18 districts, 32 lakh people are affected....... more than 150 died so far, still not a national disaster. I am talking about the ongoing Orissa flood. I am resident of the flood affected Kendrapara district and I know how painful, serious is the situation over there. I am not happy sitting here in the IT capital of India, each an every moment its giving me pain learning about the condition of my people over there water locked from last 8 days.
Its not new for orissa, its been facing natural disasters in form of flood, cyclone, draught since its inception I guess..... Oriya people knows how to fight and stand strong each and everytime a disaster hits them. But sometimes its tough......just like the 1999 super cyclone! It was my first year in college.....I still cannot forget the bricks, glass bottles flying down from my neigbour`s roof top.... It was the worst disaster for any Oriya.....10,000 people died as per official calculations....number of villages lost their existence to the Bay of Bengal.......thousands lost their loved ones, their property......their home. But what the super cyclone couldnot wash away was the hope of millions of poor people.......
This time also 18 districts out of 30 are under water....61 breaches in different rivers. All rivers flowing higher than the danger level. 150 people dead so far as per offical record which may go on increasing as the flood condition is worsening day by day. Mahanadi the largest river of Orissa is on its full swing creating destruction all over....
The Govt. of Orissa is helpless....they were probably not fully prepared for a disaster of this level. They have probably not taken any learning from the super cyclone. The central Govt. has not responded to the Orissa Govt`s request for 1500 crore flood rilief and declaring it as a national disaster.
I am not comparing but the fact is' around 200 people died in recent Bihar floods whn the figures in Orissa is close to 200 now..... 16 districts of Bihar were affected when 18 in Orissa are affected. 23 lakh people were affected in Bihar floods when 32 lakh are affected in Orissa......thousands have lost everything they had.......
Bihar floods declared a national disaster. centarl Govt. announced an immediate package of Rs.10,000 crore, Prime minister and Sonia Gandhi visited the affected areas in Bihar follwed by other VIPs. Indian railways provided special train services to evacuate people, announced heavy package , appealed it`s employees to contribute to the victims..... Media highlighted and almost all the media houses formed Bihar relief funds including number of NGOs going for help and relief........
In Orissa: central Govt. has not yet responded the state`s request for relief. No high profile leader yet goe time timeto visit orissa flood vistims...... No package so far.......No relief from corporates, India Railways, media houses etc........ news papers not giving enough importance to the news........news channels not focusing on the affected........Nobody is bothered!!!
Even the super cyclone of October 1999 was not declared a national calamity. Not even the financial package was enough......
When there was attck on churches in Kandhamal, Orissa...... it became the headlines for all news channles all leading human rights organisations, even his holiness Pope also intervened describing the situation dangerous for mankind........ I am not trying to justify what people did.....wrong is always wrong and what the media, NGOs, human right agencies and the central Govt. are doing to Orissa now is also wrong.......... Can the so called human rights agencies not see the exploitation of human rights during a natural disaster????
When it comes to action.....everybody forgets their responsibility?
even the media; which was displaying pictures of people burning churches have forgot to take a picture of people on the highways loosing thier everything, starving and trying to save themselves with a torn polythene........
If it is not descrimination, what is this then??
Is this because oriya people do not create problem for the central govt. like the people in J&K, people in singur? Is it because we do not have a single ministers in the central cabinet? Is it because we do not demand what we deserve???
Does the Govt., media and all other concerned agencies waiting for a distaer bigger than this to happen? then only they may focus ?
God knows............ I only know that its boosting regional differences between states and people. It will definitely keep the congress and UPA govt. out of Orissa for at least another decade.
The Govt. of Orissa has to ensure clean and curruption free relief & rehabilitation this time. There was huge curruption during the 99 super cyclone, so this time chiefminister Pattnaik has to take curruption prevetive measures.......
We oriya people assure the world that........despite of all discrimination, despite of being hit by natural calamities every year...........we will fight bak and will prove that we have the ability to eb the best in next 10 years!
Bande Utkala Janani!
Refer
http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14764580
http://www.orissatv.com/news_details.asp?ID=4486
http://www.orissatv.com/news_details.asp?ID=4490
http://thesamaja.com/dtlshw.asp?st=5&nt=HOTNEWS
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