The BJP on Saturday alleged that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is fully responsible for the continued flood occurrence in south Odisha.
“The Chief Minister, who holds the Water Resources Department, conducts review meetings sitting at the Secretariat only. During 17 years, he didn’t make any action plan to control floods in five rivers, Banshadhara, Nagabali, Jhanjabati, Mahendratanaya and Rushikulya in south Odisha. Had embankments been built, fearsome flood situation would not have occurred now,” alleged BJP vice-present Sameer Mohanty at a Press meet here.
Stating that the Nagabali river has been a sorrow of Rayagada district for long, Mohanty lamented that bridges constructed over the river many times are being washed away for weak works.
“Due to current floods, the communication between Rayagada and Kalahandi has been snapped. Many areas are inundated now. People are suffering a lot but the administration still sits silent,” Mohanty alleged further.
He said that BJP local activists have been directed to distribute relief among affected villagers on the direction of party’s State president Basant Panda.