Topics Covered: Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc., geographical features and their location- changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
State Water Grid to overcome flood crisis:
Context:
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari suggests formation of State Water Grid in Maharashtra to overcome flood crisis in the State.
How will it be formed?
- The State Water Grid will be formed on the lines of the National Power Grid and Highway Grid.
- The idea is to divert the flood water from one river basin to the other river basin in the drought prone area of the state.
- The areas with shortage of the water, scanty rainfall can get relief by the Grid.
Benefits of state water grid:
- Help the government to ensure the availability of the water in drought prone areas and save the resources to manage the flood crisis.
- This would also help to increase the area under irrigation, while bringing significant reduction in the numbers of suicides of farmers.
- This would also help to increase agriculture produce and strengthen the rural and national economy.
- The diverted flood waters would relieve the stress on the local resources. Transportation of goods and passengers through rivers (Water Transport) can be commenced in near future.
- Fishing and other businesses can flourish alongside and major employment can be generated if such project is taken up as an essential infrastructure.
Need for such measures:
Floods create and trigger serious problems in different parts of the state and therefore there is an urgent need to chalk out a plan to manage this natural disaster that becomes grave because of other man made factors.
InstaLinks:
Prelims Link:
- What are water grids?
- River linking projects in India- status of various projects.
- Important rivers of Maharashtra.
Mains Link:
Discuss the significance of State Water Grid in overcoming flood crisis.
Sources: PIB.
