BHUBANESWAR/PURI : The second meeting of the BRICS Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Working Group kicked off at Puri on Wednesday to deliberate on issues relating to disaster mitigation in 11 member nations. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi will attend the meeting on Thursday. The meeting will continue till June 5.
Revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari said this is the first in-person technical meeting of the BRICS DRR Working Group under the presidency of India. India had chaired the first technical meeting of the BRICS DRR Working Group, virtually, on April 29-30.
The meeting, themed ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,’ has brought together senior officials and technical experts from BRICS member countries including Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates to strengthen cooperation in DRR.
Official sources said discussions during the meeting will focus on key areas such as community-based disaster risk reduction, financing for disaster risk management, multi-hazard early warning systems, resilient infrastructure, nature-based solutions, and the use of science, technology and innovation to strengthen disaster resilience.
Odisha has been selected as the host state in recognition of its globally acknowledged disaster preparedness systems, particularly its record of zero casualties in cyclone management, early warning dissemination, evacuation planning and community-based response mechanisms.
During the meet, delegates will witness a demonstration by the Odisha State Disaster Response Force (ODRAF) on water rescue preparedness and response at Ramchandi. They will also interact with trained community volunteers in a programme organised by the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) to understand Odisha’s best practices in coastal disaster resilience and community preparedness.