PM meets CMs of six states, takes stock of flood situation
- PM urges states to ensure all health precautions are taken during rescue operations
- Modi emphasizes on the need to use innovative technologies for improving flood forecast and warning systems
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held a virtual meeting with the chief ministers of six states to review the flood situation, and emphasized on the need to use innovative technologies for improving forecast and warning systems, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Apart from the chief ministers of Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala, the meeting was attended by defence minister Rajnath Singh, health minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, and the two ministers of state in home affairs, along with senior officers of the central ministries and organizations concerned.
“(The) Prime Minister emphasized on better coordination between all central and state agencies to have a permanent system for forecasting of floods and extensive use of innovative technologies for improving forecast and warning system,” it added.
“There are pilot efforts underway to also use innovative technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to improve locations-specific forecast, for which states must provide necessary information to these agencies and timely disseminate the warnings to local communities,” the Prime Minister told chief ministers.
Modi said, “investments should be increased in localised early warning systems so that people in a particular area can be provided with timely warning in case of any threatening situation, such as breach of river embankment, inundation level and lightning”.
The PM said given the covid-19 situation, states must ensure people follow all health precautions such as wearing of face masks, using hand sanitisers and maintaining an adequate physical distance while undertaking rescue efforts.
He said relief material must include provisions for hand washing and sanitizing, and face masks for the affected people. Special provisions must also be made for the elderly, pregnant women and people with co-morbidities.
States should ensure that all development and infrastructure projects are built with resilience to withstand local disasters and help reduce the consequential losses, the PM said.