The tall claims of the State Government to have properly tackled the Phailin cyclone that struck the State in October 2013 by undertaking adequate restoration and relief measures have been proved hollow if the performance audit report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on disaster management is any indication.
The report which was presented in the State Assembly recently paints a sorry picture of the State’s pre and post cyclone measures and brings to fore several irregularities. More pertinently, the report has contradicted with the version of the United Nations which had praised the Phailin preparedness, relief and reconstruction works of the Odisha Government citing the State to be a model for the rest of the world in respect of disaster management and mitigation.
The report said the State Disaster Mitigation Authority (SDMA) was constituted in October 2010 under the Chairmanship of the Chief Minister after a delay of five years of enactment of the Disaster Management Act 2005. Its mandate is to oversee activities relating to disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness, relief and reconstruction. However, due to lackadaisical attitude of the State Government, the SDMA did not meet till July 2013.
The CAG report mentioned several major discrepancies in the execution of the disaster plans. It said lack of manpower, and infrastructure, obsolete equipment and massive corruption in the funds led to a mess during the Phailin time. The affected people failed to get proper and timely assistance before, during and after the cyclone. Those who lost their livelihood were not properly compensated while the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) was not transparently utilised.
Stating that there was improper financial management as Rs 29.46 crore sanctioned from Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and State Disaster Relief Fund (CRF/ SDRF) towards disaster preparedness in violation of Government of India norms, the CAG said utilization certificates [UCs] for Rs 1,456.42 crore were pending from executing agencies and Collectors against the release of fund of Rs 3,455.80 crore during 2007-13.
The State Government also failed to incorporate disaster management into the development planning process due to non-preparation of State Disaster Management Plan (SDMP) till July 2013 as envisaged in the Disaster Management Act 2005. SDMP was, however, prepared in August 2013. The report also found serious loopholes in the early warning and evacuation process. It said that human and livestock causalities could have been reduced had there been effective warning and relocation.
The report also rapped the Government for inequitable distribution of relief and short distribution of relief material. Restoration was not adequate due to delay in restoration of power infrastructure, piped water supply system, roads, irrigation canals and lift Irrigation projects affecting Rabi crops/ agriculture in the affected districts. Besides, input subsidy for loss of crop was not paid and artisans were not adequately compensated for loss of livelihood, the CAG said.