A year after cyclonic storm ‘Hudhud’ ravaged southern Odisha districts such as Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada and Malkanagiri, the Naveen Patnaik government has not yet provided housing assistance to all affected tribal people.
The National Human Rights Commission, which is adjudicating a case pertaining to delay in providing assistance to Hudhud-affected people, asked the State government to submit a status report within four weeks.
The State government has submitted that a special provision for construction of new houses was under discussion. “These houses are to be built by the government with the assistance of the World Bank. The World Bank has already visited the affected areas to assess the situation,” the government submitted. Akhand, a human rights activist, who moved the NHRC , said: “The State government which has so much of resources at its disposal is waiting for the World Bank assistance. People in southern Odisha districts continue to suffer even one year after cyclone damaged their houses.”
