Bhubaneswar, June 22 (IANS) Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday said the state has developed a robust disaster management system and stressed the need to preserve and further strengthen it to ensure effective disaster preparedness and response.

Majhi made the remarks while chairing a review meeting of the State-Level Natural Calamity Committee in Bhubaneswar.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the meeting held detailed discussions on the possible impact of El Niño on annual rainfall and the resulting challenges for the kharif farming season.

To effectively deal with the possible impact of El Niño, the Chief Minister advised the Agriculture, Irrigation and other concerned departments to adopt a “whole-of-government approach” and work in close coordination.

He also directed the Agriculture Department to prepare a comprehensive contingency plan to mitigate any adverse impact on the agricultural sector arising from El Niño conditions.

A state-level monitoring mechanism has also been put in place to regularly track rainfall, water levels, crop planning, and the supply of fertilisers and seeds.

Keeping in view the ongoing instability in the Middle East, which could trigger a global fertiliser shortage this year, district collectors have been instructed to closely monitor the availability of urea and complex fertilisers and ensure adequate stocks of nano urea wherever required.

To curb black marketing of fertilisers, monitoring committees have been constituted in every gram panchayat to keep a close watch on fertiliser distribution and availability.

Speaking during the review meeting, Majhi highlighted Odisha’s disaster management record.

“Odisha’s successful ‘Zero Casualty’ policy has today earned global recognition and appreciation. At the recent technical meeting of the BRICS Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group held in Puri, member countries also highly praised the state’s long-standing disaster mitigation and management mechanisms,” he said.

Referring to Cyclones Mocha and Dana, the Chief Minister highlighted the large-scale evacuation operations conducted by the state government to move people from vulnerable locations to safer areas ahead of natural disasters.

He noted that, with a view to supporting farmers during adverse weather conditions, the state government has declared untimely rainfall a state-specific disaster, enabling affected farmers to receive assistance and relief.

As part of disaster preparedness measures, the state government has provided Rs 6 lakh each to district administrations for the annual maintenance of the state’s 911 multipurpose cyclone shelters and to ensure the availability of basic facilities such as drinking water, lighting and cooking arrangements well before any natural disaster.

While the existing 20 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams and 347 fire service stations are equipped with modern equipment and remain fully prepared to respond to emergencies, the process of raising 10 additional ODRAF units is underway.

“The combined efforts of the government and the people are essential to preserve Odisha’s distinct identity and achievements in disaster management. All departments must work in close coordination and remain committed to safeguarding the lives and livelihoods of the people of Odisha,” Majhi said.

–IANS

gyan/pgh