Amit Shah reviews long-term comprehensive preparedness on flood situation

Keeping in view of impending flood situation due to Monsoon, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday asked the India Meteorological Department(IMD), Jal Shakti Ministry, Central Water Commission and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to work in coordination.

Reviewing the preparedness on the flood situation in the country, he also reviewed the formulation of a long-term comprehensive policy to deal with the problem of floods occurring every year across the country.

Mr Shah directed the officials to continue to strengthen coordination between the Central and State agencies to have a permanent system for forecasting of floods and rise in water levels in major catchment zones/ areas of the country.

Advising the Ministry of Jal Shakti to work out a mechanism for desilting of large dams, which will help in increasing dam storage capacity and help in flood control, the Home Minister asked the specialized institutions like the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Central Water Commission to use state-of-the-art technology and satellite data for more accurate weather and flood predictions and also formation of an SOP immediately to broadcast IMD warnings on lightning strikesto the public at the earliest through TV, FM Radio, SMS and other mediums with a maximum publicity to various mobile apps related to weather forecasting like 'Umang', 'Rain Alarm' and 'Damini', developed by the IMD, so that their benefits reach the targeted population.

Damini app triggers warning about lightning strikes three hours in advance which can help reduce losses to life and property.

Mr Shah also advised that studies should be conducted through satellite application on the increasing strains on our river systems and directed the CWC, IMD and NDRF to continuously monitor the water level and flood situation in rivers and send regular reports to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

He also directed the DG NDRF to immediately hold meetings with the heads of the SDRF in flood prone states.

Complying with the directions given by the Home Minister’s instruction last year, the CWC has started to issue five-day advance inflow forecast for all the reservoirs in the country.

The decisions taken in the meeting will go a long way to mitigate the sufferings of the lakhs of people in the country who have to face the fury of floods in terms of damage to their crops, property, livelihood and precious lives, the officials in the Home Ministry said.

The meeting was attended by Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, Secretaries of Ministries/ Departments of Home Affairs, Water Resources, Earth Sciences, Member Secretary NDMA, Director Generals of IMD and NDRF, Chairman, CWC and other senior officers of concerned Ministries.