What was feared as a deficient monsoon season has turned into a surplus one with most of the rivers in northern India in spate. Worst affected near home is the state of Himachal Pradesh and in neighbouring Punjab and Haryana flood-like situation prevails . The water levels in the Beas and Sutlej Rivers have increased abnormally due to continuous rainfall in their catchment areas. Most of the highways in Himachal are blocked due to landslide and boulders. Hundreds of vehicle are stranded on various roads and highways. This time even states like Rajasthan too have faced taste of flood furry in six districts. Plains of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are already reeling under its impact. The worst affected Marathdwada region of central India which faced the worst draught of the decade today finds surplus water. On an average every year, 75 lakh hectares of land is affected, 1,600 lives are lost and the damage caused to crops, houses and public utilities is Rs.1,805 crores due to floods. The maximum number of lives (11,316) was lost in the year 1977. The frequency of major floods is more than once in five years. With every year such huge loss of human life and property India has to look for a productive flood control or management system. In this regard former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpyee’s dream project of linking country’s rivers with a common grid can find a solution to every year’s sorrow for millions in the planes of Ganges and Bharamputra. The effectiveness in moderating floods would depend on the reservoir capacity available at that time for absorbing the flood runoff and their proximity to the likely damage centre. At least by linking the northern rivers with southern and western rivers the pressure can be diluted in the northern part of the country and effective storage capacity in the form of reservoirs in catchment areas operated carefully taking into account both the safety of the dam and related structures and the safe carrying capacity of the lower reaches of the river can be an effective remedy from every year woes.
