Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday said the State Government has been pursuing a proactive, community-based and technology-driven disaster management strategy to protect lives during natural calamities.
Maintaining that the Government also has been attempting to reach global standards in disaster management, Patnaik said that following the cyclone Phailin in 2013, the Government has taken up construction of over 16,000 disaster-resilient houses for the affected people in Ganjam and Khordha districts under the Odisha Disaster Recovery Project.
“This is a clear example of ‘Building Back Better.” Said Patnaik The Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction for the period 2015 to 2030, adopted at the third UN World Conference in March 2015 at Sendai, Japan has stressed the need to enhance disaster preparedness and ‘Build Back Better’ in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction, said Patnaik.
Patnaik informed that 432 multipurpose cyclone and flood shelters have been constructed in disaster-prone areas while 445 shelter buildings are presently under construction.
“To strengthen the participatory approach, the ownership and management of these shelters are handed over to local cyclone shelter management committees,” added Patnaik.
The Chief Minister was speaking at the annual observance of the Disaster Preparedness Day and National Day for Disaster Reduction here. “Use of space technology in disaster management” has been chosen as this year’s theme.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Bijayshree Routray said scanty rainfall has become a natural disaster as it leads to drought and other problems not only in Odisha but across the country as well.
He urged all stakeholders to focus on the issue. Chief Secretary GC Pati, SRC GVV Sarma and Natural Remote Sensing Centre Director VK Dadhwal also spoke.