Odisha govt instructs officials to ensure no power outage during President’s programme

Bhubaneswar, Jul 18 (PTI) Ahead of President Droupadi Murmu’s three-day Odisha visit beginning from July 25, the state government issued special instructions to authorities to ensure that there is no power disruption of any kind during the programmes to be attended by the country’s first citizen.

The instruction was issued by Chief Secretary P K Jena while reviewing a preparatory meeting held here on Monday. He asked officials to make full-proof arrangements like power supply, drinking water and other facilities for the President’s programmes.

The state government’s instruction was significant in the wake of the May 6 incident at Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanjadeo University, Baripada programme where the president delivered her speech for nine minutes in the absence of power. The state earned criticism from different quarters for not being able to ensure proper power supply at the president’s programme.

Jena directed that experienced electrical executive engineers to be deployed at all programmes to ensure that there is no such power crisis in the president’s programme. He also instructed to make alternative power arrangements in case there is disruption in power supply from the feeder line.

Informing the preparatory meeting, the Home department said that the president would arrive in Bhubaneswar on July 25 afternoon and meet representatives of PVTG (particularly vulnerable tribal groups) at the Raj Bhavan here.

Next Day on July 26, the president is scheduled to visit Cuttack and Cuttack Chandi temple besides going to the residence of Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das. His residence now houses the Sailabala Autonomous College. She will also visit the birthplace of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, which has also been converted into a museum.

The president will attend the 75th Foundation Das ceremony of Orissa High Court and the convocation of the National Law University. She will also attend the annual day function of SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack.

On July 27, the president will lay the foundation stone of a Light House of Brahmakumari Centre at Tomado in Bhubaneswar. She will later attend the Dimond Jubilee celebration of Bhadrak Autonomous College at Bhadrak and return to Delhi on the same day.