States » EastPosted at: Oct 30 2026 9:48PM


Odisha Congress accuses Government of poor cyclone preparedness, seeks probe into flooding in Ganjam, Gajapati

Bhubaneswar, Oct 30 (UNI) The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on Friday accused the state government of failing to effectively manage the heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding triggered by Cyclone Arnab.
The party alleged that administrative negligence and inadequate preparedness resulted in extensive damage to crops and property, particularly in Ganjam and Gajapati districts.
Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhawan here , former Finance Minister Panchanan Kanungo said that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued advance warnings around October 27 about the possibility of a cyclonic storm.
The warning, he said, had also cautioned that southern Odisha could experience extremely heavy rainfall even if the weather system made landfall in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
Kanungo said the state government was aware of the impending weather threat and had repeatedly claimed to be prepared to prevent cyclone-related casualties. However, he alleged that the administration failed to take adequate precautionary measures to minimise the damage caused by torrential rainfall.
"Despite advance warnings, the government failed to anticipate and address the consequences of heavy rainfall, resulting in extensive damage across several parts of Odisha," he alleged.
Highlighting the plight of farmers, the senior Congress leader said Ganjam and Gajapati were among the worst-affected districts. Besides paddy crops, extensive damage had been reported to vegetable cultivation and betel leaf plantations. The destruction of betel vines, he added, had pushed many betel growers into severe financial distress.
The Congress demanded immediate and adequate compensation for farmers who suffered losses to paddy, vegetables and betel leaf cultivation.
Raising another serious concern, Congress general secretary Satyabrata Nayak alleged administrative lapses in the management of water discharge from Daha Dam on the Loharakhandi river, claiming that the delayed opening of its gates contributed to the flooding of Bhanjanagar.
Nayak pointed out that while several parts of Ganjam district reportedly received more than 500 mm of rainfall, Bhanjanagar recorded around 160 mm.
He alleged that the state government had issued instructions seven days ahead of the cyclone to open the gates of Daha Dam. However, the concerned departmental chief engineer allegedly failed to act on the instructions in time, and only four gates were opened on October 28.
According to Nayak, the delay, coupled with alleged negligence on the part of the Water Resources Department, contributed to the inundation of Bhanjanagar.
Demanding accountability, he urged the state government to order an immediate inquiry into the incident and take exemplary action against officials found responsible for the alleged lapses.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Mahananda also blamed the state government for what he described as mismanagement of the rain-related situation. He termed the destruction in Ganjam and Gajapati largely man-made and called for stringent action against officials found responsible.
Meanwhile, acting on the directions of OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das, the Congress will soon constitute a fact-finding team to visit the affected areas of Ganjam, Gajapati and other districts.
The team will assess the extent of damage caused by the heavy rainfall and flooding and subsequently submit its findings and assessment report to the Pradesh Congress Committee.
Reiterating its demands, the Congress called for prompt relief and adequate compensation to affected farmers, along with an inquiry into the alleged administrative lapses and accountability of officials responsible for disaster management.
UNI DP
Tags: #Odisha Congress accuses Government of poor cyclone preparedness# seeks probe into flooding in Ganjam# Gajapati
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