Utkal joins hands with OSDMA & ODRAF to educate students on State-specific disasters

ODISHA NEWS TODAY BUREAU:
Utkal University, as a part of its Disaster Management awareness programme, has joined hands with Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) & Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) to release an illustrative booklet meant to educate the students at the elementary level regarding State-Specific Disasters on the occasion of “World Drowning Prevention Day”. The booklet is developed by the University under the RUSA 2.0 project.

Very few people are aware that lightning, whirlwind, tornado, heavy rain, sunstroke, boat accident, drowning, and snakebite are the natural calamities that occur in day-today life. The state government of Odisha had declared these 8 natural calamities as State Specific Disasters on April 1st 2015. Drowning is one of the major calamities that people of all age groups especially children face in day-to-day life due to unawareness and negligence. This book was designed to make it interesting for students to read it along with giving them valuable information on drowning. The book will be distributed among students of rural areas of Odisha.

“As a part of Utkal’s community linkage and Rural Outreach programme, the varsity plans to impart water safety and safe rescue skills to the students of the elementary stage with the help of OSDMA and ODRAF,” said Prof. Sabita Acharya, ViceChancellor, Utkal University.

Dr. Kamal Lochan Mishra, Executive Director, OSDMA; Shri Sunil Kumar Sahoo, Deputy General Manager, OSDMA; Prof. Basant Kumar Mallik, Chairman, P.G. Council, Utkal University; Dr. Avaya Kumar Nayak, Registrar, and Shri. Surendra Kumar Sahoo, CoF of Utkal University, graced the programme as Guest of Honours and addressed the participants. Dr. Swapna Prabhu moderated the sessions and Ms. Ananya Pattanayak, Programme Manager, Rural Outreach Programme proposed the formal Vote of Thanks.