Bhubaneswar: The state government has decided to conduct special exhibitions and mock drills in the city with a special focus on major educational institutions.

The drive aims to make people ready during any possible natural disasters and keep them safe and sound.

The exhibitions and mock drills will be conducted in consultation with the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority. The civic body will identify places for putting up the exhibitions, while the disaster management authority will make efforts to conduct mock drills in the education institutions.

"Odisha is a natural disaster-prone state, and there is a need to make people aware of the possible consequences and train them to be ready during the advent of any such event. We have planned to intensify our activities, for which the exhibitions and mock drills at the educational institutions are planned," said an official of the disaster management authority.

Sources said live demonstration on relief and rescue operations would be conducted in the exhibitions, along with the past successes and failures of the government in tackling situation during major disasters, including the 1999 Super Cyclone and Phailin and Hudhud of 2014 and 2015, respectively.

"The situation is quite worse in the state's coastal pockets, where the fear of cyclones always looms large. The state government indeed succeeded during Phailin, but it had failed in 1999. People need to be involved in such operations, and it is a good move to make them aware in such a manner," said social worker Alok Kar.

Besides Bhubaneswar, the disaster management authority also planned to organise similar exhibitions and mock drills in Cuttack, Balasore, Bhadrak, Sambalpur, Puri, Berhampur, Rourkela and Baripada.

Officials said the activities would be extended to other disaster-prone districts in the later stage.

Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena said they had received the direction from the state government to identify places for putting up the exhibition. "Our officials will begin identifying the places to hold the exhibition. We will help the authorities in organising the exhibitions and mock drills at the educational institutions."