Cyclone Amphan: Odisha seeks estimated amount of Rs 20,000 cr from Center for immediate restoration

The Odisha government has sought an estimated amount of Rs 20,000 crore from the Center to develop disaster resilient infrastructure and immediate restoration of damage caused by the cyclone Amphan.

The seven-member Central Team that visited the state to assess the damage caused by the cyclone Amphan, applauded the preparedness, response and disaster management skill of Odisha in their meeting with Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy and other senior officers in the Lokseva Bhawan conference hall on Friday evening.

Additional Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena apprised that preliminary estimate of around Rs 20,000 crore has been made for these resilient infrastructure building and immediate restoration of the damage caused by the cyclone Amphan.

Chief Secretary Tripathy said that the final memorandum would be sent regarding this within the next week.

The members of the team mentioned that pre-positioning of manpower and machines in vulnerable pockets, timely evacuation of people from low lying areas and Kuccha houses, preventive preparedness and community involvement are the achievements of Odisha. "We have seen in remote areas that even electricity could be restored within 24 to 72 hours," he said.

Chief Secretary Tripathy said, "due to the geo-climatic location of Odisha and climate change impacts, cyclones are going to be a regular feature in summer, monsoon and post-monsoon months. So we request the Government of India to support us for building cyclone resilient infrastructure than that of spending a huge amount each year towards immediate restoration and rehabilitation".

Additional Chief Secretary and SRC Odisha Jena emphasised on laying of underground cable in urban areas, resilient power transmission and distribution infrastructure in rural areas, building remote control GIS grid, raising height of the saline embankments at least up to 6.5 meters above the sea level and converting 1.66 lakh kutcha houses to cyclone resilient pucca houses.

Development Commissioner Suresh Chandra Mohapatra along with Principal Secretaries and Secretaries of different departments participated in the discussions. The team visited the districts of Balasore, Bhadrakh, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara in two different teams.

( With inputs from ANI )