5 months ago
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The study of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has highlighted the vulnerabilities, inadequate preparedness successful catastrophe absorption strategy of Karnataka, amid expanding earthy disasters.
Analysing the efforts from 2017-18 to 2022-23 successful managing calamities and hazard reduction, the study pointed retired that though Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) was established successful 2008, the State Disaster Management Policy was published aft 12 years, lone successful 2020.
It said that the State Emergency Operation Centre was under-equipped successful presumption of quality resources and infrastructure, which affected its functioning. The Disaster Response Force Units had immense vacancies — ranging from 67% to 96% — of the sanctioned spot resulting successful the units facing difficulties successful carrying retired duties and rescue operations.
Defective TWSs
KSNMDC had installed Telemetric Rain Guages (TRGs) and Telemetric Weather Stations (TWSs) successful a phased mode betwixt 2009 and 2015, but arsenic of December 2023, it was recovered that 43% of TRGs and 52% of TWSs were defective, the study said.
It has besides pointed retired that the funds released by the State were not calamity-specific, complicating monitoring of NDRF/SDRF grants. The CAG has recovered misappropriation of ₹18.59 lakh astatine Chintamani successful Chikkaballapura district, unutilised funds of ₹7.69 crore successful Fire Emergency Department, and taluks of Haveri territory spending ₹1.81 crore retired of SDRF for reasons not related to earthy calamities/disasters.
On the drought absorption front, CAG has recovered that the State had not framed region-specific guidelines for drought absorption and Karnataka Groundwater Authority failed to power amerciable groundwater extraction for commercialized purposes done backstage h2o tanks.
The CAG has pointed retired that though the State Action Plan for Flood Risk was established successful 2021, it lacked mentation for flood absorption successful captious sectors. It recovered that 49 retired of the 100 Water Level Sensors installed successful Bengaluru remained non-functional arsenic connected December 2023. The State has not established a ineligible model for flood infrastructure.
On the compensation beforehand also, CAG has recovered discrepancies. It has said that compensation for damages was inconsistent and the verification processes were inadequate. It besides recovered that determination were 22,496 cases of location harm reconstruction pending contempt ₹213.94 crore disbursed.
The CAG has recommended revamping Emergency Operation Centre and enhancing grooming for officials, among different things.
