NEW DELHI:The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of India has released a guideline for management of cyclones aimed at helping various ministries and departments in the country to prepare flood management plans and minimise loss of life and property.

NDMA has recommended an exclusive eco-system monitoring network to study the impact of climate change and setting up of a comprehensive Cyclone Disaster Management Information System (CDMIS) to cover all phases of disaster management.

Besides identifying 10 key areas of cyclone management, including the establishment of a state-of-the-art cyclone early warning system (EWS) involving observations, predictions, warnings and user friendly advisories, the guideline has also called for commissioning of the National Disaster Communication Infrastructure (NDCI).

The commissioning of NDCI would help the country provide dedicated and failsafe communications to the national, state and district disaster management authorities and officials concerned.

The new guidelines also stresses on the need to expand the warning dissemination outreach by introducing ‘Last Mile Connectivity’, that includes using VHF technology to provide public address system along the entire coast line.

The National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP) should be implemented in all the 13 coastal states and UTs.

The guidelines also talks about the taking up structural mitigation measures like improving structural lifeline infrastructure, construction of multi-purpose cyclone shelters and cattle mounds, ensuring cyclone resistant design standards in rural and urban housing schemes, building all-weather road links, bridges, culverts and saline embankments.

The NDMA document further stated that management of coastal zones should include mapping and delineation of coastal wetlands, patches of mangroves and shelterbelts and identification of potential zones for expanding bio-shield spread based on remote sensing tools.