Bhubaneswar: After making field visits to the districts affected by cyclone FANI, the special team of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) today decided to provide Odisha Administration with the requisite technical assistance to tackle the natural disaster more effectively.
Soon after the significant State level meeting, NDMA Member Kamal Kishore informed media, “We made field visits to the cyclone affected areas. We had been to Khurda district, Satpada and other villages in Puri district. We found out that the preparedness of the Odisha Administration and the people while tackling cyclone was highly praiseworthy. It is also being praised globally.”
He added, “Whatever villages we visited, we came to know that the people were given early warning on time, timely evacuation, the NDMA cyclone guidelines were aptly followed, the volunteers also worked very well. The immediate response was very good. We need to draw inspiration from such commendable activities.”
He further informed, “In the restoration front, much more is to be done in the power sector and work is on a war-footing. Around 80% people of Puri have been restored with electricity supply. I hope the restoration will be complete very soon.”
“We haven’t come here for loss assessment, but whatever technical assistance to be provided to the State Government for tackling cyclone will be given, be it telecom sector, energy sector, livelihood, housing designs, school designs etc,” the NDMA Member stated.
Odisha Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi said, “For the last 2-3 days, Shree Kamal Kishore, Member of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Dr Pradip Kumar, Member Secretary and their other officials are on their Odisha tour. The team has made field visit to Puri and Khurda districts to survey the ongoing rehabilitation and restoration measures in the aftermath of Cyclone FANI.”
He also informed, “Today they are having a State level meeting with the Secretaries of various departments. They have mainly decided to impart technical assistance. Two-three areas have been identified. First is power sector and second is telecom sector so that the telecom companies could maintain their business continuity as had been prior to cyclone. Third one is housing. Various new house designs will be made in collaboration with the State Government, other resource institutions so that in the coastal areas disaster resilient houses could be constructed.”
“We have also requested the NDMA to assist us for the second time in our projects under World Bank assistance,” stated the Chief Secretary.
Odisha Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Bishnupada Sethi informed, “NDMA team made field visits to Puri and Khurda districts. The team members interacted with the people and came to know that all of them had received early warning of cyclone. This was the major cause behind saving the lives of the people. Also last mile connectivity was established through NDMA. For instance, siren towers and SMS system were through NDMA’s NCRLP project commissioned on March 15. This project was very effective.”
He further informed, “Besides, Odisha Disaster Recovery Project, cyclone centres, saline embankment in Odisha through NDMA. The committee have done well those projects. In addition, NDMA scheme Apada Mitra is also being undertaken in Jagatsinghpur and Puri districts. In each of these two districts, 200 volunteers have been imparted training. NDMA applauded our efforts. Apada Mitra scheme is being implemented in Odisha better than other States.”
“We have requested them to implement the Apada Mitra scheme in all the disaster prone districts. Card II of National Cyclone Risk Management Project is underway across the country now. NDMA has savings in it. We have requested them to enlist Odisha in that savings. Also we requested that inspection should be made if the telephone operators are following the guidelines of TRAI or not,” said the SRC.
