Berhampur, Oct 29: There is complete contradiction between reality and the State Government's claims regarding restoration work in cyclone-ravaged Ganjam district.There is no way the restoration work can be termed as ``being carried out on a war-footing''. It is progressing at a snail's pace. There seems to be no sense of urgency yet, though almost every official of the district complains of overwork.``Do you think the debris and the filth would be lying uncleared in many parts of Berhampur town 10 days after the cyclone if the Government machinery was functioning efficiently?,'' asks an angry SK Panda, a businessman. ``Can't you get the stench, see piles of garbage everywhere? Is this what you call war-footing?''The claim by the State Government on Tuesday that power supply was restored to 15,000 of a total 45,000 domestic consumers could not be further from the truth. Large parts of Berhampur are still without power, helping blackmarketeers to quote any price for candles, kerosene andgaslights.No fumigation to get rid of mosquitoes is ever carried out here. The municipality and the Government claim that they have taken sufficient measures to prevent an epidemic but the measures include only sprinkling of bleaching powder on garbage and roads.Twenty-four tankers are claimed to have been engaged in this town alone to supply drinking water, yet water is unavailable to many and is even being sold at places.
