Recurring Impact of North Indian Flood Disasters on Agri-Masses: Benchmarking Remedial Strategies for Sustainable Development

Abstract

Floods are the most devastating hazards that occur frequently almostevery year in most parts of the Northern India. In the present researchpaper an attempt has been made to analyse and highlight the impact ofrecurring floods on various anthropogenic activities mainly onagri-masses and their livelihood security. Apart, from that such typesof natural calamities reflect their impacts on various other importantphenomena as well, like agriculture, human and live stock wealthincluding the local existing environment. Almost all parts of northernIndia are intensively affected by severe floods with high to moderateintensity, i.e. Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh,Uttaranchal, Jammu & Kashmir followed by Delhi the capital city ofIndia. The estimated area affected by the floods is 40 million hectares.The estimated annual loss due to the most destructive floods is Rs.2,104 million, while the average affected area by floods during1953-1996 was about 7.52 million hectares. In the same duration nearly32.35 million people were affected. The mitigation of the flood hazardswould require identification and mapping of flood-prone areas, advancewarning system through satellite, planning and action, as well asintegration of local and traditional knowledge with existing scientificknowledge system, to save the precious lives of millions of peopleincluding the cattle wealth