Central assistance for Orissa flood inadequate: Advani

Bhubaneswar, Sep 24 (UNI) Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha L K Advani today dubbed the preliminary assistance of Rs 500 crore by the Centre for Orissa flood relief as 'totally inadequate' considering the magnitude of damages caused by the unprecedented calamity.

Mr Advani, who made an aerial survey of the flood- hit areas of coastal Orissa along with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, told newsmen here that the Centre must respond to the situation as this year, flood was unprecedented and never after 1982 has there been a flood of this magnitude.

The BJP leader said the state has to be assisted by the Centre to tackle the magnitude of such a natural disaster and urged the UPA government not to discriminate against Orissa for political consideration.

''It was totally irrelevant as who is running the government when the state was witnessing a big calamity and the extensive of nature of the floods was truly a cause for concern,'' Mr Advani said.

The veteran leader said it was obvious that the state government would require a considerable assistance from the Centre to carry out relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction work, adding that the Centre should send a team to make an assessment of the damages.

The Centre, he said, in cooperation with the state government, must focus on the long term flood control measures in Orissa, Bihar and Assam, which have witnessed a flood of different type to which the people were not used to.

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