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As a measure of caution ahead of strike by the impending cyclonic storm Hud Hud, the Gopalpur port has suspended its repair and dredging work from Wednesday.
“We have decided to stop the repair and dredging work for some days due to the ensuing cyclonic storm. We will decide on the further course of action on October 14,” said Manmohan Maharana, one of the directors of Gopalpur Ports Ltd (GPL).
It may be noted that the port suffered major damage after the very severe cyclonic storm Phailin struck the coast near Gopalpur in October last year. The port incurred a loss of Rs 150 crore due to the destructive cyclone and has been off operations since then. Normal operations at the port are expected to restart from December.
Dhamra port, a deep draught port off the coast of north Odisha, however, sees no impact of Hud Hud on its operations.
“Unlike the ports at Paradip and Gopalpur, the Hud Hud storm is unlikely to impact the Dhamra port. Still, we are taking all possible precautionary measures and are prepared to meet any eventuality. We are closely tracking the course of the cyclone. The port authorities will take a call on suspending loading and unloading operations, if needed, 24 hours before the cyclone makes landfall,” said a source at Dhamra Ports Company Ltd (DPCL).
Other industries off the Ganjam coast like Jayashree Chemicals and Odisha Sands Complex (OSCOM), a unit of Indian Rare Earths Ltd (IREL) are yet to take any decision on whether to continue or suspend operations at their facilities.
“We will take a decision depending on the severity of the cyclone,” said A K Singh, vice president, Jayashree Chemicals.
“If there will be no light or water supply, how can the plant run,” he asked.
Jayashree Chemicals runs the only caustic soda production plant in Odisha. Last year, the company had halted its production for several days due to disruption of power and water supply as Phailin ravaged Ganjam district.
“We have not taken any decision yet,” said an officer at OSCOM. The IREL’s Odisha unit suffered heavy damage due to Phailin last year. The damage was estimated at around Rs 100 crore, sources said.
In a bid to ensure quick repair and restoration of power supply in the aftermath of the cyclone, the Southern Electricity Supply Company of Odisha (Southco), a Reliance Infrastructure controlled company, has alerted its field staff. Senior officers have been deputed to different clusters created for the purpose.
“At least 25 clusters have been formed in the probable cyclone zones in Ganjam and Gajapati districts, where the impact of the storm is likely to be maximum. Each cluster has been entrusted with a senior officer to look after the restoration work, immediately after the cyclone,” said a senior Southco officer .
“The materials like poles and wires are now available with us. We have also released Rs 1 lakh to each executive engineer for immediate expenditure and purchase of need-based materials,” said B N Mallick general manager (finance), Southco. A high-level meeting chaired by Southco managing director B B Sharma was held at the company’s office here on Wednesday to chalk out the plan to counter the cyclone.
The company will disrupt the power supply when the wind speed increases to 60 km per hour. “A speed of 50 km per hour is a threat for us, but we will go up to 60 km per hour,” said superintendent engineer Lenka Prasad.
