Patna: Accurate monsoon forecasts and rainfall statistics are of little value unless they benefit ordinary people, the vice chairman of the Bihar State Disaster Management Authority (BSDMA) warned on Friday at a seminar on “Flood Problems and Solutions in Bihar.”
Dr Uday Kant told the gathering that data and academic debate must lead to tangible outcomes, particularly in flood preparedness. “Forecasts telling us how many millimetres of rain will fall in the next two days are correct, but they must also predict the extent of flooding. Only then can people be moved to safety,” he said.
The seminar, held at the Authority auditorium, was attended by BSDMA members Parasnath Rai, Kaushal Kishore Mishra, Narendra Kumar Singh, and Prakash Kumar. Secretary Md Waris Khan introduced the session, with Project Officer Dr Ajit Kumar Singh conducting proceedings and Special Officer Md Moizuddin delivering the vote of thanks.
Participants included environmentalists, river management experts, professors, water resources engineers, scientists from the Bihar Mausam Seva Kendra, and representatives from UNICEF and NGOs. Experts from ISRO’s Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad and the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, joined online.
Dr Kant urged scholars to study the obstructions created in river channels and the impact of new structures on river flow. He proposed developing mathematical models for flood and silt management with support from leading national institutions such as ISRO, IISc, and NIT. He also underlined the importance of resilient villages, traditional knowledge, and public awareness through social organisations.
Dr Dinesh Kumar Mishra, coordinator of the Flood Mukti Abhiyan, highlighted the role of silt deposits and poorly designed embankments in worsening Bihar’s flood crisis. Prof Ramakar Jha of NIT Patna spoke on river morphology, Dr C.N. Prabhu of the Bihar Mausam Seva Kendra discussed rainfall forecasting in upper catchments, while former water resources chief engineer Rabindra Kumar Shankar presented on silt management.
The seminar concluded with the formation of an advisory committee to seek long-term solutions to Bihar’s flood problem. Its members include environmentalist Pankaj Malviya, Rajiv Kumar of UNICEF, and representatives from several NGOs.
