DECEMBER 2024 GS3 DAW
Q17. What are the key factors contributing to flooding in Indian cities, and what are the
associated consequences? Also, discuss the adaptation strategies needed to enhance disaster
resilience against recurrent flooding in India. (250 words, 15 marks)
Approach
Introduction: Write a brief contextual introduction.
Body:
• Discuss the key factors contributing to flooding in Indian cities.
• Discuss the consequences of flood in Indian cities.
• Discuss the adaptation strategy for enhancing disaster resilience against recurrent flooding in
India.
Conclusion: Conclude appropriately.
Introduction: The rising frequency of climate variability and extreme weather events has made urban
flooding a growing concern in India. Although unexpected heavy rains are linked to changing climatic
patterns, the primary cause of urban flooding lies in unplanned urbanization, which has disrupted natural
drainage systems and increased the vulnerability of cities to waterlogging and inundation.
Key factors contributing to flooding in Indian cities:
• Natural
o Meteorological factors: Heavy rainfall, cyclonic storms and thunderstorms causes water to
flow quickly through paved urban areas and impound in low lying areas.
o Hydrological factors: Overbank flow channel networks, occurrence of high tides impeding
the drainage in coastal cities.
o Climate change: Climate change due to various anthropogenic events has led to extreme
weather events.
• Anthropological/man made
o Infrastructural factors
§ Inadequate drainage infrastructure: Cities like Hyderabad, Mumbai rely on a
century-old drainage system, covering only a small part of the core city.
§ Terrain alteration: Lasting irreversible damage has been done to the city by property
builders, property owners, and public agencies by flattening terrain and altering natural
drainage routes.
§ Reducing seepage: Indian cities are becoming increasingly impervious to water, not
just because of increasing built up but also because of the nature of materials used (hard,
non-porous construction material that makes the soil impervious).
§ Drainage system: Storm water drainage systems in the past were designed for rainfall
intensity of 12-20 mm. These capacities have been getting very easily overwhelmed
whenever rainfall of higher intensity has been experienced.
o Governance
§ Lax implementation: Even with provisions of rainwater harvesting, sustainable urban
drainage systems, etc., in regulatory mechanisms like the Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA), adoption at user end as well as enforcement agencies remains weak.
§ Encroaching natural spaces: The number of wetlands has reduced to 123 in 2018 from
644 in 1956 and green cover is only 9 per cent, which ideally should have been at least
33 per cent.
§ Unplanned urbanization: This is the key cause of urban flooding. A major concern is
blocking of natural drainage pathways through construction activity and encroachment
on catchment areas, riverbeds and lakebeds.
§ Destruction of lakes: Lakes can store the excess water and regulate the flow of water.
However, pollution of natural urban water bodies and converting them for development
purposes has increased risk of floods.
§ Poor solid waste management system: Improper waste management system and
clogging of storm-water drains because of silting, accumulation of non-biodegradable
wastes and construction debris.
o Historical/growth related
§ Population densities: Population density and proximity to urban centres significantly
alter the dynamics and complexity when it comes to urban flooding.
o Lacunae in urban planning
§ No mapping of water bodies: The preliminary work of mapping and documentation of
the surface water bodies even though mentioned in NDMA under the National Database
for Mapping Attributes has not been undertaken.
§ Failed early-warning system: During floods of Uttarakhand in 2013, there were
questions about the role of NDMA, where it failed to implement the early warning
systems to inform people about the floods and landslides.
Consequences of flood in Indian cities:
• Loss of life: Floods often lead to fatalities and serious injuries, and affects vulnerable populations
the most, such as during the 2013 Uttarakhand floods, 2015 Chennai floods.
• Damage to infrastructure: Roads, bridges, and public utilities like electricity and water supply
are heavily damaged, and disrupts essential services.
• Property damage: Residential and commercial properties suffer structural damages, leading to
significant financial losses for individuals and businesses.
• Economic disruptions: Floods stall industrial operations, impact trade, and disrupt local
economies, such as during the Chennai floods in 2015.
• Health hazards: Stagnant water becomes breeding grounds for diseases like dengue and cholera,
and worsens public health crises.
• Environmental impact: Floods lead to soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, and water
contamination, and degrades ecosystems.
• Displacement of people: Large-scale flooding forces thousands to leave their homes leading to
overcrowded shelters and long-term displacement challenges.
• Loss of livelihoods: Farmers, daily wage workers, and small business owners face job losses due
to disrupted activities and damage to resources.
Adaptation strategy for enhancing disaster resilience against recurrent flooding in India:
• Climate variability assessment: As the incidence of climate variability and extreme weather
events increases, it is inevitable that we look at the issue from a broad-based perspective.
• Resilience building: Focus has to be on increasing the resilience of communities and adaptive
capacity of our infrastructure.
• Innovation: Water sensitive urban design and planning techniques especially in the contextof
implementation are of utmost importance. Example-Sponge Cities.
• Environmental determinism: Planning must take into consideration the topography, typesof
surfaces (pervious or impervious), natural drainage and leave very less impact on the
environment.
• Need for holistic engagement: Urban floods of this scale cannot be contained by the municipal
authorities alone. Floods cannot be managed without concerted and focused investments of
energy and resources.
• Developing sponge cities: The idea of a sponge city is to make cities more permeable so as to
hold and use the water which falls upon it.
• Wetland policy: There is a need to start paying attention to the management of wetlands by
involving local communities.
• Drainage planning: Watershed management and emergency drainage plan should be clearly
enunciated in policy and law.
• Water sensitive urban design: These methods take into consideration the topography, types
of surfaces (permeable or impervious), natural drainage and leave very less impact on the
environment.
• Convergent approach: These can all be delivered effectively through an urban mission along
the lines of the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), National
Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) and Smart Cities Mission.
Conclusion: Urban Flood management will not just help control recurring floods but also respond to
other fault lines, provide for water security, more green spaces, and will make the city resilient and
sustainable.
