Bhubaneswar: Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari chaired a high-level review meeting Monday to assess the state’s preparedness ahead of the landfall of the deep depression over the northwest Bay of Bengal, directing all district administrations to remain on 24×7 alert and ensure swift response to any emergency.
The meeting, held at the revenue conference hall in Lok Seva Bhawan, reviewed district-wise preparedness and the prevailing weather situation. Emphasising that safeguarding human life is the government’s top priority, the Minister instructed officials to ensure timely evacuation of vulnerable people wherever necessary and make adequate arrangements for cooked food, dry rations, drinking water, shelter and other essential relief measures.
Pujari also stressed close coordination among all emergency response agencies to enable prompt action in affected areas. He directed district collectors to remain in constant touch with field-level officials and closely monitor vulnerable locations so that any emerging situation can be addressed without delay.
Collectors, BDOs and senior officials from several districts, including Mayurbhanj, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Kendujhar, Baleshwar, Bhadrak, Kalahandi and Sundaragada, joined the meeting through video conferencing and briefed the Minister on preparedness measures undertaken in their respective districts.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the deep depression over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining West Bengal–North Odisha coasts is likely to move north-northwestwards and cross the coast between Baleshwar in Odisha and Canning in West Bengal during the late afternoon and evening of July 27.
The IMD has issued heavy rain warning for Sundaragada, Kendujhar, Mayurbhanj, Baleshwar, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Kataka, Jharsuguda, Baragada, Sambalpur, Debagada, Anugola, Dhenkanal, Sonpur, Boudh and Kandhamala, while a Yellow Warning remains in force for Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Khordha and Nayagada districts.
