Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Tuesday released a short documentary film on the good work done by police personnel during cyclone Fani which hit the state on May 3 this year.
Patnaik said the documentary film will be useful in future for disaster mitigation activities.
Sixty four people lost their lives in cyclone Fani which affected more than 1.5 crore people in 14 coastal districts of the state besides causing severe damage to infrastructure
"The short film and report has been prepared to document the good work done by the police for the information of all," he said.
"The good work done and practices adopted can serve as a reference for the future during any such calamity. These will certainly be very useful and also act as a guide for police officers in the days ahead," the chief minister said.
He lauded the role of police personnel before, during and after the cyclone hit the state.
Patnaik said 24 hours before the cyclone hit the state, police undertook a massive awareness exercise among the public by using loud speakers, mega phones and other means.
They helped in the massive evacuation exercise and around 1.3 million people were evacuated to designated multi-purpose shelter homes, he said.
Police also played a crucial role in the management of law and order, road clearance, distribution of relief, restoration work and others, the chief minister said, adding that police personnel also provided drinking water, first-aid and medical services to the affected people on war footing during the crisis.
An emergency police control room was set-up in Bhubaneswar for vertical and horizontal coordination with districts as well as other departments. Police also exhibited its humane face during post cyclone, under the banner of "Karuna" where cooked food was distributed to more than one lakh people in different areas of worst hit Puri district.