Chennai, Aug 1:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has constituted a seven-membet Expert Advisory Committee to monitor and assess the potential impacts of strong El Nino on a scientific basis.
A Government Order (GO) issued to this effect said the panel headed by the Additional Chief Secretary/Commissioner of Revenue Administration and State Relief Commissioner and comprising experts with specialised experience in the areas of climate change, disaster management, environment, coastal resource management, urban infrastructure etc., experts from Anna University and IIT-Madras and a private weather blogger, would study the impacts and take appropriate precautionary and disaster management measures.
It would also provide advise to the Tamil Nadu Disaster Risk Reduction Agency (TNDRRA) on the steps to be taken by the government to address the challenges posed by the strong El Nino.
The Advisory Committee was formed since there was a high probability of a severe El Nino event developing this year. Consequently, the Southwest Monsoon rainfall could be below normal, potentially affecting water inflow in the Cauvery River and irrigation facilities.
Furthermore, extreme weather events, including heavy rainfall and flooding are anticipated during the Northeast monsoon season, the GO said.
The members of the committee included Prof S.Kannan of Anna University, Dr Balaji Narasimhan of IIT-Madras, Dr.Arivudai Nambi Appadurai from TN Governing Council on Climate Change, Prof.Dr.Ramesh Ramachandran–Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company Advisor–Dr.R.Venkatesan, member of the State Environmental Appraisal Committee and Technical Expert member of Coastal Regulation Zone, Dr J K Patterson Edward of Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute and R Pradeep John of Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited, also a private weather blogger.
The Terms of reference of the Committee included monitoring the rainfall and drought situation, identify vulnerable areas and advice regarding Early Warning Systems in the TNDRRA. It would also advise on the Drought and Flood mitigation measures in vulnerable areas to ensure adequate preparedness in time to face any kind of disaster.