Bhubaneswar: Voicing concern over the miseries of farmers hit by cyclone Arnab and subsequent floods in Ganjam, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik on Saturday urged the Odisha government to provide them immediate compensation.
Naveen, who is also the leader of opposition (LoP) in Odisha Assembly, visited several flood-hit areas, including Shergada and Hinjili, his home constituency. He became emotional after interacting with residents who shared their hardships.
“The situation is not good in Shergada and Hinjili where the farmers are distressed and need immediate help. I have asked the administration to immediately provide compensation to the affected people,” the former chief minister told reporters.
Thousands of people gathered to greet Patnaik on his arrival in Shergada, prompting the administration to put up barricades to manage the crowd.
Residents of Shergada and Hinjili carried rotten paddy plants and apprised him of the damage caused to crops and infrastructure by the cyclone and floods. The BJD supremo has represented the Hinjili Assembly constituency for six consecutive terms since 2000.
After visiting Shergada, he travelled to Nuaburupada Gram Panchayat in Hinjilikaty block and later visited Aska and Baligochha areas in Sorada block.
He also reviewed restoration work being carried out by the state government. The BJD chief’s visit to Ganjam comes as several parts of the district continue to grapple with the impact of the recent floods and ongoing recovery efforts.