In view of the threat posed by climate change and rise in temperature, Orissa has initiated preparations to come out with a climate change action plan.

Stating this at a workshop on State Climate Change Action Plan, state energy secretary P K Jena said Orissa was committed to sustainable growth and has made attempt to come out with a climate change action plan.

A high-level Inter-departmental Co-ordinating Committee has been established under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary and Secretary, Environment and Forest Acting as the convener of this group, he said.

There are 11 working groups covering agriculture, Coasts and Disasters, Energy, Fishery, Forestry, Health, Industry, Mining, Transport, Urban and Water.

The deliberation has started in March and a draft climate change action plan has been prepared with the support from The World Bank, sectoral experts from the World Bank, DFID and from the state.

Leading climate change advisory firm CTRAN has been engaged as the Knowledge Partner. The action plan is expected to be finalized by the first week of June, he said.

The objective of the workshop was to chart out a clear strategy for climate change mitigation and adaptation in Odisha.

While the working groups have developed short term, medium term plans in adaptation and mitigation in several sectors, it was decided to have wider stakeholder consultation in different locations.

It would help in getting inputs from diverse constituencies like civil society organisation, media and grassroots level officials, official sources said adding the exercise will help enriching and finalisation of this draft climate change action plan.

There will be five such workshops the first and last one is being organised in Bhubaneswar. The other workshops are being organised at Berhampur, Angul and Balasore on May 19, 20 and 22, they said.

On the action plan for Energy sector, Jena said utmost importance will be given to technological upgradation in Thermal power plants converting them from sub-critical to super critical technology based plants.

Also the use of washed coal will be more environments friendly. On the other hand ample emphasis is being given on the Renewable energy sector and developing small and mid level hydel projects. Plans have also put in place to minimise the energy loss at Transmission and Distribution which is 40% currently. The govt aims to limit it to 10% which would save more than 1000 MW electricity for the State.

Hemant Sharma, Director of Industries, Nagraj Reddy, Nodal officer, PCCF, Nihar Ranjan Sahoo, Sr. Environment Engineer, State Pollution Conterol Board (SPCB) also attended the workshop.