Incessant rains accompanied by gusty wind which has lashing this cyclone and flood-ravaged district since Monday evening has made life miserable for displaced families taking shelter on highlands and roadsides without roof on their heads after their villages came under the grip of floods.
Hundreds of villagers of nine gram panchayats under Kanas block are worst-affected in the floods. They have nowhere else to go. The administration was yet to provide adequate numbers of polythene sheets to the people before a low pressure in the sea now triggered heavy rains. The much-awaited flood relief reached them on Tuesday. But the roofless families were unable to cook food and children and older and sick became the worst sufferers.
The entire area has been going without power since October 12. And the Energy Department reportedly said it would take another couple of weeks to resume power supply to all the areas, particularly Krushnaparasad and Brahamgiri blocks as damages to the infrastructure are huge. And despite this, the administration could not provide kerosene to the victims till date. Most of the people are to spend nights in dark.
Interestingly, PDS kerosene is available at Rs 50 per liter in black market. And officials of the Civil Supplies Department prefer to remain silent. The prices of vegetables like onion and potato have gone through the roof. The officials have failed to curb the activity of unscrupulous traders who have made artificial shortages by hoarding huge quantities of materials and selling them at higher prices. This has happened despite the Government’s assurance regarding “adequate” storage of essential commodities before the calamity.
BJP leader Krushna Chandra Jagdeb at a Press meet alleged pilferage in relief distribution of 50 kg of rice meant for people. He flayed the poor preparedness to face the calamity by the Government. He demanded a special package to farmers for the coming Rabi crops. When contacted, District Magistrate Naba Kishore Nayak confirmed that shortage of eight to ten kg of rice in 50-kg bags was found in some of the lots. Further inquiry revealed that these bags were supplied from Bargarh. He has informed the Civil Supplies Secretary regarding these lapses, said the District Magistrate.