Cyclone on radar, state prepares for the best
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha fire service has made special arrangements in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack in the wake of Cyclone Amphan.
Eight teams have been stationed in Bhubaneswar and five in Cuttack to meet any kind of exigencies.
“We apprehend urban floods and damage to trees in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack owing to the heavy rain and gusty winds. Besides existing staffers of the fire stations, these special teams have been constituted and positioned in the twin cities. We have mobilized 38 motor pumps in Bhubaneswar and 15 in Cuttack to flush out floodwaters from the waterlogged areas,” inspector general of police (fire service and home guards) Asheet Panigrahi said.
Power saws and boats, tree cutting tools and inflatable tower lights have been kept ready in the twin cities. “Similar arrangements have been made in Puri that often witnesses waterlogging after heavyrain. At least 15 pump sets are kept on standby there,” Panigrahi added.
While the Bhubaneswar municipal corporation (BMC) has chalked out its own preparedness measures to tackle the cyclone, commissionerate police, too, has pulled up its socks for assisting the needy during the calamity.
“We are coordinating with the office of the special relief commissioner and the BMC to deal with the crisis. Several low-lying areas, which are prone to waterlogging, have been identified. Residents of these areas may be shifted to a safer place if required,” additional commissioner of police Anup Kumar Sahoo said.
The state police headquarters said its specialized Odisha disaster rapid action force was ready to assist the fire services personnel and commissionerate police in carrying out the evacuation, relief or restoration work.
Director general of police Abhay is scheduled to visit Balasore and Bhadrak districts to take stock of their preparedness on Monday. A number of local communities, voluntary organisations and civil society outfits have decided to help police in the pre and post calamity management across the twin cities.