Odisha Govt Gears Up For Disaster Preparedness

Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the approaching monsoon, the Odisha government has started making preparations to meet any eventuality.

Presiding over the state-level pre-monsoon preparatory meeting at the State Secretariat here on Thursday, chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi directed all departments to keep themselves fully prepared according to the specified work plan.

He also directed the director, India Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, to continuously provide information on natural disaster warning.

The concerned departments have been asked to keep all necessary equipment on working condition for use during the calamity.

The chief secretary also directed the Health and Family Welfare department to keep the Anganwadi workers and the ASHAs on alert for shifting pregnant women, who are on the advance stage of delivery, to Maa Ghar within 24-48 hours of the onset of natural disaster.

To ensure total preparedness at the ground level, the meeting decided to conduct mock drill in each district on May 19.

Padhi directed Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) to actively involve employees of the departments associated with the disaster preparedness, members of cyclone shelter management committees, local leaders, volunteers and the people in the mock drill.

Talking to mediapersons after the meeting, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Bishupada Sethi said all possible measures have been taken to ensure zero casualties during flood and cyclone. “For proper execution of the work, inter-departmental coordination work plan has been prepared,” he added.

It was revealed in the meeting that the state government has increased the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) unit from 10 to 20. To provide assistance to the people, emergency operation centres have been opened at the state and the district level with toll-free number 1070 and 1077 respectively. Besides, to stay in touch with the people in the remote areas of the state, arrangements for VHF and satellite phones have been made. Instructions have been given to the BSNL and other private telecom companies to inform the people about the natural calamity.

This apart, necessary search and rescue equipment have been provided to 317 fire tender units.

The SRC said 11 NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) teams have been stationed at Mundali in Cuttack district while one team is deployed in Balasore district. For rescue and relief works, 300 power boats are kept in readiness.

He also said a total of 879 multi-purpose cyclone shelters are kept ready to accommodate the people of the affected areas.

Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan and principal secretaries, secretaries and senior officials of the concerned departments were present at the meeting.