Orissa flood man made to divert Kandhamal issue, alleges Cong

Bhubaneswar (PTI): Alleging that recent flood in Orissa was "man made" to divert attention from the Kandhamal issue, Congress leaders on Sunday said Naveen Patnaik government "failed" to manage water storage at Hirakud dam on Mahanadi river and maintain embankments in its delta region.

"I hold the BJD-BJP government fully responsible and guilty for the devastating flood for which they will have to pay heavy price," Leader of Opposition in state assembly and Congress leader J B Patnaik told reporters here.

His party colleague and former state minister Nalinikanta Mohanty went a step further and alleged that "the flood was totally man-made. It was created to divert people's attention from Kandhamal violence".