TODAY -

Bracing for monsoon madness

Ninglun Hanghal *

Flood in Imphal city :: 06th May 2018  .
Flood in Imphal city as seen on 06th May 2018 :: Pix - Shankar Khangembam



The entire country is prone to floods. Every year it causes huge loss of lives and damage to property, infrastructure and public utility services. Yet there seems to be no preventive or effective planning to control the annual menace. And even if temporary measures are recommended and necessary funds sanctioned, the unfortunate part of it is that they are not taken up seriously. Some evidence of apathy is clear from the audit report 2017 on “Schemes for Flood Control and Flood Forecasting”.

According to it, the total flood prone area in the country is 45.64 million hectares — that is, about 14 per cent of the total area of India. On an average, an area of 7.55 mha (16 per cent of the total flood prone area) is affected by floods every year and the average annual damage is estimated at Rs 1,805 crore.

The report examined a sample of 206 flood management programmes, 38 flood forecasting stations, 49 river management activities and works related to border area projects and 68 large dams in 17 selected states/Union Territories between 2007-08 and 2015-16. During this period, 517 projects, estimated at Rs 12,243 crore, were approved for 25 states/UTs. Out of these, an approximate Rs 1,131.36 crore was for Arunachal Pradesh (21 projects), Assam (142), Manipur (22) Nagaland (four) and Tripura (11).

In its executive summary, the Performance Audit report stated that there were inordinate delays in approval of detailed project reports leading to technical designs becoming irrelevant at the time of actual funding. Flood management works were not taken up in an integrated manner covering entire river/tributary or a major segment of rivers/tributaries.

A large number of the telemetry stations, installed during the Eleventh Plan, remained non-functional; as the real time data for most of the period was not available. There were also long delays in completion of all the projects under the river management activities and works related to the border areas and emergency action plans were prepared for only at a few large dams.

The key recommendations of the Rashtriya Barh Ayog, such as scientific assessment of flood-prone areas and enactment of Flood Plain Zoning Act, have not materialised. Performance and concurrent evaluation were done as per scheme guidelines.

In four projects in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, the actual quantity of work executed was below the approved scope. In the four projects, an expenditure of Rs 9.78 crore was incurred without the approval of the competent authority. The audit report states that there were delays in completion of river management activities and works related to border area projects, which were long-term solutions to the flood problems of Assam, North Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh.

The audit observed that no performance evaluation was conducted for the projects in Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Manipur and Sikkim. West Bengal did not take any action to meet the deficiencies pointed out during the performance evaluation of 26 completed projects under the Flood Management Programme. Concurrent evaluation under the FMP was not conducted in accordance with schemes guidelines in nine projects under the programme in Assam, Himachal Pradesh and West Bengal. Remote-sensing was not used in monitoring of projects under the FMP.

The report also found several discrepancies in project proposals. It says there was no integrated approach in identification of flood management works and selection of projects based on different rivers/basins, such as in Assam, where the Brahmaputra Board was also not involved during the formulation stage. The Water Resource Department stated that projects are shortlisted based on problem areas as identified by divisional/district level offices.

One project (AS-105), with an estimated cost of Rs 14.94 crore, was recommended for review, however, it was implemented without obtaining the final approval of the authorities.

Moreover, the data of past damage was not available in the project proposals. The area likely to be eroded in 50 years was worked out on the basis of average annual erosion (calculated on actual erosion of four to 12 years). Thus, the data on probable damage was taken into consideration instead of actual one on damage. Such as in Assam the data was based on the approximated value of crop flooded during one year, and the figures were not authenticated by competent authorities.

In Manipur three works executed under the project (MAN-7) remained abandoned since April 2013 after incurring an expenditure of Rs 2.54 crore, the audit reported. Moreover 334 project works, pertaining to 11 sampled anti-erosion flood control project and amounting to Rs 2.83 crore was not obtained. The state governments did not take action on the deficiencies pointed out by the expert agencies after the valuation of the projects.

