Phailin aftermath: Rebuilding rural infra needs Rs 263 cr

The cost of rebuilding rural infrastructure ravaged by the severe cyclonic storm Phailin has been estimated at Rs 262.76 crore.

Phailin that hit the state's southern coast near Gopalpur on October 12, has caused extensive damage to rural roads, bridges, culverts, water supply systems and school buildings.

As many as 3,040 rural pipe water supply systems and 1,62,170 tube wells have been damaged or submerged because of the cyclonic storm and the subsequent floods. An amount of Rs 27.6 crore is required for the immediate repair of the above damage.

In addition, the cyclone and the floods have ravaged 17,673.30 km of rural roads and 253 bridges/culverts. The immediate repair and restoration of these rural roads needs Rs 170 crore.

Water supply systems were badly hit after the cyclone paralyzed power distribution infrastructure especially in south Odisha's Ganjam district. The state government is according utmost priority to restore the damaged water supply systems. DG (diesel generator) sets have been hired to run the water supply systems.

The overall damage due to cyclone and consequential flooding has been assessed at Rs 4,242.41 crore. The state government recently submitted a memorandum to the Centre to provide the amount in the form of grant to rebuild homes and power infrastructure.

Before submitting the detailed memorandum, chief minister Naveen Patnaik had wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, pressing for release of Rs 1,000 crore as advance for carrying out emergent relief and restoration work.

As per the estimates, the state energy department has suffered maximum losses due to the cyclone and flood and an amount of Rs 1,048.14 crore assistance has been sought to restore power supply in the affected areas.

The panchayati raj department has reported a loss of Rs 755.40 crore for damage to infrastructure under its maintenance and water resources department claimed Rs 430 crore worth property damage.

With Phailin cyclone and floods triggered by it affecting crops on 6,71,000 hectares of farm land, the agriculture department sought Rs 385 crore assistance.

The Phailin storm and the subsequent flooding affected 13.23 million people in 18 districts. As many as 18,374 villages under 2,164 gram panchayats in 171 blocks were hit. The houses damaged due to cyclone and floods stood at 4,19,619.