With the threat of impending Cyclone ‘Arnab’ looming over the region, Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida chaired a high-level review meeting today at the Rayagada District Collector’s Office to evaluate preparedness and response strategies across the district.
Emphasising the state administration’s commitment to achieving a ‘Zero Casualty’ standard, Deputy CM Parida directed all departments to maintain total readiness and ensure seamless execution of disaster response protocols.
Key Focus Areas & Strategic Directives
During the comprehensive review, officials outlined preventive measures aimed at protecting lives, infrastructure, and local livelihoods. The Deputy Chief Minister highlighted several non-negotiable action points for all administrative wings:
- Public Safety First: Priority deployment of response teams to high-risk and low-lying zones.
- Essential Services Continuity: Uninterrupted supply of safe drinking water and rapid restoration of power and communication networks.
- Relief Material Distribution: Pre-positioning of food, medical kits, and critical supplies for immediate release.
- Inter-Departmental Synergy: Close coordination among revenue, health, police, and local block authorities to prevent delays during operations.
Emergency Public Advisory Issued
The district administration has activated strict protocols to safeguard vulnerable populations across all blocks of Rayagada:
- Urgent Relocation of Expectant Mothers: Pregnant women with delivery dates falling around the expected cyclone period are urged to shift immediately to designated Maa Gruhas (Mothers’ Homes). Field teams—including doctors, administrative staff, Anganwadi, and ASHA workers—have been instructed to facilitate these transfers without delay.
- 24/7 War Room Operation: District control rooms and emergency war rooms will operate round-the-clock to track the cyclone’s trajectory continuously and respond to emergency calls.
- Adherence to Official Orders: Deputy CM Parida appealed directly to residents of Rayagada to strictly follow guidelines and evacuation directives issued by the District Collector.
“The safety and security of every citizen remain our prime responsibility. All departments must act with speed and precision to ensure complete protection for vulnerable communities.” — Pravati Parida, Deputy Chief Minister
The review meeting was attended in person and virtually by senior administrative officer Sudarshan Chakraborty, Rayagada District Collector Ashutosh Kulkarni, Rayagada Superintendent of Police Raj Prasad, alongside senior district officials and block-level officers.
