PURI/BHUBANESWAR: Twelve days after Fani battered Puri, the Jagannath temple was lighted up on Wednesday evening with electricity finally restored at the shrine and Bada Danda (Grand Road).
While the devotees and servitors heaved a sigh of relief as the temple rituals were being conducted under temporary lighting arrangements, restoration of power supply to the entire pilgrim town is still some time away. Electricity supply was also restored to the district headquarters hospital and Collectorate along with some other vital establishments on Wednesday.night to ensure electricity supply to #Puri(sic)," Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik tweeted.
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“Extremely happy to share that electricity supply has been restored to Srimandir & Bada Danda now. Thank thousands of workers from so many states who are working day and night to ensure electricity supply to #Puri(sic),” Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik tweeted.
Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister visited the ground zero of Fani’s brutal assault on the State, and took stock of the restoration work, relief and rehabilitation measures being undertaken to bring the town back on its feet.
Naveen asserted the Government is leaving no stone unturned to resurrect the town at the earliest and pledged to transform Puri into an international heritage centre. “I am deeply saddened by the damage caused to Puri. I assure the people that we will make Puri a world class heritage city,” the CM said after taking a review of relief and restoration works.
Naveen announced distribution of 2.5 litres of kerosene per family free of cost every 10 days in the affected areas till restoration of power is completed. Ten lakh candles will be available in the next few days for free distribution, he added.
The Chief Minister said 50 kg rice will be provided to all who do not possess ration cards and free sanitary napkins for adolescent girls and women for two months.
Assuring that power supply will be restored in the district in phases, the Chief Minister said partial supply to Puri town was resumed on Wednesday from Nimapara grid sub-station. Noting that three grid sub-stations that supply power to Puri were badly damaged, Naveen said thousands of workers are working day and night on a war footing for restoration of power.
“With the restoration of one high tension line, the power supply could be made to Puri town, Nimapara NAC and Konark NAC from tonight in a phased manner,” he said. “With so many uprooted trees, safety is an important aspect of power restoration. I appeal to everyone to cooperate in this humongous task as we are almost re-electrifying Puri district,” Naveen said. The Chief Minister offered his condolence to the family of lineman Mangaraj Rao, who died while working for the restoration of power in Puri on Tuesday.
The Chief Minister took the review meeting attended by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Maheswar Mohanty, Energy Minister Susant Singh, Urban Development Minister Niranjan Pujari, Chief Secretary A P Padhi, Special Relief Commissioner B P Sethi, district collectors Balwant Singh, IGP S Priyadarshi and District Superintendent of Police Umasankar Dash.