Centre to provide technical aid for complete restoration in cyclone-hit Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Centre will provide all kinds of technical assistance to cyclone FANI-hit Odisha for complete restoration of power, telecom and housing sectors in the state on war footing.

Briefing to mediapersons after a review meeting held here, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) member Kamal Kisore  said Centre will extend all requisite technical assistance to restore power, telecom and housing sectors that bore the brunt of cyclonic storm FANI that hit Odisha coast on May 3.

Besides, the NDMA member also lauded the Odisha Government for cyclone preparedness and said, “I have visited many cyclone-affected areas in districts like Khordha and Puri during the last three days. Odisha’s preparedness to tackle the extremely severe cyclonic storm is commendable. The efforts taken up by the Government and administration to tackle the eventuality are being praised at national and international levels.”

However, a lot more needs to be done for complete restoration of power sector in the state, he added.

Chief Secretary AP Padhi said the NDMA team has been urged to ensure that Telecom companies maintain their business continuity post the cyclone. For housing sector, the NDMA in coordination with the state government and various national agencies will recommend new building designs for coastal districts.

This apart, the NDMA team was also approached to provide more assistance to the state under the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP), the chief Secretary added.