Orissa Oppn pulls up Govt for delay in aiding tornado victims

BHUBANESWAR, March 25: The tornado which swept through several villages of two adjoining districts in Orissa and West Bengal on Tuesday killing over 100 people found its echo in the Orissa Assembly with Opposition members blaming the State Government for failing to react promptly.

Raising the issue, Janata Dal member Nalini Kanta Mahanty said that when the West Bengal government had already announced compensation for the next of the kins of the tornado victims, the Orissa government was yet to react to the situation. He said that the Prime Minister and several Central ministers have expressed their concern over the issue. He demanded a statement from the government as to the steps taken by it after the catastrophe struck.

The deputy Chief Minister Hemananda Biswal who was in the House informed the members that Chief Minister J B Patnaik and Revenue Minister Jagannath Patnaik have rushed to the spot to study the situation. Making a statement, Minister of State for Health Jagannath Rout said an officer ofthe joint director’s rank has been rushed to the spot with medicines. However, BJD member Raghunath Mahanty referred to the prompt steps taken by the West Bengal government and wanted to know the number of bodies recovered from the tornado hit areas.

While Padmalochan Panda (Cong) demanded that the State Government should place all facts in the House about the tragic incident.