An eight-member central team on Tuesday began a two-day visit to southern Odisha to assess the damage caused by Cyclone Arnab and the floods that followed last week, news agency PTI reported.The team will examine the impact on agriculture, infrastructure, roads, power and water resources, and review ongoing rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations.Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg said the Inter-Ministerial Central Team is led by Ravi Shankar, Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. It visited Gajapati district on Tuesday and will travel to Ganjam district on Wednesday.The Centre sent the team after the Odisha government sought an assessment of the damage caused by floods triggered by the cyclone, which made landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast on October 28.
The state government reported extensive damage in Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts in southern Odisha.According to PTI, the team members will conduct a detailed assessment on the ground and examine the damage across different sectors. Officials from several Union ministries and departments are taking part in the exercise.
Shankar held preliminary discussions with state government officials on Monday, after which the team left for Gajapati in separate groups.The Odisha government has already conducted a preliminary assessment of the damage.Besides Shankar, the team includes representatives from the ministries of agriculture, finance, Jal Shakti, power, road transport and highways, and rural development, as well as the Indian Space Research Organisation.The central team will complete its two-day assessment in Gajapati and Ganjam, covering the damage caused by Cyclone Arnab and the subsequent floods, as well as the progress of relief and rehabilitation work.- Ends