Paralakhemundi: The Gajapati district administration has adopted three brothers who lost their parents in the landslide in Baraghara village under Rayagada block October 11.
Simanchal Bhuiyan (9), Ram Bhuiyan (7) and Kartik Bhuiyan (5) were handed over to Navajivan Child Care Institute in Ward-15 of Paralakhemundi Municipality. Completing all formalities, Collector Anupam Shah produced them before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).
The three brothers were orphaned after their parents, Dandapani Bhuiyan and Sumitra along with their sister Pramita, died in the landslide triggered by cyclonic storm Titli. Their bodies were recovered four days after their death when police reached the spot and cleared the roads.
The three brothers escaped the nature’s fury as Simanchal and Rama were in a hospital while Karthik was at their relative’s house.
After they were produced before the CWC, the three were rehabilitated at the children’s home following the direction of the CWC, said District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) Arun Kumar Tripathy.
“The government would bear all their expenses and enrol them in a school. They will be looked after until they become self-reliant,” said the Collector.
Earlier, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik during his visit to the affected area had assured that the government would take care of the children who have become orphans in the cyclonic storm.
“If more children are found to be orphaned due to the natural disaster, they also will be rehabilitated and provided with proper care,” the Collector added.
Meanwhile, the administration has been doing everything possible to bring back normalcy in the district that was the most affected by the natural disaster. Electricity has been restored in 88 panchayats while polythene sheets have been provided to 67,295 families and 50 kg of rice each has been distributed to 52,596 households.
A total of 236 roads have been repaired out of the 247 damaged roads under rural development department. Water supply is also restored in all block headquarters and 27 mobile generator sets have been pressed into service for restoring piped water supply.