Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy conducted a high-level meeting here Friday to review preparations for cyclone ‘Amphan’, which is taking shape in the Bay of Bengal.
Senior officials including DG Abhaya, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena, DG Fire services, secretaries of various departments and top officers of ODRAF and NDRF attended the meeting. District Collectors of Jagatsinghpur, Balasore, Bhadrak and Kendrapara took part through video conferencing.
Briefing media persons after the meeting, Jena said that according to the IMD forecast the low pressure area will take shape as a cyclonic storm May 16 evening. After the low pressure area turns into a depression, the path of the cyclone can be predicted.
“It is uncertain whether the storm will hit north Odisha move towards West Bengal and Bangladesh,” Jena said. “However as a precautionary measure, we have put collectors of 12 districts starting from Gajapati to Balasore on high alert,” added Jena.
Currently many of the cyclone shelters are being used as temporary quarantine centres. Collectors have been directed to identify alternative pucca buildings which can be used as temporary cyclone shelters.
The inmates of quarantine centres located within three kilometre radius from the coast will be shifted to other safe locations. In case that is not possible the inmates will be asked to undergo home quarantine. However, home quarantine will be implemented only after a fresh round of tests for the inmates. Jena said that the Collectors have been asked to take a final call in this regard.
NDRF, ODRF and Fire service personnel have been asked to be on high alert. Once the IMD announces the possible path of the cyclone, they will be deployed accordingly, Jena informed.
PNN
