Chief Minister Faces ire of flood victims

Bhubaneswar/Kendrapara, Sep 3 (UNI) Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today faced angry protests from the flood affected victims of Shyamsunderpur at Kendrarapa, even as Orissa government released money and materials to undertake rescue and relief operations.

Mr Patnaik today made an aerial survey of the worst hit coastal Kendrapara district and announced immediate distress mitigation measures including free kitchens, polythene and money for rebuilding of collapsed and damaged houses.

Meanwhile, a seven member federal delegation is slated to arrive tomorrow to review the extent of damage caused by the recent floods.

The state government had submitted a memorandum to the Centre demanding an interim assistance of Rs 1,131.83 crore.

The return of the rains due to a low pressure area over the Bay of Bengal off the Orissa-West Bengal coast today added to the myseries of the flood hit people.

The people were seemingly terrified as rains meant further slowing down of meager official relief and other supportive logistics.

The floods, which hit Orissa early Friday due to water released from up-stream Hirakud Dam following prolonged heavy downpour in upper and lower catchments of major Mahanadi river and its distributaries, affected over 1.5 million people and damaged close to 2.5 lakh hectares of crop area spread over 12 of the state's 30 districts, officials said.

Three people lost their lives in separate flood related incidents.

While one person died in Bolangir, two casualties were reported from Puri district, Orissa chief secretary, Subhash Pani said.

Notwithstanding the breach at Chagharia on National Highway No 5(A) close to Kendrapara town, thousands of people had shifted to the imposing highway for shelter.

UNI XC AKM/BA SB KP2254