Nabarangpur: Nov 3 (UDN): The Nabarangpur district administration has undertaken extensive advance preparations and put emergency response arrangements in place to effectively deal with the possible impact of the approaching cyclone. The administration has accorded top priority to public safety, rapid rescue and evacuation operations, coordinated departmental efforts and the timely delivery of emergency assistance.
Nabarangpur Collector Smt. Madhumita reviewed the preparedness of various government departments and emphasised the need for effective disaster management, coordinated action, prompt response and comprehensive measures to safeguard the lives and property of the people.
As part of the preparedness exercise, another joint virtual coordination meeting was held with officials of various departments from the Jagdalpur region of neighbouring Chhattisgarh, NMDC personnel and the Jagdalpur District Collector to ensure coordinated action during the possible cyclone-related emergency.
The District Collector also presented details of Nabarangpur district’s preparedness and emergency response arrangements at a state-level coordination and preparedness review meeting chaired by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari.
According to the administration, 24-hour control rooms have been made operational at district, block, tehsil and urban local body levels to ensure immediate assistance to the public and coordinated action during emergencies.
The contact number of the District Emergency Operations Centre, Nabarangpur, is 06858-222434. All control rooms have been directed to remain active for receiving emergency information, sharing updates and maintaining coordination among different departments.
The State Emergency Operations Centre (SRC) has deployed three Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams in Nabarangpur district. Of these, two teams have been arranged for deployment in Kosagumuda Block and one team in Nabarangpur Block.
In addition, 12 fire service teams have been kept on standby with the necessary personnel and equipment. To facilitate swift rescue and evacuation operations, 251 vehicles, along with their drivers, have been identified and kept ready.
Four senior officers have been assigned to monitor the situation in vulnerable blocks and ensure that necessary measures are taken without delay. Block-wise and Gram Panchayat-wise nodal officers have also been identified to strengthen local-level coordination, continuous monitoring and emergency response.
Taking into account the possibility of waterlogging and drainage-related problems, the administration has undertaken cleaning of drains in urban areas and removed dangerous trees from various locations.
Ten multipurpose cyclone and flood shelters have been kept ready with essential facilities, including power backup, drinking water and sanitation arrangements. Besides these, 124 temporary shelters have also been identified and prepared. One nodal officer has been appointed for the management of each shelter to ensure proper arrangements and smooth functioning during emergencies.
The administration has identified 22 vulnerable Gram Panchayats and 60 vulnerable villages across the district for special monitoring and necessary precautionary measures.
To ensure food availability for people taking shelter during an emergency, arrangements have been made to stock 35 quintals of flattened rice (chuda) and 3.5 quintals of sugar at designated shelter centres. In addition, 2,030 polythene sheets have been stocked across the district’s 10 tehsils for distribution during relief and emergency operations whenever required.
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