Rajahmundry: As the cyclonic storm Lehar is expected to be severe and likely to make landfall near Kakinada, authorities in both the Godavari districts are braced up to meet any eventuality by shifting thousands of people from low-lying areas along the coastline to safer places and also keeping adequate stocks of essential commodities.
NDRF forces are being requisitioned to come to the rescue of the affected people. As part of precautionary measures, the authorities are planning to evacuate the people living in low-lying areas in the coastal villages, those living in islands and also those living in temporary houses to safer places from the early hours on Wednesday. All the special officers posted in the vulnerable areas are instructed to reach their places of work by Tuesday night and start evacuation of people.
All educational institutions will remain shut for two days on November 27 and 28. The officials are asked to keep all the essential commodities at the relief centres in order to serve food and water to the people. Moreover, the officials are asked to keep stocks of diesel and kerosene. Earthmovers, fire tenders, generators, ambulances, power-operated saws, boats and master swimmers will also be kept ready.
East Godavari collector Neethu Kumari Prasad held a review meeting with the RDOs, special officers and tahsildars on the arrangements to be made to face the storm. She said that out of five NDRF teams allotted to the district, they were stationed at Katrenikona, Razole, I. Polavaram, Sakhinetipalli and at Amalapuram and five more such teams are expected to reach the district on Tuesday night. She asked the medical and health authorities to depute doctors and health personnel at relief centres to provide health care.
RTC authorities are asked to keep their services off the road, mainly in vulnerable areas on November 28. The collector called upon the representatives from oils maj-or and corporate firms like ONGC, RIL, Cairn Energy, GSPC, NFCL, Coromandal, Kakinada Sea Port Limited and others to take care of their own installations and personnel and help the district administration to tackle the storm. She asked the BSNL and other private firms to keep adequate stocks of fuel to run the cell towers in case power goes off.
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