Bhubaneswar: India Meteorological Department (IMD) and Odisha’s Fakir Mohan University signed an MoU on Tuesday for intensive research on weather science with an aim to minimise loss of life and property due to natural disasters.
Following the MoU, FM University and IMD will jointly undertake research on different aspects of weather and climate sciences in order to build and strengthen capacity in the sector, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra told reporters.
The pact, signed under the leadership of FM University Vice Chancellor Santosh Mohapatra, aims at making efforts for enhancing the capacities of students as well as teachers and professors, Mohapatra said.
“The focus will be on strengthening climate science for the benefit of the people. Steps will also be taken to develop various tools and technologies and make these available to the common people so that loss of life and properties due to natural disaster is minimized,” the IMD DG said.
Efforts will also be made to improve the socio-economic life of people with the help of weather reports provided by the IMD.
This apart, plans are afoot to set up a Climate Studies and Disaster Management Centre at the University for which IMD will provide all the required support and assistance, he said.
IMD will help in capacity building, data supply, training programmes and establishment of observatory in the university for the purpose, he said, adding that the centre will try to ensure effective dissemination of forecast about natural disasters to the people.
Stating that calamities like lightning are common in north Odisha, Mohapatra said steps will be taken to minimise damage and loss due to such disasters.
For effective forecast of weather, Doppler radars would also be installed soon in Balasore and Sambalpur soon, he added.
