Odisha Govt, gears up to tackle the impending cyclone Dana

By B.Maharana
Bhubaneswar, October 23 The Odisha Government has declared a three-day closer of all colleges and universities across 14 districts from 23rd to 25th October as a precaution to the impending Cyclonic Storm ‘Dana’ in the Bay of Bengal.
Besides, the state government has put the state administration on high alert to tackle the impact of the cyclone Dana and ensure zero casualty. Government has taken steps in war footing to keep ready the relief centres and cyclone shelters.
The districts expected to experience significant wind and rainfall include Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Angul, Khordha, Nayagarh, and Cuttack.
Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister, Suresh Pujari said that the state government has made all preparations to ensure that the people are moved before the arrival of this cyclone to all relief centres.
There is no need to panic. The government is fully prepared to tackle the situation said Pujari after a review meeting on the state’s cyclone preparedness.
“One hundred per cent evacuation will be done after identifying vulnerable areas. NDRF, ODRAF and Fire Services teams are kept ready. The government is closely monitoring the situation
Pujari, announced that a total of 250 relief centres have been reviewed and are ready to accommodate those affected by the cyclone. Additionally, 500 temporary shelters, including schools and colleges, have been prepared to provide refuge.
Evacuees will receive cooked food and medical services at these shelters. The health department has also compiled a list of pregnant women to ensure they receive necessary care. Special attention is being given to women, children, and elderly persons, who have been advised to move to safer locations. Women police officers will be deployed at the relief centres to provide additional support and security.
Minister Pujari assured that everything at ground zero is ready, with an adequate stock of ration, polythene, and other essential materials in place. The state is on high alert, aiming for a smooth and efficient evacuation process to minimize the impact of Cyclone Dana.
The Special Relief Commissioner, in a communication to the Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Higher Education Department, has directed the execution of necessary measures in anticipation of the storm.
The letter specifies that “colleges and universities in the aforementioned districts will be closed from October 23 to October 25, 2024, as a precautionary measure.”
According to the SRC, the IMD in Bhubaneswar has forecasted that the well-defined low-pressure area over the east-central Bay of Bengal has moved west-north-westwards, evolving into a depression today.
It is expected to further intensify into a cyclonic storm by October 23 and may escalate into a severe cyclonic storm over the northwest Bay of Bengal by the 24th. The storm is likely to make landfall along the north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island on October 24 and 25.
Meanwhile the secretaries’ meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja was held in the conference room of the Lok Seva Bhawan on Tuesday ahead of the impending cyclone ‘Dana’.Tthe secretaries and commissioners from various departments attended the meeting.
At the meeting’s start, the Chief Secretary addressed the administrative measures in anticipation of potential low-pressure rain and storms with the Secretaries.
The agenda included ensuring the continuity of telephone services, electricity, drinking water, health services for the public, and the functionality of educational institutions post-cyclone.
The primary challenge is the immediate provision of drinking water in both rural and urban areas during power failures caused by the cyclone. Likewise, it is crucial to have DG/Generator sets available in hospitals to ensure they remain operational at all times.
As part of the preparedness, the Panchayatiraj and Drinking Water Department, along with the Housing and Urban Development Department, have been directed to fill overhead water tanks to 100% capacity on the 23rd and 24th, monitoring the situation closely.
The Department of Energy, Housing and Urban Development, Panchayatiraj, and Drinking Water have been tasked with coordinating and preparing the required generator sets and other services.
As Cyclone Dana approaches the eastern coast of India, the Odisha government has ramped up its preparedness efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of its residents.
They are to oversee the mechanical state of the generator sets and have been advised to ensure all necessary personnel are prepared. The instructions include readying the generator sets with diesel and conducting a trial run promptly.
Similarly, the meeting highlighted the need for adequate preparations to supply water to the necessary locations and areas using tanks post-storm. The public has been urged to conserve water and use it judiciously during the cyclone and until normalcy is restored.
Meanwhile, the East Coast Railway (ECoR) has cancelled as many as 178 trains in view of impeding cyclone ‘Dana’ which has been forecast to hit the Odisha coast on October 24 and 25.
As per the East Coast Railway’s press release on Tuesday, train services on both Up and Down lines will be suspended for three days, from October 23 to 25. The announcement confirmed the cancellation of 85 Up trains and 93 Down trains over this period.