Even after two years, several victims of the devastating Phailin cyclone that hit Ganjam district of Odisha on October 12, 2013, are dissatisfied over compensation and rehabilitation measures.
The administration till now continues with its efforts of rehabilitation and reconstruction but several victims seem to be left out. Mangaraj Panda, convener of Ganjam Disaster Response Forum (GDRF), said it is high time for the government came up with a mechanism that would ensure payment of compensation as well as restoration work to be completed within one year.
In Ganjam block of this district, which had faced large scale destruction due to the Phailin and continuous rain following it, several families complained that they have not yet received assistance to reconstruct their damaged houses. As per a private study, 42 such families are there in Huma, Subalaya, Poirasi panchayats. Twelve of these families have already left their homes as migrant labourers. Similar complaints of non-receipt of compensation for house damage or for reconstruction of completely damaged houses are also there from other Phailin affected revenue blocks of the district.
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Compensation for agricultural loss was a major issue after the cyclone. It is alleged that large number of farmers especially the share croppers have not yet received compensation for their crop loss due to Phailin, said Trinath Biswal, president of peasants’ organisation Rushikulya Rayat Mahasabha (RRM). The RRM has now approached the Odisha High Court regarding non-payment to the eligible farmers. In its petition, the RRM has pointed out that over 2,200 Phailin-hit peasants have not yet received their compensation. The RRM activists also allege that several peasants have also not yet received crop insurance claims for the damages.
Marine fishermen community living on Ganjam coast, who had lost their boats and nets due to cyclone, were provided heavily subsidised loans to procure new ones. But there are around 80 fishermen who have received the loans from banks but their subsidy has not been released. According to B. Kamudi, a fisherwoman, the money her husband is depositing towards repayment of loan is not being accepted in his husband’s loan account as repayment because the subsidy amount in his name has not reached the bank yet. The money they repay is being accepted by bank as fixed deposit. “Irony is that for no fault of ours as per bank records we have not repaid the loan and are not eligible for new loans,” she said.