CM gives Rs 1 crore for Odisha, state victims wait

SHILLONG: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has announced Rs one crore for Cyclone Fani affected people of Odisha, but back home, the people are yet to get any monetary relief from the state government.
An official statement said on Friday that on behalf of the government and people of Meghalaya, the chief minister has expressed solidarity with the people of Odisha in wake of the destruction caused by the cyclone.
The statement further said the chief minister has announced that Rs 1 crore from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund will be transferred to Chief Minister Relief Fund, Odisha to help in the ongoing relief works in Odisha.
When contacted about the relief initiatives for Meghalaya also affected by Fani, an official with the Revenue and Disaster Management Department said the exact damage is yet to be assessed.
The official said the respective deputy commissioners are supposed to assess the damage and initiate steps to provide relief.
The state government has not announced any monetary assistance to those affected in the cyclonic storm and the subsequent Fani.
As per the assessment on May 9, as many as 1,896 people were affected and 910 houses damaged in Meghalaya by Fani.
The total number of villages affected are 122.
Earlier, before Fani, over 5,000 people were affected in the state due to cyclonic storm.