PURI/BALASORE: As many as 2.85 lakh people residing in 380 villages spread over nine blocks of Puri district have been left devastated by the recent flood. As per the preliminary report submitted by field officers on August 30, while vast tracts of agricultural land were inundated, 280 thatched houses got damaged in the flood.
Paddy and vegetable crops on 25,117-hectare of land in Kanas, Delang, Gop, Nimapara, Satyabadi, Brahmagiri, Astaranga and Pipili blocks were destroyed. This apart, 35 villages in various blocks still remain marooned in the district.
The precise report will be prepared after floodwater recedes from the affected areas. As per norms, farmers who have sustained 33 per cent damage to crops will be extended assistance. The report further stated that 4,500 animals including sheep, goats, cattle and chickens perished in the flood.
The Works department is yet to file a road damage report. Officials of School and Mass Education and Health and Family Welfare departments were asked to file reports of damage to the buildings of school and health centres respectively at the earliest. The Industry department has not filed any report regarding damage to industrial units in the district.
The preliminary report has been sent to the SRC. In Balasore district, farmers of Basta, Baliapal, Bhograi and Jaleswar blocks were affected by floods in Subarnarekha, Jalaka and Budhabalanga rivers.
As per the preliminary report of a survey carried out by officials of the Revenue, Agriculture and Fisheries departments in the affected areas of the district, paddy and non-paddy crops over 8,070 hectares of land were damaged in the blocks. While crops on 1,504-hectare farmland were damaged in Basta, 1,415-hectare land was submerged in Jaleswar, 1,805 hectares in Baliapal and 3,345 hectares in Bhograi.
The report stated that crops on 8,068.30 hectares of land were damaged by a flood in rain-fed and 2.10 hectares in perennial areas of low-lying locations in the blocks. While farmers who have sustained 33 per cent or above damage will be given compensation of `6,800 per hectare in rain-fed areas, the assistance will be `1,800 per hectare in perennial areas.
The estimate of the Fisheries department states that `3.79 lakh will be required for repair of ponds and fish seed farms in the district. Collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde and the departments concerned have already sent the crop damage report to the government. Compensation to farmers will be given after financial assistance is sanctioned by the authorities concerned, he said.