JAGATSINGHPUR: Five days after the floods, around 500 villagers continue to remain stranded in Munda Sahi under Raghunathpur block allegedly without relief materials, drinking water and other essential supplies.
Munda Sahi was cut off after floodwaters from Mahanadi and Paika rivers entered the village. Although the water has started receding, villagers alleged that neither the district administration nor elected representatives had visited the hamlet so far, leaving them without essential relief items. Many impoverished families claimed that they were surviving on little or no food for the past three to five days.
The villagers, belonging to Scheduled Tribe (ST) community, further claimed that they received land entitlement documents around five years ago but are yet to be allotted the land. As a result, they continue to live in thatched houses covered with tattered polythene sheets in low-lying areas, several of which were damaged in the floods.
The affected families said they had met Jagatsinghpur collector J Sonal during his visit to flood-hit areas last week and sought assistance. However, they alleged that the situation had not improved and official relief had not reached many of the marooned households.
Panchayat samiti member Priyatama Rout admitted that relief materials had been distributed only to a limited number of people near the anganwadi centre. Nearly 80 per cent of the affected families had not received relief due to inadequate supplies from the authorities, she said.
According to Rout, only around 10 to 20 families among the 50 affected households had received limited relief despite repeated reminders to block officials.
On the other hand, Raghunathpur tehsildar Rajlaxmi Nayak said the villagers of Munda Sahi are refusing to accept relief materials in protest against the delay in allotment of land to them.
“The administration is aware of the plight of villagers due to non-allocation of land despite issuance of documents. Steps would be taken to identify the affected families and resolve the land allotment issues after the floodwater recedes,” she added.