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Shah reviews flood management preparedness
Shah haired a high-level meeting in New Delhi to review overall preparedness for flood management in the context of upcoming monsoon, read the statement
Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday directed officials in his ministry and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to develop a comprehensive software, by March 24, through which scientific data will be immediately made available to all early warning agencies for dissemination to disaster management agencies.
The Union minister reviewed the overall preparedness for flood management, ahead of the monsoons, during a high-level meeting in Delhi.
According to a statement issued by the home ministry, Shah, at the meeting, said the rain and flood forecast currently being given for five days by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Central Water Commission (CWC) should be expanded to seven days by the next monsoon season, so that the flood management can be further improved.
“The HM chaired a high-level meeting in New Delhi to review overall preparedness for flood management in the context of upcoming monsoon. He also reviewed the long-term measures for formulation of a comprehensive and overarching policy to mitigate the perennial flood problems of the country,” the statement said.
“He (Shah) directed that a comprehensive software be developed by MHA and NDMA by March 2024, in which scientific data will be made available to all the early warning agencies immediately for dissemination to the disaster management agencies. He said that foreign expert agencies should also be roped in for developing this software,” it added.
The home minister also said that the government is working to minimise loss of lives and livelihoods during disasters. “The five days rain/flood forecast currently being given by IMD and CWC to be expanded to seven-days forecast by next monsoon season so that the flood management can be further improved,” he said.
He also advised specialised institutions like IMD and CWC “to continue to upgrade their technologies for more accurate weather and flood forecasts”.
The meeting was attended by secretaries of ministries and departments of home affairs, water resources, river development and river rejuvenation, environment, forests and climate change, road transport and highways, member of NDMA, director general of National Disaster Response Force, CWC chairman, National Highways Authority of India and senior officers of IMD and Railway Board.
