Govt prepared for cyclonic storm: Odisha CM

Bhubaneswar, Oct 7: With IMD predicting movement of a possible cyclonic storm towards Odisha coast, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today said the state government is fully prepared for the possible eventuality.

"The government is prepared for the possible cyclonic storm," Patnaik said on his return from New Delhi. The state govenrment has cancelled leaves of its employees and put 16 coastal districts on alert besides asking Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and fire service personnel to be ready for the emerging situation.

The government also asked district authorities to open round-the-clock control room to coordinate with different departments. "We have asked district collectors to procure dry food locally. Besides, we have alerted some dealers in Chhattisgharh and West Bengal to keep ready some dry food if required," said food and supplies secretary M S Padhi.

The districts which have been alerted are Balasore, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Ganjam, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Cuttack, Khurdha, Nayagarh, Gajapati, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Malkangiri and Koraput districts, Deputy Relief Commissioner Pravat Ranjan Mohapatra said.

"We are fully prepared for the possible cyclone. There are 12 teams of which one each is already deployed in Balasore and Puri districts," said NDRF commandant M K Yadav. He said the teams are ready to go to field at any time.

PTI