Govt tackles twin challenge of cyclone, Covid outbreak
nNEW DELHI: The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), preoccupied with the enormous challenge of tackling the coronavirus disease and containing its spread, has another firefight on its hands: super cyclone Amphan, which is set to make landfall in West Bengal on Wednesday.
According to functionaries familiar with the situation, the PMO’S focus for the past two months has been almost exclusively on Covid-19, whether giving final touches to federal guidelines on how to deal with the public health crisis and coming up with new strategies to contain its spread, ensuring relief for stranded migrant workers or preparing plans for a revival of the economy.
With Amphan set to make landfall in West Bengal between Digha and Hatiya Island in Bangladesh on Wednesday afternoon, the Centre’s apex machinery is in talks with key ministries and states administrations to size up their preparedness to tackle what has been billed as the first super cyclone in the Bay of Bengal since 1999, when over 9,000 people were killed in Odisha.
The PMO in engaged in efforts to ensure that plans are in place for the relief and rehabilitation of people at risk of facing the brunt of the storm, officials said. It is also keeping an eye on the supply of food, medicines and other essential items and coordinating between ministries on the logistics of the exercise.
“Most of the meetings in the PMO are related to Covid. But from Sunday onwards, there is one daily meeting on the cyclone,” said an official, requesting anonymity.
One of the major concerns that figured during the meetings at the PMO is how the cyclone may impact the battle against Covid in the affected areas.
Management of Covid-19 requires strict adherence to guidelines such as social distancing, quarantines and the need to avoid crowded spaces . The concern is that the cyclone, with the potential to throw life out of gear in large areas that lie in its path, may upset their implementation.
“When the PMO takes these meetings, the plans are made also keeping in mind that the cyclone will come amidst an extraordinary health situation,” one official said
On Tuesday, cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba chaired the third meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) to review the preparedness of states, central ministries and other agencies to tackle the cyclone and its aftermath.
“Chief Secretary, Odisha and Additional Chief Secretary, West Bengal apprised the NCMC of preparatory measures taken by them,” said a government communique.