Puri: Many residents of Puri district, whose houses were damaged by cyclone Fani in May last year, are still awaiting the government assistance even though the state has witnessed another cyclonic storm, Amphan, very recently.
These poor people are still residing under tarpaulin-roofed huts while waiting for the house damage assistance from the state government, sources said.
Cyclonic storm Fani that made a landfall on Odisha coast May 3 last year had damaged thousands of houses in Puri district. As per the official data, a total of 2,78, 762 houses were partially or fully damaged by the summer storm.
Altogether 74 pucca and 8,985 kutcha houses were completely damaged by cyclone Fani while a total of 6,127 pucca houses and 98,588 kutcha houses sustained severe damages.
Besides, altogether 1,13, 281 pucca houses and 49,529 kutcha houses sustained partial damage due to the storm. In addition to that, the cyclonic storm had damaged 2,178 huts and 44,378 cowsheds in Puri district.
Soon after the cyclone, the state government had announced to provide house damage assistance to the victims. As per the decision, the state government would provide an assistance of Rs 95,100 for each fully damaged pucca or kutcha houses while it was supposed to provide an aid of Rs 5,200 for each partially damaged pucca houses and Rs 3,200 for each partially damaged kutcha houses.
In accordance with the government decision, officials of the district administration had conducted extensive survey to identify the cyclone victims. The officials later prepared detailed lists of cyclone victims who would avail the government aid.
“My house was completely damaged by cyclone Fani. The officials inspected my damaged house and assured me that I would get the government assistance. But, I am yet to receive the house damage assistance even though a year has elapsed since then. Now, the state has witnessed another cyclone in the form of Amphan. I do not know when I will get the government aid,” rued Prafulla Bisoyi of Kumbharpara Jenapur here.
Not only Prafulla, but also many other residents of Kumbharpara Jenapur including Basanti Das, Bishwanath Bisoyi, Nandakishore Bisoyi, Nityanand Dash and Banalata Das are still waiting for the house damage assistance.
“Many influential people in cahoots with some unscrupulous government officials have pocketed the house damage assistance. But, many poor people have been denied the assistance. The district administration should look into the issue at the earliest and provide them the aid,” said Saroj Behera, a local.