BHUBANESWAR, MAY 1: With reconstruction and rehabilitation programmes proceeding at a snail's pace in Erasama, the worst affected block in the super cyclone, people of the area are now hoping for a miracle to save them from the onslaught of the ensuing monsoon.Houses of almost all 33,000 odd families of the block were either swept away by the swirling sea water which accompanied the cyclone or damaged. However, not a single house has so far been reconstructed even after several announcements by the powers-that-be that it will be completed before the monsoon. Thousands of affected people still living under the open sky will have no place to take shelter if their houses are not constructed before the monsoon as the block does not have many pucca houses except for some government buildings.The State Government has decided to construct 70,000 houses under the Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) before the monsoon for the 14 cyclone affected districts. Allotment of IAY houses for each affected district will be made on the basis of population. But if Erasama block gets its IAY quota on the basis of its population it will be too little and too late as the block needs at least 30,000 houses. Besides, selection of beneficiaries by lottery will also create problems for the administration as many affected families will be left out to wait for the next phase of IAY houses.Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA from Erasama, Damodar Rout said the situation is deteriorating day by day. Barring a few non-government organisations (NGOs), reconstruction and rehabilitation work started by Government agencies are in a mess, he added.Besides housing, drinking water scarcity has emerged as a serious threat for the people. Many of the tube wells have become saline affected and water from ponds is also not fit for consumption.The State Government had given administrative approval to 13 pipe water schemes in the constituency at an estimate of Rs 3.5 crore. However, these schemes are yet to see the light of the day due to lack of funds. Of the 13 schemes, three are half way through and the rest 10 are yet to be started. Supply of drinking water in tankers by the district administration has proved to be inadequate. Rout alleged that the Public Distribution System (PDS) too is in a mess in the block and distribution of kerosene has become a problem.Besides, the saline, river and canal embankments are yet to be restored to their pre-cyclone stage. The new sea mouths are yet to be closed as a result of which tidal waves find easy way inside damaging agricultural prospects for the farmers further.What is galling is that even six months after the cyclone, electricity has been restored only in two out of the 147 villages of the block. Energy minister A U Singhdeo who reviewed the situation at Paradip is reported to have expressed his unhappiness over the slow progress in restoring electricity to affected villages.Rout, however, expressed serious concern over the situation saying that communication to many areas will be snapped and construction work will come to a standstill during the rainy season.
