THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD BENEFIT FROM DATA COLLECTION: Dr. UDAY KANT

THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD BENEFIT FROM DATA COLLECTION: Dr. UDAY KANT

20-SEP-ENG 12

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA--------------------------"No matter how accurate and precise the data and statistics related to monsoon forecasts and rainfall, they are meaningless if the people of the state are not benefiting from them. Data is important, and academic debate is fine, but what are its outcomes? Is it providing relief to the common people? This needs serious consideration." Dr. Uday Kant, Honorable Vice Chairman of the Bihar State Disaster Management Authority, said this on September 19th at a seminar on "Flood Problems and Solutions in Bihar" held in the authority auditorium here.

Authority members Paras Nath Rai, Kaushal Kishore Mishra, (E) Narendra Kumar Singh, and Prakash Kumar graced the occasion. Authority Secretary Mohammad Waris Khan, IAS, introduced the topic. The ceremony was conducted by the authority's Project Officer, Dr. Ajit Kumar Singh. The vote of thanks was given by Special Officer Mohammad Moiz Uddin. Renowned environmentalists, river management experts, professors from technical educational institutions, engineers from various departments, including water resources, scientists from the Bihar Meteorological Service Center, UNICEF, and officials/representatives from other voluntary organizations participated. Scientists from ISRO's Space Applications Center, Ahmedabad, and the Indian Institute of Sciences, Bengaluru, also joined the seminar online.

Dr. Uday Kant said that forecasts indicating the number of millimeters of rainfall expected over the next one or two days are correct. However, they should also indicate the areas likely to be flooded due to this. Only then can residents be evacuated to safe shelters. The Vice Chairman of the Authority urged the academics and scholars present at the seminar to research where obstructions have been placed in the path of rivers. It is essential to study the adverse effects of new structures being constructed. Dr. Uday Kant suggested that a team work in collaboration with leading technical institutions in the country to develop mathematical models for flood and silt management. A recommendation will be made to the state government for its implementation. ISRO, IISc, NIT, and the Bihar Meteorological Service Center should work jointly on this.

The Vice President stated that the goal of resilient villages (resilient villages) as outlined in the Bihar DRR Roadmap is essential. Furthermore, we should utilize our traditional knowledge for flood management. He added that social organizations must also be involved to increase environmental awareness and raise public awareness. Technological innovations should be utilized in flood management.

In his address, Dr. Dinesh Kumar Mishra, coordinator of the Flood Mukti Abhiyan, who has conducted extensive research on Bihar's rivers for years, emphasized the need for serious efforts to find a permanent solution to the flood problem. He attributed the silt deposits in rivers and unscientifically constructed embankments to this problem. Professor Mishra of NIT, Patna, presented a lecture on river morphology and flood management. (Dr.) Ramakar Jha, Dr. C.N. Prabhu, Director of the Bihar Meteorological Service Center, presented on forecasting rainfall in the upper reaches of the river, and Rabindra Kumar Shankar, former Chief Engineer of the Water Resources Department, presented on silt management in Bihar's rivers.

At the end of the seminar, an advisory committee was formed to find a permanent solution to the flood problem. Environmentalist Pankaj Malviya, Rajiv Kumar of UNICEF, and Ramesh Prasad Singh, Jitendra, and Mansi from various voluntary organizations have been made members of this committee.