Post News Network
Nayagarh, May 22: Tackling sunstroke cases and providing immediate treatment to heat-wave patients have been prioritised at the preparatory meet of the District Natural Disaster Mitigation Committee Friday.
Even as the temperature has been soaring in almost all parts of the state, district collector Hemant Kumar Padhi asked the authorities to remain alert to tackle sunstroke cases. In case any sunstroke case is reported from a place, Padhi asked the tehsildar and the team of medicos to immediately visit the place and submit a report to the concerned authorities.
Chief district medical officer (CDMO) Dr H Routray said all preparations have been made to tackle sunstroke cases. In each community health centres (CHCs) of the district, a room has been earmarked as sun-stroke chamber with air-conditioning facility, while in each primary health centre, a chamber has been specified for the purpose and coolers have been installed in each chamber.
Dr Rourtray further added that two sunstroke units were opened in the district headquarters hospital. In each block, sunstroke control rooms were opened and adequate amount of medicines stored for the patients. Measures have been taken to ensure that each village gets adequate drinking water. Water is provided through tankers in the villages having drinking water scarcity and those with excessive fluoride contents, said superintending engineer of the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation department.
However, Khandapada MLA Anubhav Patnaik alleged that rural areas are not being provided with adequate drinking water. The concerned department does not take measures to complete the under-construction drinking water projects. That apart, a number of drinking water projects have been lying defunct in Bhapur block, Patnaik alleged.
He mentioned that a number of people of Elpada were affected by diarrhoea a few days ago due to consumption of contaminated water. He asked the engineers about the steps taken to provide safe drinking water in the area.
In his reply, the engineer mentioned that the drinking water sources were contaminated due to seepage of drain water. He added that measures have been taken to provide safe drinking water in the area.
Daspalla MLA Purnachandra Nayak also brought similar allegations.
The meeting also discussed the means to effectively respond to possible flood and cyclone and mitigate their effects. The district was divided into eight flood/cyclone zones – Bhapur, Daspalla, Gania, Khandapada, Nayagarh, Nuagaon, Odagaon and Ranpur. Tehsildars were appointed as zonal officers, while BDOs were assigned as additional zonal officers.
The BDOs were directed to hold meetings with the people’s representatives, NGOs, line departments, health and animal husbandry departments on the ways to tackle possible cyclone and floods. They are supposed to submit reports to the concerned authorities by last week of May.
The irrigation department was directed to repair the breaches occurred in several river embankments during floods last year. They were also asked to stay prepared with all the materials ready to tackle any exigency.
The BDOs and tehsildars were asked to prepare boats, whereas the civil supplies officers were directed to stock dry foods and kerosene in flood-prone areas.
The health, agriculture and animal husbandry departments were directed to remain alert.
Among others, superintendent of police Manoranjan Mohanty, additional district collector Rabindranath Sahu, Ranpur MLA Rabinarayan Mohapatra, Zilla Parishad chairperson Naliniprava Sethi, BDOs and tehsildars and of all the blocks and officials of the concerned departments were present at the meeting.
