Robust municipal governance holds the key to preventing waterlogging and health hazards during monsoon

Indian Express

5 days ago

Written by Lakshita Handa and Pragya Singh
As the monsoon inches closer and orange alerts are issued in multiple states, with a few more reeling under intense bouts of non-seasonal rainfall, urban local bodies (ULBs) need to step up before the condition of our cities turns worse. Given that most policy interventions in this domain are post-facto and reactive, there is a need to craft a resilient urban governance framework .
Whose responsibility is it?
As per the Constitution's 12th Schedule, matters pertaining to urban planning, including town planning, fall within the domain of ULBs. Issues such as flood control and drainage maintenance are squarely within the list of functions that state governments must devolve to urban local bodies (ULBs). Poorly maintained drainage systems, coupled with lackadaisical preparatory and responsive action frameworks, aggravate existing gaps in the governance of urban spaces. Paucity of funds and limited autonomy over how to spend allocated funds also impede the ability of ULBs to discharge their functions effectively.
In a 2024 compendium examining the health of ULBs in 18 States, the CAG noted a glaring 42 per cent disparity between the resources and expenditures of these agencies. It also found that only 29 per cent of the expenditure that ULBs incurred was channelled towards undertaking programmatic and development work. Most states did not devolve the urban planning function to ULBs, as mandated by the 74th amendment of the Constitution.
The CAG also found that self-collected funds accounted for only 32 per cent of the ULB's total revenue, underscoring their high dependency on state governments for funds.
Monsoon preparedness is not a new thing. States with geographic vulnerability to cyclones — such as Odisha and Bihar — have developed tailored schemes to address the urban governance challenges. This issue was addressed at the national level by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs through the Urban Flooding SOPs released in 2017. The SOP outlines a three-phase urban flood management strategy.
(a) Pre-monsoon: Mitigation planning based on geographic characteristics of the urban area; (b) During-monsoon: Involving warning systems, citizen engagement and implementation of relief measures; and (c) Post-monsoon: Dedicated to restoring infrastructure and rehabilitating affected populations. The SOP, however, is only recommendatory in nature and has not been adopted in a uniform manner. As a result, the efforts of ULBs have been fragmented. There is also an overall lack of uptake for mechanisms that appropriately address the urban governance issues emerging during the monsoon season.
What can urban local bodies do better?
Each year, after heavy downpours, seemingly well-equipped cities, including those that are at the forefront of the smart city initiative, come to a complete standstill. Garbage clogs drains due to inefficient waste management practices. Often, it leads to health hazards.
To address these challenges, one must identify the vulnerabilities of existing urban infrastructure and systems. Creating a decentralised model for risk mitigation and management has historically proved to be more efficient than undertaking macro-level initiatives for larger areas. Any urban action plan should be responsive to the specific needs of vulnerable groups, and information should also be adequately disseminated to such groups to raise awareness.
The Odisha Government's urban flood and water management action plan for ULBs is one such example of a preventive, preparatory and response strategy. The Housing and Urban Development Department has ordered the identification of hotspots with a high propensity of waterlogging and has deployed necessary equipment for appropriate emergency responses in such areas. Another key feature of the plan includes inspecting and desilting drainage systems, while covering open drains to prevent blockages. As per the plan, authorities have been given the task to designate certain public buildings as emergency shelters with requisite food, water and sanitation facilities, particularly for vulnerable groups. Officers were appointed at the zonal level to oversee emergency responses in their respective areas, and ULBs have been required to maintain 24/7 control rooms for addressing public grievances.
Focussing on health management, the plan also includes larvicide spraying and regular fogging to prevent infections caused by the breeding of mosquitoes in stagnant water. Notably, the plan emphasises the need for community involvement through the participation of local volunteers and self-help groups.
For ULBs to discharge these functions effectively, there is a need for fiscal decentralisation and concomitant optimisation of revenue streams within local self-governments. Since the utilisation of funds remains a pressing issue, local bodies should formulate medium-term fiscal plans with clear budgeting and timelines to ensure that available resources are utilised towards carrying out civic work. This will enable such bodies to estimate their financing requirements and thus improve the quality of infrastructure and services. These budgeting exercises may be tracked through finance management systems and robust auditing mechanisms to monitor disbursals and promote transparency.
While the Centre may provide phased support to prevent urban flooding through schematic interventions, the responsibility of employing monsoon flooding mitigation measures is largely on ULBs and states. To effectively discharge this function, suitable budgetary allocations should be made at the very outset.
Key features from Odisha's monsoon preparedness and response action plan may be suitably emulated in other states. For instance, drain cleaning and desilting operations may be pre-emptively undertaken in the areas that are historically most susceptible to waterlogging. Encroachments should also be removed for the efficient movement of stormwater.
During the season, necessary equipment, such as to remove fallen trees, may be kept on standby to prevent traffic disturbances. Existing SOPs and guidelines on urban flooding should be operationalised through better inter-departmental coordination within state governments and ULBs.
The sponge city urban planning model, as implemented in China, could be considered at a broader level by strengthening green infrastructure like parks, wetlands and permeable pavements. Though radical, moving away from 'draining' to 'soaking' may serve as a long-term sustainable solution, which could ultimately improve the health of our waterways and ecosystems. Community engagement and consultation should lie at the heart of these action plans to foster a sense of ownership and responsibility.
The writers are Senior Resident Fellows at Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy