Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday asked top officials of the State Government to ensure ‘zero casualty’ during a review of the prevailing flood situation.
Patnaik ordered the Collectors of 10 flood-affected districts, including Sambalpur, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Cuttack and Kendrapada, to ensure road connectivity, evacuate people from the ‘at risk’ areas and stay prepared for relief and rescue operations.
He also directed Chief Secretary and Special Relief Commissioner to constantly keep reviewing the situation.
“All lives are important to us and the State Government has always adopted the policy of ‘zero casualty’ during disasters in the past days,” the CM stated.
Due to low pressure-induced incessant rains in the upper catchment region of river Mahanadi that battered the State for last few days, floods have occurred in at least 10 districts.
NDRF, ODRAF and Fire Service personnel are to stay alert and be pressed into service in different flood-prone areas where evacuation is essential. The Government agencies providing emergency services like healthcare, drinking water and electricity were asked to provide uninterrupted services.
Patnaik said special arrangement of drinking water and healthcare must be made in the rural areas of the concerned districts. Adequate steps have also to be taken for safety of fish and cattle resources.
Chief Minister’s 5T Secretary VK Pandian, Chief Secretary Suresh Mahapatra and several other senior bureaucrats took part in the review meeting, which was conducted in virtual mode.
Notably, SRC PK Jena stated that next 48 hours are crucial for the flood-hit regions, Total 26 sluice gates of the Hirakud Dam reservoir are open now, thereby releasing excess rainwater. Around 11.80 lakh cusecs of the rainwater was flowing in the Mundali barrage and it could reach 12 lakh cusecs by Tuesday evening.
Nine ODRAF teams have been put on alert in seven districts and nine NDRF teams in six districts along with 44 teams of fire services personnel to face any eventuality in the days ahead