Flood shelters yet to come up in Jagatsinghpur

PARADIP: Although Jagatsinghpur district has been ravaged by frequent natural calamities, the Orissa State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) is yet to set up flood shelters here.After the last flood  in 2008, the OSDMA had decided to construct shelter houses in areas that  are prone to flood in the  district.  Accordingly, it was decided that the shelters would be set up in Bagalpur, Bansadhara under Biridi block, Ichapur under Balikuda, Saharagadia under Kujang and Samantrapur under Tirtol block. An estimated Rs. 10 lakh was to be spent on each flood shelter.However, intra-party conflict delayed the construction of the shelters except the one at Biridi. At Samantrapur panchayat under Tirtol block, locals said differences between legislators Debasish Samantray and Damodar Rout had delayed the construction work. While Samantray wants the shelter to come up on the local school premises, Rout and his supporters want it at another part of the village. Likewise, the site selection for the  shelters has not been done at Ichapur and Saharagadia.OSDMA sources said besides Biridi, construction of another shelter at Bagalpur has been completed, but it is yet to be handed over to the administration.Construction of other flood shelters is in progress, they added.