Odisha govt urges IIT-Bhubaneswar to set up coastal observatory centre

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has urged IIT-Bhubaneswar to set up a coastal observatory and innovation centre for climate change as the state is vulnerable to natural calamities like flood, cyclone and tsunami.

For the purpose, the government has decided to transfer 40 acres of land at Laudigaon in Ganjam district free of cost to IIT, Chief Secretary A P Padhi said today.

Padhi said a cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik last evening, approved the proposal to facilitate setting up of the observatory in Ganjam district.

The proposed centre will predict, monitor and provide mitigation solution for natural disaster with sound observational network of meteorological, oceanographic and geo physical instruments, Padhi said.

It is expected to generate effective solutions like flood control measures, forecasting storm surge, weather, earthquake and tsunami, erosion prevention measures, fisheries management, aquaculture, marine biotechnology and others, he said.