The flood has receded, leaving behind the tragic story of loss and bereavement. Aggrieved people in the ravaged areas are slowly reconciling to their fate and beginning to restart their life.

The inordinate delay in implementation of a good number of railway projects in Orissa has allegedly hampered development processes, especially in the rural areas in and around major urban centres like

Helicopters hold the hope of survival for thousands of marooned people in the flood-hit villages of Orissa, at least what it seems now. Seven helicopters of the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy deployed in the air-dropping of food packets in the affected pockets had a hectic day on Monday as they made at least 21 sorties.

Unidentified attackers on Saturday gunned down ruling BJD MLA from Umerkote Jagabandhu Majhi, his personal security officer, Pinku Patro, and a civilian at Guna Hatapada, under Raighar block in Orissa

Flood situation in Orissa continued to remain grim on Sunday, even as the death toll rose to 17.

Unidentified attackers on Saturday gunned down ruling BJD MLA from Umerkote Jagabandhu Majhi, his personal security officer, Pinku Patro, and a civilian at Guna Hatapada, under Raighar block in Orissa’s Nowrangpur district, nearly 700 km from here.

The flood situation in Orissa continued to remain grim on Monday with more number of breaches being reported from coastal Orissa districts. At least three helicopters, two from the Indian Navy and the third one provided by the Union government, were pressed into flood service. At least 15 quintals of dry food items were air-dropped in the marooned areas of Puri, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur district.

The Orissa government on Sunday started airdropping of relief materials in the flood marooned in Puri district, even as the official death toll in the current high flood reached 16.

The image of the BJD headed by Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik is at stake. The EC asked the state government to file criminal cases against some of its top leaders who allegedly indulged in horse-trading to see through the victory of their party’s third candidate in the 2010 RS polls. Despite not having the requisite number, the BJD managed to get all its three candidates,

The worst fear of a high flood has finally come true – Mahanadi river with all its swelling tributaries on Friday breached several places, causing huge devastations.