Bhubaneswar State prepared to tackle impact of El Niño: Minister

Bhubaneswar: The state government Saturday urged people not to panic over the possibility of El Nino conditions affecting the monsoon, asserting that the state was fully prepared with contingency plans to deal with any adverse situation.

Discussion on the possible impact of El Nino gained momentum after Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Friday identifi ed it as one of the major challenges before the state. “Possible El Nino is one of the challenges before the state,” Majhi had said.According to meteorologists, El Nino is generally associated with below-normal rainfall, higher temperatures, prolonged dry spells and drought-like conditions. However, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari expressed confidence that Odisha would receive normal rainfall during the monsoon season, which reached parts of the state Friday.

The minister said, “Odisha is unlikely to face any major challenges due to El Nino conditions. Though rainfall is expected to be lower in several parts of the country, the situation in Odisha may remain normal and there is nothing alarming.”