After Fani, Odisha finds feet again, PM visits today

Bhubaneswar: New Delhi: Telecom and water services were partially restored in Bhubaneswar and Puri on Sunday after the “extremely severe” Cyclone Fani caused extensive damage in Odisha, while work on a war footing is on to get back power connections as soon as possible, official sources said.

The official death toll rose to 29 on Sunday, but unofficial sources put the figure at 40. The highest number of 21 casualties was reported from Puri while eight deaths were reported from Khurda, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts, state chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi said.

State government sources said the death toll could go up significantly after information from the interior pockets became available.

Major parts of Puri district, where Fani made its landfall on Friday, still remained inaccessible on Sunday. Similar reports were also coming from Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Kendrapara and Bhadrak.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the worst-affected areas in Puri on Monday morning to review the restoration work. The Centre has so far announced special assistance of Rs 1,000 crores and another Rs 340 crores from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) to the State Disaster Relief Fund.

The NDRF, the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force and fire services personnel were working day and night to clear roads by cutting uprooted trees. Reports from Jajpur, Bhadrak, Dhenkanal districts said power supply was partially reported.

Odisha’s capital Bhubaneswar and Puri continued to battle water scarcity and essential items. Official sources said power supply to Bhubaneswar and Puri will be restored in the next couple of days. Mobile services have been restored partially in Bhubaneswar and Puri.

The National Crisis Management Committee, headed by Cabinet Secretary P.K. Sinha, reviewed the relief measures in the affected areas of Odisha, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh in New Delhi on Sunday, two days after the extremely severe cyclonic storm hit the eastern coast.

The Indian Railways has reintroduced 85 of the 138 cancelled trains and the main line to Bhubaneswar has begun operations while Puri will start operations in about four to five days, according to an official statement.

Flight operations to Bhubaneswar resumed with 41 flights operating on Saturday, though the airport had suffered extensive damage.

On Sunday morning, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik reviewed the progress of restoration work, and announced afterwards that in all the affected districts one month’s additional pension and house buildingassistance of Rs 95,100 would be provided to the affected families. “Besides, Rs 5,200 shall be provided for partially damaged structures and Rs 3,200 will be provided for houses with minor damage. The houses that were completely damaged will be reconstructed under housing schemesexpeditiously,” Mr Patnaik said.

The loss of agricultural and horticultural crops animal resources and fisheries will be assessed and compensated accordingly, the CM said, and also announced 50 kg of rice and Rs 2,000 as immediate relief for the affected people.