Berhampur: In the wake of a red alert issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for extremely heavy rainfall likely on Sept 23 and 24 under the influence of a possible deep depression, Ganjam and Kandhamal districts have geared up to face any eventuality.While the Ganjam administration has set up a control room and is reading cyclone shelters, besides asking fishermen not to venture into the sea, Kandhamal has planned to close a landslide-prone stretch at Kaling Ghat on National Highway-157 on Sept 23 and 24.As a precautionary measure, the Ganjam district administration has asked its employees to remain at their workplaces, besides directing the fishermen who are in the deep sea to return to their native villages by Monday evening.The administration has set up a control room at Chhatrapur to monitor the situation, while advising people not to venture outside during the rain.Ganjam collector Keerthi Vasan V, during a meeting with the officials concerned, asked them to prepare for any eventuality. He directed the officials to prepare cyclone shelters in the district, so that the residents of the low-lying areas could be shifted there as a safety measure, if needed. He has also asked the fishermen not to venture into the sea for fishing from Monday.Devidutta Mohanty, assistant director of fisheries (marine), Ganjam, said they have raised awareness in fishermen-dominated villages since Sunday afternoon, following the collector’s direction. “As reported, the fishermen have not gone to the sea on Monday,” he said.He added they will submit a report on the safe berthing of the fishing boats, with a joint inspection by the tehsildar and fishery officials concerned. A total of 1,591 fishing boats are in the district in its three units: Gopalpur, Sunapur and Ganjam, he said.Kandhamal collector Ved Bhusan said they have planned to close the landslide-prone stretch at Kaling Ghat on National Highway-157 on Sept 23 and 24, as a precautionary measure. The vehicular traffic will be diverted via Chakapada after it is closed, he said.Last Sept too, the road, connecting Kandhamal and Ganjam districts, had been closed for several days due to massive landslides.