Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will soon have more flood forecasting stations following a decision by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to increase their number by 99 from the existing 226 to 325, by the year 2020.
The Central Water Commission (CWC) is the nodal organisation for flood forecasting in the country and it has established 226 forecasting stations comprising 166 level forecasting stations and 60 inflow forecasting stations for reservoirs and barrages. The information was given to Lok Sabha in writing by Union Water Resources Minister Arjun Ram Meghawal, recently.
Out of the existing 226 flood forecasting stations, 166 level forecasting stations have been modernised with automatic data collection and satellite-based transmission (telemetry) system already. When contacted, officials of the Irrigation Department stated that they have not received any information about establishment of the new flood forecasting stations from the Union Water Resources Ministry so far.
At present, the two Telugu States have 25 flood forecasting stations including 10 in Telangana and 14 in AP maintained by the CWC.
Of them, Telangana has four level forecasting and six flood forecasting stations, while their number is seven each, respectively in AP.
