Bhubaneswar: The Opposition BJD Monday launched an attack on the BJP government over the devastation caused by Cyclone Arnab and subsequent floods in Ganjam and Gajapati, alleging lapses in disaster preparedness and demanding an apology from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
In posts on X, BJD leader and former IAS officer Sujata Rout Karthikeyan questioned the management of reservoirs in the Rushikulya River basin, alleging that the failure to re lease water in advance and alert people in downstream areas aggravated the flooding. She said advance warnings about the cyclone had been issued from October 23, while heavy rainfall was forecast in southern Odisha between October 27 and 29. Red alerts had also been issued for Ganjam and Gajapati.
According to her, the Bhanjanagar, Sorada and Dhanai reservoirs were around 80 per cent full October 28. She alleged that the reservoir gates were opened only after heavy rainfall triggered a sudden rise in water inflow, without prior warnings to downstream residents. Questioning why wa ter was not released in advance from reservoirs, minor irrigation projects, diversion weirs and check dams across the Rushikulya basin, she sought accountability for what she termed avoidable negligence.
ଅକ୍ଟୋବର ୨୩ ତାରିଖରୁ ହିଁ ସମ୍ଭାବ୍ୟ ବାତ୍ୟାକୁ ନେଇ ଆଗୁଆ ସତର୍କ ସୂଚନା ଜାରି ହୋଇଥିଲା। ଏପରିକି ଅକ୍ଟୋବର ୨୭ରୁ ୨୯ ତାରିଖ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଦକ୍ଷିଣ ଓଡ଼ିଶାରେ ପ୍ରବଳ ବର୍ଷାର ସୂଚନା ମିଳିବା ସହ ଗଞ୍ଜାମ ଓ ଗଜପତି ଜିଲ୍ଲାକୁ ରେଡ୍ ଆଲର୍ଟ ମଧ୍ୟ ଜାରି କରାଯାଇଥିଲା।
ଯାହା ଜଣାପଡୁଛି, ଅକ୍ଟୋବର ୨୮ ତାରିଖରେ ଭଞ୍ଜନଗର, ସୋରଡ଼ା ଏବଂ ଧନେଇ ଜଳଭଣ୍ଡାର ପ୍ରାୟ ୮୦% ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଥିଲା। ପ୍ରବଳ ବର୍ଷା ଯୋଗୁଁ ହଠାତ୍ ଜଳପ୍ରବାହ ବୃଦ୍ଧି ପାଇବା ପରେ ହିଁ ଜଳଭଣ୍ଡାରଗୁଡ଼ିକର ଗେଟ୍ ଖୋଲାଗଲା। ତାହା ପୁଣି ତଳିଆ ଅଞ୍ଚଳର ଲୋକଙ୍କୁ କୌଣସି ଆଗୁଆ ସତର୍କ ସୂଚନା ନଦେଇ!
ଯାହାର ପରିଣାମ ସ୍ୱରୂପ ଗଞ୍ଜାମବାସୀଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ଭୟଙ୍କର ବିପର୍ଯ୍ୟୟ ଆସିଲା। କେବେ ଦେଖିନଥିବା ବନ୍ୟା ପରିସ୍ଥିତି ସୃଷ୍ଟି ହେଲା, ବ୍ୟାପକ ଧନଜୀବନ ନଷ୍ଟ ହେଲା। ଦୁଃଖର କଥା, ସେହି ଭୁଲ୍ ନିଷ୍ପତ୍ତି ଲକ୍ଷ ଲକ୍ଷ ଲୋକଙ୍କୁ ଅକଥନୀୟ ଯନ୍ତ୍ରଣା ଦେବା ସହ ସେମାନଙ୍କର ବିପୁଳ କ୍ଷତି ଘଟାଇଲା।
ଋଷିକୂଲ୍ୟା ନଦୀ ଅବବାହିକାରେ ଅନେକ ମଧ୍ୟମଧରଣର ଜଳଭଣ୍ଡାର ସହିତ ଶହ ଶହ କ୍ଷୁଦ୍ର ଜଳସେଚନ ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପ (MIP), ଡାଇଭର୍ସନ୍ ୱିୟର୍ ଏବଂ ଚେକ୍ ଡ୍ୟାମ୍ ରହିଛି। ହେଲେ ସେଗୁଡ଼ିକରୁ କାହିଁକି ଆଗୁଆ ଆବଶ୍ୟକ ପରିମାଣର ଜଳ ନିଷ୍କାସନ କରାଗଲା ନାହିଁ? ବନ୍ୟା କିମ୍ବା ବାତ୍ୟା ପରିସ୍ଥିତିର ମୁକାବିଲା ସମୟରେ ଏହା ତ’ ଜଳସମ୍ପଦ ବିଭାଗର ଏକ ନିୟମିତ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟପଦ୍ଧତି ଅଟେ।
ଏପରି ଅକ୍ଷମଣୀୟ ଅବହେଳା ପାଇଁ ଦାୟୀ କିଏ? ଏହି ମାନବକୃତ ଦୁର୍ଦ୍ଦଶା ପାଇଁ ଦାୟୀ କିଏ?
ଲକ୍ଷ ଲକ୍ଷ ଲୋକଙ୍କ ଦୁର୍ଦ୍ଦଶାର ଜବାବ ବିଜେପି ସରକାର ଦେବ କି?#CycloneArnab #Ganjam #Odisha
— Sujata Rout Karthikeyan (@SujataRoutK) November 2, 2026
BJD media coordinator Lenin Mohanty also criticised the government’s handling of the disaster, describing its response as a shift from ‘zero casualty’ to ‘zero accountability’. He claimed that people in Ganjam and Gajapati were questioning BJP MLAs and ministers over the situation, while BJD workers were reaching out to affected families. He alleged that government functionaries were more focused on photo opportunities during relief and restoration operations, while party president and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik was in regular touch with the Ganjam Collector.
Mohanty said BJD leaders had visited the families of those who died in the disaster and stood by them. He demanded an apology from the Chief Minister and Revenue Minister for the failure to ensure zero casualties.
Orissa POST – Odisha’s No.1 English Daily
