Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah chaired a high-level meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday to review the country’s flood preparedness ahead of the monsoon. The meeting focused on long-term flood mitigation strategies, the status of measures taken since last year’s review, and the use of technology for effective flood management.
The Home Minister reviewed the adoption of new technologies by various agencies involved in flood management and called for their expanded use. He stressed the need for wider application of space technology by central agencies for flood control and water management.
Shah reiterated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, disaster management in India is being driven with a zero-casualty approach. He directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to coordinate with State and District Disaster Management Authorities for effective dissemination of early warning alerts. He urged all States and Union Territories to implement NDMA advisories in a timely manner and asked NDMA and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to ensure close coordination with the states for efficient flood response.
The Home Minister acknowledged the efforts of the Central Water Commission (CWC) and India Meteorological Department (IMD) in extending the time window for issuing flood forecasts and advisories. He called for further improvements in forecast accuracy and underlined the need for flood monitoring centres of the CWC to align with national requirements and international standards. He asked the Ministry of Jal Shakti, NDMA, and the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) to monitor glacial lakes and take timely action in case of any outburst.
The Home Minister appreciated the efforts of the Central Water Commission (CWC) and India Meteorological Department (IMD) in extending the flood forecasting window from 3 to 7 days. He said, “The flood monitoring centres of the CWC must be aligned with our national requirements and developed to meet international standards.” He asked the Ministry of Jal Shakti, NDMA, and National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) to closely monitor glacial lakes and act swiftly in case of any breach or outburst.
He stressed the importance of road infrastructure in flood-prone areas and asked the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to work with state authorities. “Drainage systems should be an integral part of highway designs to prevent waterlogging and road damage during heavy rains,” he said.
On ecological measures, the Home Minister called for increasing forest cover along the Narmada River basin. He said, “If successful, this model can be implemented in other river basins as well. It will help revive river ecosystems, reduce soil erosion, and address declining rainfall.”
The meeting also discussed the recurring problem of urban flooding. Shah directed central agencies to take proactive steps for flood control in cities and prepare comprehensive flood management plans for large urban areas. He noted the role of wetlands and said, “Rejuvenation of wetlands and afforestation are essential to deal with heavy rainfall in short durations during monsoon.” He also asked the Ministry of Jal Shakti to improve the condition of wetlands in the Brahmaputra basin, which he said would also support economic and tourism activities.
The Home Minister suggested that agencies such as the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), IMD, NRSC and others organise a conference bringing together experts to discuss floods and related technologies. “In 2014, India was far behind in the field of meteorology. Today, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, we are on par with developed countries. Now we must aim to be number one,” he added.
Departments including IMD and CWC presented detailed updates on the measures taken since last year’s flood review. Ministries and departments briefed the Home Minister on their preparedness for the current monsoon and their future plans. Shah expressed satisfaction with the preparations and called for collaborative development of software systems to manage extreme weather conditions.
He said, “All departments must work together to build systems that can respond effectively to climate-related challenges and protect lives and infrastructure.”
from National https://ift.tt/gIdYX7Q