The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) under Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Saturday reviewed the preparedness of Central and state governments and agencies to deal with Cyclonic Storm ‘Yaas’ in the Bay of Bengal.
Gauba told chief secretaries of West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar and Puducherry that all measures should be taken in a timely manner so that loss of lives and destruction of property is minimized.
The NDRF has deployed 65 teams and kept more than 20 teams on standby. Rescue and relief teams of the Army, Navy and Coast Guard along with ships and aircrafts have also been deployed.
Necessary arrangements are also being made to ensure uninterrupted functioning of hospitals and Covid Care Centres, along with ensuring generation and supply of oxygen to COVID facilities across the country.
Evacuation of people from the low lying areas is being carried out, the states told the NCMC. They said stocks of foodgrains, drinking water and other essential supplies have been arranged and preparations made to maintain essential services such as power and telecommunications.
On Saturday, the Director General of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) briefed the committee about the latest status of the cyclone, which is expected to reach West Bengal and adjoining northern Odisha coasts by the evening of May 26 with wind speeds ranging from 155 to 165 kmph, accompanied by heavy rainfall and storm surges in the coastal districts of these states.
A statement issued by the government said that the chief secretaries of the states concerned have apprised the committee of the preparatory measures put in place to deal with the cyclonic storm. Gauba emphasised on the early evacuation of people from the areas likely to be affected by the cyclone along with ensuring the return of all boats and vessels to the shores, so that there is zero loss of life. He also stressed that safety of Covid patients be ensured and disruption of functioning of Covid hospitals and centres avoided and advised that steps be taken to maintain the generation and movement of oxygen from the cyclone-affected areas to other parts of the country, said the statement .
The centre said preparatory arrangements should be made to restore power, telecom and other important services and directed the agencies concerned to work in close co-ordination and extend all requisite assistance to the states. Secretaries of Ministries of Home, Power, Shipping, Telecom, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Civil Aviation and Fisheries; Chairman of Railway Board; Member Secretary of NDMA; Chief IDS and DGs of Coast Guard; NDRF and IMD also participated in the meeting.
