Orissa awaits task force as toll rises

Gamang said the Prime Minister had agreed to provide wheat at below poverty line BPL rate to the affected people. Government had earlier decided to supply rice at BPL rates to the victims of the super cyclone in 12 districts.

The high-powered task force set up by the Centre to prepare a comprehensive rehabilitation and reconstruction plan in cyclone-hit areas will visit Orissa tomorrow for assessing the damage besides coordinating all Central rescue, relief and rehabilitation measures.

As rescue workers accessed more hinterlands of coastal districts, 152 bodies were pulled out of creeks and paddy fields in Kendrapara, Cuttack and Baleshwar districts, Orissa8217;s Special Relief Commissioner D N Padhi told mediapersons.

Of the 152, 80 bodies were retrieved in Kendrapara, 49 in Cuttack and 23 in Baleshwar, he said.

More bodies were likely to be retrieved from Ersama block of Jagatsinghpur district, which alone accounted for 6,383 deaths till yesterday, Padhi said.

Ersama, one of the worst-hit areas by the cyclone, has so far reported over 5,300 deaths.

Huge number of bodies, floating in inundated paddy fields, nullahs, creeks and the sea coast were being retrieved by rescue workers and volunteers of non-governmental organisations and cremated, Padhi said.

Many of these bodies could not be identified as they could have floated from distant places with the saline water rushing in through rivers and creeks and flowing back into the sea, he said.

Replying to questions, Padhi said the government had begun planning the future of the children rendered orphans by the calamity and also the widows by tying up with several organisations.

Discussion had been held with the SOS children8217;s village and the state social welfare board had been asked to go into the matter. The government had, however, decided to provide old age pension to women widowed by the catastrophe by waiving the age factor.

Padhi said the situation on the health front was under control with no epidemic breaking out.

The armed forces engaged in relief operations were putting the bulk of their attention on Ersama, Balikuda and areas east of those places, Brig Rajinder Singh Rawat, deputy commander of Operation Sahayata8217; said.

The CM has planned to meet Congress chief Sonia Gandhi at New Delhi today to discuss the situation. He will also meet representatives of the state governments who have adopted different cyclone-hit districts.

Nine state governments have adopted nine cyclone-hit districts.