Kendrapara: A group of 19 people from 10 districts of Odisha, including two from Kendrapara, who were invited to participate in Kudumbashree-SARAS Fair-2018 at Chengannur Municipal Ground in Alappuzha district of Kerala, are now stranded in the rain-battered state.
The participants are Md. Soleman Khan and Abhimanyu Kandi of Derabish block of Kendrapara, Sk. Saddam Hossain and Sk. Lacke of Kesharpur in Cuttack district, Gitanjali Rath of Nayagarh, Hemasmita Naik and Ashok Dhir of Mayurbhanj, Gita Das and Pappu Patra of Bolangir, Sanjay Kumar Ojha and Kartika Munda of Keonjhar, Prabira Das and Pankaj Kumar Das of Jajpur, Suresh Jena and N Jena of Khurda, Dolamani Meher and Dhruba Meher of Sonepur, Geeta Kisan and Satyaban Mallick of Sundargarh.
Md. Soleman of Golarhaat and Kandi of Balia, who were selected in stitching and embroidery category from Utkal Grameen PG, went to participate in the fair through ORMAS with handicraft items worth lakhs. The fair was being organised by Kerala State Poverty Eradication Mission from August 14 to 24, 2018.
They are left with no food and drinking water due to floods. Though they have been provided government help they lost their handicraft items, said Burhan Khan, brother of Md Soleman.
“It was too difficult to contact my brother due to network problem. I talked with my brother today and came to know that he and other Odisha participants were stranded. They were rescued by the organisers and were shifted to a safer place four days ago, but they are facing problems. After many days my brother and others got water bottles and biscuits,” said Burhan.
“My husband told me over phone about the plight of Odisha participants. We are spending sleepless nights thinking about the problems my husband is facing in Kerala. Allah would help my husband and bring him back safe,” said Reshma Begum, the wife of Md. Soleman.
“At about 8pm Saturday, my brother and others from Odisha got into a bus arranged by the Kerala government and are going to Trivandrum. Later, they would be sent to Odisha,” added Burhan.
Sources said around 100 youths from Rajnagar, Rajkanika, Aul, Marshaghai and Kendrapara blocks of the district have been working in several plywood companies and other firms in Kerala. Their families are now in panic as they have failed to communicate with their dear ones in Kerala. They have requested the Odisha CM to bring back the people from Kendrapara district.
PNN
