Bhubaneswar, October 7: The Odisha government on Tuesday reviewed measures to strengthen preparedness, prevention and response to chemical accidents at a meeting of the State Crisis Group held at Lok Seva Bhawan under the chairpersonship of Chief Secretary Anu Garg.

Emphasising that protection of life and property must remain the top priority, Anu Garg stressed advance identification of hazards, effective emergency plans, regular mock drills, safety audits and coordinated response mechanisms.

She said safety measures must go hand in hand with industrial development and called for stronger coordination among departments, districts, industries and emergency agencies.

Development Commissioner Deoranjan Kumar Singh stressed integrated preparedness, regular verification of hazard data, review of off-site emergency plans, GIS-based mapping and enhanced coordination at the local level.

Director General of Fire Services Dr Sudhanshu Sarangi called for trained manpower, specialised equipment and emergency vehicles, along with regular joint drills and improved rescue and evacuation systems.

The meeting also reviewed chemical accident databases, medical preparedness, public awareness, safety reports and emergency control rooms. Departments and agencies were directed to ensure timely compliance with prescribed safety guidelines and recommendations.

State DGP Binaytosh Mishra, senior officials of various departments and representatives of industrial establishments attended the meeting.