Bhubaneswar: A team of 372 personnel of Odisha Fire Services worked day in and day out in cyclone-torn Kolkata to restore normalcy in the City of Joy post Amphan. The team led by Chief Fire Officer, Maheswar Swain set off for West Bengal on May 24 to undertake restoration work in Kolkata and adjoining areas which sustained extensive damages due to the Super Cyclone.
The team was sub-divided into 30 units with 10 personnel each. These units were deputed in different parts of Kolkata and Howrah. The Firemen of Odisha Fire Services, equipped with Power Saws, Tower lights, Combitools, Bolt cutters, Life lines and other state-of-the-art disaster management equipment, cleared the arterial roads of Kolkata within two days.
Six teams worked under the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Howrah. The teams cleared the premises of Police Head quarters, Government Hospital and Circuit House removing the uprooted trees, electric poles and sagging cables.
The teams cleared all sub-ways of Kolkata city. After May 30, the teams were engaged in removing the trees which were surmounting over different buildings, structures and huts.
“Till date, the teams have cleared 2,070 uprooted trees and electric poles at 515 places which were obstructing the communication in Kolkata city. Now the city has returned to normalcy, communication have been restored, cars, buses have started plying. It was only possible due to whole hearted and devoted service rendered by Odisha Fire Service Personnel,” a senior officer of the Odisha Fire Services said.
“They braved the Amphan devastation and completed restoration process under constant threat of ‘COVID-19’. They really have displayed high sense of devotion to duty and loyality to the profession they adhere to and brought laurels for our state,” the senior official added.