The playgrounds and stadiums of the district here have been severely damaged by cyclone Phailin on October 12. Consequently, the district cannot hold any State or district level sports event or impart training to sports persons.
Sources said that all the forthcoming sports events which were scheduled to be held in coming six months have been cancelled.
Brahmapur stadium, Khallikote College Stadium, City High School playground and MKCG Medical College playground are a few prominent grounds of first order in the district, where most sport and publicevents used to be organised, but they have been devastated andrendered unusable.
According to information available, the visitors’ gallery, indoor halls, sports hostels, and sports equipment store rooms of both Berhampur stadium and Khallikote College stadium have been substantially damaged. Similarly, the volley ball court, weight lifting hall, and the compound wall have also been destroyed as a result of which sports persons are not able to conduct regular practice.
According to sports experts, the current damage will take at least six months for repair and renovation. Among these playgrounds, the Brahmapur stadium has sustained huge loss.
Besides sports events, these playgrounds were also venues for routine morning walk, mass meeting, yoga and health camp, but now everybody looks worried as how to organise these events with the stadiums in tatters. A preliminary report says it will require at least `70 lakh to bring the Brahmapur stadium into functional stage.
Union Home Secy’s visit
After a week of the cyclone, Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami visited the affected areas to review the damage caused and assess the loss. Immediately after he landed from a helicopter at local Khallikote College playground, a galaxy of officers of the district administration, namely, RDC (Southern Division) Bikas Chandra Mohapatra, District Collector Dr Krishan Kumar, Ganjam SP Asish Singh and Brahmapur SP Anirudha Singh welcomed him, who was accompanied by Odisha Police DG Prakash Mishra.
Goswami straight went to some of the worst affected areas under BMC, namely Gandhinagar, Goutam Cinema Hall Road, SNT Road, Corporation Road, Aska Road, and Dhoba Bandh area to take stock of damage.
Independent Corporator Ashoak Shukla drew the attention of the Union Home Secretary to the damage caused to the dwellers of slum areas and demanded adequate relief.
Goswami visited Gate Bazar, City Hospital, Water Tank Road and Giri Road, apart from Bhanja Bihar. Goswami went to see the worst affected areas, including Nolia Nuagaon under Agasti Nuagaon Panchayat of Chatrapur block and later, held a meeting with the key officials of the district administration. He reviewed the quantum of damage and the post-Phailin relief.
Among others, who joined the meeting included State Home Secretary Bipin Sexena, State Police DG Prakash Mishra, RDC (SD) Bikas Kumar Mohapatra, DIG Amitabh Thakur, Ganjam Collector Dr Krishan Kumar, Ganjam SP Asish Singh, Brahmapur SP Anirudh Singh, Berhampur University VC Prof Deepak Kumar Behera and DRDA PD Premchand Choudhury.
The Union Home Secretary appreciated the efforts made by the State and District administrations to prevent the loss of precious human lives and properties.
Varsity safety
On last Sunday, the Vice-Chancellor of Berhampur University Prof Deepak Kumar Behera submitted a preliminary report quantifying the damage caused to the university to Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami during his visit to the Phailin affected areas at Chatrapur. The university has sustained a loss to its infrastructure and property worth over `100 crore.
However, the Vice Chancellor and the District Administration are yet to prepare a final report estimating the cost of the damage caused to the university.
The district administration has reportedly been asked by the Union Home Secretary to submit a detailed damage report with realistic estimate of loss and amount required for its reconstruction.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Behera told the media persons at Chatrapur that the entire university has been shattered and devastated. He further called upon the authorities to review the safety of all the university buildings through the help of a technical team and if required, construct new buildings by demolishing the dilapidated and risky ones.
The university has received only `13 crore from the State Government for various developmental activities, but that is too insufficient, he added.
He further said that the university has requested all the private companies, local industries and corporate bodies to provide necessary assistance to re-build the university.
Power worry, crime
Though the Chief Minister during his visit to Brahmapur had assured the public of restoration of power supply within three days, the power supply even after ten days of the catastrophe has been restored partially causing great inconvenience to the denizens.
Dishonest businessmen are exploiting the public as they are charging `30 per hour for charging a cell phone battery and `1,000 per hour for hiring a generator.
Besides, most vegetables are sold at `70 per kg. Most of the drains of BMC are packed with debris, resulting in stagnation of water and causing unhygienic smell. Mosquito have got an ideal breeding place. Whatever work is going on the ground is mostly confined to the main roads, but not the streets and slum areas, said a senior citizen.
Due to non-restoration of power to all the areas in the evening hours, the incidents of looting and snatching have increased during last two weeks. Four days back, in Big Bazaar and Gandhinagar area some miscreants tried to snatch a gold chain from a local woman in the evening hours taking advantage of absence of power. Most public, more particularly women, are so scared that no one is willing to move out after seven in evening.
“When the magnitude of such an unprecedented disaster was predicted, the Government could have acquired a stock of at least fifty per cent of new electric poles, cables, ladders, transformers and temporary requisition of 200 electricians and engineers and 100 vehicles.
Similar arrangements could have been made in regard to restoration of water supply and sanitation but nothing of that sort was done,” lamented many residents.
Relief loot
The district administration received several complaints that some dealers in collusion with some panchayat officials looted hundreds of rice bags meant for relief to the Phailin victims having yellow and other cards in Sana Ramachandrapur and Palur panchayats.
The Sub-Collector of Chatrapur has reportedly visited some possible spots for a probe but the result is yet to be known. It is also alleged that sthe 50 kg rice bags contained 5 to 10 kg less.