The Odisha Government shared its best disaster management practices with all other States at the Special Relief Commissioners’ annual meeting held in New Delhi last week.
Special Relief Commissioner and Disaster Management Secretary Bishnupada Sethi made a presentation on the State’s best practices of handling cyclone at the meeting.
Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba asked all State Governments to take the best of measures to contain natural disasters, which have killed 2,200 persons and caused financial losses worth about Rs. 60,000 crore annually during 2005-14. Most of the damages were caused by floods.
Earlier in April, the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee (DPSC) on Home Affairs had appreciated the Odisha Government's efforts for shifting its focus from mitigation to management of cyclone of 2013 and 2014 after the devastation caused by 1999 Super Cyclone.
In a report, the committee observed that various organisations like the National Disaster Management Authority and the World Bank appreciated the efforts of the Government of Odisha, which had lost many human lives in 1999 Super Cyclone, successfully shifted its attention from "mitigation" to "management" in 2013 and 2014 cyclones.
The committee had commended that other disaster-prone States should learn from Odisha's experience in the matter of preparedness and disaster management to meet any eventuality.
It had also requested the committee to share its experience with other States its experiences of disaster management and saving human lives and properties.