ONI Bureau: Even as the Odisha Government has expedited the relief and restoration process aftermath
Cyclone Titli on a war footing, SRC Bishnupada Sethi has come under the scanner for several of his contradictory statements and claims. The opposition BJP is baying for his blood, accusing him of mismanaging the rescue and relief operations.
The BJP team led by State General Secretary Bhrugu Baxipatra, which visited the Gangabada village in Rayagad block of Gajapti district yesterday, claimed that 40 people alone died in the district, while 5 others lost their lives in Ganjam. The team put the death toll at 45. They accused the SRC of being insensitive and termed him as inefficient. Bhrugu claimed when they met the Gajapati Collector, he looked and sounded helpless.
While state government claimed with photos that it’s trying its best to reach out to the people and helping them with relief materials and cooked food as well as other basic amenities, the BJP and Congress called it a monumental failure of Naveen regime, which always focused on ‘Zero Casualty’ and ensuring safety of people.
BJP came down heavily on the SRC for making contradictory statement. While he claimed 11 people died in Gajapati, the Collector’s report put the death toll at 15. The SRC blamed the people for not moving out of their houses despite Cyclone alert. But, villagers said they had no prior information about the Cyclone or rains. The dead bodies were recovered from Baraghara after more than 72 hours, which has raised serious questions on the efficiency of the administration. The BJP has demanded the resignation of SRC as well as District Collectors.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan slammed the Government and questioned Minister Surjya Narayan Patro’s statement where he shrugged off the Gajapati landslide deaths, saying “it happens everyone and other countries had more casualties in cases of Cyclone and Hurricane”.
The situation is returning to normal in most parts of Gajapati, Ganjam and Rayagada. Two naval helicopters have been pressed into service for air dropping food packets in Gajapati districts. At least 600 personnel of Odisha Fire Services,ODRAF and NDRF have been deployed to carry out road clearing, rescue and relief operations.
Arrangements have been made to send cattle feed to Ganjam and Gajapati districts. Efforts are on to clear the roads and then re-install the electric poles. Free kitchens are operating in various places across the affected districts at schools and multi-purpose shelters.
Meanwhile, the Odisha government today decided to deploy additional ODRAF and NDRF teams to assist the ongoing relief and rescue operations in Gajapati district.