Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik is slated to visit cyclone and flood-hit Ganjam district, including his assembly constituency Hinjili, on Saturday.
The former chief minister is scheduled to visit Hinjili, Sheragada, Asika and Sorada blocks in the district, the BJD said in a post on X.
These areas were severely affected by Cyclone Arnab and the subsequent floods, causing extensive damage and affecting a large number of people.
Naveen’s absence from his home district during the natural calamity has been questioned by the ruling BJP, and some people in Hinjili also launched a ‘missing person’ poster campaign. The poster said that the people of Hinjili want to see their MLA during the difficult time when they faced the cyclone and floods and lost their homes and livelihoods.
During the one-day visit, the BJD chief is expected to interact with affected residents, assess the extent of damage to homes, crops, and infrastructure, and review ongoing relief and restoration efforts.
Naveen, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly, has already expressed deep concern over the hardships faced by people in Ganjam. He had earlier spoken to the district collector and deputed a BJD team to assess the ground situation.
However, his personal visit aims to focus on standing with the people of the district during this difficult time.
Life was thrown out of gear due to the devastating flood in Ganjam which disrupted road connectivity, damaged houses and affected livelihoods. Relief camps have been set up, essentials distributed and restoration work undertaken, with the situation gradually improving in many areas.
It may be noted that an eight-member central team visited the cyclone and flood-hit areas, and the state government has submitted a memorandum seeking Rs 2,526 crore assistance for the relief and restoration work in Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts based on preliminary assessment.
