Reported by Ranjan Rath
Rayagada, Oct 14:

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik today asked the concerned department officials to provide basic minimum necessities to the affected people in the cyclone-hit districts of south Odisha.

PHOTO-OF-CM-VISIT-2Reviewing the extent of damage caused by cyclonic storm Hudhud in Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Gajapati and Rayagada districts in two separate meetings at Koraput district headquarters and JK Pur at Rayagada this afternoon in the presence of the district collectors, SPs and heads of all line departments, Patnaik asked the concerned department officials to give priority on supply of drinking water, repair and renovation of damaged roads and restoration of power in these districts.

Gajapati collector Manasi Nimbal said the cyclonic storm had damaged about 20,000 houses and swept away roads at several places due to heavy rains. She also informed that power supply in remote areas of the district was yet to be restored.

Talking to the newsmen after the meeting, Rayagada collector Sashibhusan Padhi said the district administration, in its last 24-hour report, has already informed the state government that the cyclone had caused damage to the tune of Rs 912 crore in the district.

“The chief minister has directed us to give top priority on restoration of power in all the villages, immediate repair and renovation of damaged roads and supply of drinking water. We have already restored power and water supply at the block level. We are now trying our best to restore road connectivity and repair the defunct tube wells in the rural areas at the earliest possible,” Padhi added.