The State Government has decided to set up a State Institute of Disaster Management (SIDM) for research and exploring innovations in the field of disaster management.
Chief Secretary AP Padhi chairing the 31st governing body meeting of Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) asked the officials to visit the Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management (GIDM) to have knowledge for establishment of the SIDM.
The GIDM is a leading organisation in the country entrusted with responsibility of human resource development, capacity building, training, research and documentation in the field of disaster management.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has already approved the SIDM proposal, and Rs 50 crore is already available under World Bank-supported Odisha Disaster Recovery Project (ODRP), said SRC and OSDMA MD Bishnupada Sethi.
The SIDM would be set up set up at Gothapatan with a green building concept, said Seithi
Besides SIDM, the OSDMA also green signaled for setting up of State Drought Monitoring Cell (SDMC) for weather data monitoring as well as drought management related activities.
Funds amounting Rs 94.22 crore has been sanctioned for setting up of SDMC and array of Automatic Weather Station (AWS)s and Automatic Rain Gauges (ARG)s.
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has already been signed with Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) for technical collaboration for setting up of SDMC and Telemetric Weather Infrastructure for effective drought monitoring in the State.
It was decided that “Apada Mitra” project would be implemented by the NDMA in Odisha to provide training to 200 community volunteers each in Puri and Jagatsinghpur district.
Besides, it was decided to set up new multipurpose cyclone and flood shelters. While 448 proposals have been received, 200 of them have been submitted for approval of the State Government. Similarly, existing School-cum-Shelters would be repaired.