Samikhsya Bureau
It is a mighty big jolt after the 1999 Super Cyclone to have wreaked havoc of such magnitude. The sight of the capital Bhubaneswar is itself an example that reveal as how the fury of nature can unleash a devastation which can leave a trail of scars that may require few years to heal. That makes things easy for one to guess what was the plight of places falling within the eye of the storm.
And what is a mocking reality that the dispensation has however, perhaps, failed to fathom the gravity and the situation post the cyclone reveal a lot. As on date, May 7.2019, an untold number of people of Odisha are without the most basic amenities i.e water and electricity ! A plight that goes without saying under what excruciating pain and panic people are.
On top of that a sizzling hot and humid climate keeps the majority singed and looking up for respite from the power that be which has perhaps not been able to fathom the plight by aerial surveys.
Post the ‘Fani’ which rattled a major part of the coastal Odisha from its core, generating a blitzkrieg for over five hours was indeed massive. Broken and uprooted trees and twisted electric poles are reminders yet again that nature always restores itself but not without vengeance.
The devastated capital city, Bhubaneswar, wore a forlorn look, strewed with remains of those once used to be majestic trees, ramshackle road-side vending zones , unending stretches of shanties razed to earth and a perplexed population left to recover itself from a kind of trauma.
It was the day next and a walk through the streets of the smart city Bhubaneswar bring to mind how the administration aces up its sleeves before every such disaster but fails to deliver after the incidents.
Five days after the disaster
Driving through the city during the last Saturday noon brought into mind how pep-talks imperceptibly can be blended with the shades of apathy. It was not about clearing the roads, lanes or bi-lanes laced with fallen trees or other debris or an attempt at restoring power through any make-shift arrangement, but, rather one can only see motely group of personnel from the ODRAF etc removing the trees from the VIP roads. Besides a certain area, rest of the city population was left to know nothing.
In any such kind of disaster the most essential things to be taken care of, on a war-footing measure are restoration of power and ensuring water supply. When this author enquired from a staff at an electric sub-station at Kalinga Nagar in Bhubaneswar that when the power supply can be restored, the reply was crude and stunning !. “ You can see lot of trees have fallen and poles damaged, and I don’t suppose power can be restored before 15 days “ . That was his curt reply .
Where there is no effort even to male available portable water to the people the occasional sight of official water tankers sneaking into the residence of high officials adds salt to the injury.
After any disaster of this magnitude the most primary consolation should come from the administration informing people about the restoration of the basic things like power and water supply stipulating a time frame and meanwhile steps can be taken to make the temporary arrangements till such time the main services are restored.
If before each power cut or halt in supply of water the concerned departments can make public announcement , why not a similar initiative be taken after such an incident that has had such pulverising fall out.
Love at the time of distress
In complete detachment to the reality at the bottom the chief minister Naveen Patnaik made some announcements the other day for some emergency relief of some money and some kgs of rice and, and jacking up of some pension amount for old and infirm. He did not say a word about the two major issues that matters the most for people like restoration of water and power supply.
What may have pummelled the patience of the larger mass is the refreshed bonhomie between the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Patnaik when after his aerial survey the PM has reportedly praised the CM for his commendable handling of the crisis like Fani with all possible grit and gumption at his command.
Media reports say that a huge man power has been deployed to restore power and water supply. In contrast the diesel generator owners make a real killing of the thirsty population by charging hefty amounts of Rs.1000 to Rs.2000 per hour to lift water from the residential bore well and water sumps.
Amid all claims what is evident that no respite seems in sight as people still struggle to pick their pieces under the burning sun as relief of power and water still seems far off.
