Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Tuesday reviewed the restoration measures being undertaken in presence of Chief Secretary and Special Relief Commissioner as well as other departmental Secretaries after the cyclonic storm Titli wrecked havoc.
Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi had toured Gajapati district Monday and apprised the Chief Minister about the situation there after returning to State Secretariat late afternoon Monday.
The high level review meeting revealed that 57 lakh people of 114 blocks in 16 districts have been affected. The officials confirmed that the death toll was 26 with 18 deaths in Gajapati, 3 in Ganjam, 1 in Angul, 1 in Cuttack, 1 in Keonjhar, 1 in Nayagarh and 1 in Kandhamal.
While 1,48,000 hectares of paddy crop has been damaged, another 65,000 hectares of non-paddy crops were damaged. Similarly, 7402 houses were damaged while around 300 fish ponds were left devastated.
Crop insurance compensation to the farmers of Ganjam district has started, the review meeting further revealed.
Soon after the significant meeting, the Chief Minister directed to provide Rs 1000 cash, 50 kg of rice and 2.5 litres kerosene to each affected family.
As the Chief Minister has announced earlier, Rs 2000 more assistance will be remitted to the bank account of each affected.
The review meeting also revealed that the situation of the affected areas was normalizing fast. Around 26 ODRAF team and 14 NDRF team were still deployed in the rescue operations.
All are being provided with polythene. Total amount of polythene will be distributed by tomorrow. Electricity supply will be restored in Paralakhemundi and Kashinagar by today evening. Orders have been issued to restore power supply at other block headquarters levels by tomorrow while some other places being adversely affected will take two-three days more for resumption of power supply.
The review meeting too revealed that paddy and other crops as well as road communication have suffered extensive damage. The roads under the PWD have been restored. Healthcare facility is being provided in the affected areas. Free medicine is being distributed by the hospitals and mobile health unit. The doctors are looking after the precautionary measures to check epidemics.
PNN