Bhubaneswar, Oct 11: The third meeting of State Executive Committee (SEC) of disaster management constituted under the Odisha Disaster Management Act-2005 & Rules, 2010 for the year 2023-24 has been held today under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena.
Chief Secretary emphasized on procurement of search & rescue equipment, accessories and vehicles for Odisha Fire & Emergency Services after being approved by the SEC.
Giving importance to mangroves helping in building coastal resilience as effective natural safeguards against cyclones, the Chief Secretary emphasized on its densification. Similarly, he has also advised to have a massive palm tree plantation drive to prevent lightning deaths. He advised the concerned departments to take up more and more palm tree plantations in all areas, basically districts prone to lightning.
The Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) has placed a non-structural lightning mitigation proposal for the implementation of lightning alert, forecast system in collaboration with Earth Network and Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune through SATARK App for three years.
Besides a proposal has been submitted by OSDMA for implementation of the Indian Ocean Tsunami Ready (IOTR) Programmes in 24 identified tsunami-prone villages of 6 coastal districts for obtaining the tsunami-ready certification from IOC-UNESCO and including organizing an orientation programme on tsunami for key stakeholders of the tsunami-prone urban local bodies i.e Puri, Konark, Gopalpur and Paradip.
