Dikhyaa Mohanty 
A high-level review meeting was convened on Thursday in an effort to improve the state’s flood readiness before the monsoon. Anu Garg, Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Department of Water Resources, presided over the meeting. During the meeting, it was declared that all divisions, circles, and offices under the Chief Engineers of the Water Resources Department will be engaged in 24-hour flood management activities from June 1 to October 31, 2025, according to an official press release. The Chief Engineer’s Office, the Engineer-in-Chief (EIC) Office, and the State Hydrological Data Centre (SHDC), which are situated on the eighth level of Rajiv Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, will all have control rooms.
Officials from the District Administration and Water Resources have jointly inspected river embankments as part of the readiness campaign, and the current condition of the embankments has been deemed satisfactory. Notably, permanent repair of previously impacted or susceptible locations has been finished, and no breaches were reported during the flood season of 2024. Additionally, the agency has mandated that by June 15, all impediments, including coffer dams, be removed from rivers and drainage canals. The operational preparedness of gates, barrages, and weirs in all big and medium-sized projects has been successfully tested through mock drills, and comprehensive inspections have been carried out to guarantee functionality.
Flood-fighting supplies including bamboo, brushwood (ballha), and gunny sacks packed with sand have been prepared for emergency reaction. Additionally, heavy equipment such as water tankers, trucks, tractors, generators, JCBs, excavators, and cutters have been scheduled for quick deployment.
