Mr. Dipankar Choudhury
Asst. Lecturer,
Bhawanipur Anchalik College
INTRODUCTION :-
Assam Agriculture is the primary
sector in the state's economy. The socioeconomic condition of Assam largely
depends on its agricultural production. Though India is becoming one of the
rapidly developing countries, some states, especially Assam, are not being able
to escape from taking help of huge sectors like Agriculture. Compared to most
other states in India, Assam is considered a less developed state, which depicts
a gloomy picture the economic condition of the state given that India is
considered a less developed country (LDC).
Floods
and dry spells are the principal natural disasters faced by farmers in Assam
every year. The principal source of floods is the Brahmaputra river and its
tributaries. Flood is highly ruinous for crop production. During 1991-92, the
state of Assam witnessed three floods in one year which has caused a heavy loss
to the cultivation sector damaging a cropping area of around 3.5 lakh hectares.
Therefore, flood control is very important and should be given foremost
priority to save the crops in Assam.
Among all natural disasters, floods
are the most frequent to be faced by India. Floods in the eastern and north eastern
part of India (Orissa, Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Assam) in the recent
past, are striking examples. The annual precipitation, in India, including
snowfall is estimated at 4,000 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM). Out of this, the
seasonal rainfall in monsoon is of the order of 3,000 BCM (Report by Central
Water Commission (CWC)). The rest includes sparse rainfall, lower depression
and rain due to cloud bursts.
The
records of the last century show a trend of widening of the Brahmaputra in
Assam. The Brahmaputra occupied around 4000 sq. km in the 1920s and now the
Brahmaputra occupies about 6000 sq. km (WRD, 2008). Based on the satellite
image estimation of area eroded in the Brahmaputra for the recent years of 1997
to 2007-08 (WRD, 2008), the total land loss per year (excluding avulsion) is
reported to be from 72.5 to 80 Sq. km/year. Bank erosion has been continually
wiping out more than 2500 villages and 18 towns including sites of cultural
heritage and tea gardens affecting lives of nearly 500,000 people.
In north India numerous streams and
rivulets rise in the Himalayan foothills and sub-mountain region from Kashmir
in the west to Assam in the east. These streams are subject to flood due to the
incidence of heavy rainfall in their respective catchment areas during monsoon.
The instant rainfall over the steep terrain causes sharp rise in the water
level of streams resulting flood in the sub-mountain region downstream. The
rainfall in India shows great temporal and spatial variations, unequal seasonal
distribution and geographical distribution and frequent departures from the normal.
As reported by Central Water Commission (CWC) under Ministry of Water
Resources, government of India, the annual average area affected by floods is
7.563 million ha. This observation was based on data for the period 1953 to
2000, with variability ranging from 1.46 million ha in 1965 to 17.5 million ha
in 1978. On an average, floods have affected about 33 million person between
1953 and 2000. There is every possibility that this figure may increase due to
population growth. The National Flood Commission (1980) has reported that the
total flood prone area of India was 34 million ha. It has also mentioned that
an area of 10 million ha has been protected, but the effective protection may
be available to only 6 million ha. Main problems in India with respect to
floods are inundation, drainage congestion due to urbanization and bank
erosion. The river system, topography of the place and flow phenomenon are the
different contributing factors responsible for flooding. Being a vast country,
the flood problems in India may be visualized on regional basis.
STUDY AREA:-
Barpeta district in the State
of Assam was created and started functioning since 1983. The district is spread
across 3245 sq.kms. It is surrounded by Bhutan Hills in the north, Nalbari and Baksa
districts in the east, Goalpara and Kamrup districts in the south and
Bongaigaon and Chirang districts in the west. Total population of the district
is 16,93,190 (2011 census) with a population density of 632 per sq.km. and sex
ratio of 1000:951. The major rivers flowing through the district are
Brahmaputra, Beki, Manas, Pahumara, Kaldia, Palla, Bhelengi and Chaulkhowa. The
rivers flowing through the district are also causes annual floods and riverbank
erosion particularly in the char areas (flood plane), leading to a considerable
loss of life and property. Barpeta district has overall flat topography with
gentle slope towards south . The northern part of the district is slightly
elevated, while the southern part close to the northern bank of the river
Brahmaputra is low lying and flood prone.
.
