Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi inaugurated the Odisha Watermanship and Lifeguard Institute (OSWALI) at Ramchandi near Konark, marking a significant milestone in strengthening the state’s coastal security, watermanship, and emergency response capabilities. The institute aims to become a national and international center for water safety, lifeguard training, and coastal resilience.
During the event, the foundation stone was laid for a state-of-the-art scuba complex to enhance advanced underwater rescue training. An MoU was signed between the Odisha Tourism Department and Odisha Fire and Emergency Services to develop water sports safety standards, conduct professional lifeguard training, and promote adventure and coastal tourism.
The Chief Minister emphasised that OSWALI will enhance Odisha’s capacity to cope with natural disasters and climate change, and provide training to fire brigades, central paramilitary forces, NDRF, police, and volunteers from across the country.
The Chief Minister said that we are establishing this training center for the entire country. Therefore, you will be careful to complete it and maintain and operate it. This training center will increase the prestige of our state. It will give our state a new identity as an example in the field of disaster management training in the country. Employees from other states will come here and learn from the disaster management model of Odisha.
He added that even now we have trainees from states like Nagaland, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh etc. in our fold.
The institute, established at a cost of Rs 12 crore, has received national recognition, with trainees from states like Nagaland, Uttarakhand, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. The Odisha Police Housing Corporation has been directed to expedite the construction of the scuba complex.
The Tourism Department will use this center in two ways. First, it will train life guards employed in various tourist attractions, hotels, etc., for the safety of tourists. Second, it will provide facilities for adventurous water sports here. Recently, our government has adopted an adventure sports policy. Tourists will get a scuba diving experience using the scuba training system available here.
The event was attended by Pravati Parida, Jagatsinghpur MP Dr. Bibhu Prasad Tarai, Pipili MLA Ashrit Patnaik, Satyabadi MLA Om Prakash Mishra, Puri MLA Sunil Kumar Mohanty, Kakatpur MLA Tushar Kanti Behera, Brahmagiri MLA Upasana Mohapatra, Tourism Secretary Dr. Balwant Singh, Police DIAG Dr. Uma Shankar Dash were prominently present at the event.
Director General of Odisha Fire and Emergency Services Dr. Sudhansu Sarangi delivered the welcome speech while Chairman and Managing Director of Police Housing Corporation Soumendra Priyadarshi gave the welcome address.
