Effective Disaster Management: PMC's State-of-the-Art Control Room Shines in Flood Response

Strategic Insights -

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) recently faced a challenging situation when around 25,000 cusecs of water was released from the Khadakwasla dam into the Mutha river, threatening flood-prone areas. However, thanks to the newly operational state-of-the-art disaster management control room, the PMC effectively handled the situation. The control room, equipped with cutting-edge technology, played a crucial role in coordinating with various departments to ensure swift action and public safety.

Key Takeaways:

  • The PMC's disaster management control room was instrumental in handling the flood situation in the city, with a team of 20 staff members continuously monitoring the situation through live feeds and emergency calls.
  • The control room has been set up with the latest technology, including computers, phones, and a big TV to display live feeds, enabling faster communication with response teams.
  • PMC has started help centres at locations that witness frequent flooding, with provision made for shifting around 1,500 persons in dormitories in civic schools and halls.
  • The control room is equipped with a server exclusively for disaster management, which provides all necessary technology support, and will be upgraded as per requirement.
  • The state water resources department was intimated about the discharge of water three hours in advance, allowing the control room to take steps for handling possible flood situations in low-lying areas.
  • Field staff from various departments, including police, fire, and civic departments, were immediately coordinated with to ensure swift action during the emergency.
  • A video conferencing call was conducted by an additional municipal commissioner from the control room with staff and officers on the field, which proved to be effective in handling emergency situations.
  • Public address systems were used to alert citizens of the locality that gets flooded when excess water is released in the river.

Statistics:

  • Around 25,000 cusecs of water was released from the Khadakwasla dam into the Mutha river.
  • The control room has a team of 20 staff members continuously monitoring the situation.
  • Provision has been made for shifting around 1,500 persons in dormitories in civic schools and halls.
  • The control room is spread over 7,400 sq feet.

Sources:

  • Ganesh Sonune, incharge of the PMC's Disaster Management Department (as quoted in the article)
  • Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) (as mentioned in the article)
  • India Meteorological Department (IMD) (as mentioned in the article)
  • Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) (as mentioned in the article)
  • Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) (as mentioned in the article)
  • Contify.com (distributed by)