Odisha’s cyclone management module for other states

BHUBANESWAR:Odisha Government on Friday shared its best disaster management practices with the Centre at the annual conference of State Relief Commissioners and Secretaries in New Delhi.Odisha’s experience was showcased to allow other States benefit from its experiences. Special Relief Commissioner and Commissioner-cum-Secretary to the Government (Disaster Management) Bishnupada Sethi made the presentation on best practice of handling cyclone by the State Government at the conference.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba asked all State Governments to remain in readiness for handling natural disasters which caused around 2,200 deaths and incurred financial losses worth about `60,000 crore per annum from 2005 to 2014. Floods caused the most damage.Earlier in April, the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee (DPSC) on Home Affairs had lauded Odisha Government’s efforts in shifting its focus from mitigation to management of cyclones of 2013 and 2014 after the devastation caused by 1999 Super Cyclone.

In its 195th Report, on the “Devastation caused by Natural Disaster, Hudhud Cyclone in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha”, the Committee observed that agencies like National Disaster Management Authority and World Bank appreciated the efforts of Odisha that while in 1999 Super Cyclone, the State was a victim, in 2013 and 2014, it successfully shifted its attention from “mitigation” to “management”.

The Committee had also commended the State for its outstanding work and hoped that other disaster-prone States should learn from Odisha’s experience in preparedness and disaster management to meet any eventuality.The Committee had then requested Odisha to share its experience on preparedness and disaster management with other disaster-prone coastal states.