By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, June 3 2019: More than 1.5 lakh electricity consumers are yet to get power supply in the 14 Fani cyclone affected districts notwithstanding the restoration work on war-footing being carried out by the authorities.

Fani, the extremely severe cyclonic storm ravaged the coastal belt of the state, on May 3 morning.

Power situation continues to remain grim particularly in Puri district which was worst hit by the cyclone. Little less than half of the affected people in the coastal district have still remained without power.

Fani had its landfall near the temple town of Puri, the abode of Lord Jagannath.
Authorities have been saying that normalcy will be restored in the coastal district before the coming Rath Yatra which will be celebrated in the first week of July.

Four per cent of the affected people are also yet to get electricity supply in Khurda, the second worst cyclone-affected coastal district. Capital city Bhubaneswar is part of Khurda district.

The Special Relief commissioner (SRC) office asserted that normal drinking water supply had been restored in all the rural and urban areas in the affected districts though reports of a shortage of drinking water had been reaching the state headquarters from interior pockets on daily basis. “Additional water is being supplied to some affected pockets through water tankers and seven mobile water treatment plants”, officials in the revenue department said.

Debris which includes uprooted trees and broken tree branches besides damaged electric poles are yet to be removed and cleared in many affected districts. Forget about interior pockets, even in the capital city Bhubaneswar uprooted trees and tree branches, as well as electric poles, are still lying in several areas making life miserable for residents.

The state government also has not been able to prepare a final report on the loss and damages due to the cyclone which was to be submitted to the Centre by May end. “The damages are being assessed afresh to cover all the victims and that is the reason behind the delay”, said newly appointed revenue and disaster management minister Sudam Marandi.