Lok Sabha Question No. 2593 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-27
Subject: Rejuvenation of Rivers
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: (ADV.) JOICE GEORGE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UN STARRED QUESTION NO. 2593

## ANSWERED ON 27.12 .201 8

## REJUVENATION OF RIVE RS

## 2593. ADV. JOICE GEORGE

## Will  the  Minister  of  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND  GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has conducted any study/assessment of water resources in Ke after recent floods and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whethe r the Government has noticed any unusual event/phenomenon across rivers/strea across the State after floods;

(c) if so, the details thereof;

(d)  whether  the  Government  is  planning  to  allocate  funds  for  rejuvenation  of  rivers especially river ba nk protection where heavy damages occurred during recent floods; and (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  WATER  RESOURCES, RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND GANGA REJUVENATION & PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

## ( SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHW AL )

(a)  After the recent floods of August, 2018, a study on the hydrological processes of the flood has been carried out by Central Water Commission (CWC). As per the study, Kerala experie an abnormally high rainfall from 1 June, 2018 to 19 August, 2018. As per IMD data, Kerala received 2346.6 mm of rainfall from 1 June, 2018 to 19 August, 2018 in contrast to an e 1649.5 mm of rainfall. This rainfall was about 42% above the normal. Further, the rainfall over Kerala during 1 st to 19 th of August was 164% above normal. Due to heavy rainfall, the first onse of  flooding  occurred  towards  the  end  of  July.  A  severe  spell  of  rainfall  was  exper several places on the 8 th and 9 th of August, 2018. Another severe spell of rainfall started from th 14 th of August and continued till the 19 th of August, resulting in disastrous flooding in 13 out 14 districts.

(b) & (c) As informed by State Government of Kerala, after the heavy floods, the prelimin observation is that the water level in some rivers have receded drastically, and sediments/ sands were deposited in the river itself and caused hindrance to the smooth flow in the river.

(d) & (e) The subject of flood management including erosion control falls within the purvi the  States.  The  flood  management  &  anti - erosion  schemes  are  planned,  investigated  and implemented by the State Governments with their own resources as per priority within th e State. The Union Government supplements the efforts of the States by way of technical guidanc promotional  financial  assistance  to  the  States  in  critical  areas. Ministry  of  Water  Resources, River  Development  &  Ganga  Rejuvenation  is  providing  Central Assistance  to  four  flood management works in Kuttanad region of Kerala under Flood Management Programme.

Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEF & CC) has informed that it is  supplementing  the  efforts  of  the  State  Governments  in  pollution  abatement  of  id stretches  of  various  rivers  through  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of  'National  River Conservation Plan (NRCP)' for implementation of projects on cost sharing bas is between the Central and State Government. Under NRCP, a project for pollution abatement of river Pam Pamba in Kerala has been sanctioned at a cost of Rs 18.45 crore and a sewage treatment c of 4.50 million litre per day (MLD) has already bee n created.

After the recent floods of August, 2018, b ased on the memoranda submitted by the State Government of Kerala, Inter - Ministerial Central Team (lMCT) was constituted by Ministry of Home Affairs and deputed in two spells to assess the damages in t he calamity affected areas. As per assessment made by Central Teams, 477 human lives were lost, 76,830 cattle lost an lakh houses damaged and 0.94 lakh ha. cropped area have been reportedly affected due to landslides in Kerala during the year 2018.

Ministry of Home Affairs has informed that in order to support the affected peopl State Government of Kerala, Government of India has released both the instalments of C Share of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) amount ing to Rs.192. 60 crore and Rs. 600.00 crore, released 'on account' basis from National Disaster  Response  Fund  (NDRF)  to Government of Kerala for immediate relief measures. This is in addition to the opening of Rs.287.08 crore available in the SDRF. After the visi t of lMCT, the High Level Committee (HLC) approved the additio nal assistance from NDRF of Rs. 3048.39 crore to State Government of Kerala.

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