For the last 15 days, after Titili cyclone hit on October 11, 12 villages of Gurujhuli panchayat of Mohana block of Gajapati district are living in an utterly miserable condition without food and drinking water. Floods in a nearby river have completely marooned them and made the localities cut off from the mainland.
The twelve villages are Panasadiya, Bataganda, Bamadayepada, Sigididia, Mundaypada, Kandhakeare, Khajuripada, Tangili, Gota, Mahisikatha, Gurujhuli and Chatrapata, etc. They are still cut off with heavy water entering into their localities. As there is no connectivity, these villagers have not received any ration or relief till today.
The water in these villages is not receding because the floods were created due to overflow of water in the nearby Harabhanga irrigation project and the incessant rains triggered by Titli.
The cyclone has wrecked havoc in these villages with many houses and farm land having been damaged. As no official has yet reached these cut off localities, the damage assessment has not been made and hence, compensation not paid, said Gurujhuli sarapanch SukhantiMajhi and Samiti member Sada Mali.
The villagers alleged that though they have on several occasions earlier have requested the administration and local MLA Basanti Malick for construction of a bridge on the river, but they were not paid heed to. Every time there are rains above normal, the river creates flood and nearby villages are marooned creating a lot of difficulties for the inhabitants, they said.
Sarapanch Majhi along with the villagers submitted a memorandum to the Mohana BDO to immediately send relief materials and other assistance, besides for construction of a bridge on the river.