Impact of drought felt in parts of Orissa: central team

PTI, Jan 7, 2010
Bhubaneswar, Jan 7 (PTI) Terming the impact of recent drought in parts of Orissa as significant, the visiting central team today said it would soon submit a report to the Centre.


"One can feel impact of drought in parts of Orissa", which is significant, team leader and Joint Secretary in the Agriculture Ministry Atanu Purkayasth told reporters here.

Divided into three groups, the team members "visited Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Nuapada and Angul districts," Purkayasth said, adding the team would soon submit its report to the Centre.

The 12-member team met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here after winding up its field visits.

To a question on the amount of drought assistance to the state, Purukayasth said, "it could be more or little less than the demand made by the state government.

Central team visits drought-hit areas

The Statesman, Jan 8, 2010

BHUBANESWAR/BHAWANIPATNA, 7 JAN: The Central team, which has been to the state to take stock of drought situation, called on chief minister Mr Naveen Patnaik and senior bureaucrats before winding up their visit here today.

The team leader Mr Atanu Purkayastha, joint secretary, agriculture ministry said that the impact of drought in the state is significant. "The drought situation is still there," he said adding that they would submit their report to the Union government shortly.

He exhorted the state officials to take up NREGS and irrigation projects in the affected areas.

Chief minister Mr Naveen Patnaik said that the state has already submitted a memorandum seeking Central assistance of Rs 2,257 crore, and hoped that the amount may be released after submission of the team’s report.

While talking to reporters, special relief commissioner Mr Nikunja Sundaray claimed that the Central team was satisfied with the presentation of the state government.

Orissa has already got Rs 49 crore and Rs 127 crore in the first two phases from CRF, he informed hoping that the Central team’s report will help it get further assistance.

Meanwhile, BJP castigated the team’s visit and described it as a “farce”.

Had the Centre and state taken some proper steps in time, which could have saved the farmers’ life who committed suicide under distress, the party rued while expressing pessimism over the outcome of the team’s delayed visit.

Sources from Bhawanipatna said a four-member team of the Central delegation visited Kalahandi district and conducted field surveys in Bhatipada, Kodobhata, Kuliapali, Mahaling, Makraguda and Bordi villages under Kuhura and Mahaling gram panchayats of Golamunda block.

In Bhatipada, the villagers narrated their plight due to heavy crop loss and reported that under the prevailing situation; more than 70 per cent of the population has already migrated. In Kodobhata and Kodobhata villages, the team visited the damaged paddy fields and interacted with farmers.