Will manage Cyclone Yaas relief work through own resources: CM Naveen Patnaik

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday (May 28) announced that the state government will not seek any immediate financial assistance from the Centre to mitigate the damage by Cyclone Yaas.

The CM asserted that his government will manage the crisis through its own resources as the Centre was already burdened due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

During a review meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi held in Bhubaneswar, Patnaik did not seek any relief package.

“As the country is at the peak of COVID19 pandemic, we have not sought any immediate financial assistance to burden the central government and would like to manage it through our own resources to tide over the crisis,” Patnaik tweeted.

The CM, however, did seek assistance for long-term measures to make the state disaster-resilient.

"Sought assistance for long-term measures to make Odisha disaster resilient as we are frequented by such climate hazards every year. Highlighted Odisha’s demand for disaster resilient power infrastructure and resilient coastal protection with storm surge resilient embankments," Patnaik added.

Patnaik appraised the PM about the large-scale devastation caused by the cyclone. He also informed him about the measures taken by the state to deal with the cyclone.

PM Modi today conducted an aerial survey of the affected parts of Odisha and West Bengal.

Cyclone Yaas made landfall in Odisha on May 26. At least 3 persons have lost their lives in Odisha when Cyclone Yaas made landfall, while the Baitarani river has crossed danger levels at Anandpur and Akhuapada.

Around 106 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were deployed with 46 teams each in West Bengal and Odisha that rescued more than 1000 persons and removed more than 2500 trees/poles that had fallen and obstructed the roads.