By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR/KOLKATA:A meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), chaired by the Cabinet Secretary, Rajiv Gauba, was held on Friday to review the preparedness to deal with Severe cyclone ‘Bulbul’over the Bay of Bengal and likely to affect coastal districts of West Bengal and Odisha.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed that the cyclone that had developed in Bay of Bengal, has now intensified and is likely to cross the West Bengal coast by the early morning of 10th November, 2019. Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, accompanied by winds reaching upto 110-120 kmph and tidal waves up to 1.5 metre, are expected.
Officials of West Bengal and Odisha Governments informed that necessary preparations have been made by them, and, SDRF and Fire Service teams have been positioned. Fishing operations have been suspended and people in low lying areas being evacuated to shelter homes. While 14 teams of NDRF have been positioned, additional teams are being deployed at the request of states. Officials of Ministry of Defenceintimated that teams of Coast Guard, Indian Navy are already deployed and Army and Air Force are on standby.
Cabinet Secretary took stock of the current situation and preparedness for rescue and relief operations, and, directed that immediate assistance, as required, be provided. He advised both States to take all steps to avoid casualties and damage to infrastructure and assured them of all assistance from the Centre in this regard. State Government of West Bengal was specifically requested to ensure that people in low lying areas in Sagar islands, East Medinipur and North & South 24 Pargana districts are evacuated to prevent any loss of life. State Governments were also requested to ensure that all fishermen presently at sea are brought back to the shore.
Senior officials of the Ministries of Home, Defence, as well as those from IMD and NDRF, NDMA attended the meeting. Senior officers from West Bengal and Orissa participated in the meeting through Video Conference.
