Dig 50 large ponds in northeast to mitigate flood menace: Amit Shah

GUWAHATI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday said the northeast, particularly Assam, must construct at least 50 large ponds to divert the Brahmaputra River water as a measure to tackle floods, which are ravaging the region every year.
Chairing a high-level meeting in New Delhi to review flood preparedness across the country, Shah took stock of the long-term measures to formulate a comprehensive and far-reaching policy to mitigate the menace of floods in the country, including the northeast and Assam
“At least 50 large ponds should be constructed in the northeast so that the water of the Brahmaputra River could be diverted and stored in them.It will help in agriculture, irrigation and tourism in those areas where the ponds come up at a low cost and also help tackle the floods. It will also eventually benefit the local economy,” the home minister said, stressing that the non-perennial rivers are prone to more soil erosion and siltation, which results in floods.
He directed that efforts should be made to upgrade the forecast system of the water level of rivers for better flood management. The minister also said that natural drainage systems should be an integral part of the designs of road construction to deal with the inundation of roads in case of floods.
During the meeting, Shah also instructed the departments concerned to conduct a detailed study of the recent floods in Sikkim and Manipur and submit a report to the ministry of home affairs. He also asked the departments to ensure that the floodgates of all the major dams are in good condition.
Shah further said the flood monitoring centres of the Central Water Commission should be upgraded according to the requirements and international standards.