Odisha urges Kerala to assist 130 stranded labourers

The Odisha government today requested Kerala to provide assistance including food and drinking water to 130 people from the eastern Indian state stranded at Odapally in Kerala, official sources said.

The Odisha government's action came soon after it received an alert from one Anil Sethi, a labourer, who informed around 130 people from Odisha who have taken shelter in a house at Aluva Munnar Road, Odapally, near Asha Munnar Post Office.

Sethi said they were not able to get food and drinking water.

"I would, therefore, request you to kindly make necessary arrangement for providing support in terms of food, drinking water and other necessities to the flood affected people from Odisha." the state's Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) B P Sethi wrote in a letter to P H Kurian, Additional Chief Secretary, Disaster Management, Kerala.

The Odisha government also set up a helpline in the special relief commissioner's office here to help the people in distress.

Any person from Odisha who has been affected may call up the helpline numbers 1070 (toll free) and 0674-2534177, an official release said.

When contacted over phone, Anil Sethi told PTI, "We are virtually starving and even not in possession of a drop of water to drink. Therefore, we appeal both the governments of Odisha and Kerala to make arrangement for our survival."