Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s Housing & Urban Development (H&UD) Department has put all urban areas on high alert and undertaken measures to ensure public safety and continuity of essential services in view of the approaching Cyclone ‘Montha’.
Leaves of officers engaged in emergency duties have been cancelled.
Housing & Urban Development minister Dr Krushna Chandra Mohapatra has directed all field officers to remain at their respective headquarters and stay vigilant round the clock.
Comprehensive instructions have been issued to all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to ensure effective cyclone preparedness, response and relief.
ULBs have been instructed to identify and monitor waterlogging-prone areas, deploy required manpower and equipment, and ensure timely drainage of stormwater.
“The safety and well-being of citizens is our foremost priority. All ULBs have been directed to remain fully alert and take immediate preventive and relief measures,” said the minister.
The government has kept cyclone shelters on standby, and arrangements have been made for cooked food, safe drinking water and emergency supplies.
Field officials have been directed to maintain uninterrupted water supply, ensure functionality of DG sets and pumps, and keep sanitation teams ready for immediate deployment.
Besides closely monitoring the situation, H&UD Department is coordinating with the State Emergency Operations Centre for timely action, if and when necessary.
Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary, H&UD Department, has written to all Commissioners and Executive Officers, instructing them to strictly adhere to departmental guidelines in letter and spirit, and ensure seamless coordination at the field level.
As per the latest bulletin, the depression over southeast Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 10 kmph over the past 6 hours and lay centred at 5.30 pm on Saturday about 1,000 km south-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha).
It is likely to move west-northwestwards, and intensify into a deep depression by October 26 and into a cyclonic storm over southwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal by the morning of October 27. Thereafter, it is likely to move northwestwards, then north-northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by October 28 morning.
The likely landfall is on Andhra coast, between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam during evening/night of October 28. Heavy rain has been predicted in several districts of southern Odisha.
