Gop: Many poor villagers under Gop block of Puri district are yet to get the house damage assistance even though four months have elapsed since cyclonic storm Fani hit Odisha coast.
Many cyclone-affected villagers like Tunimani Dei of Sujanagar village under Kuanpada gram panchayat are now residing in their damaged houses under precarious condition, sources said.
According to sources, the cyclonic storm had damaged at least 50,000 thatched houses of poor villagers in Gop block. However, the district administration has provided house damage assistance to the cyclone victims even though the state government had announced a package in this regard long ago, sources said.
It is learnt that the May 3 storm had damaged two thatched rooms of Tunimani Dei. The storm had also damaged many of her household goods and belongings.
“Now I am residing in the damaged house by putting a polythene sheet as roof. I have urged the officials of Gop block and tehsil to provide me the house damage assistance but to no avail,” said Tunimani, adding that she had submitted the required documents to the authorities concerned.
When contacted, Gop tehsildar Prithivraj Mandal said they would provide house damage assistance to Tunimani and other cyclone affected villagers after conducting a survey.