Thane city's first ever flood risk management plan released

Thane, Jun 22 (PTI) The Thane Municipal Corporation on Saturday released the city's first ever flood risk management plan, which officials said would provide valuable guidance to disaster management systems while implementing development plans.

The comprehensive Thane City Action Plan 2024 has been developed in collaboration with the Maharashtra government and the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), one of Asia's leading not-for-profit research institutions that uses data, integrated analysis and strategic outreach to explain the use, reuse and misuse of resources.

"It aims to strengthen Thane's preparedness and rapid response to floods. It is a significant step forward for flood risk management in Thane and will provide valuable guidance for the TMC's disaster management systems. It acknowledges the impact of urbanization on natural drainage systems and need for planned network of underground sewerage channels," Thane municipal commissioner Saurabh Rao said.

It will help while envisaging new projects and during implementation of the Development Plan (DP), he added.

This plan is crucial for protecting Thane, a coastal city, from extreme weather events, said Nitin Bassi, senior programme officer at CEEW.

"It incorporates rainfall data from the past 52 years, socio-economic factors, and satellite imagery to identify flood risks at the ward level. The action plan outlines necessary actions, prioritizes urgent measures, and assigns timeframes for implementation. This proactive approach is particularly important given the India Meteorological Department's prediction of above-average rainfall this year," Bassi said. PTI COR BNM