Unsung heroes place duty before family to rebuild Cyclone Fani-hit Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Sudhanshu Mohanty, an electrical worker with the energy department, is worried as Cyclone Fani damaged his house in Khurda. Instead of returning home, he has been toiling hard since Saturday to restore electricity in Fani-hit areas in Bhubaneswar.
Not just Mohanty, a number of other unsung heroes like him from the energy, police and fire service departments have left behind their personal woes in this time of crisis and are working overtime to rebuild Fani-ravaged Odisha. “I received emergency message from office to report to duty on Saturday morning. I was in dilemma as my house was badly affected. My family members were panicked. But I immediately joined duty and started restoration work,” Mohanty said.

The officials of fire and police wings said that they have little time to look after their own families. “We have to extend helping hands to the affected people as their plight is much more serious than ours. I have not been able to contact my family members since Sunday as the telephone connectivity is poor,” said Gaurang Mishra, a police sub-inspector here.
People from all walks of life, including chief minister Naveen Patnaik, are all praises of those personnel who are struggling at ground zero to bring back normalcy. “Deepest gratitude to people who are working day and night, deep in Chandaka forests, to bring light to Bhubaneswar. 20% of Bhubaneswar electrified within 72 hrs of a near super cyclone, thanks to personal sacrifices & dedication of workers like them. Odisha salutes you,” Naveen tweeted.
DGP (fire services) B K Sharma appreciated the efforts of his personnel for carrying out restoration works in hostile conditions. “Our personnel are not only clearing roads, but also supplying water to the needy in many affected areas. They also rescued hundreds of people from damaged houses,” Sharma told TOI.
“Apart from risks involved in working in hostile circumstances, our policemen are working without worrying about their families. Appreciate the spirit of police,” DGP R P Sharma said.
“Another set of unsung heroes of Odisha police, who have been toiling day and night to ensure logistics and helping in rescue and relief. Our heart goes out to them. They have made the emergency control room their home for the past few days,” read a tweet by the Odisha Police.