By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR:Recently, due to the impact of the devastating cyclone “Arnav”, some districts of southern and southwestern Odisha have suffered extensive damage. Especially in the districts of Gajapati, Ganjam and Kandhamal, due to the cyclone and heavy rains, a large number of livelihoods, households, power outages and agricultural fields have been affected. The BJP government has taken this natural disaster seriously. The Honorable Chief Minister and the Revenue Minister have been monitoring the situation 24 hours a day from the control room.
The Deputy Chief Ministers of the state, along with many senior ministers, have visited 8 districts where the cyclone is likely to occur and have tried their best to deal with the cyclone situation. Similarly, State President Shri Manmohan Samal, State in-charge Smt. D. Purandeswari and top party leaders have visited Ganjam district to review the situation and interact with the affected people. State General Secretary Shri Biranchi Narayan Tripathi said at a press conference held at the state office that he has called upon the people to face the situation with patience and courage.
Shri Tripathi said that the cyclone has caused special damage in Gajapati, Ganjam and Kandhamal districts. This is mainly due to the maximum rainfall during the cyclone. Since the cyclone of 1990, the great cyclone of 1999, and the Titili cyclone that came in 2018, there has been an all-time record amount of rainfall during the Arnab season. Due to which such floods have occurred. No irrigation project or large dam was made in the 24-year government of the then Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik to control floods in Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts. All the dams in Rusikulya, Bahuda, Bansadhara and Nagarul and Yari basins are medium and small dams. Except for Bhanjanagar, most of the reservoirs are intended for drinking water and irrigation. These are gateless reservoirs and do not have any facility to control flood water.
Therefore, the record rainfall and water flow failed to be prevented. In the 24 years of Naveen’s government, not a single dam or reservoir has been constructed. It is regrettable that the then Chief Minister himself was in charge of the irrigation department for most of the time, but no steps were taken in this regard. Therefore, Naveen Babu’s incompetence and indecision are responsible for this flood disaster.
Although the proposed Pipalpanka Dam on the Rusikulya River and the mouth of the Odengi River was designed in 1996, Naveen Babu has failed to implement it in 24 years. It would not be an exaggeration to call this a joke for the people of Ganjam. If a dam had been built at Pipalpanka, then the floods could have been controlled to a large extent, especially in areas like Sorda, Sheragada etc. Moreover, Naveen Babu has failed to maintain and protect the old dams and embankments for many years.
But during the two years of BJP government’s rule, the work of constructing self-operated gates in Dhani reservoir is going on. Similarly, the maintenance work of other embankments and dams has been taken up. The opposition is spreading various false information that the government has not reduced the water level for flood control. But they should know that before October 28, there was 67.95 percent water in the Gowthahad dam, which was reduced to 62.57 percent. In Harbhangi, it was 79.09 percent, which was reduced to 72.81 percent. In Sora, there was 92.11 percent water, which was reduced to 86.34 percent. Similarly, the water level in Bahuda, Baghalti, Daha, Dhani and Ghatakeshwar was also reduced before the cyclone. So the government had made complete preparations.
But the amount of rainfall has broken all records. Normally, the average rainfall in October is around 190 mm, while in October 2026 it was more than 2 times more than 400 mm. From October 28 to 30, a record number of rainfall exceeding 500 mm occurred in Ganjam district. Such rainfall did not occur in KBB Ganjam within 7 to 8 hours. As soon as the cyclone Arnab was reported on October 23, the government made adequate preventive preparations and coordinated with various departments like SRC, IMD, CWC and district administration. The amount of rainfall, river flow, and the condition of water reservoirs were reviewed every hour.
The BJP government took prompt steps during the cyclone. In all the areas where the roads were damaged due to floods and storms, roads were constructed within just 24 hours and communication system was restored. Helicopters have been arranged for rescue and relief work, and employees of SDRF, NDRF and all departments of the state government have cooperated in the relief work. 11 BJP MLAs (out of which 2 are ministers) and 3 MPs elected from that area are continuously monitoring the relief work. The Honorable Chief Minister, Revenue Minister, State BJP President Shri Manmohan Samal and State In-charge Smt. D. Purandeswari have visited the affected areas and assessed the situation. Everyone is involved in the plight of the people and is working continuously day and night. A Congress MLA from this district has appreciated this work of the state government. But Shri Tripathi questioned where Naveen Babu, the only BJD MLA elected from Ganjam district, has gone.
Following this natural disaster, the state government, after consultation with the Union Home Minister, has set up an inter-ministerial committee to visit Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts to assess the damage. While the assessment work is underway, the BJP’s Mohan Majhi government has announced a huge amount of assistance. This is much more than the assistance announced during all the natural disasters that have occurred in Odisha till date. Assistance of Rs 17,000 per hectare will be provided for irrigated land, Rs 8,500 for non-irrigated land, Rs 22,500 for perennial crops, and up to Rs 18,000 for removing sand/sand soil. The minimum input assistance for perennial crops will be Rs 2,500, for irrigated areas Rs 2,000 and for non-irrigated areas Rs 1,000. All affected families will be provided with 50 kg of rice and Rs 2,500. The affected farmers will be provided with 1,20,000 pulse national mini-kits, 5,000 oilseeds and 50,000 vegetable seed kits. The Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi has announced that a total of 1,75,000 special mini-kits will be provided.
In the 2,000 hectares of affected areas where sugarcane is cultivated, assistance of Rs. 27,500 per hectare will be provided for demonstration of space transplant method as per the needs of the farmers. In the houses which are completely or severely damaged, assistance of Rs. 1,20,000 for plain areas and Rs. 1,30,000 for hilly areas will be provided. It has been announced to provide Rs. 2,500 for Lugapatta and Rs. 2,500 for furniture.
Farmers who have lost their livestock will be provided with Rs 37,500 for the death of dairy cattle and buffaloes and Rs 4,000 for sheep, goats, pigs. Similarly, Rs 32,000 will be provided for draught animals like horses, oxen etc. and Rs 20,000 for small draught animals like calves, donkeys, horses, mules etc.
To support 5,000 dairy farmers in the affected areas, cow fodder will be provided at the rate of 100 kg per animal, subject to a maximum of 500 kg. Financial assistance of up to 75% will be provided to affected fish farmers at the rate of Rs 1,12,500 per hectare. Loan assistance of up to Rs 12 lakh will be provided to affected MSME traders and shopkeepers.
A 25 percent subsidy will be provided on this loan up to a maximum of Rs 3 lakh. The state government will provide this subsidy amount directly to the banks. Assistance of Rs 10,000 will be provided to street vendors, temporary stalls or kiosks and Rs 25,000 to shops and commercial establishments. All eligible women self-help groups affected by the cyclone will also be provided assistance. Weavers and artisans will be provided assistance of Rs 5,000 per person for replacement of their machinery and equipment and Rs 5,000 per artisan for damage to materials. Input assistance of Rs 6,000 per hectare will be provided to affected silk farmers and Rs 7,500 per hectare to muga farmers.
The government has also made arrangements for how this aid will reach the affected people. Senior administrative officers of Gajapati, Kandhamal and Ganjam districts have been given special responsibility to manage these works efficiently. The state government is committed to protecting the lives and property of the people. While the government is carrying out rapid relief and restoration work, continuous monitoring is being done at the party level to provide all possible assistance to the affected families, says Shri Tripathi.
State Spokesperson Mr. Dilip Malik was present at the press conference.
