Discoms put on alert ahead of Hud Hud

Sensing the possible impact of the cyclonic storm Hud Hud on power distribution infrastructure, Reliance Infrastructure has alerted its two distribution companies (discoms) with their area of operation falling in the possible cyclone impact zone.

In a letter to Southern Electricity Supply Company of Odisha (Southco) and North Eastern Electricity Company of Odisha (Nesco), the Central Service Office (CSO), the umbrella organization of these discoms, has issued a set of guidelines to deal with the storm impact.

Southco and Nesco offer services in southern and northern coast, identified to be vulnerable to cyclones.

The CSO has cancelled all the forthcoming holidays and leaves of the employees of Nesco and Wesco. Besides, 24-hour control rooms will be operated from the discom corporate offices, circle as well as division offices. Special arrangements will be made for uninterrupted power supply to the collector's office, hospitals, water supplies office, Railways and TV and radio centres.

The executive engineers of the two discoms have been directed to report about preparations for the cyclone to the respective collectors. Nesco and Southco, on requirement, may dovetail materials and manpower from the other RIL managed discom, Wesco to mitigate the emergency. The vulnerable discoms are asked to follow the Disaster Management Plan and Policies, circulated earlier, to deal with the cyclone. Meanwhile, people resorted to panic buying to stock essential commodities ahead of the storm, leading to sudden spurt in prices.

Consumers were seen making beelines at grocery stores and vegetable kiosks to stockpile the commodities.

Fearing hoarding of essential food items, the state government has asked the district collectors to crackdown on the errant traders indulging in hoarding and black marketing.

The state government has asked officials at the district level to ensure stocking of required medicines and making arrangements for deployment of mobile medical teams.