Puri: Collector Balwant Singh has directed all departments of the district administration to open round-the-clock control rooms to deal with natural calamities like flood and cyclone.
As per the order, the control rooms would continue to work till October 15.
Chairing a meeting of the District Level Natural Calamity Committee (DLNCC) here Friday, Singh directed the officials to take concrete steps to release flood water from rivers during the upcoming rainy season.
He also asked the officials to keep boats ready to transport relief materials during floods. Besides, the Civil Supplies department was directed to store adequate dry food to meet any eventuality.
The meeting deliberated on the establishment of additional cyclone shelters in the district.
Participating in the meeting, Electricity department officials claimed that cyclonic storm Fani has dealt a severe blow to power supply infrastructure in Puri district. “Till date, we have restored power supply to 1.10 lakh consumers out of the total 1.60 lakh in the district,” they revealed.
Elaborating on the preparation of Health department to deal with natural calamities, Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Amarendra Nath Mohanty said they are ready to provide healthcare in 900 flood-prone villages in the district. “We would divide the district into six zones to provide healthcare facilities during calamities. We have deployed five ambulances at the district headquarters and four more at other places. This apart, we have a fleet of 37 ambulances under the 108 and 102 Ambulance services to transport patients to hospitals,” the CDMO added.
Agriculture department officials informed the meeting that altogether 60, 983 farmers in the district have been affected by the cyclone that made a landfall at Puri coast May 3.
“The damage to farmers has been pegged at Rs 25.41 crore. More than 10,000 coconut trees have either been uprooted or damaged by the May 3 storm. As many as 4,400 cowsheds have been destroyed by the cyclone,” said an official of the district administration.
The meeting also took stock of the relief and restoration work in the aftermath of cyclone Fani. Participating in the deliberation, Sports and Youth Services minister Tusarkanti Behera put emphasis on transparency in the distribution of house damage assistance among the cyclone-affected people. “There were allegations that people living in multi-storey concrete houses have been included in the victims’ list to get the assistance while many eligible people are facing exclusion,” Behera said.
Taking note of the allegation, the district collector said they would look into the issue and take necessary steps to provide house damage assistance to the cyclone victims.
Pipli MLA Pradeep Maharathy advised the officials to take immediate steps to revive the horticulture sector in the district. “The administration should introduce appropriate measures to revive coconut farming, betel vines and cashew orchards in the district,” Maharathy said.
Among others, Puri MP Pinaki Mishra, Jagatsinghpur MP Rajashree Mallick, Zilla Parishad chairman Jyotirmaya Dalei and additional Collector Binoy Kumar Dash were present at the meeting.
