Chhatrapur: Ganjam district administration has reportedly declared holidays for all anganwadi centres and schools in the district until September 24, in view of the extremely heavy rainfall expected under the influence of an impending deep depression over the Bay of Bengal.
Heavy rainfall has already begun in several parts of the district as the weather system approaches the Odisha coast.
The administration has stepped up preparedness measures and inspected various multipurpose cyclone shelters to assess their readiness to accommodate people in case of an emergency.
Ganjam Collector V Keerthi Vasan, along with Chief Development Officer Sameer Kumar Jena, BDO Sambit Sangramjit Sahu, Chhatrapur Tehsildar Dibya Mohanty, Gopalpur NAC Executive Officer Manoj Nahak, Gopalpur NAC Chairperson A. Janakiram and other officials, visited cyclone shelters at Uppalaputi, Haripur, Gopalpur and Boxipalli.
The officials reviewed the availability of essential amenities at the shelters. The Collector also checked emergency lights, stretchers, medicines and other necessary supplies.
Earlier, a high-level meeting chaired by Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg was held through video conference with district officials to review preparedness for the weather system.
The district administration has also activated a 24-hour emergency control room at 06811-263978. Similar helpline numbers have been issued for emergency control rooms across all 23 tehsils, 22 blocks and 18 urban local bodies in the district.
Vasan urged people to contact their nearest BDOs or tehsildars in case of any emergency.
The India Meteorological Department has forecast that the deep depression is likely to cross South Odisha-North Andhra Pradesh.
PNN