Planned preparedness will help tackle floods

Any crisis though it is termed an “unforeseen moment of danger” can still be tackled effectively with certain well planned programmes based on general postulates and principles kept in readiness, be a railway accident / earthquake / widespread epidemic or cyclone or flood.

With our forecasting technology now in position, a cyclone or flood can never be termed 'unforeseen.’

I hence felt that I must share my experience with the people of Tamil Nadu, in handling floods and cyclones, initially as DIG of Police, Tiruchy zone, when in 1978 Nagapattinam was hit by cyclone leaving 26 persons dead and with Srirangam floating with Cauvery and Coleroon in spate. This happened with all our planning and preparedness. Since we were all prepared and kept the Integrated Aid Units in readiness, we were still able to evacuate 300 persons who had their huts near the sea at Nagapattinam. They were accommodated in the church at Velankanni. We were able to act fast and defuse the situation in Coleroon and in Cauvery by taking very valuable steps to level the water levels in both rivers.

I was able to get the PM’s Life Saving Medal for seven of our officers in that zone. By way of appreciation of my efforts, M.G.Ramachandran, the then CM, took me as a convenor in a high-level committee headed by R.Natarajan IAS (retd), then revenue commissioner. There were representatives from all departments.

The Flood Code of Tamil Nadu is a monumental document which gives elaborate guidelines on tackling floods and cyclones which was hence sought after by other states, particularly on the eastern coast.

I wrote a brochure in 1982 based on my experience in Tiruchy and later tackling the flood and cyclone in 1979 as a director of civil defence when I set up flood control at Chennai and in district headquarters and other vulnerable areas. MGR visited my control room at Chennai and was able to communicate with the collector of Ramanathapuram supervising the arrangements at Mandapam. All these and the application of civil defence concepts relating to rescue, relief and rehabilitation earned for me Distinguished

Service Medal for Home Guards and Civil Defence – the only police officer to have received it at that time. While we cannot prevent a flood or cyclone which is a nature’s natural happening – we can plan and be prepared to face the situation. I understand from the then technical consultant for UN on cyclones and floods Colonel Vaidya there is no scientific invention still to prevent cyclone or flood if any we can at most by infusion of atomic fission into the sea at appropriate places to reduce the virulence of cyclone, but there is a danger of the cyclone or depression in the bay changing its direction and hitting at a place where we are not prepared for, hence the only answer is plan for it and be prepared.