Cyclone victims left in the lurch

Orissa survivors not compensated

 
Orissa observed the 10th anniversary of October 29, 1999, super cyclone on Thursday.
Parvati Pal of Dahibara village in the Ersama block of Jagatsinghpur district had lost six members of her family—father, mother, two brothers and two sisters—in the devastating cyclone. She, however, has not yet received the death compensation.

Mans Das of the same village was luckier as he was compensated for the death of some members of his family. Das, who was just eight when the killer cyclone struck his village, had lost his parents as well as three brothers and grandmother. But he is yet to be compensated for the death of the rest of his relatives.

Like Parvati and Manas, there are several others in various villages in Jagatsinghpur district who have been left out. “A decade has already passed. We don’t know how long we have to wait for our legitimate dues,” said Nari Ojha, another villager.

Jagatsinghpur district had been the worst hit by the super cyclone. Of the more than 10,000 deaths in the catastrophe, nearly 7,000 had been recorded in the district. The Orissa Government had announced a compensation of Rs 75,000 each for the next of kin of the dead. Out of desperation, the relatives of some victims have moved the court. Officials in the Jagatsinghpur district administration admitted that the kin of some victims were yet to be compensated.