BHUBANESWAR: With incessant rains over the last five days leading to rise in water level of Baitarani river in its catchment areas, Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari on Monday conducted a high-level meeting to review preparedness for tackling a possible flood-like situation.
Addressing mediapersons after the meeting, Pujari said there was no floodlike situation in the state as of now and the government was fully prepared to deal with any emergency.
The minister informed that though the water level of Baitarani river has witnessed a relative rise at Anandapur and Akhuapada, it continued to flow well below the danger mark. “The Revenue and Disaster Management department is keeping a close vigil on the water levels of all major rivers. So far, no significant loss of life or damage to houses has been reported due to the continuous rainfall,” he said.
However, reports of crop damage have been received from a few areas. “The district administrations have been directed to immediately conduct surveys, assess the extent of crop loss and submit reports to the department,” Pujari said.
He also directed the authorities to disburse compensation to the affected farmers within 24 hours of completion of the damage assessment.
During the meeting held at the Special Relief Commissioner’s (SRC) office here, discussions were held on the current water-level in the river, any anticipated flood situation, the potentially affected areas and residents, measures undertaken by the district administrations, evacuation and rescue arrangements, management of shelter homes, availability of relief materials and deployment of rescue teams.
The intense rainfall under the influence of a low pressure area affected several parts of Odisha. However, the water levels in Mahanadi, Devi, Jalaka, Kushabhadra, Rushikulya and Ib rivers remained below the danger level.
Discussions were also held on the preparedness for possible snakebite incidents after the floodwaters recede. Necessary preventive measures have been planned and hospitals have been instructed to keep adequate stocks of anti-venom readily available, the minister said.
Special relief commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil said adequate stocks of polythene sheets and other relief materials are available and ODRAF teams are on stand-by to launch any rescue operation.
The low pressure, which intensified into a depression, triggered a massive 483 per cent above normal rainfall in the state in the last 24 hours. The regional met office said the depression lay over south Jharkhand and adjoining north Chhattisgarh on the day. “It is likely to move nearly northwestwards across Jharkhand, north Chhattisgarh and adjoining areas of east Uttar Pradesh and east Madhya Pradesh during next 24 hours,” it added.
Though rainfall activity in the state is expected to reduce from Tuesday onwards, one or two places in Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts may experience heavy downpour in the next 24 hours.