Odisha Opposition Decries Government Flood Management Amid Delhi Visit

BJD leader Pritiranjan Gharai condemned the Chief Minister’s travel, arguing that the administration’s absence at a critical juncture highlights systemic gaps in preparedness. According to Gharai, families are struggling to access basic rescue services, and the current relief efforts remain trapped in official rhetoric rather than providing the urgent, transparent assistance required on the ground.

Senior Congress leader Shrikant Jena echoed these concerns, pointing to a death toll already reaching seven people and warning that the humanitarian crisis is deteriorating daily. Jena alleged that the government failed to issue timely warnings that could have mitigated damage across the six to seven districts currently under water. In Bhadrak district alone, Collector Dillip Rautrai reported that 61 Gram Panchayats and 261 villages, impacting a population of 2.45 lakh, have faced the brunt of the inundation. The opposition has demanded an immediate, honest review of the state's response mechanisms and a directive for district collectors to shift from passive observation to proactive relief operations.