Congress Demands National Disaster Status for Ganjam Floods, Claims ₹5,000 Crore Loss
Berhampur: The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) has demanded that the recent floods in Ganjam district be declared a national disaster, alleging that the calamity has caused losses exceeding ₹5,000 crore across the region.
The demand comes in the aftermath of widespread devastation triggered by heavy rainfall, flooding, and landslides following Cyclone Arnab.
Addressing the media during a visit to the affected areas, OPCC President Bhakta Charan Das said that the scale of destruction in Ganjam warrants urgent intervention from the Central Government.
He urged authorities to announce a comprehensive rehabilitation package for affected families, farmers, traders, and small business owners.
A Congress fact-finding team visited several flood-hit regions, including Aska, Bhanjanagar, Sorada, Purushottampur, Sheragada, Chhatrapur, and Ganjam blocks, to assess ground realities and interact with local residents.
According to the team, extensive damage has been reported to homes, crops, commercial establishments, and public infrastructure.
Das alleged that traders in Aska market alone suffered losses exceeding ₹1,000 crore, while thousands of farmers faced severe crop damage due to flooding caused by breaches in the Rushikulya River embankments and its tributaries.
In several areas, floodwaters reportedly rose between five and fifteen feet, inundating villages and agricultural land.
The Congress leader also criticised the state government’s relief efforts, claiming that assistance provided so far is insufficient compared to the extent of the disaster.
He expressed concern over the condition of some relief camps, alleging a shortage of basic amenities and irregular food distribution.
Among its key demands, the Congress has sought enhanced compensation for affected families, special support for farmers and traders, and ₹20 lakh ex gratia for families that lost members in flood- and landslide-related incidents.
The party further argued that the state’s proposed request of ₹252 crore in central assistance falls far short of the actual losses suffered by the district, calling for a larger relief and rehabilitation package to help restore normalcy in the worst-affected areas.
