JAGATSINGHPUR: With the threat of a cyclone looming, the Jagatsinghpur district administration faces a challenging task to shift thousands of people from seaside villages to safer places and at the same time ensure physical distance among the evacuees to prevent any possible spread of Covid-19.
Currently, the district is reporting around 300 positive cases on a daily basis. Sources said people are more afraid of taking refuge in cyclone shelters in the prevailing situation than the impending storm. Making matters worse is the inadequate number of cyclone shelters where it will be difficult to keep safe distance among the huge number of people seeking refuge from the storm.
Expected to form over the Bay of Bengal, the storm is likely to intensify further in next two to three days. The administration will soon advise inhabitants of many villages in Kujang, Erasama, Balikuda, Tirtol and Paradip municipality to shift to cyclone shelters and schools buildings. Nearly, 50,000 people are expected to evacuate to safer places. A total of 42 multi-purpose cyclone shelters besides 562 schools and anganwadi centres have been identified for accommodating people during the cyclone.
Sarpanch of Barmunduli panchayat in Balikuda block Niranjan Panda said, “We have only two cyclone shelters at Balijhari and Badadia which have the capacity to accommodate 100 to 150 persons. But since it is a pandemic situation, only 30 to 40 persons can be housed at the shelters in adherence to the social distancing norm. Drinking water is another issue at the shelters as there is only one tube well at Balijhari.”
Former MLA Lalatendu Mohapatra said the cyclone shelters cannot house such a huge number of people if social distance is properly maintained.
If the administration tries to accommodate everyone in the shelters, there is a possibility of an outbreak of the infection.
“It will be almost impossible to ensure social distance, proper hygiene and mask use at the cyclone shelters. The administration has planned to conduct antigen tests of all evacuees. Those testing Covid positive will be housed in separate cyclone shelters which are to be treated as temporary medical centres. However, it is doubtful that the administration will conduct antigen tests of all evacuees as arranging such a huge number of testing kits in a short span of time is almost impossible,” Mohapatra claimed.
Chief district medical officer (CDMO) Bijaya Panda said the health department is taking all precautionary measures to keep people safe. Adequate medicines and halogen tablets have been stocked at all cyclone shelters. “We will hold discussions with the administration about conducting Covid tests of evacuees at the cyclone shelters,” the CDMO added.