Bhubaneswar: In the wake of devastating landslides triggered by Cyclone Arnab, the Odisha government has announced plans to permanently relocate high-risk villages situated on hilltops and foothills to safer locations in the plains.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari stated that a comprehensive survey is underway to identify vulnerable settlements, primarily focusing on landslide-prone Gajapati and Kandhamal districts.
The move comes after severe cyclone-induced rainfall unleashed widespread destruction across the state. Out of six confirmed fatalities from Cyclone Arnab, five were caused by catastrophic landslides in Kandhamal and Ganjam districts, while ten individuals remain missing in Ganjam. Among the hardest-hit areas was Gidipabali, a small village of around 26 residents on the Ganjam-Kandhamal border, which was virtually wiped off the map when massive sludge and debris swept down the hills. Surviving villagers currently housed in relief camps have formally petitioned the administration for rehabilitation, prompting plans to provide them permanent shelter under the state’s Antyodaya Gruha Yojana. Meanwhile, the search operation, which was stopped for a day, will resume on Thursday with teams from NDRF, ODRAF, SOG, DAV and fire services personnel.
To strengthen its disaster mitigation response for hilly regions, an official delegation from Odisha recently visited northeastern states to study established anti-landslide measures and structural safeguards.
Minister Pujari highlighted that Gajapati district alone has nearly 150 identified landslide-vulnerable locations, underscoring the urgent need for structural intervention. Families relocated from these high-risk zones will be provided new homes on the plains through government welfare schemes designed for rural households excluded from central housing programmes. “They will be rehabilitated as per their own choice,” he said.
Meanwhile, ground reports indicate that the landslip threat remains active across southern Odisha.
On Wednesday, a fresh landslide struck Puriguda hill in Mathili block of Malkangiri district following three consecutive days of incessant rainfall. Large boulders and mud collapsed onto a local road just meters from Puriguda village, marking the 11th recorded landslide since Cyclone Arnab made landfall in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on October 28. While no casualties were reported in Mathili, panicked residents temporarily evacuated their homes as local administration officials inspected the site and advised public caution.
(With inputs from PTI)