Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi inaugurated the state-of-the-art ‘Make in India’ Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) at Gangadhar Meher University in Sambalpur, marking a major step towards strengthening weather forecasting and disaster preparedness in western Odisha.
The radar was inaugurated at a ceremony held at Gangadhar Meher University in the virtual presence of Union Minister for Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh.
The event also saw the inauguration and foundation-laying of 50 development projects worth a combined Rs 960 crore for Sambalpur and western Odisha.
Of the 50 projects, 15 projects worth Rs 133.47 crore were inaugurated, while foundation stones were laid for 35 new projects involving an investment of Rs 825.83 crore.
The projects cover key sectors including health infrastructure, roads and building construction, mega lift irrigation, minor irrigation, sports infrastructure and rural development in Kuchinda.
The Doppler Weather Radar installed at Sambalpur is Odisha’s third such radar and is expected to provide accurate weather data and improve forecasting of weather movements across a wide area.
The radar will provide weather alerts to residents of Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda and Sundargarh districts, as well as neighbouring states. It will also help estimate rainfall and strengthen the management of inflows into the Hirakud reservoir.
The advanced weather monitoring system is also expected to provide early warnings for lightning and hailstorms, helping protect lives, livelihoods and agricultural activities in the region.
The inauguration of the radar, along with the launch of major development projects, marks a significant expansion of weather-monitoring and infrastructure capabilities in western Odisha.
