BJP demands crop loan waiver for Phailin victims

Demanding waiving of crop loans for farmers hit by Cyclone Phailin, BJP today accused the Odisha government of adopting a slack approach in mitigating their miseries.
BJP general secretary Dharmendra Pradhan said even four days after the cyclone thousands of people in the worst-affected district were yet to get help and relief.
"The state government is not serious in meeting the post-cyclone situation. There is huge difference between the reality on the ground and the propaganda undertaken by it," he said.
"Please don't do politics at the time of natural calamity. It appears no one in the BJD government in Odisha is serious as there is no sign of eagerness to restore normalcy in cyclone affected areas," he said.

All standing crops including paddy, cashew, keora and betel leaves in Ganjam district has been completely damaged. Instead of waiting for an assessment report about crop loss and house damage, the government must immediately send a report to the Centre so that funds from the National Calamity Relief Fund (NCRF) could be released.
"The government should waive crop loans and ensure that funds received from NCRF are properly utilised," the BJP leader said.

Pradhan and former Odisha minister B Harichandan toured different areas of Ganjam district during the day.
Pradhan said about 2,000 people of Markandi village along the beach were without relief material for last four days as no one from the government had had gone there.

Charging SouthCo, a private company which distributes power in Ganjam district, of not restoring supply, Pradhan wondered why the government was not pressurising it.
Pradhan said the credit for minimum human casualty in Cyclone Phailin went to IMD which accurately predicted its land fall and the media sensitised the people on how to save themselves.