Union Agriculture Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday described the flood situation in Orissa as very grave and announced that an inter-ministerial team would visit the state next week to assess the situation and damages caused by the flood.
Mr Nitish Kumar, who led a central team delegation to make an on the spot assessment of the flood situation in the state, told newpersons that at least five coastal districts were worst affected by the current flood. The union agriculture minister made an aerial survey of the flood-ravaged districts along with four other union ministers from the state, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and cabinet secretary T R Prasad on Thursday and presided over a review meeting at the state secretariat on the ongoing rescue and relief operation in the flood-hit areas.
He said the fury of the flood had surpassed the 1982 flood in the state and cautioned that the next 36 hours would be very critical for the entire Mahanadi delta region. The Union minister assured all help and assistance from the Centre to assist the state government in the rescue and relief operation.
He asked the state government to submit a detailed memorandum to the Centre at the earliest.
Bureau Report