Tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary today

Phailin changes face of ‘green’ Tara Tarini hill: The Hindu

The ropeway station at the foothills of the famous Tara Tarini mangled with uprooted trees in the aftermath of Cyclone Phailin at Purushottampur in Ganjam district of Odisha. —Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

Nature’s fury in the form of the Phailin cyclone has devastated everything at the Tara Tarini hill shrine except the main temple on the hill top. The 965 feet high hill, which was proud of its lush green vegetation cover, has become totally naked with the brown rocky base showing up. Most of the large trees on this hill have got uprooted or massively damaged by the cyclonic storm. According to secretary of the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB) Pramod Panda, they included several decade old banyan and peepul trees. “Due to its lush green nature, this hill was being called Purnagiri or Kumari parvat. But the cyclone seems to have snatched away that identity from the hill,” he said. A cashew plantation of the hill shrine at Sholaghara near the hill has also been completely devastated. According to the priests and authorities of the TTDB, this hill shrine had not faced such devastation during the two cyclones that hit Ganjam district in 1999.

Major attraction

A major attraction of this hill shrine was the rope way to the hill top. It is an irony that it was to be restarted recently after renovation. But the cyclone has caused much damage to the ropeway which would surely delay its inception.  Although the towers and cables of the ropeway are in place, they have to be checked up to ascertain whether they are strong enough after the cyclone. The carriages of the ropeway have been damaged. All buildings at the hill top and most buildings at the foot of the hill were damaged by the cyclone. No structure has remained at the hill top except the newly-constructed temple which was completed in 2010.

This temple had been built as per traditional Rekha style of Odia temple architecture. It again proved that Rekha style of temple architecture as per which famous Jagannath temple of Puri and Lingaraj temple of Bhubaneswar have been built can with stand major cyclones. The stairway and the road to the hill top have been cleared up but drinking water supply and power connectivity to the hill top remains snapped. For providing drinking water to devotees, water is being taken by tanker to the hill top. Nature’s fury also had its impact on the flow of devotees to the hill shrine.

Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), southern division, Bikash Mohapatra, who also happens to be president of the TTDB, said all the developmental projects proposed for this hill shrine were also stalled due to the devastation caused by the cyclone. The TTDB had planned to move around a ‘rath’ in Ganjam district to collect donations for the development of the hill shrine, which cannot be taken up now as the whole district is devastated by the cyclone and the rains and flood that followed. “We are now planning to start online donation facility for the restoration and reconstruction works at the hill shrine so that devotees living outside could come over to help in rebuilding the hill shrine to its past glory.

Priority

“Our first priority now would be to regenerate the devastated vegetation of the hill shrine in consultation with the forest department,” said the RDC. The aim would be to plant those species of trees on the hill which would sustain cyclonic storms in future and would not get uprooted. But it is for sure for next few years the hill shrine would continue to have a barren look as a memory of wrath of nature which did not spare the hill which was a major centre of faith.

Source: The Hindu

MAYFAIR Palm Beach Resort Gopalpur on Sea – Restored and Ready to Welcome Guests after Cyclone “Phailin”

Cyclone ‘Phailin’ left a major impact in Gopalpur in Ganjam District of Odisha as it was closest to the point of landfall. During the landfall and cyclone, entire beach town was closed; while bookings were cancelled to avoid any major problem with guests. During the Phailin Cyclone in Gopalpur, MAYFAIR Palm Beach Resort was closed for a week. Now, the 5-star deluxe resort has been restored and ready to welcome guests again. 

Guest operations have been started again from 20th of October at MAYFAIR Palm Beach Gopalpur on Sea. Now, you can explore the real sea world at two hrs picturesque drive from Bhubaneswar. It was closed for around one week after a day before cyclone Phailin hit Odisha coastline. Phailin cyclone in Gopalpur – Ganjam district of Odisha, hit land with the winds that picked the speed up from 100 km/h to 200 km/h and more within half an hour in the mid of October 2013. 

