BALASORE: Locals stepped out to rescue their fellowmen caught in the flood waters in areas where the district administration claimed it could not reach due to lack of communication. Men with ropes were out there helping those, caught in the swirling waters, to reach to safety on Monday. The river Subarnarekha and the Budhabalanga were flowing below the danger mark while the Jalaka was flowing above the danger mark till the last reports came in. The district administration said free kitchens were opened in Parikhi, Gopinathpur and Odangi and Puradiha villages to provide cooked food to at least 391 people. A reality check revealed a different picture. The flood victims of Sadar block were waiting for relief and polythene sheets.The people of Parikhi said though they were under flood water for the last three days no official has visited and no relief material distributed. “Even dry food has not been provided, forget about cooked food,” said Bibekananda Bhuyan, a villager.Cut off from the mainland and surrounded by the flood waters, the residents of Pala, Balasore, Nischinta, Chakasindhia, Pakharbad, Dhuapokhari, Keshapur and 10 more villages expressed similar feelings.A person was rescued by the villagers of Keshapur while he was being swept away by the turbulent water of Budhabalanga. Official sources said people in 108 villages in 11 panchayats in Sadar and Basta blocks have been affected while those in 50 villages are still marooned. Vehicular communication to several areas snapped following fissures on the roads. Sadar Tehsildar Pinaki Pattnaik said the sarpanchs of the affected panchayats have been asked to start free kitchens and provide cooked food to the flood victims. “We fear that the water level will increase further as one gate of Kala dam has been opened,” he said. Revenue Minister Surya Narayan Patro has been requested to provide dry food in the affected areas. Free kitchens have already been started in four panchayats, said Collector Akhila Bihari Ota.
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