Leader of Opposition and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, sharply criticised the Odisha state government's handling of Cyclone Arnab and its aftermath in Ganjam district, calling the devastating floods a 'man-made crisis' rooted in administrative negligence. In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Patnaik demanded accountability for the lapses and impartial relief and reconstruction work for flood-affected residents.

Key Allegations Against the State Government

Patnaik alleged that the state government ignored India Meteorological Department (IMD) warnings issued as early as 23 October, weeks before Cyclone Arnab made landfall. He stressed that standard operating procedures for cyclone and flood management mandate advance water release from dams and round-the-clock reservoir monitoring — steps that, he alleged, were not taken in time.

'Water from dams was released by the Water Resources Department after the onset of heavy cyclonic rains. This compounded the floods and caused huge loss of life and property. People have complained that adequate warning was not given to them before the gates were opened,' Patnaik stated in his letter.

Findings from His Ganjam Visit

The BJD chief referred to his 7 November visit to flood-affected areas in Hinjili, Sheragada, Aska, and Sorada in Ganjam district, where he interacted directly with affected residents. He said he witnessed massive infrastructure damage, extensive crop losses, loss of lives, and destruction of livelihoods. Patnaik said residents reported being marooned for days without food or water, and that delays in post-flood relief work exacerbated their suffering. He said he had forwarded representations received during the visit to the Special Relief Commissioner for immediate action.

Attack on BJP Government's Disaster Management Framework

Patnaik argued that the previous BJD government had built a community-based, globally recognised disaster management system in which sarpanches, Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) members, and Mission Shakti self-help groups played a central role. He alleged that the current Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government's neglect of sarpanches and the near-dismantling of Mission Shakti have critically weakened this community-based response architecture.

Citing what he described as repeated mishandling of calamities across Ganjam, Kendrapada, Jajpur, Bhadrak, and Baleshwar, Patnaik said the progress made in 24 years of BJD governance should not be 'undone in 24 months by the double engine sarkar'.

Demands and Warning to the Government

Patnaik urged the state government to adopt a 'whole of government' approach to deliver timely compensation, declaring that 'lip service will not work'. He called for stringent punishment for those responsible for the lapses, saying, 'This gross negligence and man-made crisis raises serious issues of accountability. People are demanding strict action against those responsible for such a serious lapse.'

He warned that the BJD would not tolerate negligence in relief work and would launch protests from 'Palli to Delhi' if the government failed to act. This comes amid growing political scrutiny of the state administration's preparedness as cyclone season continues along Odisha's eastern coastline.