Government sets up 176 flood forecasting stations across India

New Delhi: As many as 176 flood forecasting stations have been set up across the country where predictions

are made during every monsoon whenever the water level exceeds limits, Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti said on Thursday.

She told Lok Sabha that Central Water Commission (CWC) under her Ministry carries out the activity of flood forecasting in the country on major rivers and their tributaries.

"It (Ministry) has set up 176 flood forecasting stations in the country where flood forecasts are issued in every monsoon whenever water level or the inflow in a rivers exceeds the predefined criteria," she said during question hour.

The Minister said the meteorological inputs based on remote sensing technology received from India Meteorological Department are used in rainfall-runoff modeling.

The remote sensing technology and geographical information system have been used by CWC for preparation of inventory of glacial lakes/ water bodies in Himalayan region of Indian rivers with water spread area of more than 10 hectare using satellite imageries.

"The National Remote Sensing Centre, Hyderabad under the Department of Space provides near real time satellite based flood inundation maps at their official website using data of mainly Indian satellite," she said. To another question, Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Pon Radhakrishnan said the 'Toll Operate Transfer' model to monetize public-funded highway assets, post construction, is at a conceptual stage in the government.

Under the model being considered, right of collection of user fee (toll) in respect of the selected highway stretches

constructed through public funding shall be assigned for a specific time period to developers/ investors against upfront

payment of a lump-sum amount to the government, he said.

He said the government has adopted four modes of delivery and maintenance of highways as well as attracting investment. The modes are Build Operate Transfer (Toll), Build Operate Transfer (Annuity), Engineering Procurement Construction and Hybrid Annuity and Operation Maintenance Transfer, the minister said.