The district administration geared up to present facts and figures pertaining to damages caused by Phailin and concomitant floods to a Central team that would visit the district on Sunday headed by the Union Home Secretary.
The team after landing from a chopper at Jaleswar helipad would go to the worst-hit Chalanti, Rajour and RR Pur to take stock of the situation before attending a review meeting in the district.
Meanwhile, death toll in the district had risen up to 16 with the latest case reported from Basta area. The deceased was identified as Bansidhar Jena (50) of Darada village.
On the other hand, stepping up its criticism against the Government’s lapses in relief and rescue work, the district Congress unit blamed the State and district machineries for not able to tackle the flood situation. In a media brief, district Congress president Kartik Mohapatra said that the State and the district administrations had utterly failed in salvaging operation and distribution of relief to the needy since several lakhs of people couldn’t get food and other required items on time and had been suffering.
He said the State leadership had appraised about the condition of the flood victims to Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde following which the Central team would be visiting the district.Mohapatra further said Union RD Minister Jairam Ramesh had promised adequate number of IAY houses for the calamity victims of the State.
The district Congress chief demanded repair of lI points, defunct tubewells, roads and waiver in electricity dues and agriculture loans for the farmers . Congress leaders Subasini Jena, Pradipta Mahapatra, Girish Dash and Diptikanta Mohapatra were among others present.