Cyclone Fani-affected villagers continued to lodge complaints in large number with Odisha Lokayukta alleging that many ineligible people had managed to corner house building assistance while people belonging to weaker section were deprived of assistance in Puri district.
More than 60 applications involving 400 villagers were submitted with Odisha Lokayukta on Friday. Complainants had come from Brahmagiri, Satyabadi, Kanas, Delanga, Pipili, Nimapara and Kakatpur blocks.
“Disbursement of house building assistance among cyclone affected people is a complete sham. I have personally filed two cases with Odisha Lokayukta mentioning that nine persons from one family received separate house building assistance,” alleged Sushil Kumar Sahu, who hails from Satyabadi block of Puri.
Mr. Sahu said influential persons and families having association with ruling Biju Janata Dal managed to enlist their names in beneficiary list and received assistance.
Scores of villagers were still living in cow-sheds without any shelter, he alleged. “Initially, the administration tried to reject allegations. Now, officials are trying to recover house building assistance already disbursed among ineligible beneficiaries. It shows massive irregularity in post-cyclone rehabilitation programme,” said Mr. Sahu.
Pradip Pradhan, an activist, charged the government had made the rehabilitation programme a complete mess. “Even six months after devastation caused by cyclone, villagers are running from pillar to the post seeking assistance to rebuild their lives. The State government may boast of having one most efficient disaster management administrations in the country, but the ground situation tells a different story,” said Mr. Pradhan.
Villagers said that they would expose huge corruption committed in rehabilitation programme.
