The Supreme Court has ruled against the Puri district administration, directing it to pay enhanced compensation to families severely affected by Cyclone Fani in 2019, in a significant relief to victims who have waited years for justice.

Families Left Destitute After Cyclone Fani

A total of 67 families from Bidhyadharapur village in the Puri Sadar block lost their homes during Cyclone Fani and were rendered homeless and destitute. A preliminary survey conducted soon after the cyclone had identified them as eligible for government assistance.

However, a subsequent survey conducted two years later declared the families ineligible for compensation, prompting them to approach the Odisha High Court seeking relief.

High Court Order and Administrative Inaction

The Odisha High Court ruled in favour of the victims and directed the district administration to pay ₹95,100 per family as compensation. Despite the clear directive, the Puri district administration failed to comply with the order.

Following the non-implementation of the judgment, four affected persons filed contempt proceedings against the Puri Tehsildar for wilful disobedience of the court’s order.

Supreme Court Rejects Appeal

Challenging the High Court’s decision, the district administration moved the Supreme Court. The apex court, however, dismissed the appeal, finding no merit in the administration’s arguments.

The Supreme Court directed the authorities to pay the original compensation amount along with an additional fine of ₹10,000 per affected family, bringing the total compensation to ₹1,05,100 per family.

Strong Message to the Administration

The victims were represented by Senior Advocate Arupananda Goswami, who highlighted the prolonged delay and the hardship caused to cyclone-affected families.

The Supreme Court’s ruling has been widely seen as a strong rebuke to administrative apathy, with critics pointing out the unnecessary expenditure of taxpayers’ money on prolonged litigation instead of timely relief to victims.

Delayed Justice and Lingering Impact of Fani

Cyclone Fani caused massive devastation across Odisha, particularly in coastal districts such as Puri, damaging thousands of homes and livelihoods. While relief and rehabilitation efforts benefited many affected families, cases like Bidhyadharapur reveal how bureaucratic delays and procedural hurdles left some victims struggling for years.

The verdict is being viewed as a reminder of the state’s responsibility to ensure timely and fair compensation to disaster-affected citizens and uphold the spirit of relief and rehabilitation measures.

The post Relief at Last: SC Orders Payment Plus Penalty for 67 Fani-Hit Families appeared first on Odisha Connect.