Gopalpur observed damage triggered by high-speed winds with fallen trees, uprooted poles and broken walls. Cyclone Phailin was officially the strongest storm ever measured in the Bay of Bengal. Heavy rain and wind stirred up a cloudburst drag of over three meters and swamping areas up to half km inside. In this fashion, Gopalpur became the location of the Cyclone’s landfall in October 2013. Cyclone Phailin in Gopalpur kept its stormy date with the Odisha coast, striking just off Gopalpur. 

MAYFAIR Palm Beach Resorts had to stop its operations for some days and restored & opened for guests again on 20 October. However, the hotel also witnessed some damages, but recovered immediately. Book rooms in the heritage property or get an attractive package to explore the real sea world. As the major festivals are round the corner and bringing joy and happiness to one and all, MAYFAIR also ready to share the same with you. A warm welcome awaits you and your family in MAYFAIR Palm Beach Resort Gopalpur on Sea and other resorts in different cities of Odisha where various fun and events have been planned to make your stay exciting and a memorable. 

Source: Mayfair

BJP President Rajnath Singh to visit cyclone-hit Gopalpur on November 1

National BJP president Rajnath Singh will visit the cyclone and flood- affected districts of Odisha on November 1. The State BJP said that Rajnath will make an aerial survey of affected areas and meet people of Ganjam and Balasore districts.  Slamming the State Government for its failure to reach the affected even after two weeks of the natural calamities, BJP said a large number of marooned people of Balasore, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj and Jajpur districts are deprived of food and water. The Government has no stock of food materials in the affected areas, it alleged.  Source: New Indian Express

Tampara lake near Berhampur faces the wrath of cyclone Phailin

Source: The Sambad

Calamities hit 25.5 lakh people in Ganjam

The cyclone and flood affected as many as 25.5 lakh people in Ganjam district - 3.5 lakh during Phailin and 22 lakh in the flood. According to reports of the district administration, the cyclone claimed 13 lives while four died in the flood taking the total death toll to 17. Around 1,64,629 houses and 65,371 cowsheds were damaged in cyclone. Similarly, 1,79,205 houses and 32,550 cowsheds were damaged in the flood.  This apart, crops in 2,93,900 hectares (ha) were destroyed by Phailin while floods washed away crops in 51,566 ha. The district administration has estimated the total crop loss at 3,45,466 ha. Fisheries sector also sustained heavy loss as many fishermen were affected and their boats and fishing nets damaged.

“If everything goes fine, power restoration in Ganjam would be completed by Friday,” said SOUTHCO Managing Director PK Choudhary.  He said of around 5.42 lakh consumers in the district, power has been restored to around 2.10 lakh households so far. “As restoration works is on power will be restored by Friday,” he said. Southco Superintendent Engineer Lenka Prasad said of around 83,000 consumer households in Berhampur city, power was restored to 78,000 households by Wednesday. “Frequent power cuts problem will be gradually solved,” he added.

Source: New Indian Express

Central Congress leaders give a skip to tragedy-hit Ganjam

Cyclone Phailin cripples normal life

Source: Orissa Post

Cyclone ravaged Berhampur gears up for Deepawali and Kali puja

Source: The Sambad

Central team continues its assessment of loss post-Phailin in Ganjam for the second day

Source: The Sambad

Central team arrives in Berhampur to assess loss

A high-level inter-ministerial Central team reached Ganjam district on Monday afternoon on a visit to assess the losses caused by the Phailin cyclone and the floods caused by incessant rains after that. This seven-member team landed at the Rangeilunda airstrip near Berhampur University campus by a helicopter. According to official sources, this team is headed by Joint Secretary of Central Home Department Rashmi Goel. Its members include delegate from Central agriculture and cooperative department Sanjay Lohia, A. Chandrasekhar from Central Planning Commission, D.Rajsekhar Reddy of Drinking Water and Sanitation department, A.K.Rajput of Central Electricity department, director of Central Rural Development Department K.K.Janpath, R.P.Panda from National Highway Authority, Chand Choudhury from Central Forest and Environment Ministry and Dinanath of Central finance department. The team visited cyclone-ravaged Berhampur University campus, areas of Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BMC), including the MKCG medical college and hospital, power sub-stations on the outskirts of the city and areas of Gopalpur on Sea. On Tuesday also they would visit several other cyclone- and flood-affected areas of Ganjam district. On Tuesday they would reach Bhubaneswar from Ganjam district by helicopter.