Moreover project MAN- 13 indicated that the performance of the scheme/project at two locations, namely Jirighat and Khutchoithup were not satisfactory. At Jirighat, heavy damage had been caused to the retaining structures and at Khutchoithup, the river completely submerged some portion of the retaining structure.

Action was not taken to rectify the deficiencies pointed out by the performance evaluation team. An anti-erosion project of the Iril River bracing structure was found broken/separated and tilted towards the river. Cement concrete retaining wall of 40m length was constructed on the right bank bund instead of the left of the river.

In Arunachal Pradesh, flood protection works on the Pachin River from Naharlagun to Nirjuli, against a total provision of Rs 6.03 crore for 2,053.00 m, only1,531.33 m of the structure was constructed at a cost of Rs 1.64 crore.

Similarly, under the project — ArP-5 — anti-erosion works of the Noa Dehing river to protect both banks in the downstream of Border Roads Task Force bridge, against the requirement of 10,136.9 cu m of wire netted boulder crates and 3,732.45 cu m of boulder pitching at a cost of Rs 3.63 crore, only 4,332.10 cu m and 1,598.91 cu m, respectively was done at a cost of 16 lakh.

In Assam, under the Project AS-85, emergency measures for protection of the Rohmoria area in Dibrugarh district, the former Planning Commission accorded investment clearance to the work at Rs 59.91 crore. The state finance department restricted the rates of items of the estimate and accorded concurrence at Rs 52.35 crore. However, against the sanction, the actual expenditure of Rs 59.82 crore was incurred, resulting in unauthorised expenditure of Rs 7.46 crore.

Flood forecasting and warning system in India commenced in 1958. Since then, there are 175 such systems comprising 147 level flood forecasting and 28 inflow forecasting stations until 2006-07, and the number remained stagnant till 2014-15. Presently flood forecasting network covers 184 FFS in 19 states, Union territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and NCT Delhi. The Central Water Commission has not established any FFS in 15 states/UTs namely, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Daman and Diu, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan and Sikkim.

Among the North-east states, only Assam has the flood forecasting station. Of the three such sites Jiabharali and Sivasagar had wireless system in operation and in two sites (Naharkatia and Jiabharali) telemetry system is not functioning, the audit report found.

While flood is a recurring phenomenon every monsoon, the state government seems to wake up only when monsoon sets in and only when homes and agricultural lands and roads are inundated and life comes to a standstill. The state government and civil society must continue preventive measures and mitigation all through the season, monsoon or no monsoon. Moreover, planning and policy need to be implemented in letter and spirit to save precious lives and livelihoods.


(Originally published at The Statesman NE page )


* Ninglun Hanghal wrote this article and shared with e-pao.net
The writer can be contacted at www.hertribe.in & ninglunhanghalthinkingloud.blogspot.in
This article was webcasted on May 08 , 2018.



* Comments posted by users in this discussion thread and other parts of this site are opinions of the individuals posting them (whose user ID is displayed alongside) and not the views of e-pao.net. We strongly recommend that users exercise responsibility, sensitivity and caution over language while writing your opinions which will be seen and read by other users. Please read a complete Guideline on using comments on this website.




