Raipur, Oct 26: The Chhattisgarh government has placed the state administration on high alert in view of a potential cyclonic storm brewing over the Bay of Bengal, directing district collectors to maintain strict vigilance and enforce precautionary measures from 27 to 29 October.

The directives were issued during a high-level review meeting at Mahanadi Bhawan chaired by Additional Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Pingua, with district collectors and departmental heads participating via video conferencing. ACS Pingua instructed officials to treat weather warnings with utmost priority to prevent any loss of life and secure vulnerable habitations.

Special administrative focus has been ordered across the southern Bastar division—specifically in Bijapur, Sukma, Dantewada, Bastar, and Narayanpur—where strong surface winds are anticipated. Authorities have been directed to keep relief camps operational round the clock with necessary civic provisions for potential evacuees.

The Health Department has been mandated to ensure uninterrupted medical services, including pre-identifying pregnant women in high-risk zones for timely relocation to safe medical facilities. Concurrently, the administration has issued agricultural advisories to safeguard standing crops and livestock, alongside safety protocols for local schools and Anganwadi centres.

Disaster response mechanisms have been put on standby, with National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams positioned at strategic locations. Revenue and Disaster Management Department Secretary Shammi Abidi instructed field teams to assess kutcha housing vulnerability, clear fallen trees swiftly, and secure hazardous outdoor structures to maintain unhindered road communication.