Floods affect 3 crore Indians every year - Times of India

Atul Thakur, TNN Jun 20, 2013, 02.13AM IST (Rescue operations are underway…) NEW DELHI: Chronic floods during the monsoon on an average affect more than 30 million Indians annually. Ironically, 60% of India's farmland, 66% of its livestock and its entire forest area depend on rains for survival. According to a recently released Central Water Commission (CWC) report, on an average 7.21 million hectares (roughly 72,000 sq km) go under floodwater. This water typically ravages 3.78 million hectares of agricultural land, damaging crops worth Rs 1,118 crore annually. Heavy rains and floods account for nearly 1,700 lives lost annually. Apart from this, 1.25 lakh houses are annually damaged by torrential rains that also wipe out nearly 96,000 livestock. Floods are the most recurrent natural calamity, hitting India almost every year. According to the CWC's report on 'financial aspects of flood control, anti-sea erosion and drainage projects', it is not possible to provide absolute protection instantly to all flood-prone areas. It says such an attempt will neither be practically possible nor economically viable. The CWC's analysis of floods in India from 1953 to 2011 shows a marginal decline in flood-affected areas over the years. The data shows 1977, 1978 and 1979 were the worst-hit. The 1977 floods killed over 11,000 people â€" six times the average for the 59 years between 1953 and 2011. In terms of area and population affected, the floods of 1978 were most destructive. They submerged over 17 million hectares of land, affecting more than 70 million people. The 1978 floods damaged over 3.5 million houses, more than double the 59-year average. In 1979 floods wiped out 6.2 lakh cattle, the maximum for this period. In terms of financial loss, recent floods have been far more destructive. The total loss of crops, houses and public utilities in 2009 was Rs 32,541 crore, the highest for any year. The 2003 floods destroyed crops worth Rs 7,298 crore, while the flood-induced damage to houses was more than Rs 10,000 crore in 2009, the maximum so far. The report shows there was a continuous increase in the population affected till the mid-eighties; thereafter, the number has slowly declined. According to the ministry of water resources, the Rashtriya Barh Ayog-RBA (National Flood Commission) was set up in 1976 for the formulation of a flood-control policy. The RBA's report, submitted in 1980, was subsequently accepted by the government. But not much progress has been made in the implementation of the recommendations. According to RBA estimates nearly 80% of India's flood-prone area could be provided with a reasonable degree of protection. via Science - Google News http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNGc0_FJOmQO5i6IUZROOaFWgW_R2Q&url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-06-20/india/40093192_1_chronic-floods-cwc-crops

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