Bhubaneswar: Odisha Fire Services DG, Satyajit Mohanty, today handed over the “letter of appreciation” from Kolkata Municipal Corporation & West Bengal Urban Development Minister addressed to Odisha Chief Secretary appreciating the efforts of Odisha govt and OFS personnel in restoration work, post-Cyclone Amphan.
The Fire Services DG met Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy in the Lok Seva Bhawan here today and handed over the “letter of appreciation” received from Kolkata Municipal Corporation towards the praiseworthy restoration work by Odisha Fire Services personnel in Amphan-hit West Bengal.
As per orders of Govt. of Odisha, a Team of Fire Service personnel comprising 372 members under the charge of Maheswar Swain, Chief Fire Officer, was deputed to West Bengal on 24th May, 2020 to undertake restoration work in the aftermath of Super Cyclone “AMPHAN” which caused extensive damages to Kolkata City and its adjoining areas bringing the city of joy into a complete halt.
The teams were equipped with all types of Disaster Response equipment like Power Saws, Tower lights, Combitools, Bolt cutters, Life lines etc. The team was divided into 30 sub-teams having 10 personnel each headed by one Station Officer and deployed in 16 Boroughs in Kolkata city while six teams worked under the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Howrah. The teams cleared all the main roads of Kolkata city within two days including the premises of Police Head quarter, Govt. Hospital and Circuit House removing the fallen trees, electric poles and disarray cables.
In the next two days the teams cleared all sub-ways of Kolkata city. After 30th May the teams were engaged in removing the trees which had fallen on different buildings/structures and huts. Till date, the teams have cleared 2550 fallen trees and electric poles at 717 places which were obstructing the communication in Kolkata city. Now the city has returned to its normalcy, communication have been restored and cars, buses have started plying. The devoted services rendered by Odisha Fire Service Personnel have been highly appreciated by the people. They have combated the “AMPHAN” devastation and completed the restoration process while the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the entire country
