Damage assessment report sought after flash flood in Odisha

The Odisha government has directed nine district collectors to submit an assessment report on damage occurred due to heavy rainfall that triggered flash flood in the state.

In a letter, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Bishnupada Sethi has asked the district collectors of Bolangir, Gajapati, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangur, Rayagada and Sambalpur to submit an assessment report by August 17 on the damage to private properties due to the recent floods and heavy rainfall .

Owing to the heavy rainfall during last week of July and first week of August, several parts of the districts were flooded and inundated.

"The assessment of damage to private properties such as houses, animal, husbandry, loss of boat and net, damage of fish pond/fish seed farm, sand cast, damage to crop and loss to handloom and handicraft artisans and enumeration of beneficiaries has to be taken up on priority so that assistance as per the norms of SDRF/NDRF can be paid to affected persons expeditiously," said the SRC.

He said a squad approach must be followed to assess the damage and adequate number of teams comprising members from different departments should be formed.

While covering an affected village, the teams will assess and enumerate beneficiaries in all sectors simultaneously. The supervising officers shall conduct test checks to ensure correctness in the assessment, Sethi said.

He asked officials to collect the bank details of the beneficiaries for online transfer of compensation.

Sethi also instructed various departments including Agriculture, Health, School and Mass Education, and Women and Child Development to submit assessment reports on damage to public infrastructure.

( With inputs from IANS )