Incompetence led to Kerala floods 2018
Kerala flooding is not due to deforestation but due to incompetence and hubris.
Met Department gives 5 days prior warning about rainfall. We all know in advance how much rain is likely to fall in catchment areas of the dams. We all know how much water is there in each dam and how much more water can flow into these dams. We all know how much water can be safely released from each of these dams without creating floods.
This is what every civil engineer learns. (Hydrology had been part of syllabus for a long time.)
Flood management is a known engineering problem.
Yet, the ministry of water acted as if they were there only to take salary every month.
They release water knowing well that water level will rise in the night time. Every time water was released in dams in Periyar, the water levels in Aluva was rising well past 9 pm, well past the time most people go for sleeping. This mismanagement is the key reason for Kerala floods.
There had been many proposals on building check dams(for flood management, irrigation, hydropower) in the last two decades. Politicians chose to use it for gaining votes by opposing the projects instead of thinking about flood control. The very party in power right now was one of the most vocal against construction of more dams.
And then we have political incompetence. CMO GoKer talked to CMO GoTN well after the flooding situation has worsened. And now they are going to form a committee that will drink tea and snacks and debate for hours on how much of mullaperiyar dam water shall be released. By the time these people will finish their debate and submit report, the whole rain from this weather system would have moved on!
Never blame on nature what can be blamed on human incompetence.
Met Department gives 5 days prior warning about rainfall. We all know in advance how much rain is likely to fall in catchment areas of the dams. We all know how much water is there in each dam and how much more water can flow into these dams. We all know how much water can be safely released from each of these dams without creating floods.
This is what every civil engineer learns. (Hydrology had been part of syllabus for a long time.)
Flood management is a known engineering problem.
Yet, the ministry of water acted as if they were there only to take salary every month.
They release water knowing well that water level will rise in the night time. Every time water was released in dams in Periyar, the water levels in Aluva was rising well past 9 pm, well past the time most people go for sleeping. This mismanagement is the key reason for Kerala floods.
There had been many proposals on building check dams(for flood management, irrigation, hydropower) in the last two decades. Politicians chose to use it for gaining votes by opposing the projects instead of thinking about flood control. The very party in power right now was one of the most vocal against construction of more dams.
And then we have political incompetence. CMO GoKer talked to CMO GoTN well after the flooding situation has worsened. And now they are going to form a committee that will drink tea and snacks and debate for hours on how much of mullaperiyar dam water shall be released. By the time these people will finish their debate and submit report, the whole rain from this weather system would have moved on!
Never blame on nature what can be blamed on human incompetence.
posted by Murali | 07:36
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