Relief work for cyclone victims sluggish

By Prafulla Das

ERSAMA (Orissa), OCT. 28. Life continues to be tough for the survivors of the super-cyclone that struck coastal Orissa on October 29, 1999 destroying houses and claiming over 9,000 lives. The State Government's claim that ``many things'' have been done to provide succour to the affected people carries little meaning when one surveys the realities on the ground.

A journey through the cyclone-hit areas makes it clear that a wide gap exists between the promises made and the work done. A large number of survivors are still living in thatched huts and struggling without proper houses, roads, electricity and medical facility.

The X-ray machine at the Ersama Public Health Centre is lying defunct since a long time and the hospital has turned into a garbage yard.

Only a few families in the villages of Ersama block of Jagatsinghpur district have been provided with `pucca' houses. A majority of the dwelling units in which some families have started living have been constructed by the voluntary sector. Ersama was the worst-hit with about 8,000 deaths reported from here alone.

The construction of houses under the Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) and other Government schemes has been sluggish.

As against the damage of over 25,000 houses in Ersama block, only 6,000 families have been assured financial help under the IAY. However, construction of only 2,000 houses have been completed.

The condition of roads in the entire block has worsened since the cyclone making it difficult for the people to carry construction materials and other things. The condition of the roads has deteriorated so much that except for a tractor, no other vehicle can ply.

One is not able to carry construction material or food material for the fair price shops in distant hamlets. Carrying a patient to the public health centre or hospitals in far off places is a stupendous task.

The authorities, however, say that reconstruction work had been affected due to a prolonged monsoon this year. Heavy rain had certainly posed problems for a few months, but delay in arranging funds and poor coordination between Government departments is said to be the main factor responsible for the delay.

Ambiki, a village situated at a distance of two-and-half km from the coast, had a `pucca' school building surrounded by an earthen embankment. Villagers who had survived the cyclone had taken shelter in it. But till date, not a single shelter has been constructed near its vicinity.

The Government claims that so far a total of 1,35,000 IAY houses have been completed in the 14 districts that were hit by the cyclone and another 76,000 houses are under construction. This against the 7.5 lakh houses that were destroyed or washed away in the cyclone.

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Section  : Other States
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