Cyclone Bulbul: Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik announces relief package for farmers

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday announced a relief package for farmers who were severely affected due to Cyclone Bulbul which wreaked havoc in the coastal state before over to Bangladesh.

As per the package announced, agriculture subsidy will be provided to the small and marginal farmers who have sustained crop loss of 33 per cent and above at the rate of Rs 6,800 per hectare land in rainfed/non-irrigated area, and for farmers working in irrigates lands, a compensation of Rs 13,500 per hectare of land will be given. Further, Rs18,000 per hectare of land relief will be given for all season-crops like mango, coconut, cashew and betel vine.

The package was announced after Odisha CM undertook an aerial survey of the affected areas in 6 districts of the state. Following the aerial survey, Odisha CM said that his government has decided to announce the relief package to ameliorate the suffering of the cyclone-affected people.

Cyclone Bulbul left a trail of destruction coastal districts of Odisha and West Bengal after making landfall, killing at least 10 people. West Bengal's North 24 Parganas was the worst-hit district with reports of five deaths in the district. As many as eight people died with 4.65 lakh people severely affected and damage to around 60,000 houses in West Bengal before moving forward to Bangladesh. 

As many as two people lost their lives in Odisha as very high winds caused by the Cyclone swept across Odisha, leaving mass destruction of property in its wake. 

Around 350 people from Baincha village have taken shelter in Balasore district in Odisha after Cyclonic storm ''Bulbul'' created havoc in the region, news agency ANI reported. The shelter home is situated in the Sadar block of the Baleswar district.

The villagers belonging to storm-stricken villages were served food by the local officials and efforts are on to clean up the roads due to fallen trees.

As many as eight people were reported dead and 15 others injured in Bangladesh, mainly due to strong wind gusts and falling trees in Bangladesh when Cyclone Bulbul made landfall on Sunday evening. More than 1.8 million people were evacuated to over 4,000 shelters to escape the powerful cyclone.

Cyclone Bulbul was last reported at the northwestern parts of the country and was seen moving towards the northeastwards region.It was also reported that Bulbul has weakened due to precipitation and has reduced into a deep depression.