaying visiting affected areas for on the spot assessment as a result many affected persons like T Dalaya, an old woman of Ward-7 of Parala Municipaly are still under open sky as her house was completely damaged in the cyclone. Villagers of Buburusingh under Puturupada gram panchyat (GP) and Duburusingh village under Nuagada GP are yet to receive relief even after 18 days after Phailin hit the Odisha coast.
In yet another such incident, villagers detained Merapalli GP Executive Officer Prakash Mishra for black-marketing BPl quota rice. However, following the intervention of Mohana BDO the agitating villagers freed the officer.