Bhubaneswar, June 3: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly (LoP) Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday said that he was proud to see Puri hosting the BRICS Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group Meeting.
The former Chief Minister said that the famed zero‑casualty model, rooted in resilient infrastructure and community readiness, has transformed Odisha from vulnerability into a global beacon of disaster management.
He urged all stakeholders to forge pathways to a safer and more resilient world.
In a post on X, Patnaik said, “Proud to see Puri hosting the BRICS Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group Meeting. Since the 1999 Super Cyclone, #Odisha has faced nature’s fury with courage and conviction, guided by one principle—every life is precious. Our famed zero‑casualty model, rooted in resilient infrastructure and community readiness, has transformed Odisha from vulnerability into a global beacon of disaster management. Welcome all delegates. Together, let us forge pathways to a safer, more resilient world.”
For the context, under India’s BRICS 2026 Chairship, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India, was hosting the BRICS 2026 Meeting of the Disaster Risk Reduction Group (DRRG) from Juen 3 to 5 in Puri, Odisha.
The meeting, themed “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” will bring together senior officials and technical experts from BRICS member countries namely, Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates to strengthen cooperation in disaster risk reduction (DRR).
Discussions during the meeting will focus on key areas such as community-based disaster risk reduction, financing for disaster risk management, multi-hazard early warning systems, resilient infrastructure, nature-based solutions, and the use of science, technology and innovation to strengthen disaster resilience.
The meeting is expected to further strengthen BRICS cooperation in building resilient society and sustainable disaster risk reduction frameworks through shared learning, collaboration and exchange of experiences in addressing common disaster challenges.
The State of Odisha has been selected as the host State in recognition of its globally acknowledged disaster preparedness systems, particularly its record of zero casualties in cyclone management, early warning dissemination, evacuation planning and community-based response mechanisms.
As part of the programme, delegates will witness a demonstration by the Odisha State Disaster Response Force (ODRAF) on water rescue preparedness and response at Ramchandi. Delegates will also interact with trained community volunteers in a programme organised by the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), to observe Odisha’s best practices in coastal disaster resilience and community preparedness. In addition, delegates will visit Konark, the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
