BHUBANESWAR: A day after cyclone Yaas made a landfall on the coast of northern Odisha, the State government on Thursday asked the Agriculture and Fisheries and Animal Husbandry departments to submit a preliminary report on damage to crops and livestock.
Agriculture Minister Arun Sahoo told the media that the department authorities have been directed to submit a preliminary report to the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) on Friday. The Minister said field officials of the two departments are assessing the extent of damage at the ground level and they have been asked to submit a final report after rainwater recedes.
The State government will announce compensation to the farmers after the submission of the final report. With flood water in Baitarini river crossing danger level at Akhuapada and Anandpur, many areas of Keonjhar, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Kendrapara are likely to be flooded. Several districts are experiencing flood situations due to heavy to very heavy rainfall in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Bhadrak, Balasore, Kendrapara and parts of Puri and Sundargarh districts.
“It would be meaningless for many districts to provide a preliminary report on the crop damage at this stage. As major rabi crops have been harvested, maximum damage has been caused to vegetable and horticulture crops,” sources in the Agriculture department said. As per report of the SRC, 146 blocks have received heavy rainfall from 50 mm to over 500 mm.
Cong team to visit affected areas today
Bhubaneswar: An eight-member team from the Congress led by working president Pradeep Majhi will visit the worst-affected districts Balasore and Bhadrak on Friday to assess the damage due to cyclone Yaas. The team will visit affected regions in Basudevpur and Chandbali of Bhadrak district on Friday. On May 29, the team will visit different affected areas of Balasore district.