Source: The Hindu

Source: The Sambad

Flood situation disrupts train movements in Berhampur and South Odisha

Source: The Sambad

Ganjam presents a scary picture battered by floods and cyclone

Ganjam recalls the tragedies of 1990 and 1999 - 2013 proves to be the worst

Source: The Sambad

Insensitive administration compounds the woes of the disaster ravaged Berhampur

Source: The Sambad

Two blackbucks saved from the furious river Rushikulya

Source: The Sambad

Situation still precarious in flood-hit South Odisha

Source: The Sambad

Tragedy is not yet over for Berhampur and Ganjam

Heavy rains leave Berhampur city waterlogged; Government of Odisha is nowhere to be seen

Source: The Sambad

Berhampur MP missing in action as city faces double tragedy

Source: The Sambad

Flood situation worsens in Ganjam

Source: Orissa Post & The Sambad

Berhampur Railway station devastated by cyclone Phailin

Double trouble for Berhampur as many areas submerged in rain water

Source: The Sambad

Berhampur MP Mr. Siddhanta Mahapatra missing in action even as people get restive

Berhampur faces the double whammy of cyclone Phailin and incessant rains

Source: The Sambad

When it rains, it pours in Berhampur

Phailin leaves its damaging footprints in Ganjam

Source: The Sambad

Phailin damages Ganjam beyond recognition

Berhampur still recovering from cyclone Phailin now faces flood fury

Source: The Sambad

Ground report from Berhampur: Ten days after cyclone Phailin, Ganjam remains powerless

By Jajati Karan, CNN-IBN

It has been ten days now that the worst cyclone, Phailin, hit the Ganjam district in Odisha has been plunged in darkness as the district's entire power system has literally been blown away. To know about the hardship the four million people staying in this district are facing, CNN-IBN spent a night in Berhampur city and its adjoining villages. As the sun sets in Ganjam, it looks as if the entire district has gone back to the dark ages. It's hard to believe that Behrampur is the commercial capital of South Odisha. Post cyclone Phailin, this entire area has no power supply.

Odisha: Ten days after cyclone Phailin, Ganjam remains powerless

The first sight in the city was a long queue at an ATM, which was one of the few working. "We can't do anything without power. Life has become so difficult," said Aan, a medical student of MKCG medical college. In a grocery shop which had a power generator, there was a sudden rush to charge mobile phones. The shopkeeper charges Rs 20 per hour from desperate customers like retired government servant Manoranjan Sarangi. "My daughters and son stay outside Odisha and this mobile is the only means of communication, so I have to charge it at any cost," Manoranjan said.

At one of the main streets of Berhampur at 8 pm at night, when the city should buzz with activities, most of the commercial establishments remain closed and the city comes to a standstill. The only light one sees is the temporary lamp post set by Odisha government's OSDMA. If the city life in Berhampur is a nightmare, for villages the situation is worse.

Cyclone affected Saraswati Sahoo said, "We elders and the men sleep outside on the streets, whereas our young girls have to sleep in dark inside the house though it's very hot inside." The power crisis has led to an acute water shortage.

Efforts to supply drinking water through tankers are inadequate. Restoration of electricity towers, damaged by the cyclone, is progressing slowly. GRIDCO CMD Hemant Sharma said, "The task before us is mammoth. The damage which has taken place should normally take three years but we are trying to do it in the shortest possible time."

