Power supply yet to be restored in 50K households

Bhubaneswar: Power supply was yet to be restored in around 50,000 households in cyclone-hit areas in Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Balasore districts, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has said. Briefing reporters here on Sunday evening after reviewing the post-cyclone situation, Majhi said the restoration work has reached the last stage and obstructions on roads have been removed.

Power supply has been restored in 98 per cent of the affected areas. Out of 22.84 lakh power consumers affected by the cyclone, power supply has been restored in 22.32 lakh households. Nearly 50,000 households of Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Balasore districts are yet to get back power supply as the villages remained marooned, he said.

For restoration of power supply in the affected areas, about 7,000 workers have been engaged and they are working hard to restore power in those areas as well, Majhi said. More than 8 lakh people in the cyclone-affected areas had been evacuated to 6,210 shelter centres. Most of them have returned to their homes after the situation became normal, he said.

A total of around 30,000 people are still in 470 shelter centres as their homes remain under water, Majhi said. The Chief Minister said standing crops over 2.21 lakh acres in 4,100 villages of 12 blocks in Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jajpur and Mayurbhanj have been damaged by the natural calamity, as per preliminary estimation. A detailed damage assessment will be made after field verification once the water level receded in the areas, he added.

The district collectors concerned have been asked to submit a damage assessment report by November 2. After that, compensation will be provided to the affected people, Majhi said. The Chief Minister said there is no threat of flood in Budhabalanga river as the water has started to recede in the river. The Chief Minister undertook an aerial survey of the coastal areas of Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district, Mahakalapada, Rajnagar and Rajkanika area of Kendrapara district and Chandbali area of Bhadrak district on Sunday afternoon.