Hyderabad: The Telangana government is enhancing its disaster management strategy by assigning special nodal officers to key departments such as irrigation, electricity, health, agriculture, police, and transport, focusing on rain and flood-related issues.
Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy shared updates during a Wednesday meeting at the Secretariat. He revealed that the Telangana State Disaster Management Authority (TGSDMA) has undergone reorganization. The Chief Minister will lead as Chairman, with ministers from Revenue, Home, Finance, Medical Health, Major Irrigation, Roads and Buildings, Panchayati Raj, and Rural Development as members. The Chief Secretary is set as Member Convener, and the Special Chief Secretary of the Revenue Department is a special invitee. The Minister emphasized that while natural disasters cannot be prevented, their impact can be minimized through proactive measures. He stressed the importance of advance alerts for authorities in the Krishna-Godavari catchment areas to mitigate potential damage.
The Irrigation Department is tasked with forecasting flood impacts in catchment areas and identifying affected villages. Information should cover flood conditions in other states, local rainfall data, and anticipated water releases. Minister Reddy highlighted the need to strengthen TGSDMA to better handle natural disasters and protect life and property.
A real-time information system will be developed to monitor unexpected floods and rains due to climate change, in collaboration with the India Meteorological Department (IMD). This system will analyze data scientifically and distribute information efficiently. The Minister proposed providing permanent homes for residents frequently displaced by floods, rather than temporary relocations.
He mentioned plans to build Indiramma Houses under an additional quota for identified residents in flood-prone areas.
