NDMA Guidelines on Flood Management

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued guidelines on management of floods in 2008. The summary of the recommendations are as follows:

1. Embankments/flood walls/flood levees have to be constructed for prevention of flooding after carrying out detailed hydrological and morphological studies regarding their favourable and adverse effects.
2. The CWC and the state governments have to study the problem of rise in river beds in a scientific manner and explore the techno-economic viability of desilting/dredging as a remedial measure to mitigate the effects of rise in the river beds.
3. Appropriate channel improvement works have to be taken up to increase the velocity and/or the area of flow and reduce the flood level in the river depending upon site-specific conditions.
4. State governments should prohibit the blocking of the natural drainage channels and sluices with an appropriate law and improve their capacity and construct new channels and sluices to ensure flow of excess rainwater in the area.
5. State governments should study the feasibility of implementing the schemes for diverting excess water to existing or new channels by bye-passing towns and cities to prevent flooding.
6. Watershed management measures such as afforestation, check dams, detention basins etc.,have to be implemented in the catchment of rivers to prevent soil erosion, enhance water conservation and minimise water and sediment runoff.
7. State governments should consider appropriate anti-erosion measures such as revetments, slope pitching, permeable and impermeable spurs using conventional materials and/or geo-synthetics for protection of towns, cities, industrial areas, groups of thickly populated villages, railway lines, roads and embankments from erosion by rivers in a time-bound manner.
8. Sea walls/coastal protection works has to be planned and executed by the respective coastal states/port authorities, keeping in view the complexity of sea behaviour and other environmental aspects.
9. The state governments has to provide adequate number of raised platforms/flood shelters at suitable locations in the flood plains with basic amenities such as drinking water, sanitation, medical treatment, cooking, tents, lantern etc. for the people to take shelter during floods.
10. Basin-wise flood hazard mitigation models have to be developed.
11. A mechanism has to be developed wherein representatives of the CWC, IMD, NRSA and the states interact with each other, exchange data on a real-time basis and formulate the flood forecasts and warnings.
12. With co-operation from Nepal, Bhutan and the China, data has to be collected on real-time basis.
13. The state governments have to enact and enforce appropriate laws for implementing flood plain zoning regulations.
14. The reclamation of the existing wetlands/natural depressions has to be prohibited by state governments and they must formulate an action plan for using them for flood moderation.
15. Training and capacity building measures have to be taken up for designated authorities dealing with the disaster.
16. A number of organizations, like NGOs, self-help groups, CBOs, youth organizations such as NCC, NYKS, NSS etc., women’s groups, volunteer agencies, Civil Defence, Home Guards, etc. must be encouraged to volunteer their services in the aftermath of any disaster.
17. The state governments have to utilise different types of media, especially print, radio, television and Internet, to disseminate timely and accurate information.
18. A team comprising a social worker, a psychologist and a psychiatrist should provide counselling to victims.
19. Measures should be taken to strengthen Ganga Flood Control Board and Brahmaputra Board.