JAGATSINGHPUR: Residents of flood-prone areas of Jagatsinghpur district are a disgruntled lot as they allege that the district administration has not taken precautionary measures to deal with emergency situations.
Sources said four panchayats - Hansura, Badabalikani, Kathkota and Zillanasi - have a population of around 24,000 and are surrounded by the Mahanadi and Paika rivers. So after the release of flood water from Hirakud dam, the villages under these panchayats get marooned due to the entry of flood water every year.
Locals complained that though the district administration claims of taking precautionary measures, nothing is done at the ground level because of which their villages get inundated.
Residents of Hansura panchayat under Kujang block alleged that around 4,000 people reside in the area but they do not have a cyclone shelter. Hansura sarpanch Rabi Narayan Das said the administration had directed to make schools into flood shelters but no official visited the area to take steps in this regard. “We also have no stock of rice, polythene and other essentials,” he added.
Similarly, villagers of Badabalikani panchayat said they have only one cyclone shelter which accommodates only 100 to 200 people. Meanwhile, generators and cutting machines and inflatable tower lights meant to be used for disaster management are lying defunct, they rued.
Badabalikani sarpanch Sujyotsna Swain informed during the last flood, out of Rs 12 lakh, only Rs 5.75 lakh was sanctioned towards free kitchen. Out of 13 wards, polythene had been provided only to ten wards. Meanwhile, collector Parul Patwari in a video message informed that people of Kujang, Tirtol, Raghunathpur and Biridi will be most affected after release of flood water through Mahanadi. “So people living in low-lying areas are advised to shift to safer locations for their safety,” she announced.
Patwari advised block and panchayat officials to make cyclone shelters ready with facilities like drinking water, toilet, generators and lights. “ODRAF and NDRAF teams have also been deployed to meet with any eventuality,” she added.