Relief eludes Odisha flood victims

Rajashree DashJajpur, July 25: With the flood water in the Baitarani river receding due to lack of rain, the plight of the thousand of flood affected people of Dasarathapur block of Odisha’s Jajpur district are compounded day by day without any government solace.The essential relief materials are yet to be reached to the flood victims even after four days passed since the high flood in the Baitarani river that caused a 100 feet breach resulting over 40,000 people marooned in Dasarathapur block alone.Large number of people who have taken shelter on high land or on the roof top are passing day and night without any food and drinking water as flood water entered into their houses and damaged them totally.The plight of the people of Patapur and its nearby villagers is worse as Baitarani breached one of its embankments near Patapur on Tuesday morning.Hundreds of flood ravaged people have taken shelter in village primary school continuing to suffer allegedly without food and other essential supply since Tuesday morning.“The breach in Baitarani before our village that caused high flood has totally damaged my thatched house.All our household articles and food stuff have been washed away following the flood water.We had to rush to this school along with my six member family to save ourselves from being washed away by the flood,” said Sudarshan Jena of Patapur village who has taken shelter in village school with her family.All the family members are without food since then.Not only Hemalata, hundreds of flood victims who have taken shelter in the schooled echoed with her.“My entire family is without food and water since Tuesday morning.Yesterday a local club had given a small pack of biscuit and a water pouch per person.We expected the government relief.But, it has not so far reached to us,” said Sivaram Jena of Patapur who has taken shelter in the school along with his five member family.No government solace came to us even after four days of the natural calamity,” he said.The district administration sources said at least 90,000 people of 46 villages under Dasarathapur block have been affected by the flood and 40,000 of them marooned.Although the district administration claimed to have provided 2469 quintal rice, 150 quintal flattened rice and 15 quintal gur to the affected people by Thursday, the flood victims alleged that they have not received anything by Friday morning.”We have dispatched the relief materials to the flood victims on Thursday.We are also monitoring the delivery of the consignment for the flood affected persons,” said Jajpur Collector Anil Kumar Samal.Meanwhile, the water level in the Baitarani river has started receding as it was flowing below the danger mark at both Akhuapada and Ballavighat since Thursday evening.