6. Flood and Drought Management in India – Mult-disciplinary Issues for Public Awareness and Community Participation

This article underlines some important facts, generally missed while discussing vital subjects of floods and droughts. India would have to lay serious attention towards fast emerging crises in water related arena and adopt strategies to ensure integrated water management; not only for the sustenance of built environment, economic propserity but also to moderate the recurring phenomenon of floods and droughts. Important multi-disciplinary facts for public awareness are presented so as to aim management of floods and droughts on scientific lines; while suppressing the street fights, generally activated by self acclaimed environmentalists and novelists. The paper also suggests that prominent professional societies can act as multi-disciplinary fora for national and regional debates, analysis and framing of action plans on water related matters by utilizing their infrastructure, professional expertise, library, publications and documentation services.