Kerala to roll out AI-driven disaster management system, conduct statewide river audit: CM

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala will implement a disaster management programme designed to serve as a national model, as announced in the state Budget, Chief Minister VD Satheesan said on Wednesday. The state will adopt advanced weather monitoring systems and strengthen early warning mechanism to improve preparedness for natural disasters, he added. 

The Chief Minister said flood mapping would be carried out across all vulnerable locations to establish a more effective disaster response system. Sand and silt accumulated in dams will be removed, while the Revenue and Irrigation departments have been tasked with preparing a plan to clear waste, soil and silt from rivers. The measures will be implemented once the ongoing spell of rain subsides.

Statewide river audit planned

To permanently reduce flood risks, the government will conduct a comprehensive land audit of all rivers in the state.

The exercise aims to identify encroachments, detect areas where natural river flow has been obstructed by land filling, and restore rivers and their tributaries to their original condition. The Chief Minister said such interventions, including flood mapping, were essential to prevent major disasters from recurring.

The proposed dam management system will integrate data on water inflow into reservoirs, water releases from dams, rainfall in catchment areas, rainfall forecasts and river water levels. An AI-driven system will be introduced to manage these processes more effectively, and work on the project has already begun, he said. 

Responds to political issues

The Chief Minister also responded to the controversy surrounding Minister CP John's remarks. He said the minister had already issued an explanation and expressed regret over the comments, and there was no need to prolong the controversy.

He added that the project in question had been implemented effectively and that the government had done the best possible under the circumstances.

Rejecting allegations made by the Kuttanad MLA, the Chief Minister said meetings involving public representatives were being held regularly to address complaints and that the MLA had been attending such meetings. He explained that he could not answer the MLA's phone call because it came while a Cabinet meeting was in progress.

Responding to allegations that the MLA had not been invited to a review meeting, the Chief Minister said MLAs were generally not invited to such meetings, although a few had attended. He said only district-level officials were included because the participation of lower-level officers would affect their field duties and disrupt the administrative system.

'Political vendetta' over Punarjani project allegations

Responding to allegations linked to the Punarjani project, the Chief Minister described it as politically motivated.

He said a vigilance inquiry ordered at his own request in 2020 had found no irregularities. The High Court later dismissed the complaints. According to the Chief Minister, when another inquiry was initiated in 2023 after he became Leader of the Opposition, two Vigilance Directors concluded that he had committed no offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act or the FCRI Act.

He alleged that although these reports were submitted during the tenure of the Pinarayi government, they had been suppressed to create a false narrative around the issue.