Bhubaneswar: An eight-member Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) will visit Odisha from November 2 to 4 to assess the damage caused by Cyclone ‘Arnab’ and the subsequent floods in the state, officials said on Sunday.
The team will visit cyclone-affected areas and conduct an on-the-spot assessment of the damage to agriculture, infrastructure, roads, power supply, water resources and other sectors.
The team will be led by Ravi Shankar, Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, who is scheduled to arrive at Bhubaneswar airport on the evening of November 2. The other members are expected to reach the state capital either later that evening or on the morning of November 3.
After holding discussions with state government officials, the central team will visit the affected areas in accordance with an itinerary prepared by the state government.
The eight-member team comprises officials from various Union ministries and departments.
Apart from Shankar, the team includes Dr Man Singh, Director, Directorate of Rice Development, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Patna; Rahul Chaurasia, Deputy Director (PFS), Department of Expenditure, Union Ministry of Finance, New Delhi; and Dilip Kumar Jena, Director, M&A Directorate, Central Water Commission, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Bhubaneswar.
The other members are Karan Sareen, Deputy Director, Central Electricity Authority (CEA), Union Ministry of Power, New Delhi; Sunil Kumar, Superintending Engineer, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Bhubaneswar; Ajay Kumar Sahu, Under Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, New Delhi; and C. Sai Krishna, Scientist ‘D’, National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Department of Space, Hyderabad.
During the visit, the team will also review the ground situation in the affected areas, including rescue and relief operations, and assess the extent of damage caused by the cyclone and subsequent flooding.
The state government is making arrangements for the team’s accommodation, transportation and other logistical requirements. A detailed itinerary for the field visits is also being prepared.
