Odisha Charts Urban Resilience Plan Against Heatwaves and Floods
Bhubaneswar: The Housing & Urban Development (H&UD) Department has initiated a comprehensive roadmap to strengthen Odisha’s cities against climate challenges, particularly heatwaves and floods.
At a high-level meeting chaired by ACS Usha Padhee, officials discussed immediate, medium, and long-term measures to safeguard urban populations.
Key priorities include modernising storm-water drainage systems, preparing detailed project reports (DPRs), and securing funding mechanisms.
The department stressed coordination with agencies such as the Central Water Commission to ensure unified action.
For heatwave preparedness, urban hotspots will be identified, and common interventions rolled out across Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) before next summer.
Long-term strategies include plantation drives, nature-based solutions, and regulatory reforms in building rules and bye-laws.
The Odisha Urban Academy will lead capacity-building efforts through structured training modules for officials and technical staff.
To address storm-water management, the department proposed signing an MoU, engaging a Project Management Consultant, and creating a dedicated cell for implementation.
The meeting concluded with a commitment to translate discussions into a structured Action Plan covering interventions, funding, technical support, and stakeholder coordination.