LATEST IN E-PAO.NET
  • Mera Houchongba @Kangla #4 : Gallery
  • Violence in Manipur 2023-2025 : Timeline
  • International Day of Yoga @JNMDA : Gallery
  • BD Behring: The inimitable Gentleman I knew
  • Violence in the name of patriotism : Misguided
  • Daily oral vs long-acting injectable for HIV
  • COVID-19: Update 30 June 2025 : Manipur
  • Smile :: Poem
  • Why was President's Rule imposed ?
  • BJP under pressure to forge unity
  • Kang @Leikai in Imphal : Gallery
  • July Calendar for Year 2025 : Tools
  • COVID-19 : A recurring crisis in Manipur
  • DC Kaith and Forestry in Manipur : Book
  • COVID-19: Update 29 June 2025 : Manipur
  • Longing for Peace :: Poem
  • Black badge, slogan protest by peeved scribes
  • Present the true picture before Delhi
  • Pung-Cholom @ Polo Tournament : Gallery
  • Life: A Journey Through Thought & Being
  • Khongjai Hills & Kuki claim to indigeneity
  • Master Time by Managing Information
  • COVID-19: Update 28 June 2025 : Manipur
  • Pride & patriotism in CCpur's army families
  • The Power of Poppy - 87 :: Poem
  • World Decarbonisation Day: green environment
  • Welcome Home - Nganthoi #2 : Gallery
  • Loss of two precious lives from Manipur
  • Balancing civil liberties with public safety
  • COVID-19: Update 27 June 2025 : Manipur
  • Gender equality & human rights are indivisible
  • Stay hydrated this summer season
  • Silent Half of the Sun :: Poem
  • Connecting the dots in the wishlist
  • Assembly record tampering claims by ex-CM
  • The immortal legacy of Pukhramba Kajao
  • Yaingakpa, Renglien, Thariktha : eMing
  • International Day against Drug Abuse 2025
  • COVID-19: Update 26 June 2025 : Manipur
  • Black pottery from Ukhrul - tribal heritage
  • Program on "Mission-Drug Free Campus"
  • Play makes a better world
  • Urgent Appeal to the Honourable MLAs
  • Tribal Empowerment Campaign at CCpur
  • Talk doing the round: PM to come
  • 'Emergency' relief for under-fire BJP
  • Golden Jubilee Art Fair @Imphal : Gallery
  • Declaration: Meetei People Convention, Delhi
  • A Flower Among the Rocks :: Review
  • Book Donation Campaign
  • Improved road connectivity boosts livelihoods
  • To Have Great Dreams :: Poem
  • COVID-19: Update 25 June 2025 : Manipur
  • Regret vs Sorry: Technical & moral insight
  • Cocktail of inept Govt, selfish people
  • State trailing others in cleanliness
  • Colonial Knowledge in NE India #6
  • UHI effect & rising temperatures in Manipur
  • Frequent road blockades cripple economy
  • COVID-19: Update 24 June 2025 : Manipur
  • Unite Health with Community health services
  • NSU, Imphal, tops IIRF Ranking 2025
  • Endless conflict :: Poem
  • Pak nobel pish prize for Trump
  • May 3, 2023 - June 24, 2025: Failure of Delhi
  • Hotter days, sudden rainfall no more a rarity
  • "The Great June Uprising" #2 : Gallery
  • How to Build a Career, Lead with Purpose
  • 2nd Foundation Day- Karnataka Meitei Assn
  • COVID-19: Update 23 June 2025 : Manipur
  • NSCN-IM Amnesty threatens to isolate it
  • Sunset :: Poem
  • Intl Yoga Day for a healthier environment
  • Of clogged drains and plastics
  • Poor roads testify Govt indifference
  • Welcome Home - Nganthoi #1 : Gallery
  • The Silent Erosion of Manipuri Language
  • Design health services around people
  • Serene Hills Host Inspiring Int'l Yoga Day
  • COVID-19: Update 22 June 2025 : Manipur
  • Chopper services between Senapati & Imphal
  • High Court Judges interacted with convicts
  • Redyeing the Fabric :: Poem
  • Differences yet to be resolved stand
