Asika, Nov 13 (UDN): : In a gesture of compassion and solidarity, Ganjam District Collector V. Keerthi Vasan and a team of administrative officials celebrated Diwali with families affected by Cyclone Arnab and the subsequent floods at Jahada village under Dharakote Block in Ganjam district.
The initiative aimed to bring smiles to the faces of flood-affected people and help them overcome the hardships caused by the devastating cyclone and floods. To make the occasion special, the District Collector and administrative officials donated one day’s salary and arranged special Diwali gifts for the affected families.
The officials distributed new clothes, earthen lamps (diyas), cotton wicks, ghee, packets of sweets and firecrackers among the villagers as Diwali gifts. Similar celebrations and distribution programmes were also organised in several other flood-affected areas of the district.
The programme was attended by District Collector V. Keerthi Vasan, Nodal Officer Tejaswini Behera, Sub-Collector Uma Shankar Behera, Dharakote BDO Lipina Das, Tahasildar Lambodar Marandi, Gania BDO Denis Behera, Additional Tahasildar Ganesh Dalei, Additional IIC Anjali Behera and Assistant Executive Engineer Gyan Ranjan Pradhan, along with officials from various line departments.
With the active participation of Block Agriculture Officer Biswanath Behera, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Department Engineer Chinmayee Rout, Welfare Officer Ananya Panda, BPC Krushna Kanta Panda and BSSO Sachin Patra, along with block employees, local sarpanches, panchayat representatives, PEOs, ADOs and village volunteers, the officials went door to door and distributed Diwali gifts to nearly 1,500 families.
A special highlight of the celebration was District Collector V. Keerthi Vasan joining village children in bursting firecrackers and celebrating the festival, creating moments of happiness and togetherness among the flood-affected residents.
Meanwhile, the District Collector also oversaw the distribution of the government’s relief assistance to Cyclone Arnab-affected families, comprising 50 kg of rice and ₹2,500 in cash per eligible family.
The initiative was widely appreciated by villagers, who expressed gratitude for the administration’s efforts to stand beside them during a difficult time. The celebration reflected a spirit of compassion, community solidarity and administrative support, bringing the joy of Diwali to families still recovering from the devastating natural disaster.
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