6.5 lakh people affected by flood in Odisha Northern Coalfields official held

BHUBANESWAR: Around 6.5 lakh people have been affected by the flood caused by the Baitarani river in Bhadrak, Jajpur and Kendrapara districts of Odisha, officials said on Sunday.

According to the Special Relief Commissioner's (SRC) office, over three lakh were affected till Saturday.

A total of 4.02 lakh people have been hit in Kendrapara district, where 31 villages still remained marooned, while 1.71 lakh people were affected by floodwaters in Jajpur district. The number of affected in Bhadrak remained at over 83,000, they said.

Till 6 pm on Sunday, the Baitarani river was flowing below the danger level at Akhuapada in Bhadrak and Raghat in Anandpur of Keonjhar district.

Deputy Relief Commissioner Pravat Ranjan Mohapatra said floodwaters of the Baitarani had started receding Sunday afternoon onwards as there was no fresh rainfall in the upper and lower catch- ments. "In case of inundation JABALPUR (MP): A senior of any area, the collectors have Northern Coalfields Limited been asked to take immediate official was arrested for allegedly steps to evacuate the people demanding and accepting and keep them at flood shela bribe from a contractor ters. They will be provided food to clear a pending bill, a CBI and all necessary assistance," official said on Sunday. Mohapatra said, adding that NCL senior manager over 10,000 people living in low Shailendra Pansari was caught lying areas have been evacuated Saturday while accepting a during the last three days. sum of Rs 10,000 from the contractor during a trap laid by the CBI, P K Pandey, CBI Superintendent of Police (SP) said.

Pansari had demanded a commission of 10 per cent to clear a bill of Rs 1.27 lakh of the contractor following which the latter approached the Central Bureau of Investigation, he said.