MillenniumPost
Bengal

Real time flood updates now just a click away

The state Irrigation and Waterways department has developed a system – Software Requirement Specification (SRS) – which enables the administration to instantly take stock of flood situations in various districts. 

At least 500 executive engineers, who are presently in charge of River Gauge Station and Rain Gauge Station, will update the data immediately from the spot of flood occurrence.

“This system software is a pioneering effort, done by our department. The Chief Minister will name this project soon” said state Irrigation and Waterways Minister Rajib Banerjee.

“The earlier system of flood data collection was a bit lengthy and took almost a day to update. The executive engineers used to collect data and send it to the headquarters to be updated on the website.

The administrative officials had no other choice but to wait till the message came from the ground. Sometimes, the high ranked officers from the state secretariat had to call up the district magistrate for instant flood updates. But this new system will automatically update itself on a real time basis.

The executive engineers who have their own user name and password will update the information from the ground to the department’s website with the help of this system-software and high-end networking,” said a senior official of the irrigation and waterways department.

RK Kapoor, a senior official of the department, who maintains the liaison with the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) regarding the water release in monsoon, has mentored the SRS with the help of West Bengal Electronics Development Corporation (WEBEL), the state government’s technical arm.

“This is an unparalleled project in the history of the irrigation and waterways department. The Chief Minister has guided us throughout to make it possible,” Banerjee added.

The officials and technical persons associated with the SRS said that not much pressure was felt since the work was done in a properly distributed way.

Clicking the home page of the department’s website (www.wbiwd.gov.in) and choosing the option of Daily Flood Report will take web surfers to the page with the updated flood related data.

There are options of River Gauge Station, Rain Gauge Station, reservoir levels and discharges, general remarks on flood, special alerts and weather bulletin.

One can get the actual data on a real time basis with just a few clicks.The reason for flooding in the state is mainly due to high tidal effect and heavy downpour caused by deep depression.

This results in the discharge of stored barrage water from the dams, causing heavy inundation particularly in the low-lying areas of south Bengal. But the state officials are now feeling content, after being equipped with SRS to disseminate flood-related data.

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