The city government is gearing up to meet any flood-related challenges. The Flood Control Order

Just before the commencement of the monsoon, PCMC commissioner Ashish Sharma called for a meeting of various officials to discuss flood control measures recently. People staying near the banks of the rivers Pavna, Mula and Indryani have to face the menace of floods, threatening their life and property.

The Rs.253-crore flood prevention project, to strengthen the bunds of the Cauvery, Coleroon and other rivers in Tiruchi, Karur and combined Perambalur districts, would be completed within two years, Public Works Department Minister Durai Murugan has said. Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi would lay the foundation stones for this and three other projects of the Public Works Department to be taken up in Tiruchi, Thanjavur, Karur, Nagapattinam and combined Perambalur districts here on June 24.

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday blamed the public-sector North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) for the flash floods in Lakhimpur district of eastern Assam on Saturday. NEEPCO had released water from its Ranganadi hydel project dam in Arunachal Pradesh without any warning.

The first wave of floods has hit the State with devastating consequences. Several embankments were breached and overtopped, and communication snapped on NH-52 in upper Assam. In lower Assam also, cropland and human habitations have been inundated. With the rainy season having just started, indications are that a series of floods could hit the State in the coming months. The recurring menace of flood and erosion constitutes probably the biggest challenge before the State, inflicting extensive damage on agriculture and infrastructure in particular.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today stressed the need for establishment of flood forecasting stations in coordination with organisations like the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Meteorology department to mitigate the losses due to flash floods.

KATHUA : A seven member committee was constituted by District Development Commissioner Kathua, Sarita Chauhan today to sort out the problem arising due to flooding of National Highway from Kalibari to Kathua town due to unpredictably heavy rainfall on the intervening night of June 7 and 8. The heavy downpour resulted in water entering the houses of people and water logging on the National Highway.

The All Assam Students' Union today queered the pitch for the speedy execution of the anti-erosion works by the Brahmaputa Board to protect the geographical area of Majuli. Office-bearers of All Jorhat District Students' Union (AJDSU) have also expressed serious displeasure over the nature of work done by the central agency, entrusted with the task of controlling floods and erosion in the river island, so far.

Three lakh cubic meters of silt removed from Mutha Even if it rains heavily this year, the Pune Municipal Corporation has claimed that it was ready to tackle any flood situation. The PMC's confidence stems from the removal of three lakh cubic meter of silt from Mutha river

It is unfortunate that the Government of Assam has not yet been able to fully prepare itself to mitigate the sufferings of the people during floods and on most occasions, the concerned departments of the Government start the preparations to deal with the natural calamity only during the monsoon season. Last year, the State faced one of the worst ever floods, which affected all but one district of the State, but till now, most of the flood prone districts are not well equipped to deal with such a situation.