In Chandigarh, charts released on best practices to adopt during and after floods
While the first chart illustrates the steps to be followed during floods, the second chart provides safety advice for reoccupying homes after the floodwaters have receded.
3 min read
Chandigarh and its surrounding areas had witnessed heavy rain last month, leading to flooding, waterlogging and heavy damage to homes and properties. (Express Photo by Gurmeet Singh)
The India Meteorological Department (IMD), Chandigarh, along with PGIMER on Wednesday released two charts with infographics and suggestions aimed at educating people about the best practices to be followed during and after floods.
Chandigarh and its surrounding areas had witnessed heavy rain last month, leading to flooding, waterlogging and heavy damage to homes and properties.
On Wednesday, Manmohan Singh, the director of IMD, Chandigarh, said that with extreme weather conditions becoming more common due to climate change, awareness about flood risk management will increase a community’s resilience and aid its safety.
The infographics were a part of the Community Environmental Empowerment Program (CEEP) project funded by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change.
People can adopt simple practices to minimize damage to health and losses to assets, Professor Arun Kumar Aggarwal, the head of the Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, PGIMER, said. He also suggested engaging and informing the public as part of flood preparedness.
The first chart on ‘Floodwater Precautions’ illustrates the essential steps to be followed during floods. It covers guidelines on safe drinking water practices, personal hygiene, and the public health risks involved during floods.
The second chart, ‘Returning Home after Floods’, provides safety advice for reoccupying homes and communities after the floodwaters have receded. It highlights steps for inspecting and cleaning buildings, assessing potential hazards, and ensuring a safe living environment.
The flood infographics were designed and developed by Ravindra Khaiwal, professor of environment health at the Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, PGIMER, and Suman Mor, associate professor at the Department of Environmental Studies, Panjab University, along with the Indian Meteorological Society. Both Khaiwal and Mor acknowledged the support from Renu Vig, the vice-chancellor of Panjab University, and Vivek Lal, the director of PGIMER, Chandigarh.
Mor said the infographics were a part of the Community Environmental Empowerment Program (CEEP) project funded by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change.
Both charts were released in three languages – English, Hindi, and Punjabi – to maximise their reach. The charts will be distributed to students who visit the IMD centre and will also be available on the IMD, PGIMER and Panjab University websites. They can also be downloaded from http://www.care4cleanair.com/awarnessmaterial.
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