Odisha Govt wants timely tech info ahead of calamities

Seeking modification of the Centre's data policy, the Odisha government today said it requires timely technical information to handle calamities like floods and cyclones.
The state government made this demand at a high level meeting here attended by Chairman, Central Water Commission, Director General of India Meteorological Department (IMD) and senior officials of the NDRF.
The meeting was held in Odisha as October has been identified as the period when cyclones usually hit the state and Andhra Pradesh coast.
"We have requested the visiting team to provide us timely technical forecast for smooth handling of calamities like flood and cyclone. The state can easily draw possible inundation maps ahead of the flood water rushing into villages if it is provided with digital information in advance by the Centre," Odisha's Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) G V V Sarma told reporters after the meeting.

The state government also pointed out how it was facing difficulties in managing floods in Balasore and Bhadrak districts due to lack of information on the release of water by the dam authorities in Jharkhand, Sarma said.
A proper coordination between the CWC and IMD on rainfall and water release from the dams and passing of information to Odisha government could reduce floods in the two districts, he said.