With a view to remain alert for possible natural calamity and tackle it during the monsoon season, the district administration organised a natural calamity preparedness meeting on Tuesday.
The meeting was presided over by District Collector Niranjana Nayak, Patkura MlA Bed Prakash Agrawalla, Mahakalapada MlA Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Rajnagar MlA Alekh Jena, Zilla Parishad chairman, chairmen from various blocks, PRI members and senior district level officials were present.
Keeping in mind that the district is prone to natural calamity like cyclone and flood, the district administration discussed the steps to be taken for combating the possible onslaught of nature.
It has been decided in the meeting to open control room in all the blocks, tehsils and district level offices till the end of November to combat natural calamities in the district during the monsoon season.
The District Collector directed officials to install VHF sets in all the block offices and during the exigency period, the tehsildars and BDOs would communicate with the district control rooms. District Collector Nayak and the MlAs directed the Executive Engineer of the Water Resources department to identify the weak river embankments and complete the repair works in the vulnerable points before the monsoon starts.
The district has been divided into 11 zones and 163 sub zones for rescue and relief measures, distribution of Government assistance along with accessing the damage. All the BDOs, executive officers of Kendrapada Municipality and executive officer of Pattamundai NAC were appointed as zone officer, whereas the sub collector was appointed as the in- charge officer for smooth handling of relief operation during the calamity time.
Gram Sevak, Extension Officer and RIs were appointed as sub zone officers who would work under the zone officers for relief distribution works. The PRI members also demanded to stock all the dry food stuff.
BDOs and tehsildars will be entrusted for handling boats and mechanized boats during the flood time, while police, fire tender personnel, home guards along with cadets of NCC, NSS will be engaged for rescue operation.