Four days after severe flooding in Ganjam, villagers allege that essential services remain disrupted; officials reach the protest site as residents demand urgent restoration.
Sorada (Ganjam): Frustrated by the delay in restoring essential services following the devastating floods triggered by Cyclone Arnab, residents of Nuagada village in Odisha’s Ganjam district have staged a road blockade, disrupting traffic on National Highway 59 and demanding immediate relief and restoration of electricity and drinking water supplies.
The protest, which began on Sunday morning and continued for several hours, reflected the growing frustration among residents of Nuagada, Suramani, Bhaliagocha, Narayanpur, Bishnupur and Palakatu, where families continue to face difficulties in accessing basic amenities even as floodwaters recede.
Villagers alleged that roads remained covered with mud and debris, electricity supply had not been restored in several pockets and drinking water was scarce. They also complained that relief materials and adequate food supplies had not reached all affected households, forcing families to depend on community support.
The blockade prompted Sorada Block Development Officer Tanmaya Patra, Tehsildar Gopal Krishna Routray and Inspector-in-Charge Sunil Kumar Pradhan, along with other officials, to reach the spot and engage with the protesters. However, residents remained firm on their demands, seeking immediate intervention to restore essential services and ensure regular distribution of relief materials.
Local volunteers, including social workers Swadhin Kumar Panda and Satya Patra and engineer Sangram Mohanty, joined the villagers in demanding drinking water, cooked food and electricity restoration. The Sorada Lions Club has been providing cooked meals to affected families, while youth volunteers have been arranging drinking water and helping clear mud-covered roads.
The protest came amid visits by public representatives to flood-hit areas. On Saturday, Fisheries and Animal Resource Development Minister Gokulananda Mallik and Aska MP Anita Subhadarshini visited Nuagada, Suramani and other affected villages, where residents raised concerns over delays in receiving relief assistance.
A delegation of Biju Janata Dal leaders, including former MLA Purna Chandra Swain, Pratap Jena, Chandra Sekhar Sahu, Srikanta Sahu and Ranjita Sahu, also visited Nuagada to assess the situation.
Following the protest, Sorada MLA Nilamani Bishoyi assured residents of Nuagada that their relief requirements would be addressed. He said 530 packets of rice had been earmarked for the village, of which 400 had already been distributed, while the remaining packets would be provided shortly. Relief materials have also been supplied to other flood-affected villages in Sorada block, he said.
Bishoyi said he had been personally visiting affected villages and meeting residents at their doorsteps to assess their needs. He also said the block administration was working relentlessly to ensure that essential relief materials reached all affected areas.
“I have been personally visiting all affected villages, going door to door to meet residents and understand their needs. The block administration has been working relentlessly and has begun sending all required relief materials to flood-hit villages in Sorada block,” he said.
Ganjam was among the worst-hit districts following exceptionally heavy rainfall associated with Cyclone Arnab. The swollen Rushikulya river inundated several towns and villages, particularly in Sorada, Asika, Purushottampur, Patrapur and neighbouring areas.
According to district administration figures reported on October 31, more than 1.05 lakh people across Ganjam’s 22 blocks were affected. Around 56,051 people had been evacuated to 367 relief shelters, while cooked food was being distributed at approximately 370 locations. Although the number of villages surrounded by floodwater had fallen sharply, around 700 people were still reported stranded in waterlogged areas.
Restoration work has gathered pace across the district. The Works Department has repaired several damaged road stretches, including approaches to Palashpur Bridge and Taptapani Ghati. Electricity restoration has also progressed, with the power distribution company reporting that more than 93 per cent of affected consumers in Ganjam had been reconnected by October 31.
However, the progress in district-wide restoration has not necessarily translated into the immediate return of essential services in every village. Nuagada residents’ protest underlines the difficulties faced by communities where damaged roads, disrupted water supplies and delayed relief distribution continue to affect daily life.
For families who lost household belongings and livelihoods in the floods, restoring electricity and safe drinking water is now as urgent as rebuilding damaged homes. Residents have warned that continued delays could aggravate public health concerns, particularly as stagnant water and accumulated sludge increase the risk of post-flood infections.
