Odisha asks collectors to disburse assistance to rain, flood affected people before Dusshera

Odisha’s Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari on Wednesday asked all district collectors to complete disbursement of assistance to rain and flood-affected people before the Dusshera festival.

The minister said this after holding a meeting with senior officers and collectors of seven districts – Gajapati, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Malkangiri, Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur districts – through virtual mode. He directed them to expedite the disbursement of compensation to people affected by incessant rainfall and floods.

“The calamity hit 28 of the 30 districts of the state to varying degrees, due to prolonged spells of heavy rainfall and floods during the current monsoon. As many as 12 low-pressure areas were formed in the Bay of Bengal, of which five intensified into depressions and deep depressions, causing a lot of rain and leading to floods in different rivers,” the minister said.

Pujari said while southern Odisha was also widely affected by rainfall associated with the recent deep depression, several northern districts encountered multiple rounds of floods.

“So far this year, an amount of Rs 241.37 crore has been disbursed as compensation to affected people by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department and the Special Relief Commissioner’s Office,” he said.

The minister said despite repeated spells of rainfall causing difficulties in the assessment of damage, the process of compensation disbursement has been expedited. “The disbursement of compensation in all districts will be completed in phases before the ensuing Dussehra,” he said.

Meanwhile, sources said that the water level in all the rivers is flowing below the danger level. A large number of people in Balasore, Jajpur and Bhadrak districts were still amid flood water, an official said, adding that the relief camps were continuing till people become able to return to their houses.

-PTI

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