Patna:The state Water Resources Department has cancelled all leave for engineers and officials engaged in flood protection work as part of its preparations for the 2026 monsoon season.
According to an order issued by Water Resources Department Secretary Chandrashekhar Singh, the restrictions will remain in force until October 31.
Officials deployed in flood management and embankment protection work will not be granted leave during this period. Exceptions will be considered only in exceptional circumstances with approval from the department headquarters based on the recommendation of the Chief Engineer.
Strict monitoring and disciplinary action
The department has warned that officers leaving headquarters without prior permission during the flood season will face disciplinary action.
Engineers have been directed to focus exclusively on flood protection and embankment monitoring activities and will be exempted from law-and-order-related duties during the period.
The department has also instructed officials to prepare and share a directory of engineers’ mobile numbers. Mobile-based tracking arrangements have been put in place to monitor field-level deployment and movement of personnel.
Monthly review meetings planned
The move follows lessons from last year’s floods, when several rivers recorded high water levels and authorities identified the need for closer coordination among engineers, embankment protection staff, police, labourers, block officials and district administrations.
To improve coordination, the department has directed that review and coordination meetings be held during the first week of every month between June and October.
Districts asked to identify vulnerable locations
All districts have been instructed to identify flood-prone and vulnerable sites, classify risk levels and submit regular reports to the state headquarters.
Authorities have also been asked to ensure timely repairs of weak embankment stretches, restore roads in potentially affected areas and maintain adequate stocks of medicines to prevent disease outbreaks during and after floods.
Flood protection projects completed
The department said that 384 flood protection schemes have been completed across the state ahead of the monsoon season.
A total of Rs. 1,117.28 crore has been spent on these projects. Officials said the works are expected to strengthen flood resilience and reduce risks in vulnerable areas.
Helpline numbers operational round the clock
For flood-related complaints and information, the Water Resources Department has activated a 24-hour helpline system.
Residents can contact:
- 0612-2206669
- 0612-2215850
- Toll-free: 18003456145
Chief Secretary issues alert to districts
Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit has written to divisional commissioners, inspectors general of police, district magistrates, senior superintendents of police and superintendents of police, directing them to maintain heightened vigilance throughout the flood season.
He emphasised the need for coordinated action among all departments and warned that negligence at any level could have serious consequences. The letter also calls for prompt action against lapses and encourages recognition of officials who perform effectively during disaster management operations.
Emergency teams and communication systems deployed
As part of the preparedness measures, the state has deployed 184 wireless communication sets and introduced round-the-clock roster-based duty schedules for engineers.
Senior officials at the state headquarters have been assigned responsibility for monitoring specific regions, while six specialised emergency response teams have been constituted to handle critical situations during the flood season.
