Bhubaneswar: Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari conducted a comprehensive aerial survey of the flood-affected and waterlogged areas of Jajpur, Bhadrak, Baleshwar & Kendujhar districts to assess the prevailing situation.
The Minister was accompanied by Additional Chief Secretary Arabinda Kumar Padhee and Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, who also participated in the field assessment of the flood-affected regions.
The objective of the survey was to assess the extent of damage and review the ongoing rescue and relief operations, officials said.
Prior to the aerial survey, the Minister chaired a review meeting at Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar with the Collectors of all districts and the senior officers assigned to monitor the prevailing rainfall and flood situation. The meeting focused on preparedness, response measures & the evolving flood scenario across the state.
The state government has directed collectors of flood-affected districts to submit detailed damage assessment reports within three days to facilitate compensation for affected families.
The assessment reports should include details of crop losses, damaged houses and other losses caused by the floods. Compensation will be released after the government verifies the assessment reports submitted by district administrations.
Latest official status report stated that floods have affected five districts—Baleshwar, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj and Kendujhar.
The floods have impacted 50 blocks, 356 gram panchayats, 1,084 villages, 11 urban local bodies (ULBs) and 169 wards, affecting 5,87,822 people. As many as 1,76,073 people have been evacuated to safer places, while 21 villages remain marooned, including 17 in Baleshwar and four in Kendujhar.