The NDRF team in Balasore on Sunday
BHUBANESWAR: The government has asked the collectors in coastal districts, especially Balasore, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapada to ensure smooth treatment of Covid patients and uninterrupted power supply to Covid hospitals as the imminent cyclone is likely to cause maximum damage in the four regions. The government said adequate high-powered diesel generator sets would be positioned in the Covid-19 hospitals.
“Treatment and safety of Covid infected patients, including those in the ICU and on oxygen support is our priority. Adequate power backup system would be put in place and diesel stored to ensure that critical patients do not suffer in the wake of disruption of electricity due to the cyclone. Since gusty winds are likely to topple electricity poles, the energy department should carry out the repair and power restoration work in the Covid hospitals on war footing,” a senior government officer said.
BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government has told the Centre that any decision on conducting Class XII board exams would be taken after the state gets over the threat of an impending cyclone. The message was conveyed during a high-level meeting chaired by defence minister Rajnath Singh and attended by state education ministers and secretaries.
The Centre has given two proposals to the state government regarding conducting the Class XII board exams, including holding the exams after the Covid situation improves or to conduct exams on few subjects by reducing the time period from three hours to 90 minutes.
“We feel it is important to maintain uniformity in the examination pattern for Class XII boards as it is very crucial for the career of students. They need their results for admission in higher and technical education institutes. Since the state is busy ensuring preparedness for the impending cyclone, we will take the decision after it blows over,” said school and mass education mi
A cop asks mall goers to head home as night curfew returns to Bhubaneswar on Saturday
BHUBANESWAR: The twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack together put up 49 police check posts at vantage points as the state began night curfew in all districts from Saturday.
“Mostly, police will be deployed at the check posts but our squads will also be present. Except those falling under exempted categories, people won’t be allowed to move after 9 pm,” said BMC commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhury.
Weekend shutdown has started in 10 western districts bordering Chhattisgarh and the timing of night curfew in those districts has been changed from 10 pm-5am to 6pm-5am. There is no weekend shutdown in rural areas of these 10 districts. In the other 20 districts, including the twin cities, night curfew will be in force from 9 pm to 5 am every day.