Riverine disaster Management

Note: This should only compliment “Assam Floods” article.

Current institutional measures to tackle such incidences:

• The National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP), to be implemented with financial assistance from the World Bank, is envisaged to have four major components:
  1. Component A: Improvement of early warning dissemination system by strengthening the Last Mile Connectivity (LMC) of cyclone warnings and advisories.
  2. Component B: Cyclone risk mitigation investments.
  3. Component C: Technical assistance for hazard risk management and capacity-building.
  4. Component D: Project management and institutional support.

(These components are highly interdependent and have to be implemented in a coherent manner.)

• In 2016, National Disaster Management Plan was unveiled to tackle disaster. It provides a framework to deal with prevention, mitigation, response and recovery during a disaster.
• The NDMA had come up with its National Guidelines of Management of Cyclones in 2008. The basic premise of these guidelines is that the mitigation has to be multi-sectoral.
• Developing Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) frameworks for addressing the sustainability and optimal utilisation of coastal resources as also cyclone impact minimisation plans.
• Ensuring cyclone resistant design standards are incorporated in the rural/ urban housing schemes in coastal areas
• Implementing coastal flood zoning, flood plain development and flood inundation management and regulatory plans.
• Coastal bio-shields spread, preservation and restoration/ regeneration plans.
• There is a need for private sector participation in designing and implementing policies, plans, and standards.
• Need of Disaster Management program to be inclusive including women, civil society, and academia.

Way forward:

1. Reconstruction efforts must involve rebuilding in a better way.
   • Climate proofing in Kerala calls for structures to be built with wind- and water-resistant materials.
2. People need to relocate out of harm’s way.
   • During the 2015 floods, Chennai illustrated the price of unrestricted urban development.
3. Early warning is vital.
   • Because of investments in these systems, Cyclone Phailin (2013) claimed less than 40 lives in Odisha.
   • In Kerala, there was no timely forecast from national weather services. The State needs a reliable flood forecasting capability.
4. There needs to be tougher implementation of logging and mining regulations in fragile ecologies.
   • Deforestation worsened the effects of Kerala’s floods and mudslides, as the report of the Western Ghats ecology expert panel 2011 had warned.
5. Non-structural measures for flood forecasting provide early warning in flood prone areas have proved to be successful for flood management.
6. High-tech warning systems on the ground will not be useful until the authorities, key stakeholders and communities are trained to act upon the information obtained from these facilities. ( stakeholder training )
7. Different stakeholders need to come together for mapping risks, vulnerabilities, and resources, engage in regular preparedness actions like drills and capacity building, develop and update emergency plans, check the availability of resources at the local level and act upon early warning intimations.

Conclusion:

India should prepare to mitigate and deflect the destruction caused by riverine floods. We need to employ technology, strict following of command structure and most importantly the participation and cooperation of local communities in the affected area.