Heena Sharma Blog

The met office says Cyclone Amphan could intensify into a Severe Cyclonic Storm within 12 hours over central parts of South Bay of Bengal. Well, the cyclone comes at a time when the country is already grappling with the coronavirus pandemic . The NDRF said that it was ready to undertake massive evacuation of 1.1 million people likely to be hit by it. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has directed officials to prepare a plan for relocating people living in vulnerable areas to safer places along with an early restoration of water supply and power infrastructure. The state has set a zero casualty target. Read More

The Odisha government on Thursday decided to extend the ongoing lockdown in the state till April 30 to effectively contain the spread of coronavirus . Schools and other education institutions will remain closed till June 17, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced after a video conference with his ministers. "We have decided to extend the lockdown period till April 30 and a recommendation in this regard will be sent to the Centre," he said in a video message. Patnaik said the state has also urged the Centre to stop train and flight services to Odisha till April 30. Odisha has recorded 44 positive cases of coronavirus so far. Read More

Intensifying its battle against Covid-19 , the Odisha government announced a 48-hour total shutdown, akin to curfew, in the state capital Bhubaneswar and Bhadrak town from 8 pm on Friday, the state's top official said. All shops selling essential commodities will remain closed during the period, Chief Secretary A K Tripathy said. Only select medicine stores will be open. Of the five Covid-19 cases detected in Odisha so far, four are in Bhubaneswar and one in Bhadrak. Odisha's first Covid-19 patient, a 33-year-old Italy-returned researcher, was on Friday discharged from the hospital, having recovered from the viral infection, a state health department official said. Read More

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has donated his three months' salary to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to help those affected by coronavirus . Odisha Chief Minister's Office said, "Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has donated his three months' salary to Chief Minister's relief fund to help those affected by Covid-19, reiterating that extraordinary circumstance demands extraordinary response." The Chief Minister has appealed all to donate generously for the cause. As a precautionary measure to contain the spread of coronavirus, Odisha government on Monday extended the lockdown from five to 14 districts. The state government has extended lockdown to Puri, Nayagarh, Jagatsinghpur. Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Dhenkanal, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda districts from Tuesday morning till 9 pm on March 29. Odisha administration has also decided to mark with stickers the houses of those who have been advised home quarantine. Read More