BHUBANESWAR: Taking lessons from its first disaster management experience during Cyclone Dana, the state government has decided to expand and revamp the multipurpose cyclone shelters while strengthening infrastructure and increasing trained manpower pool to deal with natural calamities in future.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday announced that as many as 844 existing multipurpose cyclone shelters will be reconstructed and converted into schools-cum-shelters. The cyclone shelters will function as schools in normal times so that the administration does not have to struggle for providing facilities like electricity and drinking water during natural disasters.
Majhi also said the number of ODRAF units will be increased from 20 to 30 while a state-of-the-art Natural Disaster Management Centre will soon come up in the state for training personnel.
He said steps would be taken to create adequate mangrove forest cover along the coast to check the impact of natural disasters. Mangroves will be created along the 480-km coastline, he said and added that local response teams will be established in every revenue village in the state.
Addressing an event organised on the occasion of Disaster Preparedness Day and National Disaster Reduction Day 2024, the chief minister said Odisha successfully faced Cyclone Dana due to coordinated efforts and effective preparedness. The mission of zero casualty was achieved by the government.
He said eight lakh people were evacuated to safe cyclone shelters before the storm which affected more than 6,000 villages and urban centres of 11 districts.
Around 388 response teams from NDRF, ODRAF, Fire Services, Forest and police were deployed to rescue and relief operations, he said while thanking all the agencies and the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority for their exemplary work during the cyclone.
Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari said the state government successfully faced Cyclone Dana because of cooperation from the people and all agencies deployed during the period.
Director general of IMD Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said Odisha has become an example for the entire world by successfully facing the cyclones.
The state government also signed MoUs with two organisations to strengthen disaster management. An agreement was signed with the Council for Energy Environment and Water for heatwave management in 10 cities of the state. Another was signed with UN World Food Program for online disaster management awareness.
The chief minister also awarded 142 people, who played a significant role in achieving ‘zero casualty’ during Cyclone Dana.