Cyclone Fani: 12 IAS officers to supervise relief-rehab in 9 districts of Odisha

Bhubaneswar: With the extremely severe cyclonic storm 'Fani' inching closer towards Odisha, the State Government today assigned 12 IAS officers to supervise the relief, rehabilitation and restoration work in nine coastal districts of the State.

With immediate effect, ACS of Forest & Environment Department Suresh Chandra Mahapatra has been given the charge of Puri district while KBK Chief Administrator Sudarshan Pal Thakur will be looking into rescue and relief operations in Bhadrak district.

Principal Secretary of Industries Department, Sanjiv Chopra has been assigned to supervise Cuttack district and Director of Municipal Administration & Ex-officio Additional secretary of H&UD Department Sangramjit Nayak has been given the responsibility of Cuttack Municipal Corporation.

Similarly, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Higher Education Department Saswata Mishra and Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Cooperation Department Krishan Kumar have been given the responsibilities of Jagatsinghpur and Khurda districts respectively.

Principal Secretary of Water Resources Department Pradeep Kumar Jena and Director of Estates & ex-officio Additional Secretary of GA & PG Department Hemanta Kumar Padhi has been assigned to supervise the situation in Kendrapara district.

Besides, RDC (CD), Cuttack Anil Kumar Samal will monitor the situation in Jajpur district. Deputy Secretary of Home Department Monisha Banerjee will be attached to the office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC).

Director (I/c), Special Project of P.R & D.W Department Prem Chandra Chaudhary and P.D (I/c) of DRDA, Koraput Md. Abdul Akhtar will look into the operations in Balasore district.

All the officials have been directed to reach their respective assigned districts and municipalities immediately by today evening.

As per the latest forecast of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Fani is located at around 680 km South-Southwest of Puri and 430 km off Vishakhapatnam coast. The cyclone is moving towards Odisha at a speed of approximately 6 kmph. It is likely to move North-Northwestwards till May 1 noon and thereafter re-curve North-Northeastwards.