Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday urged the flood affected States for extensive use of innovative technologies and local investments for the development of forecast and early warning systems. PM was reviewing the flood situation in six States with Chief Ministers of Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala. The States complimented central agencies including NDRF for prompt co-ordination and timely deployment of rescue operations.
Chief Ministers Sarbanada Sonowal, Nitish Kumar, Yogi Adityanath, Uddhav Thackeray and Pinarayi Vijayan appraised the flood situation in their States. Karnataka was represented by Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and Ministers of State Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy and Nityanand Rai also participated in the review meet.
Modi emphasised on better coordination between all central and state agencies to have a permanent system for forecasting of floods and extensive use of innovative technologies for improving forecast and warning system. Prime Minister said that over the past few years, our forecasting agencies like India Meteorological Department and Central Water Commission have been making concerted efforts to make better and more usable flood forecasts. They are trying to provide not only rainfall and river level forecast but also location specific forecast of inundation. There are pilot efforts underway to also use innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence to improve locations specific forecast, for which States should provide necessary information to these agencies and timely disseminate the warnings to local communities,” said PMO in a statement.
Prime Minister mentioned that investment should be increased in localised early warning system so that people in a particular area can be provided with timely warning in case of any threatening situation such as breach of river embankment, inundation level, lightning etc. “Prime Minister also emphasised that in view of COVID situation, while undertaking rescue efforts, States must ensure that people follow all health precautions such as wearing of face mask, hand sanitisation and maintain adequate physical distance and relief materials must include provision for hand washing/ sanitizing and face masks for the affected people. In this regard, special provisions should be made for elderly people, pregnant women and people with co-morbidity.