Orissa plans Rs 1000-cr coastal highway

The proposed highway, besides providing shelter at the time of such calamities, would also function as a saline embankment, he said. The construction would also generate employment opportunities for the cyclone-hit people.

Stating that the disaster has impoverished millions, Mishra said the prime concern of the State Government is to provide employment and prevent migration of people from the affected areas.

Wage employment isabsolutely necessary and the Government is trying to provide maximum employment through employment assurance schemes (EAS), Jawahar Rojgar Yojana (JRY) and by taking up massive construction work in the cyclone-hit areas, he said. The focus has to be shifted to rehabilitation which is certainly a gigantic task, he added.

Professor SP Gupta of the Birla Institute of Management, Pilani and an expert on disaster management has agreed to train about 15 engineers from the state on the construction of low cost cyclone resistance houses, he said. The engineers would pass on knowledge to people in the affected areas.He said the State Government has urged the Centre to provide special assistance for the construction of 2.5 lakh houses under the Indira Awas Yojna (IAY) and free houses under the scheme for the poor. Besides, HUDCO has announced special schemes for the construction of two lakh dwelling units.

Maintaining that the Central Government was very cooperative to the demands of the State, Mishra said theissue of rehabilitation would be discussed at the Task Force meeting at New Delhi on Monday.

Lauding the help extended by non-governmental and voluntary organisations in the rescue and relief operation, Mishra said the United Nations and NGOs should come out in a big way for the rehabilitation of the affected people.Complaining that efforts on relief and rehabilitation progammes are not properly coordinated, Mishra called for a co-ordinated action. On the restoration front, the chief secretary said power would be supplied to most of the affected villages by the end of this month. He asked the district collectors to ensure immediate repair and reconstruction of educational institutions.

He expressed gratitude to the health department for its sincere efforts in preventing the spread of epidemic which normally occurred after such disasters.

On the criticism of the media, Mishra said there may be some defects in the administration but it is certainly difficult to handle such major calamities. However, theState Government did its best.