According to top sources of the Odisha government, it will take at least 10 days in Berhampur and more than a month in the entire Ganjam district for power to fully restore and until then the ordeal of the people like these is not going to end anytime soon.
Link Odisha: Ten days after cyclone Phailin, Ganjam remains powerless

PHAILIN: Berhampur University suffers heavy damage

The campus now resembles a war-ravaged area

Sports complex of Berhampur University totally damaged

Berhampur University, once known as for its lush green campus with thousands of casuarinas, banyan, mangrove and other trees, now resembles a war-ravaged area. 

Debris of fallen building and uprooted trees all over the Bhanja Bihar campus, sprawling over 251 acres, greet the visitors today. One can find only a heap of bricks and mortars at a place that used to be PG hostel and sports complex. 

Post Cyclone: Berhampur University

The power and drinking water systems have totally collapsed. The Bhanjabihar campus was caught in the eye of the severe cyclonic storm Phailin on October 12. “We bore the brunt of the devastation caused by Phailin as the campus is located just two km from the Gopalpur coast, Vice-Chancellor Deepak Kumar Behera, told The Hindu on Friday. “We don’t know when we can rebuild our campus and ensure normal academic activity. We have asked the State government to conduct a safety audit as the structural stability of various structures which withstood the onslaught of the cyclone is in doubt,” he said.

The university administration made a preliminary estimate of the loss and put it at Rs.60 crore. Responding to the SOS sent by the university, the government sanctioned Rs.10 crore, of which Rs.3 crore was released to take up restoration work immediately.

Sports complex Berhampur University

The university has 20 departments and imparts six self-financing courses. It has a law college and 100 affiliated colleges under its jurisdiction. The puja vacation was supposed to end on October 21. Principal of Khollikote Autonomous College Saritanjali Bahidar said they had sought extension of holidays till October 31.

Berhampur University Registrar B.P. Rath and Director of College Development Council B.C. Choudhary said it was not possible to resume classes before Diwali. Source: The Hindu

HORRIFIC TRAIL OF DEVASTATION FROM BRAHMAPUR TO B’GAON

By: HEMANTA KUMAR PRADHAN

Having experienced a ferocious cyclonic storm Phailin on October 12 last at Brahmapur, I along with a few fellow reporters undertook a motorcycle journey on the October 13 morning to see how the monstrous storm had wrecked havoc and left a trail of devastation in coastal Ganjam and its neighbouring districts.

As the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted that the cyclonic storm would badly affect the villages and towns between Balugaon and Brahmapur, we decided to start our journey from Brahmapur to Balugaon to get a first-hand report on the ravages of Phailin. Though the wind speed had deceased considerably, we were still haunted by fear of the wind turning frightful again.

We visited various places of the city and captured photos of heaps of rubble, uprooted trees and electric poles and snapped wires across the city.From the First Gate of Brahmapur to the Gopalpur junction, the city wore a fearful look. Most of the old and new trees had toppled, while water was running over road from Roland Institute to Gopalpur junction as Bahana Nala had overflowed. The main road connecting NH-5 was disconnected. We looked for the shortcuts but they too had been blocked as uprooted trees kept lying over them. So, we took a bypass road via Lanjipalli over bridge to reach NH-5 so that we could move to Balugaon.

When we crossed Lanjipalli, we got to know the death of a child at Bijipur in wall collapse and another similar case at Gosani Nuagaon in the city. Storm didn’t show any mercy to the telephone towers and electric poles and transformers. The telecommunication and electricity supply was badly hit. We visited Ayodhya Nagar, Gajapati Nagar, Lochapada and Aska Road and saw the areas in ruin. The Brahmapur railway station was also destroyed. The kutcha and asbestos houses were badly affected in the storm near the station.

We managed to cross streets of the city with much difficulty as they had been filled with damaged branches and leaves and broken electric poles rounded with wires. We touched the NH-5 and set off for Balugaon. On the way, a truck driver told us that a few lorries had turned turtle near Konishi after being hit by the cyclonic storm. The wind was still blowing at a high speed, enough to shake our motorcycle, in which we were travelling. But it hardly had the strength to shake our determination to move ahead and see the large-scale devastations and wreckages.

