Date:08/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/08/stories/2007100855740700.htm

Andhra Pradesh

NDMA guidelines soon to tackle urban flooding

HYDERABAD: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) will finalise guidelines for management of urban flooding in three to four months.

This was told to newsmen here on Sunday by NDMA member and MLA, M. Shashidhar Reddy. He said the problem of urban flooding had increased in the last couple of years and 10 cities were severely flooded in 2005 with Mumbai being the worst affected. In 2006, 22 cities were flooded and Surat was badly hit. Severe flooding was witnessed this monsoon too in Kolkata, Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai and other places.

Steps initiated

He said the subject of urban flooding had to be dealt separately. The NDMA had already initiated steps to evolve national guidelines and a two-day national workshop on “Urban flooding: Scientific, Technological and Management Challenges” would be inaugurated by Minister for Urban Development, S.Jaipal Reddy, at Pune on October 11.

Stressing the need for civic agencies to be better prepared to deal with the problem, he said if flood management policies and expenditure remain unchanged, the annual losses would increase manifold. Referring to last year’s flooding of Surat, he said the losses in that city alone were estimated to be around Rs.50,000 crore.

Problems unattended

Mr.Reddy said that in spite of receiving more attention, the cities have not been able to cope with problems relating to stormwater drainage, drinking water and traffic.

He said that with the help of a Doppler Radar, the amount of rainfall and the area where it was likely to occur could be predicted six hours ahead. Stating that the Government proposed to instal 55 such radars in various parts of the country, he said “we have to learn from Bangkok city which has three radars.”