Bhubaneswar: Odisha is preparing a 50-year roadmap to minimise the impact of climate change and emerging disasters, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said at the Earth Again Conference 2026 in Bhubaneswar.

Speaking on the second day of the third edition of the Punashcha Pruthibi (Earth Again) Conference, organised by Sambad and Ama Odisha at Utkal University, Pujari said climate change has emerged as one of the biggest challenges facing the world.

“Climate change is now the biggest issue and challenge for the entire world. Keeping in mind the possible disasters in the coming days, we have to work accordingly. Wherever we have suffered losses, steps are being taken to determine what can be done there,” Pujari said.

He said the state government was taking a long-term approach to disaster preparedness and climate resilience.

Addressing the conference, Pujari said nature is displaying increasingly unusual patterns due to climate change, prompting the state government to prepare in advance for future disasters.

“Considering the disasters that may lie ahead, preparations have already begun. A 50-year roadmap is being prepared to determine what measures can be taken to minimise future losses,” he said.

The Minister said Odisha was preparing to deal with the changing climate patterns being witnessed globally. He pointed out that landslides, which were not traditionally considered a major disaster in the state, are now being witnessed in Odisha and have emerged as a new challenge.

“Measures are being taken to deal with this new form of disaster,” Pujari said.

Focus on human and animal safety

Pujari said disaster management efforts were not limited to preventing loss of human lives but also included protecting livestock and other animals.

“We are not only trying to prevent human deaths; we are also thinking about the animal world,” he said, adding that efforts were being made to ensure that livestock did not perish during natural disasters.

The minister cited Odisha’s preparedness for recent weather events as an example of the state’s disaster-management approach.

Changing weather patterns pose fresh challenges

Pujari said changing weather patterns were creating new challenges for Odisha. He noted that the state had experienced significantly higher rainfall this year compared with the previous year, while several low-pressure systems affected northern Odisha over an extended period.

He said the repeated weather systems had affected districts including Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar, underlining the need for improved preparedness and early warnings.

The minister also referred to Cyclone Montha and said the impact on Odisha was limited because the government had undertaken advance preparations.

Odisha expanding weather monitoring network

Pujari said the state earlier had two Doppler weather radars to obtain accurate information for weather forecasting and early warnings. A new Doppler radar has now been inaugurated in Sambalpur, while another is under construction in Balasore.

Odisha's third Doppler Weather Radar was inaugurated at Sambalpur on September 16, strengthening weather monitoring and forecasting across western Odisha and adjoining regions.

Pujari said the Sambalpur radar would also provide weather information for neighbouring areas of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.

He said Doppler radars would subsequently be established in Bhubaneswar and Puri as well, further strengthening Odisha’s weather-monitoring and early-warning capabilities.

The state had earlier operated two Doppler Weather Radars, and the government is expanding the network to improve the accuracy of weather forecasts and early warnings. Recent government information confirms that Paradip and Gopalpur had operational radars before the Sambalpur installation.

The state government has also directed all district administrations to prepare disaster management roadmaps by September 15 to deal with calamities such as floods and cyclones.

Coastal protection measures

With Odisha having a 574-km coastline, the government has initiated preparations to create mangrove forests along the entire coast, Pujari said.

He said more than 100 towers located along the coastline would be equipped with advanced cameras and anemometers to monitor wind conditions. The system is expected to provide advance information on cyclones and strong winds.

The government is also planning to raise roads and bridges in flood-prone areas and is making arrangements for underground cabling in vulnerable zones, he said.

Preparing for Earthquakes, Tsunami and Heatwaves

Pujari said several parts of Odisha fall in earthquake-prone zones and the state could also face tsunami-related risks in the future.

To strengthen preparedness, disaster warriors are being trained within a 1.5-km radius across the coastal belt, he said.

The government is also developing dedicated shelters to protect people from extreme heat, similar to existing cyclone and flood shelters. The initiative is initially being implemented in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.

Pujari said Odisha's disaster-management strategy was therefore being expanded beyond conventional cyclones and floods to address the broader and increasingly complex risks associated with climate change.

The Minister also said the state government was preparing for the next 50 years by keeping climate change at the centre of its disaster-management planning.

At the conference, he had earlier described climate change as one of the biggest global challenges and said Odisha's preparedness would focus on protecting both people and animals from future disasters.

Odisha to set up dedicated disaster mitigation office

Pujari announced that a dedicated disaster mitigation office would be established in Odisha to strengthen the state's disaster preparedness and response system.

“The foundation stone for the office will be laid after Dussehra,” he said.

According to the Minister, the proposed office will be equipped with advanced technology and will work in coordination with district administrations across the state.

The office is expected to function as a central mechanism for coordinating disaster mitigation efforts and strengthening real-time coordination with districts.

The Earth Again initiative, organised by the Sambad Group, focuses on climate action, sustainability and community participation across Odisha. The programme includes annual conferences and climate-focused grassroots initiatives.