Bhubaneswar: An Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) which reached Odisha on Sunday began field trips to the affected areas today to conduct an on-the-spot assessment of damages caused by cyclone ‘Yaas’.
The assessment will continue till tomorrow.
The team led by Joint secretary Sunil Kumar Banwal, Ministry of Home Affairs, will visit various affected areas in four districts-Balasore, Bhadrak, Mayurbhan and Kendrapara. The team will also hold discussion with local administration and affected people during the assessment of damages. The team includes four Odia officers.
The Odisha government had earlier pegged the losses caused by the cyclone at Rs 610 crore. Of this, Rs 520 crore is loss to government infrastructure and Rs 90 crore is damage to private property.
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According to sources, the central panel will be divided into two sub-teams and each unit will visit two districts in the next two days, a member of the central team said.
Before leaving for New Delhi, the team members will hold a meeting with Chief Secretary S C Mohapatra and Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Jena to discuss the damage assessment.
Earlier on May 28, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced Rs 500 crore financial assistance for Odisha after holding a review meeting and conducting aerial survey of the affected areas. He had also assured a detailed survey by a central team.
Modi had also met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and senior state officials before conducting the aerial survey.
The cyclone ‘Yaas’ had hit the northern coast in Odisha on May 26 leaving a trail of destruction.