Balasore: Balasore district Collector Sudarshan Chakravarthy called a review meeting Monday with other top-officials of the district to discuss about the Cyclone Amphan situation.
In the meeting it was decided that a final decision on shifting of locals from the low-lying areas and coastal belts to cyclone shelters will be taken after a more definite picture of the cyclone track is available.
In the meeting, the Collector informed that 587 school buildings and pucca houses have been identified and kept ready for tackling an imminent cyclone.
Sunday evening, Chakravarthy held a meeting via video conference with districts officials, mainly from Agriculture and Health Departments and discussed the tentative damage control strategies post-cyclone.
Two National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams moved to the district Sunday while ODRAF, Village Welfare Department and 15 teams of Fire Brigade Department are pre-positioned in the district.
Sources said the district administration will shift the residents from low-lying areas and thatched houses to various cyclone shelters while the pregnant women of the district will be shifted to the hospital so that they can receive proper medical attention.
Chakravarthy said, the district administration is keeping close watch over 2.90 lakh residents of 136 Gram Panchayats (GPs) under five blocks in the district ahead of the approaching natural disaster.
On the other hand, Odisha DGP Abhay visited Balasore district Monday to review the preparedness by the district administration to tackle the upcoming cyclonic storm.
The DGP discussed with the ODRAF team of the district and asked them to ensure good coordination with the district administration while evacuating people from low-lying and vulnerable areas of the district.
Notably, the SRC said 12 coastal and adjoining districts have been put on high alert and asked to undertake required preparedness measures to effectively handle the situation. Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts have been instructed to remain fully prepared.
PNN
