Bhubaneswar: Though the path of the possible cyclone over Bay of Bengal is yet to be forecasted by IMD, the State Government is fully prepared to face the possible natural disaster, said Chief Secretary SC Mahapatra here on Wednesday.
“It is yet not clear where the cyclone will go. However, the State Government is fully prepared to face the possible cyclone. Collectors have been put on alert. The path of the cyclone will be known within next three days,” Mr.Mahapatra told media persons.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said cyclonic circulation has formed over South Andaman Sea and neighbourhood and extends upto mid tropospheric levels.
Under its influence, a low pressure area is likely to form over the same region under the influence of the cyclonic circulation system around May 6, it said.
Further, the system is likely to become more marked during subsequent 24 hours, said IMD scientist Umashankar Das. Only after formation of the low pressure area, further details about the possible cyclone can be predicted, he said.
Meanwhile, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain has appealed to people not to resort to panic buying to stock up essential commodities.
Using his Twitter handle, Mr.Swain appealed to people not to buy and stock essential items unnecessarily. It might cause an artificial scarcity in the market and unscrupulous traders may take advantage of the situation and increase the prices of the essential commodities, he said.
Stating there is enough stock of all kinds of food items and other essentials in the State, the Minister claimed that the State Government is fully prepared to tackle any situation and his department is closely monitoring the market. Stringent action will be taken against those resorting to hoarding and black marketing, he warned.