Putting everything back on track is the hardest thing after any natural calamity, and the recent cyclone in Odisha has been no different. Six days after cyclone Fani battered Odisha, normal life in coastal towns of the state is still crippled with no electricity during most hours of the day, little water and barely any connectivity. 
There are unprecedented long queues in front of ATMs and cash dispensing kiosks with the facility being run on diesel generators. Most of the ATMs had either run out of cash or were not operating due to lack of power. What’s worse is that due to shortage of cash, residents too can’t buy food stuff with most grocery shops and restaurants insisting on cash payments. 
Patnaik, who had seen cyclones every two years in Odisha, is visibly angry. "It has been so many years since 1999, why can't the government lay underground cables so that citizens do not go through this misery. The administration failed to assess the damage and is now taking days to restore basic facilities such as water and power. Average residents are being fleeced as prices of essential commodities have peaked. The society where I stay is charging Rs 1,500 for an hour for running gensets," he said.