Overall Process of Early Warning System

Several rounds of one to one meetings and discussions with state and district administration, relevant stakeholders on the study findings and the newly developed system. A joint stakeholder workshop with the district administration was organized in Bahraich in May 2010. The workshop brought together 67 participants from district administration, panchayats, community and NGOS/ INGOs on a common platform.

The features of new system were presented in the workshop and an action plan, incorporating both hardware and software aspects, was formulated for the implementation an effective and efficient early warning system.The District Magistrate launched this system for the entire Bahraich district before the print and electronic media.

This system is now being used for dissemination flood information to the entire flood affected communities of entire district. It was also announced by the DM that welfare schemes of the government shall be disseminated to the communities through this system as the administration has collected mobile nos. of communities through DRR plan.

Description of Early Warning System

The system basically developed for strengthening of the existing flood EWS in that region with government and community participation. The Broadcast by Phone system consists of: 1. Server with software for broadcasting by Phone 2. Voice modem & Telephone line 3. Cell phones 4. Hand operated sirens and megaphones operated by community volunteers.

The district administration and SSK has an agreement for the sustainability and smooth running of this system. The server with voice broadcasting software has been installed at the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC), district magistrate’s office; Bahraich. The district administration has appointed personnel for running this software.

One analog phone line has been connected to this software. This software has the facility to broadcast voice messages to the mobile and land phones added into it as excel file. EW task forces have been formed in the villages so that the information they received from the district administration regarding flood and water situation shall be disseminated among the communities residing in the risk zone. They have been provided cell phone by the organization. Hand operated sirens has been installed in various places in the villages, as the task forces receives the news will blow the sirens so that the communities will be cautioned about the anticipated disaster. Then these task force members shall disseminate this flood information among the communities announcing through megaphones. So that every household and Individual should be informed about the received message from the district administration.

Current Flash Flood

The Early warning System (EWS) implanted at the EOC, Bahraich regularly informing the Task Force members in this current flood regarding the release of water from the dams and time to reach their villages. The task force members in turn took action based on the information like blowing the sirens and disseminating the message through megaphones.

This EWS installed at the District not only helped in reaching speedy information in the project area (DIPECHO project) but also to all the flood affected block and tehsil officials of the districts and hence helped the community to prepare in advance for early response and evacuation. So that these communities at risk in this part of India are getting proper flood early warning voice messages regularly and preparing themselves to move their belongings, livestock, family members to a safer place much earlier before the flood devastate their lives.

Sustainibility:

The EWS system overall is owned and managed by the district administration, govt. of Uttar Pradesh and the communities. The EWS software has been installed by SSK/MI and operating by the Bahraich district administration. The EOC officials and staffs have been properly trained by SSK and by VCON services. It has been totally handed over to the district administration. So any repairing or maintenance required shall be borne by the district administration. The mobile phones, megaphones and the sirens installed at the project area shall be taken care by the committees formed and task force members. So after the project ends, it shall be sustained and maintained with the government and community participation and ownership.