CM visits worst-hit areas, assures quick relief

BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday visited the worst flood-affected areas in Puri and Kendrapara districts where close to 200 villages still remained marooned even as water has receded in other areas. The Chief Minister assured the flood-affected that compensation will be given immediately after enumeration of damage by September 25. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Surya Narayan Patro, who accompanied Naveen, said the Chief Minister visited the relief camps, treatment centres and many houses and roads damaged due to the flood. Meanwhile, collectors of seven flood-affected districts have submitted their damage assessment reports to the State Government as directed by Chief Secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik.  Sources said reports of all the affected districts will be submitted by tonight. Basing on damage assessment reports, the State Government will prepare a preliminary memorandum to be submitted to the inter-ministerial team, which will visit the flood-hit areas. The Revenue Minister said the ministerial team will visit the areas within the next three days. A team from the Agriculture Ministry will also visit the affected areas to assess crop damage. According to official sources, the death toll in the flood has increased to 39 while nine people still remained missing.  The highest number of 13 casualties were reported from Jajpur district, followed by 12 from Kendrapara district.  More than 31 lakh people were affected in the flood, which damaged crop in 2,90,220 hectares.  Sources said the number of affected people would have been more had the administration failed to evacuate people from the affected areas in time. About 2.8 lakh people were evacuated to safer places.  According to estimates, 1,18,429 houses were damaged in the flood, the highest 37,435 in Puri. Even as the Congress and the BJP alleged that the State Government failed to come to the rescue of the affected people in time, the State Government claimed that 2,55,302 polythene sheets were available for those whose houses were damaged.