Govt starts flood control preparations with training programme | Patna News – Times of India
Patna: State govt has started preparations for flood control in advance keeping in view the early onset of monsoon and Met prediction of above normal rainfall this year.In this regard, water resources department minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary launched a two-day training programme, especially for the engineers of Birpur, Supaul, Katihar and Samastipur regions, on ‘Flood fighting works & learnings from previous floods’ at Gyan Bhavan in Patna on Wednesday.The minister directed the officials to continuously inspect the sensitive places for the safety of embankments and there should not be any point where the department officers have not reached.Choudhary said the objective of the training was to make the department’s engineers proficient in implementation, coordination and leadership skills on the basis of previous experiences and latest technologies related to flood management.About 550 engineers were trained on the first day on flood control related SOP, orders, patrolling guide, availability of flood material, pre-preparedness and flood strategies, team building for embankment protection, non-structural measures and flood management experiences suggested by the World Bank.The minister said such a programme has its own importance and relevance. “On Tuesday, plans for various flood zones were reviewed. Monsoon season is a testing time for the department. Community trust is the most important thing during disasters like floods,” he said.Principal secretary Santosh Kumar Mall said there is a possibility of early arrival of monsoon this year, which increases the responsibility of the department even more. He directed the officials to remain vigilant and monitor the embankments and identify the weaknesses like rat holes, shore holes and fox holes and ensure immediate repair. There should be no scope for error at any level, he said.Chief engineer (flood control and water drainage) Sharad Kumar, additional secretary Naveen and Pawan Kumar Sinha, chief engineer (irrigation creation) Awadhesh Kumar, advisor (policy matters) Ravindra Kumar Shankar, chief engineer (planning and monitoring) Brajesh Mohan and other officials were present at the meeting.
