Orissa flood damage large scale: Central team

Bhubaneswar, Sep 30: Terming damages caused due to floods in Orissa as "huge" and "large-scale", the Inter Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) today (Sept 30) said the state government was likely to get higher amount of assistance this time in comparison to those following previous calamities.

IMCT leader O P Mahey, also joint secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, said this after meeting Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here following completion of the four-day visit to the state''s flood affected districts.

"The state government's request for the central assistance may be more. But, our norms are conservative. Hopefully, the state will get higher amount this year," Mahey said on the state government's demand of Rs 3265.38 crore for two spells of flood in Mahanadi system and Brahmani, Baitarani, Subarnarekha and Budhabalang rivers.

A large number of houses were washed away, roads and embankments damaged in the current floods, said Sudhir Saxena, senior consultant, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, adding the floods had also severely hit the agriculture sector.

The IMCT, however, expressed satisfaction over the relief and rescue operation being carried out by the state administration. "We have not got a single complaint on relief operation," Saxena said.

Stating that the government had been taking all steps to provide relief to the people, Patnaik said he was hopeful about central assistance to the tune of Rs 3265.38 crore.

The state could expect the assessment would be proper as the IMCT visited the affected areas when the flood water was still there and not three to four months after a calamity, which was normal, special relief commissioner P K Mohapatra said.

PTI