Bhubaneswar: The flood situation in Odisha showed signs of improvement on Friday with water levels receding in several rivers, even as the state government continued to maintain a high alert and kept a close watch on the Mahanadi river amid the discharge of water from the Hirakud reservoir.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari reviewed the flood situation with senior officials of various departments and District Collectors at Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar and directed the administration to ensure the safety of people through coordinated relief, rescue and rehabilitation measures.
The Minister said the flood situation was gradually improving in several districts due to reduced rainfall and dry weather conditions. However, he directed officials in the Mahanadi catchment areas and coastal districts to remain fully alert and monitor the river’s water level closely.
“Ensuring the safety of people remains the top priority. All departments, rescue agencies and district administrations must work in close coordination until the situation returns to normal,” Pujari told officials during the review meeting.
According to official data, 15 out of the 30 districts in Odisha are currently free from flood impact, while the remaining 15 districts have been affected to varying degrees. A total of 1,362 villages under 446 Gram Panchayats in 57 blocks and 174 wards of 11 urban local bodies have been affected by the floods.
Around 7.91 lakh people have been impacted by the flood situation, while 2.68 lakh people have been affected due to waterlogging. Nearly 21,380 hectares of agricultural land have also suffered damage due to floodwaters.
The Minister said district administrations, in coordination with the Revenue and Disaster Management Department and the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC), are working round the clock to provide assistance to affected people.
Around 647 relief centres are currently providing cooked food and dry rations to displaced families. Special arrangements have been made for children, women and elderly persons, including the supply of baby food and essential items. Medical teams are regularly visiting the relief centres to provide healthcare services.
The administration has also been instructed to convince people living in vulnerable areas to move to safer locations and shift them to relief centres. Dry food and essential supplies are being delivered to families stranded in waterlogged areas.
The Minister informed that water levels in several rivers, including Devi, Kushabhadra, Ib, Brahmani, Baitarani, Budhabalanga, Subarnarekha, Vansadhara, Rushikulya and Jalaka, have gradually declined. However, the Mahanadi continues to remain a major focus as its water level is slightly above the danger mark.
At 9 am on Friday, two gates of the Hirakud reservoir were open, with around 8.65 lakh cusecs of water being discharged at Mundali. Later, 10 more gates were opened, taking the total number of open gates to 12.
Officials said the released water from Hirakud would take around 40 hours to reach Mundali. However, as the water level of the Mahanadi at Mundali is expected to decrease significantly during this period, authorities do not anticipate any major threat from the additional flow.
The Water Resources Department is maintaining continuous monitoring of the Mahanadi’s water level. Districts such as Cuttack, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Khordha and Puri have been kept on high alert due to their vulnerability to Mahanadi-related flooding.
Rescue and relief teams from ODRAF, NDRF and the Fire Services have been deployed across affected areas. The state has deployed 17 ODRAF teams, six NDRF teams and 112 fire and emergency rescue teams to undertake evacuation, rescue and relief distribution operations.
The Minister directed officials to continue providing essential services at relief centres until floodwaters completely recede and the affected areas become safe for return.
With the possibility of post-flood health concerns, the Health Department has been placed on alert. Primary Health Centres have been stocked with medicines, anti-venom injections and other essential supplies. Adequate quantities of bleaching powder and chlorine tablets have also been kept ready.
The Minister appealed to people to drink boiled water, avoid consuming contaminated water and follow health precautions to prevent the outbreak of waterborne diseases after the floods.
The Drinking Water Department has been directed to immediately disinfect and repair tube wells and other drinking water sources once floodwaters recede. Steps have also been taken to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply to people living in affected areas.
Meanwhile, District Collectors have been asked to assess damage to agricultural land and submit reports within 72 hours of floodwaters receding. The Agriculture Department and Revenue and Disaster Management Department will jointly conduct surveys to determine the extent of crop damage and provide assistance to affected farmers.
Assuring support to farmers, Pujari said the state government would provide compensation for damage to paddy, grain crops, vegetables and other agricultural activities. Short-duration seeds would also be supplied to farmers wherever required.
The government will also provide assistance for repairing damaged government infrastructure, including offices, schools, Anganwadi centres, health centres, roads and bridges affected by floodwaters.
Discussions were held with the Works Department regarding restoration of damaged roads and bridges. The government has also planned measures to raise road heights in vulnerable areas to minimise flood risks in the future.
The review meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Fire Services DG Sudhanshu Sarangi, Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, Health Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Aswathy S., Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Prem Chandra Chaudhary and senior officials of various departments.
District Collectors and senior officials from affected districts joined the meeting virtually.
