Puri: Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi today inaugurated the Odisha Watermanship and Lifeguard Institute (OSWALI) at Ramchandi near Konark, marking a significant step towards bolstering Odisha’s coastal security, watermanship, and emergency response capabilities.
At the event, the Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone for a state-of-the-art scuba complex, which is designed to enhance advanced underwater rescue training in the state.
The ceremony featured a spectacular watermanship show demonstrating rescue and life-saving skills and coastal emergency preparedness by trained personnel of the Odisha Fire and Emergency Services.
The welcome speech was delivered by Director General of Odisha Fire and Emergency Services Dr. Sudhansu Sarangi.
Deputy Chief Minister Smt. Parvati Parida, along with several MLAs and officials including Tourism Secretary Shri Balwant Singh and DIG Fire Services, Dr. Uma Shankar Dash, were present at the event.
In his address, Chief Minister Shri Majhi referenced the timeless poem “Ramchandire Adar” by Pandit Nilakantha Das and emphasized that the OSWALI Institute is poised to become a dedicated national and international center for water safety, lifeguard training, and coastal resilience. He stated that the institute will enhance Odisha’s capacity to cope with the increasing threats posed by natural disasters and climate change.
The Chief Minister stressed the government’s commitment to strengthening the fire service, improving the emergency response system, and increasing training opportunities for officers and youth. He lauded Odisha’s disaster management system, led by the Fire Department, for having proven its excellence nationally, noting its successful handling of two major cyclones in the past one and a half years.
The OSWALI Institute, established at a cost of Rs 12 crore, is expected to train fire brigade personnel, central paramilitary forces, NDRF, police, security guards, and volunteers from various states who are engaged in rescue work during disasters. The Chief Minister proudly declared that, outside the Navy, this is the first institute of its kind in the country, effectively making it a national-level training center. He announced a sanction of another Rs 10 crore in the current budget to further strengthen the rescue training system and directed the Odisha Police Housing Corporation to expedite the work on the new project.
The Chief Minister highlighted that the main objective is to save lives and property in various disasters, and through this institute, Odisha will share its excellence in disaster management by training other states and central paramilitary forces. He noted that the institute currently hosts trainees from states like Nagaland, Uttarakhand, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh, and has recently provided training to NDRF and NAVY personnel in firefighting, underscoring its national recognition.
