Union Home Minister Amit Shah has presented the example of Odisha while highlighting India’s efforts to reduce deaths and other losses in natural disasters at an international programme held in New Delhi on Monday.
Shah cited Odisha’s effective handling of Phailin, Hudhud and Fani in the recent past. He said reduction in deaths and loss of properties was the direct outcome of a series of policy initiatives and enhancement of early warning capabilities, advance preparation, training and capacity development undertaken by the State Government.
During the Cyclone Fani, loss of human lives was reduced to 64 compared to 10,000 in Super Cyclone that hit the State in 1999.
“In two decades, India has been able to reduce the loss of lives to less than once per cent,” Shah said after inaugurating the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Joint Exercise on Urban Earthquake Search and Rescue (SCOJtEx)-2019.
The exercise will continue till November 7.
Talking about India’s focus on disaster resilient infrastructure to minimize deaths, Shah informed that India is championing a Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, which will be multi-hazard oriented and will also help in minimizing the losses to property and infrastructure.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched this coalition during the UN Climate Summit in New York.
Discussions were held on earthquakes that hit Gujarat, Nepal and other countries during recent years.