Bhubaneshwar (Odisha): Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday, highlighting the measures taken by the government to ensure security as severe cyclone Dana is expected to make landfall in Odisha, said that the government target is zero causalities.
Ahead of Cyclone Dana landfall, the Odisha government has evacuated 3 lakh people, made More than 7000 cyclone shelters and ensured the security of pregnant women.
“Our target is zero casualties. Work is underway to ensure 100% evacuation. Till now, more than 3 lakh people have been evacuated. More than 2,300 pregnant women have been moved to safer places. More than 7000 cyclone shelters are ready. Adequate medical and veterinary teams were also deployed. Police deployed to give a sense of security to the people,” CM Majhi said.
CM Majhi informed that each minister has been deployed in the 10 districts to oversee the operations.
“Police deployed to give a sense of security to the people. DG set, Gensets and Inverters stationed at district hospitals to ensure power supply. NDRF and ODRAF teams are deployed in the affected districts. Each minister has been deployed in the 10 districts to oversee the operations,” CM Majhi said.
CM Majhi further informed that the landfall is expected to be the new Dhamra Port and Bhitarkanika Park.
Odisha Minister Suryabanshi Suraj requested the public to take shelter at the cyclonic centre.
“We are requesting the public to take shelter at the cyclonic centre as proper arrangements have been made there. I am checking all the arrangements. Teams of ODRAF, NDRF, and volunteers are carrying out the evacuation…More than 25,000 people have been evacuated,” Suryabandshi Suraj told media.
Earlier in the day, Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo said that the government is fully prepared and all the concerned departments and staff are ready to deal with any situation that arises due to severe cyclonic storm Dana’s landfall.
Speaking to media in Bhubaneswar, Odisha Deputy CM Deo said, “The Government is prepared. All concerned departments of the Government are in position and all officers & workers of the various departments of the Government are in place and ready to tackle any eventuality.”
“Each and every department of the Government, including the Chief Minister, Urban Minister, Revenue Minister, everybody is seized of the situation and we are taking whatever necessary steps that need to be taken at the ground level. Rather than creating a fear psychosis amongst the people, we should be more proactive and give justice to the people,” he added.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has also chaired a high-level meeting today to review the preparedness for severe Cyclone Dana at Lok Seva Bhavan in Bhubaneswar. Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management, Suresh Pujari was also present at the meeting.