Bhubaneswar, 03 November (H.S.): The Odisha government has deployed four IAS officers to supervise damage assessment, relief distribution and the restoration of essential infrastructure in cyclone-affected districts, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said on Tuesday.

The four officers have been vested with the powers of Additional Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) and will remain stationed in their respective districts until all repair and restoration work is completed, the minister told reporters.

Of the four officers, two have been assigned to Ganjam district, while Gajapati and Kandhamal will have one officer each.

Dr Rina Pradhan, Chief Executive Officer of the District Mineral Foundation (DMF), Keonjhar, has been assigned to Gajapati district.

Ajit Kumar, Additional District Magistrate of Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district, and Tejaswini Behera, Sub-Collector (Sadar), Sundargarh, have been deployed to Ganjam.

Shiv Malviya, Sub-Collector and Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Balasore, has been assigned to Kandhamal district.

The officers will primarily focus on three areas: comprehensive assessment of cyclone-related damage, effective implementation of the relief package announced by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, and expeditious repair and restoration of damaged infrastructure, Pujari said.

Extensive Deployment Of Disaster Response Teams

Meanwhile, the state government has intensified its preparedness to deal with the approaching Cyclone Murasu. A total of 54 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams, nine National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and more than 100 fire service teams have been deployed at vulnerable locations across the state.

Of the 54 ODRAF teams, 32 have been positioned in Ganjam, nine in Gajapati, four in Kandhamal, three each in Malkangiri and Koraput, and three in Rayagada, the minister said.

He said the response teams had been strategically deployed to ensure immediate mobilisation wherever required. Senior officials of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, who were earlier assigned to vulnerable areas, are also assisting the respective district administrations in coordinating preparedness and response measures.

As a precautionary measure, schools and colleges will remain closed until November 3, Pujari added.

Restoration Work Underway After Cyclone Arnab

Referring to the damage caused by the previous cyclone, Arnab, the minister said several houses and agricultural fields had been affected. The state government has announced a relief package for the affected people, while restoration work is underway to repair damaged roads and restore electricity and water supply.

“While Cyclone Arnab has ended, another cyclone, Murasu, is approaching. We are prepared across different districts to deal with the situation,” he said.

The minister emphasised that the government's priority was to ensure that every eligible affected person receives the announced assistance and that damaged infrastructure is restored at the earliest.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda