Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday inaugurated Odisha Watermanship and Life Guard Institute (OSWALI), a national-level training facility.
He also laid the foundation for a state-of-the-art SCUBA complex planned to expand advanced underwater rescue training across the state. An MoU was signed between the Odisha Tourism d and Fire & Emergency Services. Another tripartite MoU was signed among Odisha Tourism, Odisha Fire & Emergency Services, and the National Institute of Water Sports (NIWS), Goa, for developing water sports safety standards, conducting professional lifeguard training, capacity building, and expanding the scope of adventure and coastal tourism in the state, a CMO release said.
During the programme, trained personnel of Odisha Fire & Emergency Services presented an impressive watermanship show, demonstrating rescue and life-saving techniques as well as coastal emergency preparedness.
Deputy CM Pravati Parida, who also holds the Tourism portfolio, was present on the occasion.
In his address, the Chief Minister referred to the timeless poem ‘Ramchandi Re Sandhya’ written by Pandit Nilakantha Dash. He said that OSWALI will emerge as a dedicated national and international centre for water safety, lifeguard training, and coastal resilience, and will enhance Odisha’s capacity to deal with increasing risks posed by natural disasters and climate change.
Majhi further emphasised that the government is committed to strengthening fire services, improving emergency response systems, and increasing training opportunities for officers and youth.
The OSWALI has been constructed near Ramachandi Peeth by the State Fire and Emergency Services Department at Rs 12 crore to strengthen professional expertise in aquatic rescue operations and lifesaving techniques. The campus includes barracks that can house 100 trainees, an officers’ mess, administrative blocks, and a canteen. The training curriculum covers swimming, power-boat handling, sea and still-water safety, scuba diving, and deep-water diving.
“It will provide training to fire services personnel from across the country, Central Armed Police Forces, NDRF, police, home guards, and volunteers engaged in rescue operations during disasters in various states. Outside the Navy, this is the country’s first such institute. Therefore, it would not be an exaggeration to call it a national-level training centre,” he said.
The CM informed that an additional Rs 10 crore has been sanctioned to further strengthen the scuba training facility. “Even now, trainees from states such as Nagaland, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh are undergoing training here. Recently, our institute has provided scuba training to NDRF personnel and fire-fighting training to Navy personnel. You have created a distinct identity for yourselves at the national level. It is certainly a matter of pride that personnel from other states and national agencies are coming to Odisha for training. Since these institutes have received national recognition, it is the responsibility of all of us to take them forward with care,” he noted.
Majhi termed the agreement signed between Tourism Department and Fire Services Department as historic. ” Our government recently adopted an Adventure Sports Policy. Using the scuba training facility here, tourists will be able to experience scuba diving,” he added.
