Cyclone Jawad: Odisha Govt cancels Sunday Holiday
Bureau,Odishabarta
Bhubaneswar: The ongoing classical dance festival and a sand art event in Konark were called off on Friday following the formation of a cyclonic storm which is approaching the Odisha coast. The Konark Festival at Sun Temple and the International Sand Art Festival at Chandrabhaga Beach were being held since Wednesday, and were scheduled to end on Sunday. The festivals are being called with immediate effect, the Tourism department said in a statement.
The Konark Festival is being organised every year since 1986 at an open-air auditorium against the backdrop of the 13th-century monument. This is the first time that it was called off. Leading exponents and dance enthusiasts of many Indian classical dance forms Odissi, Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Sattriya and Kathak take part in the five-day event.
Barely 3.5 km from the UNESCO World Heritage Site, sand artists from across the world assemble to sculpt their unique creations on different themes at International Sand Art Festival. The art extravaganza was supposed to witness the participation of around 100 artisans from 10 States, including Odisha, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.
The Similipal Tiger Reserve in Mayurbhanj district also suspended tourism for two days from Saturday in view of the cyclone alert. “Visitors are requested to plan their travel according to prevailing weather conditions,” it stated.
Meanwhile, Odisha Government cancelled public holiday on Sunday. “Staff have been instructed to stay at their respective headquarters. Employees on leave have also been ordered to return,” the Information and Public Relations department said.
NDRF in readiness to tackle challenge;Meanwhile, the NDRF kept in readiness its 64 teams to meet any eventuality in the aftermath of the cyclone which is likely to also affect West Bengal, officials said.
NDRF Director General (DG) Atul Karwal told reporters in New Delhi while 46 teams have been deployed or pre-positioned in the vulnerable states, 18 teams have been kept in reserve.
According to the deployment map shared by him at the press conference, out of the 46 teams, 19 are based in West Bengal, 17 in Odisha, 19 in Andhra Pradesh, apart from seven in Tamil Nadu and two in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. All teams have been made available as desired by the various State governments and they will be deployed in consultation with local authorities, the NDRF DG said.
A single NDRF team has about 30 personnel who are equipped with pole cutters, electric saws to clear uprooted trees, inflatable boats and some other relief and rescue gadgets.
“We are confident of taking care of the situation in the best possible manner,” Karwal said.
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