Bhubaneswar: In a significant development, the Odisha Government today assigned 12 IAS officers to oversee relief and restoration measures of the distrcts likely to be affected in view of the extremely severe cyclonic storm Fani, which is likely to hit the state coast on May 3 afternoon.
While senior IAS officer Suresh Chandra Mahapatra, Additional Chief Secretary has been given the charge of Puri district, Sudarshan Pal Thakur, Chief Administrator, Koraput would oversee the relief work of Bhadrak district.
Likewise, Pradeep Kumar Jena, Principal Secretary, Water Resources Department would take care of Kendrapada District and Sanjeev Chopra Principal Secretary, Industries Department would look into all important Cuttack district.
While Saswat Mishra, Secretary, Higher Education Department has been given the charges of Jagatsinghpur, Dr Krishan Kumar, Secretary, Cooperation Department has been assigned Khurda District.
Similarly, Prem Chandra Chaudhary, Director Special Projects and MD. Abdaal Akhtar, PD, DRDA , Koraput have been given the charge of Balasore district and Hemant Kumar Padhi, Director Estates will look into the relief and restoration work of Kendrapada district.
Officers including Sangranjit Nayak, Director Municipal Administration, Anil Samal, RDC (CD), Cuttack, and Monisha Banerjee have been given the charge of CMC, Jajpur district, and SRC office respectively.
Meanwhile, the Government has also cancelled the leaves and holidays of staff working in several departments.
Leaves of doctors and health staff in Odisha cancelled up to May 15. Those who are on leave have been asked to report back to respective headquarters by today evening.
The health department asked the CDMOs to ensure that all health staff are on alert.
According to the Indian Meterological Department (IMD), the cyclonic storm lay centered at 0530 hrs IST of 1st May, about 680 km south- southwest of Puri and 430 km south–southeast of Vishakhapatnam.
It is very likely to intensify further and cross Odisha coast between Gopalpur and Chandbali, to the south of Puri around 3rd May afternoon with maximum sustained wind speed 175-185 kmph gusting to 205 kmph.