Odisha Conducts Statewide Annual Disaster Preparedness Drill Across 30 Districts

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government conducted its Annual Table Top and Disaster Management Exercise across all 30 districts on June 18 and 19, reaffirming its commitment to disaster preparedness and response. The exercise aimed to instill a culture of readiness, evaluate emergency protocols, and identify gaps in response mechanisms for future improvements.

On June 18, Table Top Exercises were held at the district headquarters as well as at the block and urban local body levels. The sessions saw participation from officials across various government departments, elected representatives, disaster response forces, and civil society organizations. Multiple disaster scenarios were simulated and discussed, including cyclones, heavy rainfall, floods, landslides, lightning, droughts, snakebites, and tsunamis. These tabletop discussions helped clarify the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and emphasized the importance of inter-agency coordination in disaster management.

On June 19, full-scale Disaster Management Exercises were carried out at all 909 Multipurpose Cyclone and Flood Shelters across the state. Dummy weather bulletins for cyclones, floods, landslides, and tsunamis were issued by the India Meteorological Department and transmitted through the State Emergency Operation Centre to district-level emergency units. These bulletins were used to initiate mock evacuations and test ground-level response systems.

The shelter-level drills witnessed active participation from villagers, ASHAs, Anganwadi workers, Women Self Help Group members, task force volunteers, Aapda Mitras, and members of Shelter Management Committees. Community-based organizations also played a key role. Teams from the Fire and Emergency Services, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) took part in the simulation exercises at various shelters to evaluate operational readiness.

Officials from the Office of the Special Relief Commissioner and the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), along with representatives from the IMD Regional Centre in Bhubaneswar and nodal officers from various state departments, coordinated the entire exercise over the two days. Their efforts were crucial in ensuring the smooth execution of both the tabletop and field components of the disaster preparedness initiative.