Cyclone Fani: Naveen Targets ‘Zero Casualty’ In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik targeted ‘Zero Casualty’ and asked the officials concerned to remain on high alert to tackle the cyclonic storm ‘Fani’. He stressed on ensuring ‘zero casualty’ as the Meteorological Department has predicted Odisha is likely to bear the maximum impact of cyclone Fani.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed that Fani is expected to touch Odisha coast south of Puri in the afternoon of May 3 with wind speeds ranging up to 180 kmph causing heavy rainfall in the coastal districts of the state.

Naveen gave instructions to evacuate people living in the low-lying areas to safe places before the cyclonic storm makes a landfall in Odisha.

The State Administration on Wednesday chalked out a massive preparedness and action plan so that the evacuation, rescue and execution would be a smooth affair.

Chairing a multi-agency coordination meeting at Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Conference Hall this afternoon, Works Secretary Dr Krishan Kumar asked all the agencies concerned to work as a ‘Team’ so that any difficulty arising out of the natural calamity can be tackled and managed properly.

He also advised the citizens not to worry and resort to panic buying. It was learnt that the Civil Supplies Department has been asked to keep a tab on the businessmen trying to hoard essential commodities and create a crisis like situation in the name of the severe cyclonic storm approaching Odisha.

The multi-agency coordination meeting was also addressed by Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) Vice-Chairman Balwant Singh and other senior officials from BDA, BMC, Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited, Commissionerate Police, Fire Services, Works Department, Public Health Engineering Organisation, Water Resources, Energy, Housing and Urban Development Department and Revenue and Disaster Mitigation Department.

The meeting called for immediate action on the evacuation, road clearance, drainage de-silting, restoration of power supply for emergency operations and telecommunication networks and declared a toll-free number 18003450061 and landline 0674-2431253 for immediate grievance redressal.

A multi-agency control room also started functioning at BMC from the evening hours to coordinate the grievances across the corporation area.

Meanwhile, the Drainage and Engineering wing of BMC has also started the major storm water drainage channels and major drains so that during a heavy or very heavy rainfall, the runoff water can easily flow to the Gangua `nullah’, the water sink of the city flowing around it, which ultimately unites with the Daya river.

Under the evacuation plan, there will be two cyclone shelters in each ward where the evacuated people would be given shelter. There will be adequate supply of medicine, food and water in the cyclone shelters.

The city’s urban pockets have been divided into 13 sectors in which an OAS officer will be sector officer with an engineer (Civil) and another from drainage. The sectoral officer will have the powers to take a call on emergency situations arising out of ‘Fani’ and recommend appropriate actions as per the requirement at ground zero.

The affected roads will be cleared with sufficient deployment of people/workers under the supervision of a nodal officer.

There will also be a drainage engineer who, in consultation with the team will decide on the positioning of the pumps and low-lying areas.