New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday praised Biju Janata Dal President Naveen Patnaik for his outstanding disaster management strategies, crediting his leadership with transforming Odisha into a model of disaster preparedness and response.
During a discussion in the Rajya Sabha about the recent landslides in Wayanad, Shah highlighted Patnaik’s disaster management policies as exemplary. He emphasized the proactive measures taken by Patnaik’s administration in response to early warnings from the Central government.
“On July 23, the Government of India issued a warning to the Kerala government. Further warnings were sent on July 24, July 25, and July 26, indicating that heavy rainfall exceeding 20 cm could lead to landslides and fatalities,” Shah stated.
He noted that several state governments have effectively implemented zero casualty disaster management following the Central government’s warnings. Shah specifically mentioned the previous Odisha Government led by Naveen Patnaik, which acted promptly on early cyclone warnings.
“When early cyclone warnings were sent to the Odisha Government during Naveen Babu’s tenure, the state government took immediate and decisive action. As a result, there was minimal damage, and only one person died by mistake,” Shah explained.
He lauded the zero casualty policy introduced by Patnaik’s administration, which brought significant success to Odisha in disaster management. Shah stressed that Odisha has emerged as a role model, setting high standards for other states in terms of preparedness and response.