Bhubaneswar, Aug 2 (IANS) The Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Sunday alleged that the Odisha government responded belatedly to the recent flood situation, claiming that the administration realised the gravity of the crisis only after Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi returned from New Delhi.
The regional party claimed that at a time when the flood situation had turned critical, the Chief Minister, along with senior BJP leaders, was in Delhi. As a result, the necessary administrative promptness required to assist the flood-affected people was not visible.
In a press statement, BJD spokesperson and Media Coordinator Dr Lenin Mohanty said the state government failed to display the urgency required despite repeated warnings from the opposition party that incessant rainfall had pushed the flood situation to a critical stage.
According to the senior BJD leader, seven people lost their lives in the floods, 1,380 domestic animals perished, and thousands of acres of agricultural land were submerged. The party alleged that residents of the flood-hit areas faced immense hardship due to the government’s delayed response.
“Although the BJD and other Opposition parties repeatedly pointed out that the flood situation had become grave, the State Government did not wake up to the reality. It was only after the Chief Minister returned from Delhi and realised the seriousness of the flood situation that he assigned some Ministers to supervise the flood-affected areas,” alleged the BJD spokesperson.
Questioning the government’s handling of the crisis, Dr Mohanty said timely administrative intervention could have minimised the damage and potentially prevented the loss of lives. He also questioned the justification behind the Chief Minister’s decision to remain in Delhi along with senior BJP leaders instead of being with the people during the flood emergency.
Notably, the Chief Minister on Saturday assigned senior ministers to oversee relief and rehabilitation operations in the worst-affected districts due to the flood and incessant rainfall.
–IANS
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