Bhubaneswar: The state government held a pre-cyclone preparedness meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja to review the readiness of various departments for potential cyclones and floods.
Ahuja emphasised the importance of inter-departmental coordination to face any disaster, drawing from the experience of Cyclone Fani in 2019. He directed the State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) to strengthen the system for disseminating cyclone information to every person at the grassroots level.
The meeting reviewed the current system for transmitting weather warnings, Doppler Weather Radar systems, and digital warning systems. OSDMA informed that preparations for establishing Doppler Weather Radar stations at Balasore and Sambalpur are complete.
Key officials, including the Additional Chief Secretary, Special Relief Commissioner, Director General of Fire Services, and others, discussed their department’s preparedness and emphasized the need for strengthening telecommunication systems, deploying ODRAF forces,, unified Command System for quick services, flood water drainage preparations in urban areas and coordination between cyclone shelters, local administration, and the public
The meeting also reviewed preparedness in areas such as water resources, food supply, drainage systems, medical services, and women and child development
