NIMAPARA (PURI), NOV 6: Cries of hunger and pain having died down, villagers, torn apart by the cyclone in this sea-side block are now shedding tears of apprehension on what a resourceless life ahead holds for them.As one enters village after marooned village in Nimapara, Kakappur, Gop and Astaranga in Puri district, the desperation of the rural folk is evident. ``Shoot us down, we don't want to live'', pleads Balunkeswar Muduli to every Army convoy that crosses his village Naiguan.``What is this life worth with not a penny in our name, not one meal a day and no future to look forward to'', he asks anyone who seems remotely connected to the `outer world'. A graduate from the Kakatpur College nearby, Muduli's betel cultivations has been washed away. ``Only a few patches of paddy are left'', he says, and stops to swear at a passing helicopter which has not dropped any food packet in his village.In Muduli's village, people are not able to trace their own homes, flattened beyond recognition.ShankarBauri gave shelter to 50 people in his house during the three days of heavy showers from October 29. ``We buried a man here two days back'', he points to a slushy pond-side patch. But had to dig the body out because it did not conform to Hindu rituals''.``Can you imagine that these people actually cut a finger from the body and burnt it to cleanse his forefathers' sins? All this on an empty stomach and a bleak tomorrow'', he says.
