JAGATSINGHPUR: Eleven days after Fani, power supply in many parts of Jagatsinghpur district is yet to be restored. Hit by manpower shortage, unbearable temperature and inadequate supply of equipment, the CESU workers are facing an uphill task of power restoration.
Though some parts of the district have got electricity back, people in many areas continue to suffer. Worse, the CESU authorities have not yet set a deadline to complete the work. Angry residents on Tuesday staged road blockades at many places on Cuttack-Paradip State Highway and Cuttack-Nuagaon NH.
People of Raghunathpur blocked the road at Tarapur on Cuttack-Paradip State Highway while locals blocked the road at Chandol on Cuttack-Nuagaon NH protesting delay in electricity restoration at many villages under Jagatsinghpur electricity sub-division.
Similar protests were witnessed at Singipur village where villagers said they have been leading a miserable life sans power, water and relief materials. Superintending Engineer of CESU, Paradip, Bibhudatta Mohapatra and other officials rushed to the spots and pacified the irate people by assuring them to supply electricity very soon.
‘No relief yet’
Meanwhile, tribals and Dalits residing in Nuagaon, Balikuda, Jagatsinghpur and Raghunath areas have alleged that they are yet to receive any relief. Nearly 80 per cent of houses belonging to these communities have been damaged by cyclone Fani.
Alleging that they have failed to get relief materials like rice, cash of `500, kerosene and polythene from the Government, they said cooked food was only provided to them for two days after the cyclone. “We cannot cook meals now owing to shortage of rice and firewood. We do not even have money to buy food for our children,” said Sebati Singh, a resident of Nuagaon.
Nuagaon Tehsildar J Kalpana admitted that many ST community members of Salijanaga village are yet to be provided with polythene sheets to cover their broken houses.