The Titili cyclone, which took lives of more than 57 people and destroyed houses, standing crops, trees and property, has left nightmarish experience for the local inhabitants in Gajapati district which has been one of the worst affected by the gale.

Most of the casualties took place in the cyclone in Rayagada block of the district. Even after getting the forecast of the cyclone beforehand, the Rayagada BDO did not take appropriate steps to save the people and provide them relief.

Abasingh village of the Rayagada block is a living example, where there are 800 houses and more than 2,000 people residing. Even after seven days of the cyclone and an assurance of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik who visited Gangabada panchayat in the block, neither the BDO nor any officials of the block office have yet made a spot visit to assess the situation and streamline the relief distribution works.

Abasingh is a tribal village. Most of the villagers are daily labourers. Their main source of living is planting cashew trees and selling the cashew seeds. The Titli cyclone has completely destroyed their cashew trees and rendered them completely hopeless and heartbroken.

It will take another 10 years for the cashew trees to bear the fruits. The tribals were earning a living from cashew cultivation but the cyclone has completely destroyed the cashew, mango, tamarind and banana fields, said the villagers.

They alleged that they were not aware about the Titli cyclone and hence, were not prepared to face the storm.

“We have been starving for the last seven days. There is no drinking water. The cyclone destroyed rice, paddy and all other eatables stored in houses. But no officer or leader has yet visited us,” lamented Dr

Ramakantha Bhuyana, a native of Abasingh village who is working as a Professor in the Berhampur University.

After hearing the plight of the villagers, he rushed to his village with relief material like rice, potato, flattened rice.

Bhuyan said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has ordered the officers to stay in their own panchayats, but they are not doing it. Consequently, the relief and rescue works have gone haywire. He said the post cyclone problems were multiplying day by day.

Subash Bhuyan, a sarapanch candidate and a native of Abasingh village, voiced similar concerns. He demanded the immediate removal of the Rayagada BDO for dereliction in duty. Meanwhile, the villagers demanded that the district Collector send a team to the village for proper assessment and distribution of relief, apart from compensation to the affected families.