After the Congress and the BJP, now the Samruddha Odisha on Thursday alleged that the State Government is more propagandist than doing anything on ground to save the cyclone and flood victims.
Going a step further, party president Jatish Chandra Mohanty charged that even the information given by the Government on relief and rehabilitation work is far from true and exaggerated. It exposes the inefficiency of the BJD Government, he said.
After sending a party’s delegation to the worst affected coastal hamlets, including Podampeta, Hanspur, Nolia Sahi, Namita Sahi and Prayagi under Ramgarh and Palibandh gram panchayats in Ganjam block, Mohanty in a media release said the victims were either given very little relief material or nothing. He said that many villagers had been still suffering without food and water. “The Government did not shift vulnerable people to the cyclone centres but they had themselves gone there after they were informed of the impending cyclone.
Quoting a villager of Pallur village, Mohanty said only one Government vehicle had been to the village before the cyclone to alert the villagers about the catastrophe and after that no body turned up to extend villagers a helping hand. The party also said that many villagers did not get adequate food and medicines even three days after the cyclone.
Members of 40 fishing families, who were swept away in the sea water and later rescued, were not provided any relief material, including food. The fishermen, who have had to lose everything, had gheraoed NH at langaleswar demanding relief, said the party. Mohanty advised the Government to refrain from making propaganda in the media and reach out to more cyclone-stressed victims.