2012 to 2015 BARPETA FLOOD
INCIDENT :-
Barpeta district experienced serious catastrophic flood during the
last three years. These were one of the most severe floods in the Barpeta
history. The river Brahmaputra touched the highest flood level of 43.62 m in
the history of last nine years in 2012. The main rivers which are responsible
for the fooding are Pahumara, Kaldia, Bhellengi, Brahmaputra, Nakhonda and Mora
chaulkhowa. The major revenue circles affected are Sarthebari, Bajali,
Sarupeta, Barpeta, Baghbor, chenga , Kalgachia and Barnagar. The brief impacts of
the floods are as in the following table-
Particulars
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
No. of villages affected
|
72
|
48
|
63
|
Total crop area affected (
in Hectors )
|
1401
|
874
|
1243
|
Population affected
|
64583
|
23038
|
36204
|
Animals affacted
|
557
|
327
|
483
|
Houses Damaged
|
10886
|
5038
|
8223
|
Human lives lost
|
8
|
NIL
|
2
|
The floods in Assam
grew worse in 2015 at
Barpeta district., Affecting an estimated 43000 people in 76 villages across
the districts. The district authority also added that over approximate 1325
hectares of crop areas had been flooded. The Assam state authority's daily
flood report also added that a total of 38 roads, bridges and culverts were
damaged in various districts, while 11 breaches were noticed in embankments
across the state.
FLOOD MANAGEMENT BY DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION :-
Early Warning:-
In
Barpeta district early warning dissemination was quite effective to connect the
last mile. Central Water Commission (CWC), the agency responsible for
monitoring of all the rivers in the state, released the first early warning for
2015 flood. In case of rise in water level or any probability from the
catchments area, CWC issues the warning to the SDMA/DDMA for further
dissemination through EWS established by the DDMA. For each village State
Government has appointed a resource person (village head man), who is responsible
for the dissemination of early warning in his/her villages during flood
situation. Also DDMA informs the nearby police station/ outpost for the early
evacuation or to warn the villages under their jurisdiction. Early warning has been disseminated on time
for the quick response and evacuation for all the three flood waves.
Rescue and Response:-
Since
flood is a regular phenomena in the district, District Administration and all
the concern departments was prepared in advance to manage the flood situations.
Here are the Major steps towards the relief and rescue explained in following
table-
Step 1
|
On receipt of warning of
the impending flood for all the three waves, part of the immediate response
an early warning has been disseminated in each village to warn the people.
|
Step 2
|
Emergency Operation
Centre (EOC) has been activated in the District on 24 x7 basis
|
Step 3
|
District Administration
has been disseminated early warning in the likely affected areas especially
to those people who have no access to mass media.
|
Step 4
|
Immediately after
inundation evacuation activities has been started from the worst affected
circles on the priority basis.
|
Step 5
|
Adequate number of
Disaster Management staff, rescue swimmers, boats, and equipment had been
deployed to all the affected villages for quick rescue and relief operations
|
Step 6
|
Flood affected people
had been shifted to pre-identified safe places at higher elevations i.e.
schools, Panchayat Ghar, embankments.
|
Step 7
|
As a key responsibility,
food, safe drinking water, hygiene and sanitation facilities etc. has been
provided to all the affected people by the District Administration
|
Step 8
|
Search and Rescue
activities were also carried out through out the district along with the
relief work. All the injured and people needed medical attention had been
administered by the medical care unit.
|
Step 9
|
Damage assessment has
also been carried out for the assessment of loss due to flooding for private
and public infrastructures and crops etc.
|
Step 10
|
Cost of damages has also
been sent to the State Govt. for release of funds from the “Calamity Relief
Fund” as per the prescribed norms.
|
MAJOR CHALLENGES FACED BY DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION :-
The flood situations at the district were significantly well managed
but still there were challenges to reach the final goal of zero casualties.
During the entire flood management process, number of issues had been
identified which need to be addressed on the priority basis to deal the future floods
efficiently. Some major issues and challenges identified by the District
Administration are discussed below,
Problem Concerned
with People’s Return to Home:
Since the embankments
are on higher elevation than flood plains, people have taken immediate shelter
during the floods. The flood affected victims, who have lost their homes stayed
back on the embankment for a long time, some stayed back permanently. Though
the people on the temporary embankment are protected physically but on the flip
side the temporary embankments are highly vulnerable to erosion and breaching.
Disease Surveillance
and Control:
During the entire
flood period (June-Oct, 2015), no disease outbreak was reported. District
Administration, Medical and Public Health Department were prepared in advance
to deal with any disease outbreak situation. A total number of 40 medical teams
have been deployed to the various sites for the surveillance and monitoring
purpose.
River Erosion and
Breaching of Embankments:
River erosion and
breaching of embankments are major cause for the rapid inundation. Roads and
embankments have been breached or overtopped at various places, with the worst
breaches developed at places.
Coordination among
the Agencies :
Interdepartmental
coordination during disaster situation is one of the important issues need to
be addressed. In normal practice majority of the NGOs are trying to reach the
affected sites in proximity of roads and headquarter with the similar type of
relief materials. Hence, a good coordination mechanism among the NGOs is high
priority need.
