Paradip Port gears up for ‘Yaas’
Inward movement of ships halted; Five cyclone shelters to house 2,000 people ready Didi alleges bias in fund allocation
New Delhi, May 24: The Paradip Port Trust (PPT) administration is fully geared up to meet any eventuality of the impending cyclone ‘Yaas’, Port’s chairman Vinit Kumar said on Monday.
According to India Meteorological Department, the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into cyclone Yaas in the early hours of Monday and it is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours.
“As the cyclonic storm ‘Yaas’ is expected to trigger heavy downpour accompanied by high velocity wind in the locality, PPT Administration is fully geared up to meet any eventuality,” PPT said in a statement quoting Kumar.
According to the statement, the drains in the locality have been cleared on a war footing in order to avoid any possible water-logging.
“Four teams of PPT with chain saws and Pay loader are ready to function round-the-clock during the cyclone to clear the roads due to possible uprooting
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the Centre of repeatedly depriving the state by allocating it funds less than that of two others in tackling very severe cyclonic storm ‘Yaas’ which is now expected to make its landfall in the afternoon instead of evening of May 26 near Balasore.
The Trinamul Congress supremo made the attack on the Narendra Modi government after she attended a high-level
of trees.
“As precautionary measures, no inward movement of ships has been permitted from 2200 hrs of May 23, 2021,” it said.
The Port had planned only outward movement of ships which was expected to be completed by 1200 hrs on Monday, the statement said, adding all operations will be wound up and the review meeting chaired by union home minister Amit Shah with the CMs of the three states and the Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, an union territory. She alleged, “Amit Shah Babu held a meeting
Port will be cleared of all personnel by Tuesday morning.
All vessels at Paradip anchorage have been asked to pick up anchor and move to sea, it said.
The statement said all Coast Guard vessels and DCI dredger XX inside harbour have also been instructed to move out to sea. in the morning and assured us of helping with advance funds which are however payable to the states from their share. This is not extra. Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are getting more than `600 crore while it is only around `400 crore for Bengal. I pointed out to Mr Shah that Bengal is a bigger state than Odisha and Andhra Pradesh."
Ms Banerjee then wondered, “So why are we getting repeatedly deprived despite having a thicker density of population and more number of districts than other states? We are
It also added that DCI dredgers Aquarius, XVIII and Ganga and both the OSL cutter dredgers in North basin will be secured properly for extreme heavy weather.
According to the statement, equipment and machineries at under construction areas will be secured.
“Unloaders
at PPL
and not getting our share of funds. During Cyclone Amphan, we were told that our dues would be paid. A central team came but nothing happened ultimately. `1000 crore which were allotted in advance were our share of contribution. During Bulbul, we also got nothing.”
Quoting Mr Shah, she said, “He however told me the issue will be discussed later while asserting that it depends on scientific views to reach a conclusion. I did not reply to him because I have knowledge of political science rather than on the topic.”
IFFCO berths are to be securely fastened. Loaders at MCHP, IOHP, JSW and EBTPL berths, Harbour mobile Cranes at all berths including PICT berth will also be secured. Loading Arms, Gangway at North Oil Jetty & South Oil Jetty will be secured,” it said.
The statement pointed out that five cyclone shelters have been activated, where around 2,000 people from local slums and low lying areas will be accommodated with proper social distancing norms.
“They will be provided with dry ration, cooked food items, drinking water, face masks and sanitizers. The cyclone shelters will also be equipped with gensets for uninterrupted electric supply,” it said.
The cyclone is very likely to cross north OdishaWest Bengal coasts between Paradip and Sagar Island around May 26 noon as a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’. It is expected to bring in winds of 155 to 165 kilometres per hour, gusting up to 180 kmph.
The West Bengal and Odisha governments have been bracing to deal with the impact of the cyclone.
The armed forces are also on alert, with the Navy putting four warships and a number of aircraft on standby.
The Air Force has kept 11 transport aircraft and 25 helicopters ready to carry out humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.