An MoU of Hope and Relief...
SHIMLA: The agreement between two major organizations in India, the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Space Application Centre (SAC), is set to bring much-needed relief to states like Himachal Pradesh and other Himalayan regions.
These areas have recently suffered from severe weather events like heavy rains, flash floods, and droughts, causing widespread damage and loss of life.
In 2023, Himachal Pradesh faced relentless monsoon rains that led to deadly landslides and floods.
The state saw an unprecedented 157% increase in rainfall, which overwhelmed the land and caused significant soil erosion and landslides.
Poor construction practices and unplanned development further worsened the situation, leading to numerous building collapses and road blockages.
Sh. Kushvinder Vohra, Chairman of the CWC and Ex-officio Secretary to the Government of India, and Dr. Nilesh M. Desai, Director of SAC, ISRO, Ahmedabad, signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on July 8, 2024.
The agreement aims to improve the management of water resources and predict extreme weather events using advanced technology.
This partnership will involve mapping areas prone to flooding, predicting weather patterns using satellite images, and using artificial intelligence to forecast river and reservoir levels.
By combining satellite data with on-the-ground observations, the initiative aims to provide more accurate and timely information to help manage water resources better and respond to disasters.
For instance, the collaboration will help identify areas at risk of flooding and track changes in weather that could lead to floods or droughts.
It will also monitor high-altitude lakes, which can pose risks if they overflow a phenomenon known as glacial lake outburst flood(GLOF).
We have seen GLOF in Parechu in China that flooded Satluj and washed away dozens of bridges highway, killed dozens of people near riverbanks in Kinnaur and Rampur about 20 years ago. We have seen GLOF in Sikkim in 2023 that battered Testa dam and killed several people and washed away highway.
The use of advanced satellites will offer detailed images of waterlogged regions and areas with saltwater intrusion, providing crucial information to prevent these.
This partnership brings a beacon of hope to Himachal Pradesh and other Himalayan states, promising better disaster preparedness and sustainable development to mitigate the hardships caused by extreme weather events.
The works under the MoU will be carried out through mutual consultations and collaboration
CWC and SAV will be leveraging the expertise and resources of both institutions.
This in turn will ensure a comprehensive approach to tackling these environmental challenges, a senior CWC official told HimbuMail.
Yes, it will be possible to predict extreme weather events, forearm and forewarn people, he reveals.
