Odisha Plans Tech-Driven Disaster Management, Urban Flood Projects in 10 Cities

Bhubaneswar: With extreme weather events posing growing challenges to Odisha, the state government has decided to strengthen its disaster preparedness by adopting technology-driven solutions for urban flooding, tsunami warning, landslide mitigation and coastal erosion management.

The roadmap was discussed at a high-level review meeting on flood and stormwater management chaired by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari at Lok Seva Bhawan. Stressing the need for proactive disaster management, the Minister called for greater use of scientific interventions and community participation to improve the state’s resilience against natural disasters.

A major focus of the meeting was urban flood management. Reviewing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and IIT Roorkee, officials examined the Detailed Project Report (DPR) prepared for tackling waterlogging in the capital city. It was decided that 10 urban centres would be identified in the first phase for implementing scientific stormwater drainage and urban flood management projects with financial support from the Disaster Management Fund.

The Minister directed officials to work in coordination with the Housing and Urban Development Department to develop efficient stormwater drainage systems capable of reducing waterlogging and ensuring quicker discharge of rainwater during heavy showers.

The meeting also assessed the state’s tsunami preparedness measures. Officials informed that 381 coastal villages have been identified for development as Tsunami-Ready Villages, while 26 villages have already secured recognition under the IOC-UNESCO Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme. OSDMA’s collaboration with the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) for upgrading tsunami forecasting and early warning systems was also reviewed, with the Minister stressing the need to further enhance rapid warning capabilities.

Emerging threats such as landslides and coastal erosion also figured prominently during the discussions. Referring to the recent landslide incidents in Gajapati district, Pujari said vulnerability assessments are underway, while officials are studying best practices from northeastern states and consulting national and international experts to develop an appropriate landslide management framework for Odisha.

He also directed authorities to intensify monitoring of coastal erosion and ensure timely preventive measures in vulnerable coastal districts. In addition, he emphasised that houses built under government housing schemes in cyclone-prone areas should incorporate disaster-resilient features to minimise damage during extreme weather events.

The review meeting was attended by Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, Director of Municipal Administration Arindam Dakua, Bhubaneswar Municipal Commissioner Chanchal Rana, senior officials of the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), while representatives from IIT Roorkee and INCOIS, Hyderabad participated virtually.