In response to the rising heatwave concerns across Odisha this summer, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja chaired a crucial meeting at Lok Seva Bhawan today to assess the state’s preparedness and management strategies for 2025.
The meeting, attended by senior officials including Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Special Relief Commissioner Deo Ranjan Kumar Singh, and Director General of Police Y.B. Khurania, focused on ensuring effective measures to mitigate heatwave impacts and secure water availability.
The Chief Secretary directed district collectors to regularly monitor water availability, particularly drinking water, and ensure strict adherence to heatwave management guidelines. Emphasizing proactive steps, he urged officials to enhance public awareness and coordinate efforts at the panchayat and block levels. Districts such as Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Bolangir, Sonepur, and Bargarh were specifically reviewed for their drinking water status and heatwave response plans.
This meeting follows a high-level discussion led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on March 18, where key decisions were made to tackle the summer crisis. Special Relief Commissioner Singh presented a detailed report on the actions taken so far, while Ahuja stressed the need for rigorous implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to achieve zero casualties. He also instructed the compilation of all departmental SOPs into a unified document for streamlined execution.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD), Bhubaneswar, provided insights into the heatwave forecast for March to June, predicting challenging conditions in both coastal and interior Odisha. To address this, the Chief Secretary called for intensified public awareness campaigns through media, coordinated by the Information and Public Relations Department.
As summer intensifies, Odisha’s administration is leaving no stone unturned to safeguard its citizens, with a clear focus on water supply, monitoring, and community resilience.
