Government seeks more choppers from Centre

BHUBANESWAR: As many areas remain inaccessible due to severe floods in the Brahmani and Baitarani, the State Government on Saturday urged the Centre to rush more helicopters for rescue and relief operations.  “I have spoken to Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and Defence Minister A K Antony. We asked for more choppers for rescue and relief operations,” Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told mediapersons here after making an aerial survey of the worst-affected Jajpur, Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts.  Naveen deputed senior officials to supervise rescue and relief operations in the three districts where people are trapped on rooftops as their houses have been submerged by floodwaters. Describing the situation in the districts as grim, Naveen said relief and rescue operations are in full swing.