THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With natural calamities recurring in Kerala presumably due to climate change, the state government has initiated programmes to empower the local bodies with weather-related information specific to a locality. The aim is to help the civic bodies prepare better for disasters and minimise losses. On Wednesday, Minister for Local Self Government M V Govindan inaugurated such an initiative.
Launched by the state disaster management authority (SDMA) and the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA), the programme aims to provide information at the local body level on climate change and its impact on each locality on the basis of day temperature and intensity of rain. Govindan said study on climate change at the grass-roots level is imperative to survive calamities. “The local bodies will be provided with strategies that suit the weather conditions specific to them. It will help the local bodies prepare development projects and disaster mitigation programmes accordingly,” said Govindan.
“There will be a system to give information on daily weather situations and disaster warnings, locally. It will help predict natural disasters. By empowering local bodies scientifically, the government aims to make the state a much safer place,” he added.
Civic bodies to get info on flood, landslide
SDMA Member Secretary Shekhar Kuriakose said the sustainable development goals of local bodies will be strengthened by providing them with micro-level analysis on weather conditions and disaster situations.
The SDMA and KILA have initiated the efforts by providing weather reports and disaster alerts on Pampa river and four districts connected by it --- Kottayam, Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha. “We attempt to give an analysis based on agro-climatic zones, with the support of the Dutch government. Beyond the basic weather information, the micro-level analysis provides information on flood, lightning, landslide etc,” said Shekhar.
According to him, the information on the flood has already been prepared and it will be shared with the local bodies soon. It details the change in the flood situation in each region from a historical perspective.
Rain till May 22 but may lose intensity
The IMD predicts Kerala will get rain till May 22, but the intensity is likely to decline after Thursday
CM Pinarayi Vijayan reviews the disaster preparedness ahead of the monsoon season during a meeting of top officials
The meeting highlights the need to prepare a list of people who are most vulnerable in case of disasters