Bhubaneswar, 02 November (H.S.): An eight-member Inter-Ministerial Central Team will arrive in Odisha to assess the damage caused by Cyclone Arnab and the subsequent floods. The team will visit affected areas and conduct an on-the-spot assessment of the losses until November 4.

The team will be led by Ravi Shankar, Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, who is scheduled to reach Bhubaneswar this evening. Other members are expected to arrive by tonight or on the morning of November 3.

After holding discussions with state government officials, the team will visit the affected areas according to a scheduled programme.

The team comprises officials from the Union Ministries of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Finance, Jal Shakti, Power, Road Transport and Highways, and Rural Development, as well as the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Its members include Dr Man Singh, Director, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare; Rahul Chaurasia, Deputy Director, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance; Dilip Kumar Jena, Director, Central Water Commission; Karan Sarin, Deputy Director, Central Electricity Authority; Sunil Kumar, Superintending Engineer, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways; Ajay Kumar Sahu, Section Officer, Ministry of Rural Development; and C. Sai Krishna, Scientist-D, National Remote Sensing Centre, ISRO.

During the visit, the central team will assess damage caused by the cyclone and subsequent floods to agriculture, infrastructure, roads, electricity and water resources. It will also review the ground situation in the affected areas and examine the ongoing rescue and relief operations.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda