JAGATSINGHPUR: Flood-hit people in Tirtol Assembly constituency have accused the ruling party leaders of the district of overlooking their plight after the death of local MLA Bishnu Das in July this year.
No BJD leaders including MLAs and MP of Jagatsinghpur have visited flood-affected villages in Kujang and Tirtol block. Though hundreds of poor families across 25 villages are living in abject misery after losing their houses, crops and other household items in the floods, the elected representatives are not paying any heed to their agony.
Local Congress leader Debendra Mallick alleged that a large number of farmers affected by the recent floods are yet to get assistance or compensation for the damage. After the death of local MLA, many flood affected villages of Tirtol have been ignored by the Government. The administration is yet to conduct survey for damage assessment. Besides, hundreds of homeless families are still staying in relief camps and river embankments without any help from the administration, he claimed.
Sources said nearly 200 families of Bhandua village in Kujang, who lost their houses in the floods, have taken shelter on building rooftops and river embankments and are waiting for relief and rehabilitation from the Government. With the administration failing to provide any assistance to the flood victims, a doctor of Kujang community health centre on Friday donated his one month salary towards distribution of relief materials to the affected people of Bhandua.
The young doctor, Siba Prasad Sethy, donated `71,000 which will be used for distribution of flattened rice, biscuits, sugar, molasses, bread, banana and other dry food to flood victims. Sethy also distributed masks, soaps and sanitisers among the affected villagers.
Sources said 10 BJD leaders including husband of local MP Rajshree Mallick, chairperson of State Commission for Women Minati Behera and late MLA Das’ son Bijaya Sankar are eyeing to get the party ticket for the upcoming Tirtol by-election. Though these leaders have started hectic lobbying for the ruling party ticket, they are yet to lend a helping hand to flood-affected people of Tirtol and Kujang blocks.