Villagers keeping damaged houses intact for getting govt help

Flood-hit villagers in Kendrapara district are shying away from rebuilding their ravaged houses in the recent deluge waiting for government assistance to reach them.
With life limping back to normalcy in many areas, the villagers were found to be keeping the damaged portions of their houses intact till the enumeration process was carried out by the government officials.
"Around 3,611 mud-walled houses have collapsed and reports of more houses damaged in the flood and the exact number is being ascertained. The enumeration process is being carried out by tehsildars and BDOs in affected areas," Kendrapara District Emergency Officer, Rajani Kanta Mohanty, said.

However, as reports indicate people have largely opted for keeping the things disorderly to ensure that compensation doles do not elude them. Some of them have the resources to salvage the damage but yet to undertake the house repair, Mohanty said.