Politicking begins over relief

BHUBANESWAR: Even as the flood situation in the State remains grim, political parties have started politicking over tand Revenue Minister Surjya Narayan Patro underscored the need forhe distribution of relief materials. While both Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik more Central assistance to deal with the situation, the Opposition political parties have started pointing accusing fingers at the ruling party over relief distribution. Stating that there has been large-scale damage in the State because of the flood, the Revenue Minister said a memorandum would be submitted to the Centre seeking financial assistance to deal with the post- flood situation. Sources said while the State Government had submitted a joint memorandum seeking ` 2,700 crore from the Centre for 2006 and 2008 floods, only ` 98 crore was released. But the Centre wanted back ` 80 crore from this fund. The State Government took strong exception to the reluctance of the Centre to declare 2008 flood as a national calamity. The then Union Home minister Shivraj Patil had visited the flood-affected areas and announced an assistance of ` 500 crore. But the announced fund was never released. Meanwhile, a team from the OPCC, led by its president Niranjan Patnaik, visited different flood-affected areas of the State. The Congress has also constituted teams at the district-level for taking up relief measures. Senior Congress leader Narasingh Mishra alleged that in many places in Birmaharajpur area Congress supporters were assaulted and not given relief. There is no one to listen to these horrible happenings, he said and added in Binka area, the tahasildar and BDOs were nowhere to be seen. Whatever relief material has been provided by the administration is not fit for human consumption, Mishra said. The flattened rice and jaggery will spread disease, he added. Mishra said he had visited several affected villages in Binka area but nowhere relief has reached. People are without food for several days, he said and added the administration had virtually become non-existent.