In this article, we will discuss National Flood Control Programme in India. So, let’s get started.
The National Flood Control Programme was launched in India after the devastating flood of 1954. The programme consists of three phases which have been briefly described in the following section:
The Immediate Phase: This phase extends over two years and includes the collection of basic hydrological data and execution of Immediate flood protection measures like construction of embankment, improvement of river channels and raising the vulnerable villages above the flood level.
The Short-Term Phase: This phase lasts for the next five years . In this phase there is emphasis on improvement of surface drainage, establishment of effective flood warning system, shifting or raising of villages above flood level, construction of diversion channels, construction of embankment and raised platforms to be used during the period of floods.
The long-Term Phase: The long-term phase includes construction of dams and storage reservoirs, digging large diversion channels, taking suitable step for land-use improvement, and soil conservation in the catchment area of the main river and its tributaries.
In order to overcome the problem of floods in the country, the Government of India has set up a National Flood Commission (Rashtriya Barh Ayog). This Commission has taken a holistic view of the flood problem. Many multi-purpose projects and large dams have been constructed to overcome this problem. Recently, the Brahmaputra River Board has been constituted to control floods in the Brahmaputra Valley.
Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is the nodal agency that takes care of implementation of India’s environment and forest policies, Programmes for the conservation of the natural resources like lakes, rivers, biodiversity, forest and wildlife.