The low-lying areas with paddy crops to the right side of the NH had been fully submerged. During our journey, we passed many petrol pumps beside the NH, which too had faced the ire of the cyclone. With their shades damaged, most of them had shut down. We hardly saw any people or any vehicle on the road. A dead silence had reigned supreme everywhere. We crossed Jagannathpur junction and then Mandiapalli, which connects Gopalpur beach via Berhampur University. Two reporters who camped at the university campus joined us at the junction. What they told us about the devastation the university had gone through was shocking. The university was famous for its greenery having thousands of trees, but the storm had stripped it of its pride possession and rendered it barren. It hurt us when we knew that the dreaded storm had not spared the deer park, classrooms and hostels inside the campus of the university.

We took a glance of a high school near the NH at Chamakhandi, which was filled with broken trees. Then we saw a few village roads connecting the NH filled with uprooted trees. Most fruit-bearing trees had been badly damaged. We reached the district headquarters town of Chhatrapur. The Collectorate and residence of the Collector had been affected. The storm had not spared a single building with asbestos roof. Educational institutions had been damaged. We visited the people in the relief centre at Onslow High School. While talking with the poor people of the cyclone-hit area, we were told how the victims had undergone a harrowing experience on the previous night.      

Our team resumed journey and passed the Tampara Lake after Chatrapur. The gigantic mango, coconut, jackfruit and eucalyptus plants along NH were kissing the ground. We came across a damaged roadside hotel A1 dhaba near the lake where three lorries had overturned. Then we crossed the overflowing Rushikulya and reached Purunabandha-Binchhanapalli cyclone shelter after Ganjam town. The fishermen were about to leave the shelter as wind had been quite slow. Taking some dry food given by the administration, the fishermen were leaving the cyclone shelter for their homes, but they looked to be stressed with anxiety, apprehension and fear about the safety of their houses and the belongings, especially the fishnets and boats.

An electric sub-station at Humma had been damaged. After crossing the Palur junction, we reached severely affected coastal villages such as Podagada, Jhatipadar, Barapalli under Ganjam block. We stopped at Sai dhaba where two lorries had met a mishap. We reached Gopinathpur coming under Ward 6 of Rambha NAC. Out of total 14 families living in the village, 12 kutcha houses were badly damaged. Coconut trees, bamboo and eucalyptus trees had toppled over houses. Two persons were injured due to the sudden fall of the trees, said a homeless villager Rama Nath.

We then moved towards a few severely affected villages like Jharedi, Kantapada, Sipakuda and Madhurchua near the Chilika lake. We got to know that a few fishing villages near Sabulia were also affected when water of the lake gushed into their villages. We were astounded after seeing a huge loss of fruit-bearing trees in the groves. Before reaching Badaghati, we saw a village road to Pana Nuagoan filled with uprooted old trees and a damaged autorickshaw near a huge tree. On the day of the cyclone, driver Parameswar was killed after a huge tree fell down on him while crossing the road.

We wanted to move to Khallikote, but a local advised us not to go there as the road was not clear. We continued our journey and reached Keshpur at 9am. The Chilika water had entered the paddy fields and inundated many villages of Pathara panchayat. When we reached Balugaon, we found people slowly coming out of their houses. Everywhere, we saw heaps of debris and fallen and broken trees.

People everywhere were demanding relief like dry food since people had lost their homes and belongings in the gale. Starving children were staring at us helplessly. As relief had not been supplied to them in time, angry locals near Balugaon were preparing to hold a road blockade on NH-5.

