Thousands are returning to destroyed crop fields and homes as many more await food, clothing, amenities and medical help in relief camps, two weeks since Orissa witnessed a devastating flood triggered by over-flowing rivers across the state.

Though the basic needs of the flood-affected, especially of young mothers and babies are yet to be substantially addressed, the issue of long-term food security and livelihood restoration is emerging as a major concern.

Crops and livelihoods wiped out

"Paddy fields are gone. Most here sow non-native high yield variety. This variety cannot withstand water for longer than four days and the loss has been near total," says Bhramarabara Jethi, a local ActionAid partner working on flood relief in Puri District.

"Farmers here no longer have seeds of the native paddy variety that has much greater resistance to water," he adds. According to official figures, over five lakh hectors of standing crop has been lost so far in the flood.

"People need seeds, farm implements and money to resume the cropping cycle and get on with their lives," says Manas Ranjan, regional manager ActionAid.

"Availability of fodder is also emerging as a major concern. Cattle deaths due to infection from contaminated water are being reported already," he adds.

Need for focused relief efforts

The government relief has started reaching the flood affected areas to some extent. But the nature of relief needs to be more focused on the needs of vulnerable and marginalised groups.

"Government agencies are distributing water in pouches. But we feel halogen tablets are the need of the hour. As pouches can only reach a few," says Ranjan.

"Villagers here use water from tube wells. With two back-to-back floods in a single monsoon season and now this deluge, thousands are being forced to consume contaminated water," adds Ranjan.

Local administration is also not doing anything about providing food for infants and nursing mothers, who have gone without nutrition in the early days of floods

Massive destruction

"The worst floods in Orissa in over two decades resulted in a lukewarm response. The devastation calls for declaring this as a national calamity," say Unnikrishnan, Asia Emergencies adviser ActionAid.

"Declaring this as a national calamity would have lead to better allocation of resources from the government and relief and rehabilitation efforts" he adds.

The Orissa flood witnessed as many as 61 embankment breaches in the Mahanadi river system causing displacement of over 6 million people as per official the official count. The latest government figures indicate that 6382 villages in 19 districts have been hit by floods.

Note:

Through its partners, ActionAid is reaching out to Dalit families and other flood affected communities in five districts of Orissa - Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Cuttak and Kendrapada.

Over 3,000 kits containing plastic bucket, mug, plate and halogen tablets have been distributed so far. Currently ActionAid is preparing for the distribution of 2000 agriculture-support kit, including seeds and basic farm implements.