Boat Management:
Availability
of the adequate number of boats during the relief and rescue work at the time
of flood was a challenge for the administration. All the resources i.e. boats
men, rescue swimmers etc. need to put in loop in terms of regular meetings and
exercises especially during the non-flood period.
Relief Camp Management:
During flood managing relief camps were a major challenge
for the department especially distribution of food, hygiene and sanitation at
the campsite etc. Even each relief camp context presents different unique
challenges, which require improvisation and quick problem solving techniques.
Damaged Roads:
Most of the roads were severely damaged including the
State Highways, PWD roads due to the inundation and waterlogging caused serious
communication disruption in relief and rescue operations. The district
administration has planned alternative solution to combat with these situations
through the deployment of adequate number of boats for the relief and rescue
operations. But restoration of road connectivity is the challenge to pursue
quick relief and rescue operations.
Waterlogged Agricultural Land:
In many cases, the temporary small embankments were made
to stop the high flow of water inside the town. After the flood is over the
same small embankments were acted as barrier to stop the backflow of trapped
water. District administration faced huge challenge to drain out the trapped
floodwater in the agricultural lands. Finally the administration removed the
temporary embankments to help the trapped water for backflow.
Conclusions and Recommendations:
Barpeta is
regularly affected by floods due to high discharge in the Brahmaputra and other
river system of the district. The main causes of floods are widespread heavy
rainfall in the catchment areas and inadequate capacity of the river channel to
contain the flood flow within the banks of the river.
Flood hazard and
potential flood risk from all sources need to be identified and considered at
the initial stage in the planning process. Disaster Risk Reduction need to be
mainstreamed in the developmental processes of the district and should
preferentially be located in areas with little or no flood hazard thereby
avoiding or minimizing the risk. Identification and mapping of all the
resources, alternative routes is required in advance in view to the worst flood
scenarios along with the capacity building exercises for all the stakeholders
including the community. Flood awareness among the communities need improvement
along with the concept of community based disaster risk management. Launching
public awareness campaigns on flood safety and risk reduction and sensitizing
all stakeholders to flood problems and mitigation in flood prone areas is
essential.
Water
Management is another major identified issue by the District Administration. Presently
administration is working on the planning phase of this issue. Since the area
is too big, so instead of making embankments, Administration and PWD planning
to do the proper channelization of the rivers and tributary system. During the
flood time, instead of creating flooding excess water will be distributed in
different channels to avoid inundation. Proper channelization of water is an
effective and long-term solution for the flood management. In case of
embankment development, the concern is the regular increase in riverbed height,
as much as big embankments we develop, it will be shorter each year due to the
high quantity of sedimentation in the riverbed. So development of embankments
may not be a long-term solution for the problem. Geographical Information
System (GIS) based database need be prepared to map, analyze, plan and manage
all the hazards and resources for the better management of future floods.
Flooding becomes a major hazard to life and property only when people live on
the floodplain. Identification of the unplanned and unauthorized construction
in the riverbed areas could be mapped through GIS for planning. Flood hazard
maps will be showing flood boundary based on different magnitudes of flood with
specific return periods. These maps can be used to regulate developmental
activities within the floodplain, so that damages could be minimized. Some of
the data required for hazard mapping is difficult to obtain from ground
measurements and it is time consuming; in such cases satellite imageries plays
an important role. Satellites provide synoptic and frequent coverage of flood
affected areas and thus become valuable for monitoring flood disaster. Thus
satellite data can be directly used for deriving the flood inundation limits.
If satellite data sets during flood times are available over a period of time
for a floodplain, they can be conveniently used for hazard zone mapping. A GIS
based detailed mapping and modelling will be useful for flood hazard. Flood
zones are geographical areas likely to be flooded in a particular range and
they are also a key tool in flood risk management within the planning process
as well as in flood warning and emergency planning. The basic concept of flood
plain zoning is to regulate land use in the flood plains in order to restrict
the damage due to floods, while deriving maximum benefits from the same.
REFERENCES
[1] Askew, A. J. (1999). Water in the International
Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction. In Leavesley et al (eds) Destructive
Water: Water-caused Natural Disasters, their Abatement and Control. IAHS.
Publication No. 239.
[2] Assam State Disaster Management
Authority „Relief Camp details‟,
Guwahati, Assam .
[3] Barpeta District Disaster Management Authority „Barpeta
District Disaster Management Plan‟, Barpeta, Assam
[4] ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS
OF FLOODS: A CASE STUDY FOR BARPETA DISTRICT OF ASSAM, INDIA S. Kalita and N.
K. Talukdar
Gauhati University, Assam, India
[5] Flood Management in Assam, INDIA: A
review of Brahmaputra Floods, 2012 Dr. Indrajit Pal (Ph. D)*, Dr. Siddharth
Singh,IAS, Mr. Abhinav Walia*
