Flood-reporting system goes digital in Assam
GUWAHATI: Chief Secretary, Assam, Jishnu Barua has launched a real-time 'Digital Flood Reporting and Information Management System (FRIMS). Launching the online system in a brief event held in his official conference hall here on Saturday, Barua said that managing floods that come in multiple waves is a very critical administrative function as it involves multiple departments and stakeholders.
He highlighted that though the administration is very conversant in dealing with flood, relief and recovery efforts heavily depend on the continuous situational awareness and data availability. Assam has a mandatory system of daily flood reporting between May 15 and October 15. The current practice of flood reporting passes through a time-intensive manual verification and quality-control system. Tile FRIMS jointly developed by ASDMA & UNICEF will replace the present manual system with the web-cum-mobile application-based technology-driven system which will help in efficient delivery of relief, ex-gratia, rehabilitation, grants to the flood- affected people besides tracking of damage to agricultural crops, loss of livestock, infrastructure damage etc., and providing financial assistance for restoration.
Addressing the event, Chief, Emergencies & DRR, UNICEF, India, Tom White congratulated the Government of Assam for being the first State to adopt a robust digital reporting system that will capture critical impact indicators during floods. At the national level as well, UNICEF along with other UN agencies are supporting NDMA; and have initiated work towards a national disaster-management information system. Such a system will go a long way in measuring the impact of disaster risk-reduction interventions, particularly the anticipated 'DRR Road Map' once it is finalized and implemented In Assam.
Participating at the event Dr Madhulika Jonathan, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF, Guwahati stated that institution of this system is vital and will increase efficiency in reporting accelerated response and decision-making and addresses the data needs to enable monitoring and addressing of immediate needs of vulnerable groups like children and women.
Principal Secretary to the Government of Assam, Revenue & Disaster Management Department, Abinash Joshi stated that the complete digital system of information flow will enable information feeding at the source, immediate alert-based verification at defined levels and automatic compilation. He further stated that the stakeholders including the media and those responding on the ground will have better access for faster decision-making and planning. He also urged the DDMA teams to imbibe the new system of reporting fully so that no data gaps are created.
Chief Executive Officer of ASDMA, Gyanendra Dev Tripathi informed that the ASDMA has already conducted the required training for its field functionaries and the system will be operational from May 15, 2021 for online flood reporting on a daily basis, stated a press release.