Bhubaneswar: Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari reviewed the installation of Doppler Weather Radar at Sambalpur, Baleshwar, Bhubaneswar and Puri and directed officials to complete the work by 2026.
The minister was informed that the radar at Sambalpur is almost complete and will be inaugurated shortly. With an objective of further strengthening and enhancing the effectiveness of state’s disaster management system, a high-level review meeting was held Thursday at Lok Seva Bhawan under the chairmanship Pujari. A detailed review was undertaken on the expenditure plan under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
The minister directed all concerned departments to expedite the implementation of projects under the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) and National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF), ensuring their completion well before the stipulated timelines. The progress of the construction of Multipurpose Flood and Cyclone Centres was also reviewed in detail. The minister instructed the concerned departments to identify the proposed sites in various districts at the earliest, ensure effective inter-departmental coordination, and expedite the construction of these centres.
The meeting further reviewed the state’s preparedness in view of the potential impact of El Niño. Close coordination would be maintained with the Water Resources department to ensure optimum utilisation of reservoirs, irrigation projects and water storage facilities for irrigation purposes, the minister said. He also directed officials to complete proposed Heat Wave Centres in the identified vulnerable districts before the onset of the next summer season.