Source: The Pioneer 

Watch: Real picture post-cyclone Phailin

Watch: Real picture post-cyclone Phailin

Cyclone Phailin hit the Gopalpur coast in Odisha on Saturday night and Chattarpur in Ganjam district was the worst hit. The timely evacuation by the officials saved many lives in the state even though they they faced resistance by the people.
Read more at: http://ibnlive.in.com/videos/428629/watch-real-picture-postcyclone-phailin.html?utm_source=ref_article

Bollywood prays for victims of Cyclone Phailin

Bollywood prays for victims of Cyclone Phailin Big B and Madhuri shared their grief on Twitter After witnessing nature's fury in the form of tropical cyclone Phailin, celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan and Madhuri Dixit took to the micro-blogging site Twitter to share the loss and grief of all those affected.

Phailin is said to be one of the biggest cyclones to hit India's coast in 14 years. At least seven people lost their lives as the cyclone, accompanied by heavy rain and strong winds, swept coastal Odisha on Saturday night, according to official sources on Sunday.

Here's what the celebrities had to say:

Amitabh Bachchan: The fury of the gods in cyclone Phailin! Be careful, beware and be protected and be in prayer!

Madhuri Dixit: My prayers go out to all the people affected by cyclone Phailin. May God give them strength to overcome this ordeal.

Akshay Kumar: My prayers with all those impacted by nature's wrath. Hoping for calm in Odisha, sadly that's all we can do at this moment. Phailin.

Mira Nair: Holding my breath about Phailin, prayers and courage for the people of my birthplace in Odisha. May nature's fury be contained?

Shekhar Ravjiani: My prayers for all those facing the wrath of Phailin and respect for the officials who are working overtime to evacuate people to safety.

Tisca Chopra: While our prayers are with those affected by Phailin, it must be said GOI (government of India) has done great, evacuating half a million people is no small task!

Anupam Kher: Every time nature shows its fury, fragility of our existence gets badly exposed. It makes importance of the word 'I' so unimportant. Phailin.

Boman Irani: Seems we were more prepared than usual. Even nature seems to respect that and in turn has been less brutal than expected. Source: Indo-Asian News Service 

Ganjam worst hit by Cyclone Phailin, 2.4 lakh houses damaged

Uprooted trees on a road in Berhampur caused by cyclone Phailin (Source: The Hindu)

BERHAMPUR: Hit hardest by Cyclone 'Phailin', the coastal district of Ganjam is estimated to have suffered a loss of at least Rs 3,000 crore in the nature's fury which has deprived lakhs of people of their livelihood and damaged 2.4 lakh houses. Fishermen have suffered massive losses as their nets, boats and catamarans have been damaged. The farming community has also been hit with the standing paddy crop submerged in water. Moved by the tragedy that has struck the hapless people here, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, after a visit to relief camps, has ordered payment of Rs 500 each to the affected even as the administration will begin distribution of ration free of cost for two months.

Damaged pandals in Berhampur city in the aftermath of Cyclone Phailin (The Hindu)

Official sources have pegged the loss in Ganjam at more than Rs 3,000 crore in this district alone. Power infrastructure has been damaged to a great extent. "There has been extensive damage to the standing paddy crop as a huge area of land covering paddy fields has been submerged in rain water. There has been huge loss to horticulture farming also as an enormous number of mango and coconut trees have been uprooted," District Collector Krishan Kumar told PTI.

Source: MapsofIndia.Com

He said Ganjam is the worst-affected district in Odisha in terms of loss of livelihood and property. "More than 2.4 lakh houses have been damaged which includes fishermen huts and other 'kutcha' houses," Kumar said. A special relief package for fishermen will also be announced by the government. Fishermen have suffered massive losses as their nets, boats and catamarans have been damaged, the Collector said. He said nine people have lost lives due to cyclone in this district alone.]
Source: PTI, Business Standard, The Hindu

Source: The Sambad

Deserted Berhampur road post-Phailin (Source: The Hindu)

Source: OrissaPost

Other Images of the devastation in Berhampur & Gopalpur 

Courtesy: The Washington Post Link- http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/india-braces-for-cyclone/2013/10/12/8d4f2a2c-335f-11e3-8627-c5d7de0a046b_gallery.html#photo=29