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Relief packet blow to BJD by Subhashish Mohanty

The Opposition slammed the Naveen Patnaik government today for trying to make a political capital out of the flood relief operation by allegedly distributing relief material in bags emblazoned with conch symbol of the ruling party.

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD), however, refuted the charge describing it as politically motivated. The state government decided to provide relief to the flood-hit for another seven days and provide them work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS). It also decided to use the services of retired revenue inspectors to assess the damage caused by the calamity.

The Telegraph, in its Sunday edition, carried a report how the Orissa government was embarrassed following allegations of official relief being distributed in bags emblazoned with conch, the election symbol of the BJD.

Senior BJP leader from Kendrapara Bijoy Mohapatra said: “Our charge has been proved right. The government is doing all these things with an eye on the panchayat election.”

The Save Orissa Forum, an organisation spearheading the anti-corruption movement in Orissa, has decided to knock the doors of governor M.C. Bhandare on the issue of alleged misuse of relief operation by the ruling party to promote its own interests.

“We will seek an appointment with the governor on Monday. We demand arrest of the Kendrapara collector for misutilising the government machinery for the party’s purpose. Proceedings should be initiated against the collector,” said its convener Bhawani Shanakar Parija.

Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Niranjan Patnaik said: “It is the way of government’s functioning. The Congress has already made it clear that it was a man-made disaster.”

CPI(M) Orissa secretary Janaradan Pati said: “Because of the government’s mismanagement a huge devastation took place. The BJD is trying to reap benefit out of the human misery with an eye to the forthcoming panchayat polls.”

Condemning the act, Pati said all traders had joined hands with the BJD for their political benefit. “By sending packets of chuda with the party symbol inscribed on it, they tried to become the closer to the party leaders. The party, on the other hand, has allowed it to be done to gain sympathy of the people living in the flood-hit areas of the state,” he said, adding that officials who allowed such chuda to go to the flood-victims should be punished.

On the other hand, Biju Yuva Janata Dal president Sanjay Dasburma said all these allegations were “false, fabricated and politically motivated”.

“The BJD has nothing to do with it. Few traders might have used the conch as it marks the sign of beginning of goodness and prosperity,” he said.

CPI secretary Dibakar Nayak said: “Political parties can distribute relief. But government machineries should not be used for the purpose. Similarly, the political parties should not also use the political symbol while distributing relief to the poor and the hungry.”

The government today stepped up its relief operation and tried to ensure the district collectors send the damage assessment report to the state government by September 20.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik today held a video conference with district collectors in the flood-hit districts to take stock of the situation in their areas and asked them to send their reports to the government on time. He asked them to provide a week’s relief to the people living in the affected villages.