The deputy commander of operation `Sahayata' Brig R S Rawat on Thursday told newsmen that the army has decided to give top priority to restore normalcy in Ersama and Balikuda blocks, worst affected the super cyclone. Brig Rawat assured that help of army engineers will be taken to restore the Ersama-Ambiki road and road to the east of Balikuda.

Brig Rawat said that lieutenant general Amarjeet Singh Clair made an aerial reconnaissance of the affected areas on Thursday and the commanding officers had a meeting to make an appraisal of the situation. He maintained that the roads to the interior areas will be restored within the next 48 hours.

The army action has exposed the claim of the state government that 100 per cent accessibility to the affected areas has been restored. Briefingnewsmen on Wednesday, special relief commissioner (SRC) had said that government machinery had managed to reach all the affected people.

Brig Rawat, however, maintained that sufficient relief materials are now pouring into Ersama block. He underscored the need for traffic regulation on the Ersama road which seems to be choked.

Brig Rawat said that in Bhadrak and Jajpur districts, the area north of Mahanadi, the relief operation was satisfactory. Life and activities in these two districts are fast returning to normalcy, he added.

He said that the army is now operating up to Ambiki in Jagatsinghpur district and Nolia Sahi in Puri district. Relief materials will be airdropped at Ambiki and Nolia Sahi for distribution in the areas to the further east.

Briefing newsmen, SRC DN Padhi said that the immediate priority before the government is to provide food to the affected people. The second priority will be to provide polythene and blankets to the affected people, he added.

The SRC who described thedisposal of animal carcasses as a `difficult and dirty' job said that so far 36070 carcasses have been disposed off in the affected districts. Over 1.65 lakh injured animals have been treated and 2.91 lakh animals have been vaccinated in the affected areas. A total of 1123.5 quintals of wheat and rice bran and 267.5 quintals of green fodder and straw have been distributed by the fisheries and animal resources department as relief measures for domestic animals, he added.

Padhi said that Rs 25 lakh have been sanctioned for disposing off animal carcasses. Two hundred scavengers from Delhi municipal corporation have been pressed into service for disposal of human bodies and animal carcasses in the Jagatsinghpur district. Besides, 167 scavengers from non-affected urban local bodies of Orissa, 100 defence volunteers, different non-government organisations and panchayat bodies have been mobilised for the purpose.

The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) will supply 250 tonnes milk powder for the OMFED plantand 250 tonnes more will be distributed in the afffected areas as relief. Besides, the NDDB will provide 250 tonnes of cattle feed to OMFED from Patna for distribution among the milk societies.

Padhi said that airdropping continued in Ersama and Balikuda blocks of Jagatsinghpur district, Bari block in Jajpur district and Patkura block in Kendrapara district.

The death toll meanwhile, has gone up to 7619 officially. Jagatsinghpur district tops the list with 6383 deaths. Surprisingly, no death was reported from the Jagatsinghpur district on Thursday.