JAGATSINGHPUR: Even as the flood situation in Kujang, Tirtol, Jagatsinghpur and Raghunathpur blocks has improved marginally, there seems no end to the sufferings of the affected people.
The worst-hit are people from Kujang and Tirtol blocks where food materials including baby food has not yet been distributed by the district administration.
Around 25,000 people of Badabalikani, Kathkota, Hansura and Zillanasi panchayats are stranded in waterlogged conditions for the last five days. No relief has yet been given to them in the absence of boats. Kathkota sarpanch Mihir Ranjan Pattnaik said he has urged the BDO of Kujang to supply adequate relief to the flood victims else it may lead to clashes among the villagers.
The administration has also not yet supplied baby food to the affected areas. In Badabalikani panchayat under Kujang block, where several villages were submerged after a 50 feet breach on the embankment of Paika river, floodwater has not yet receded. Badabalikani sarpanch Gyanranjan Chaudhry said 200 children have been enrolled in the anganwadi centres of the panchayat and they are yet to get relief. He said the panchayat also had 15 infants and pregnant women, who are yet to get food.
BJP leader Sampad Swain, who visited the flood-affected villages of Kujang and Tirtol blocks, expressed serious concern about the health and hygiene, safety, and security of children and pregnant women. In a memorandum submitted to BDO of Kujang, he sought an adequate supply of baby food to the affected areas.
District social welfare officer Swarna Manjari Nayak said since there is no provision to supply baby food to infants, the district administration has advised women to breast feed them. She said adequate nutritious food have been supplied to 110 children and 24 pregnant women in the affected blocks of the district.