Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force

The Super Cyclone of 1999 had left the roads and transportation networks of the coastal Orissa in a shambles. Truck loads of food, medicine, shelter materials and other life support systems could not reach the affected people as the relief lines could not be cleared off fallen trees and debris. A responsible and responsive system could not deliver the goods in time due to lack of necessary equipment and trained manpower despite strong empathy for the fellow brethren. It was a very harsh lesson that the state learnt from the apocalypse. The Government, thus created Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) to assist the civil administration in search and rescue operations, relief line clearance and overall disaster management. The ODRAF units were carved out of Orissa State Armed Police (OSAP) battalions and APR Police. In the first phase, 3 ODRAF units were set up at OSAP, 6tn battalion, Cuttack; OSAP, 2nd battalion, Jharsuguda and OSAP, 3rd battalion,Koraput. In the second phase 2 more units under S.P. Balasore and OSAP, 8th battalion, Chhatrapur. In view of the commendable service rendered by the ODRAF units in search & rescue operations and relief management during the last few years, new ODRAF units are being set up  at five locations such as: Bhubaneswar, Paradeep, Baripada, Rourkela and Bolangir.