Odisha orders distribution of sanitary napkins in flood-hit areas

Bhubaneswar, Aug 22

Amid flood threats in various areas of the state, the Odisha government has asked Collectors of 10 districts to distribute free sanitary pads to girls and women in the affected areas.

Special Relief Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Jena has written a letter to Collectors of the 10 flood-hit districts of Khordha, Puri, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Nayagarh, Balasore, Bhadrak, Keonjhar and Boudh, in this regard.

"Proper medical care along with sanitation measures is essential for women/girls who are marooned due to the floods. Hence, you are requested to kindly instruct the CDMO to procure sanitary/hygienic as emergency sanitation measures (emergent relief) and distribute them to women/girls in the marooned areas," he said.

The cost of such expenditure shall be borne by SRC out of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), he added.

Meanwhile, the flood situation in Balasore and Mayurbhanj, located on the Subarnarekha river basin, still remain grim even though water flow in the river has started a falling trend.

Against the danger level of 49.15 metres, the Subarnarekha river was flowing at 49.44 metres at Jamsholaghat at 3 p.m. At Rajghat, the river is flowing at 11.70 metres against the danger level of 10.36 metres and is on a falling trend. The water level in most of the rivers has declined including of the Baitarini at Akhuapada.

After reviewing the situation, state Water Resources Minister Tukuni Sahu said that the state government is fully geared with men, materials, and machinery to tackle any eventuality due to the flood situation.

She said that keeping in mind that "every life is precious", senior engineers of the Water Resources Department are monitoring the situation and as of now, there are no reports of breaches in the Subarnarekha embankments.

Sahu also said that flood water has entered low-lying areas of Baliapal, Bhograi, Jaleswar and Basta blocks of Balasore.

People in 74 gram panchayats of the four blocks have been affected in the flood. Over 40,000 people have been shifted to 208 safe shelters, said Balasore Collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde.

About 40 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), and fire services have been deployed for rescue operations, which is going on in marooned villages.

Hot cooked meals are being served in shelters, he said, adding that there is no casualty reported in the district, so far.