  • Border fencing rage as solution eludes
  • Radio E-pao: 14 new songs updated
  • Climate Adaptive Agroforestry
  • Manipur overlooked demographic shifts
  • Young designers shine on Fashion Stage
  • COVID-19: Update 21 June 2025 : Manipur
  • International Day of Yoga at Lamphelpat
  • International Day of Yoga at JNMDA
  • The Power of Poppy - 86 :: Poem
  • Keishampat Lairembi Haraoba #1 : Gallery
  • Crisis in Manipur's Contemporary Education
  • Best 8 Performances in Manipuri Cinema
  • Identity: Caught between China & India ?
  • COVID-19: Update 20 June 2025 : Manipur
  • To The Father Who Listens :: Poem
  • How does net suspension affect youths ?
  • Targeting farmers to cripple state's economy
  • The virus is back and spreading
  • Who is afraid of Manipur ?
  • A threatened lily growing at Shirui Hills
  • World Environment Day in Manipur : Gallery
  • Ambubachi Mela at Maa Kamakhya
  • COVID-19: Update 19 June 2025 : Manipur
  • Dolls made from repurposed vegetable refuse
  • Condemns Attack on Farmer & Killing
  • Abhorrent politics of SoO
  • Police arrogance on harmless drivers
  • "The Great June Uprising" #1 : Gallery
  • Solution from Buddhist & Jain perspectives
  • AI sparks employment concerns in Manipur
  • Greatest Foe :: Poem
  • Chief Justice at Relief Camp, Kangpokpi
  • Call for Recognition of a 3rd Category of IDPs
  • Jun 18, 2001- May 3, 2023: Seed of violence
  • Contract scam in hill districts
  • Colonial Knowledge in NE India #5
  • Spaced Out - Panthung Di Kadaaida! : Rvw
  • Condemns the Killing of Abdul Qadir
  • COVID-19: Update 17 June 2025 : Manipur
  • Thoubal aspirant makes Manipur proud
  • Tamenglong hospital brings quality healthcare
  • Chief Justice at Relief Camp, Mayang Imphal
  • Kuki CM & Sixth Schedule
  • Selective protests, selective silence
  • Nailing the culprits need of the hour
  • UK Meetei diaspora run for Myanmar : Gallery
  • Erwin Khundrakpam : NEET-UG 2025 topper
  • Will we rise to #endAIDS challenge or stumble
  • COVID-19: Update 16 June 2025 : Manipur
  • Appeal to Prime Minister: Manipur Crisis
  • Urges Action on Misinformation
  • Condolences : 2 young cabin crew
  • Grateful To Be Alive :: Poem
  • Making bonfire on the roads
  • Aggression yet again, inspite of playing victim
  • Aftermath of flooding @ Khurai #2 : Gallery
  • Zomia, geopolitics, & the struggle for unity
  • COVID-19: Update 15 June 2025 : Manipur
  • Condolences : Demise of 2 Manipuri Girls
  • Manipur unites in grief after Air India tragedy
  • Hail arms recovery as step toward peace
  • Cleanliness Drive at JNIMS Campus
  • Global Wind Day for a clean environment
  • First came the rain, then the heat
  • Rise in Covid-19 cases
  • Thang-Ta Day @Khuman Lampak #3 : Gallery
  • Meetei diaspora in UK runs for Myanmar victim
  • Manipur empower children with disabilities
  • COVID-19: Update 14 June 2025 : Manipur
  • World Blood Donor Day 2025
  • The Power of Poppy - 85 :: Poem
  • A Northeast Gin Makes Its Mark
  • Mera Houchongba @Kangla #3 : Gallery
  • Saluting Nganthoi, Lamnunthem : Joining hand
  • Condolence : Nganthoi & Lamnunthem
  • From Earth Day to World Environment Day
  • COVID-19: Update 13 June 2025 : Manipur
  • JJM brings clean drinking water to CCpur
  • M.Tech CSE Admission at Assam University
  • Save your nails from damage this summer
  • No takers for Moreh cops' distress call
  • 50 years of Pebet #2 : Gallery
  • Implement Hill Areas (Chief Rights) Act 1967
  • Manipur fields shape India sport future
