Orissa floods manmade: Cong

8220;I hold the BJD-BJP Government responsible and guilty for the devastating floods for which they will have to pay a heavy price,8221; Patnaik told reporters here. His party colleague and former state minister Nalinikanta Mohanty said the flood was manmade and was deliberately created to divert people8217;s attention from Kandhamal.

The Congress leaders said flood in the Mahanadi river system could have been prevented by proper monitoring and regulating the water levels in Hirakud. They alleged that the authorities allowed water to flow over the maximum capacity of 630 feet at the reservoir for several days before releasing it suddenly. The dam authorities had the scope to reduce the water level of the reservoir and create a larger flood cushion in the reservoir before the rainfall in the state from September 16 evening.

8220;It was a recipe for disaster,8221; Patnaik alleged. The former chief minister said the water level went up when the Tel river surged into Mahanadi in the downstream of Hirakud. 8220;That led to discharge of a gargantuan 15.82 lakh cusecs of water through the Mahandi delta.8221;

Ranjan K Panda, convenor of the NGO Water Initiatives Orissa, also echoed Patnaik8217;s views. 8220;When the information about a possible intensification of a low pressure over the Bay of Bengal was received in September 13, the reservoir level was 627 ft. That left only about 3ft of flood cushion 8212; in the Hirakud reservoir. But between September 13 and 16, the dam authorities lost four precious days and let the reservoir level rise,8221; said Panda. From September 20 Orissa witnessed breaches along Mahandi delta resulting in floods.

Meanwhile, the NCP said the BJD and the BJP had made a mockery of relief operations in Kendrapara, one of the worst-affected districts in the recent floods. 8220;Relief material have made its way to the open market. Diesel meant for boats and vehicles engaged in relief and rescue operations are being sold in the market,8221; alleged Bijoy Mohapatra, state president of NCP.

8220;The administration has closed its eyes as the BJD and BJP workers have let loose an unprecedented relief-pilferage spree in the flood affected areas,8221; said Mohapatra.