Bhubaneswar,Oct 30 (Odisha.in) Orissa has planned to cover the disaster prone population and their property under insurance cover, official said.
The state government said while observing Monday the Disaster Preparedness Day and National Day for Disaster Reduction on the occasion of the 8th anniversary of the Super Cyclone.
“Now is the time for a Insurance cover of sorts to ensure future security particularly those facing natural calamities like floods, cyclone, earthquake etc, in regular intervals.
The state government is planning to involve the insurance Companies in Public and Private sector as well to do the needful”, said GVV.Sharma, Commissioner-cum secretary State Revenue and Disaster Management Department.
He called upon the Insurance Companies to come forward for a meaningful Dialogue with the government and find out the modalities so as to cover the calamity ridden people under suitable policies.
The state run Orissa State Disaster Mitigation Authority (OSDMA) in collaboration with the Revenue and Disaster Management department observed the day by organizing a seminar with the theme “preparedness for Earth quake and Tsunami Disasters”.
It paid rich tributes to those who lost their lives in the super cyclone 1999 that ravaged the Orissa coast eight years ago on this day by observing two minutes silence at the meeting.
Addressing the seminar, the Chief Minster, Naveen Patnaik stressed the need for strengthening the coping capacities of people to meet the emergencies.
He called upon the non-government organizations, Panchayati Raj institutions, Community based organizations, SHGs and media and others to play a proactive role in preparedness, prevention, mitigation and management of disasters.
Highlighting the building of capabilities in the last eight years to face the disasters by the state government agencies, the Chief Minister said the formation of Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) is first of its kind in the country being trained in search and rescue techniques.
And three more units of ODRAF are to be formed soon at Paradeep, Bhubaneswar, and Bolangir in addition to the existing five.
The Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Manmohan Samal said that It has been proposed to include the Fire fighting personnel as part of the Disaster Management program by giving them proper training and .
Besides, all the Districts Would be provided with two inflatable Tower Lights each and set up the lights in all the Cyclone shelters keeping in view the possible night disaster management.
The Managing Director ,OSDMA, Nikunja Kishore Sunderay announced that by next year, a Doppler Radder would be set up at Paradeep at the cost of Rs.20crore for getting advance cyclone and tsunami warning .
Odisha.in