Bhubaneswar: As Odisha politics heats up over the flood havoc in Ganjam, Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari has come out in defence of the state government.
The Minister said the amount of rainfall recorded in Ganjam district this time is unprecedented in the history of the district.
According to the Minister, while Ganjam recorded 337.6 mm of rainfall, Patrapur recorded a record 808.4 mm. The extremely heavy rainfall led to flood and landslide-like situations in various parts of the district.
Questioning the disaster management of the previous government, Pujari placed data from past cyclones. He said during Cyclone Phailin in 2013, 22 people died due to floods and 23 due to the cyclone itself — a total of 45 lives lost. Similarly, 72 people lost their lives during Cyclone Titli in 2018, the Minister said.
He alleged that during its 24 years in power, the previous government failed to pay required attention to long-term solutions for flood and disaster management.
The present government, he said, is not limited to immediate relief work but is working in a planned manner to deal with such disasters in the future. To make flood management more scientific and sustainable, the government is working with various IITs. Expert assistance is being taken to study the real causes of floods, drainage systems, management of rivers and waterways, and how to reduce future risks, he said.
On the other hand, the Minister said the government has sent ministers and IAS officers to assess the situation in the rain and flood-affected areas. Administrative monitoring and relief work were given priority in the affected areas.
Special studies will also be conducted regarding the threat of landslides in hilly areas like Gajapati and Kandhamal. Advance measures will be taken to prevent loss of life in such incidents in the future, he said.
He also challenged the opposition ahead of the upcoming Assembly session. If the opposition raises questions about flood management and death toll, they should come with facts, he said. The government is also fully prepared to reply in the Assembly with all facts and documents. In a democracy, the opposition has the right to make allegations and the government has no objection to it, but allegations should be backed by facts, he clarified.
The Minister further said he could have presented his side through a video message, but he chose to come before the media and place facts directly. It sends a message that the government is not only clarifying its stand but is also ready to face questions from the opposition.
