Guwahati : As part of the Assam Integrated River Basin Management Programme (AIRBMP), Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) on Wednesday decided to convert 30 schools into flood shelters in Baksa, Barpeta, Sonitpur, Biswanath, Lakhimpur, Golaghat, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Majuli.

ASDMA will also build 10 new multipurpose flood shelters in these flood-vulnerable districts.

On this occasion, a contract in this regard was signed by Gyanendra Dev Tripathi, Chief Executive Officer, ASDMA, with GKW Consult GmBH & Vision EIS Consulting Pvt Ltd as design management and monitoring consultants to oversee the retrofitting and construction of these schools.

Speaking on the occasion, the CEO of ASDMA said that the activities would have to be closely monitored for efficient implementation.

The retrofitting of the flood shelters will make them multi-hazard resilient for the flood inmates and students. Along with providing shelter to the flood-affected, these 10 new multipurpose flood shelters will also be used by communities and other stakeholders during the non-flood season.

Further, 50 Circle Quick Response Teams (CQRTs) have been constituted in 50 revenue circles of 18 districts under AIRBMP. These CQRTs will be the first responders at the revenue circle level during any disaster or emergency.

The DMSC consultant will design a Material Bank which will house some lifesaving equipment to be used by the CQRT members during emergencies. CQRT members shall be trained in basic life support strategies and search & rescue techniques before their deployment.

In this regard, 11 CQRT material banks in selected circles of Barpeta, Golaghat, Majuli, Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Cachar and Dima Hasao are to be installed.

The primary objective of AIRBMP is to mitigate the risks posed by climate-related disasters to people’s livelihoods by strengthening institutions, bridging crucial knowledge gaps, and implementing comprehensive solutions through a well-structured basin-wide planning process.

AIRBMP is a ten-year-long programme with an overlapping three-phase Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA).

An estimated amount of $135 Million will be invested in Phase I of the programme. Phase I focuses on the Beki and Buridehing river basins, working to safeguard approximately 100,000 individuals. The project will enhance the state’s disaster response capabilities by implementing advanced flood forecasting techniques.

It will also facilitate the provision of secure evacuation and shelter facilities, granting at least 10,000 people access to flood-resistant shelters that can withstand climate challenges. It will also build climate resilience in communities against climate change.

The programme is currently financing an array of flood and river erosion control infrastructure, including new and upgraded embankments, river erosion control works, drainage canals, polders, flood control gates, engineered wetlands and flood retention areas, watershed improvements, etc.