In the wake of the destruction left behind by Cyclone “Arnab,” the Odisha government has shifted into high gear, launching extensive war-footing restoration and relief operations.
Focused primarily on the worst-hit southern districts of Ganjam, Gajapati, and Kandhamal, various state machinery units—notably the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWS&S) and Rural Development departments—are working round-the-clock to normalise essential civic services and repair critical infrastructure.
RWS&S Restores Safe Drinking Water on a War Footing
Ensuring clean drinking water and maintaining sanitation standards remain top priorities to prevent post-disaster health hazards. Senior officials, including chief engineers and OSD-level officers, are personally supervising relief operations on the ground, supported by 16 additional assistant and junior engineers drafted from neighbouring divisions.
Key water supply achievements include:
-
Tube Wells: Out of 4,572 affected tube wells, 4,475 have been successfully repaired and disinfected.
-
Piped Water Supply (PWS): Out of 393 affected PWS projects, 247 have been made operational, with 265 sources fully disinfected.
-
Water Quality Monitoring: Rigorous safety checks have been conducted, with water samples tested from 3,882 tube wells and 244 piped water sources.
-
Bottled & Pouch Water Distribution: To bridge immediate gaps, the department has distributed 4,22,300 water bottles and 3,18,500 water pouches generated via mobile water treatment units, with an additional 3,91,000 units kept in reserve stock.
To manage power outages, 84 diesel generators (DG sets) are powering rural water setups, alongside 235 water tankers, 80 tractor-mounted Sintex tanks, and special supply tractors deployed across Ganjam, Berhampur, and Aska blocks. Mobile Water Treatment Units (MTUs) are actively functioning in Ganjam, Kandhamal, and Berhampur, with additional units dispatched to Gajapati.
Rural Development Clears Blocked Roads and Landslides
Parallel to water sanitation, the Rural Development Department has mobilised 24×7 flood control rooms and rapid response teams to clear debris, landslides, and road breaches:
-
Ganjam District: Landslide debris has been cleared across 11 affected locations in Kukudakhandi and Patrapur blocks. Road connectivity is being restored with 110 road breaches plugged across 14 blocks, and repair work is ongoing on 186 damaged roads.
-
Gajapati District: Landslides have been cleared from 19 strategic locations across 6 blocks, and waterlogging has been cleared from 5 key arterial routes.
-
Kandhamala District: Repair works are moving swiftly across 38 damaged roadways, with 31 major road breaches actively addressed by engineering teams.
State commissioners and special relief authorities continue to maintain strict real-time surveillance, vowing that every affected household in southern Odisha will receive safe drinking water and full structural access as normalcy is restored.
