Odisha Gears Up for Monsoon with 24×7 Flood Preparedness Plan from June 1

Bhubaneswar: In a proactive move to ensure robust flood management during the upcoming monsoon, the Government of Odisha held a high-level Flood Preparedness Meeting for 2025 today under the chairpersonship of Anu Garg, IAS, Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary in the Department of Water Resources (DoWR).

As per the review, flood management units across all divisions and circles under the Chief Engineers of the Water Resources Department will operate round-the-clock from June 1 to October 31, 2025. Control rooms will be fully functional at the Chief Engineer’s Office, EIC Office, and the State Hydrological Data Centre (SHDC) located on the 8th floor of Rajiv Bhawan.

Officials confirmed that joint inspections of river embankments by the District Administration and DoWR engineers have been completed, and all structures are currently in good condition. Notably, no breaches were reported during the 2024 flood season, thanks to the timely implementation of permanent rehabilitation measures in previously vulnerable areas.

Key decisions from the meeting include:

• All obstructions, such as coffer dams in rivers and drainage channels, will be cleared by June 15.

• Mock drills and gate inspections have been conducted across major and medium projects, barrages, and weirs to ensure full operational readiness.

• Emergency flood-fighting materials such as sandbags, bamboo, brushwood (ballha), and filled gunny bags have been stocked and are ready for deployment.

• Heavy machinery including generators, JCBs, excavators, water tankers, tractors, and tippers have been arranged to remain on standby for swift response.

The department will disseminate daily rainfall and flood forecasts in collaboration with the Central Water Commission (CWC), India Meteorological Department (IMD), and the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) to keep the public and officials informed.

Additionally, two designated contact officers from each division dealing with flood control and drainage will have their mobile numbers shared with all concerned authorities to ensure rapid communication during emergencies.

The meeting emphasized the strict adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for coordinated and effective flood management.

The meeting was attended by the Engineer-in-Chief of the Water Resources Department, senior departmental officers, and engineers at various levels, participating both physically and virtually.