  • How to Speak Soft and Still Win
  • Thokchom Khoiba : mosquito killer machine
  • Looking for wealthy groom, question you too
  • When is the net ban going to be lifted
  • Stir speculations nix school reopening plan
  • Indo-Naga Talks (From 2012) :: Timeline
  • Colonial Knowledge in NE India #4
  • Namphake Monastery @ Dibrugarh : Gallery
  • Fire safety: preventive measures
  • Peculiar plants & incidents unique to Manipur
  • Artificial Intelligence & environment
  • Cutting off the nose to spite the face
  • Relief for daily wagers as shutdown called off
  • Protest @Checkon -AT arrest [Jun 9] : Gallery
  • The question of territorial integrity of Manipur
  • Animal Farm's allegory in dynamics of Manipur
  • Their hands deserve books, not burdens
  • JNV empowers Tamenglong students
  • We can do better- people with HIV live healthy
  • Bandh: The Cry Beneath the Silence :: Poem
  • Cutting short 240 hours general strike
  • Shutdown lifted, curfew eased, mobile ban
  • Protests - AT arrest [Jun 8 night] : Gallery
  • Review of 'Rain Stopping in Manipur'
  • Highway blockades trigger soaring prices
  • Voice of the Masses :: Poem
  • Congress may claim if none
  • Learning new skills related to AI
  • Delhi, Raj Bhavan: Losing the plot ?
  • CBI arrest after Governor clemency assurance
  • Aftermath of flooding @ Khurai #1 : Gallery
  • Appeals Home Minister not to renew SoO
  • Self-defence :: Poem
  • When will humans learn nature's lessons ?
  • Forgotten voices of drug users in Manipur
  • High-yielding RC Manichakhao-1
  • PC Editorial Blank Space : June 09 2025
  • TSE Editorial Blank Space : June 09 2025
  • Flooding at JNIMS Hospital #2 : Gallery
  • North East NSS Festival @ MU : Gallery
  • 27th Meira Paibi Numit : Gallery
  • Micromanager vs Leader
  • Valedictory Function of NE NSS Festival
  • WED at various campuses in Manipur
  • World Environment Day 2025
  • Trump's tariff legacy & its global echo
  • Flooding at JNIMS Hospital #1 : Gallery
  • Flooding Imphal East [31 May] #3 : Gallery
  • Flooding Imphal East [31 May] #2 : Gallery
  • Flooding Imphal East [31 May] #1 : Gallery
  • Sarangthem Nirupama at Miss Universe India
  • S Nirupama @Miss Universe : Gallery
  • Protesters to Raj Bhavan [May 25]: Gallery
  • Human Chain @Airport road [May 26]: Gallery
  • Miss Shirui Pageant Contestant: Gallery
  • 48 hrs Bandh: protest security forces: Gallery
  • Protest Rally: Journalist harassment: Gallery
  • HSLC 2025: Full Result (Check Roll No)
  • HSLC 2025: Important Info & Grading System
  • HSLC 2025 : Compartmental candidates
  • HSLC 2025 : Comparative Statement
  • HSLC 2025 : Statistical Abstract
  • HSLC 2025 : District Pass Percentage
  • HSLC 2025 : Govt School Pass %
  • HSLC 2025 : Aided School Pass %
  • HSLC 2025 : Private School Pass %
  • People's Convention on 3rd May #2 : Gallery
  • Featured Front Page Photo 2025 #2: Gallery
  • Riya Khwairakpam : HSE Science Topper
  • Keisham Hannah : HSE Arts Topper
  • Warepam Lidia : HSE Commerce Topper
  • HSE 2025 Result : Science Full Result
  • HSE 2025 Result : Arts Full Result
  • HSE 2025 Result : Commerce Full Result
  • HSE 2025 Information / Abbreviation
  • HSE 2025 Topper : Science
  • HSE 2025 Topper : Arts
  • HSE 2025 Topper : Commerce
  • HSE 2025 : Pass Percentage
  • HSE 2025 : Result Abstract
  • HSE 2025 : Candidates with Highest Marks
  • Ougri Lirol :: Part 1 : Ooba Video
  • President's Rule in Manipur : 1967 - 2025
  • Downloadable Manipuri Calendar :: 2025