Hyderabad|India|:Chief Minister Dr. Y.S.Rajasekahra Reddy said that an effective management of water resources, created by abundant rainfall and a fool-proof system of disaster management in Andhra Pradesh had resulted in successfully driving away droughts in the last 41/2 years.

The Chief Minister said that Andhra Pradesh had emerged as a role-model State for its disaster management system to prevent human loss and contain suffering of poor living in low lying areas and in coastal belt.

He was reviewing the disaster management preparedness of the state administration with officials and his cabinet colleagues on Sunday in the backdrop of the continuous heavy rainfall in the state under the influence of the low pressure in Bay of Bengal.

"Thanks to our continuous monitoring, vigil and preparedness in stocking food, medicine and other relief material that the human loss and damage to properties and livestock has been contained in the recent rain soaked districts including the state capital" said the Chief Minister. He praised the officials of the Disaster Management for their effective monitoring and relief & rehabilitation operations in the last two months when the State received heavy downpour.

"Thanks to grace of Lord Varuna that there has been no sign of drought during last 41/2 years as against the seven years of acute drought during 9 years or previous regime in the state" said the chief Minister. Not only has the State emerged a leader in best use of water resources but also achieved record grains production of 198 lakh metric tonnes and for the first time agriculture sector in A.P has registered a double-digit growth rate in the last year. Also in the first quarter of current financial year too we are way ahead in the country compared to other states as far as agriculture growth is concerned.

The Chief Minister would release book entitled 'National Disaster Management Guidelines for Management of Cyclones' prepared by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on September 24th.

Comprehensive guidelines have been prepared by the NDMA to provide institutional and coordination mechanisms for effective disaster management at the national, State and the district levels in the backdrop of The Disaster Management Act, 2005. Under the mandate of the Act, a multi-tiered institutional system has been created upto the district level to promote a relief-centric approach to a more pro-active, holistic and integrated approach of strengthening disaster preparedness, mitigation and emergency response.

The book compiled by the NDMA after series of consultations with government agencies, academicians, professionals, multilateral and humanitarian agencies and corporate sector highlighted the need for an integrated and well-coordinated strategy to reach relief and rehabilitation initiatives even to the last person affected by cyclones, heavy rains and stormy tides.

The Commissioner, Disaster Management Mr.Dinesh Kumar today briefed the Chief Minister Dr.Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy at camp office on the salient features of the Disaster Management guidelines prepared by the NDMA. They are a) early warning systems of cyclones, b) structural measures for preparedness and mitigation, c) cyclone shelters, buildings, road links, d) communication and power transmission network etc., e) Management of coastal zones; f) awareness generation related to cyclone disaster management; g) Disaster Risk Management issues, analysis, studies of various types, h) hazard-zonation mapping and data generation, i) use of GIS tools etc., j) Cyclone Disaster Management related response.

The guidelines were aimed at enhancing national, state and local scale advocacy partnerships and knowledge management for mainstreaming disaster risk reduction and standardizing hazard risk management tools, methodologies and practices.

Vice Chairman, NDMA, Gen.N.C.Vij, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM (Retd.); Member, NDMA, Mr.M.Shashidhar Reddy (MLA); Minister for Revenue Mr.D.Prasada Rao and Commissioner, Disaster Management Mr.Dinesh Kumar will participate in the book release event on September 24.

The Chief Minister noted that A.P has 1000 k.m coastline which is largest in India. He said that along the 7500 km coast line of the country, the tropical cyclones ( 20 of the 23 major cyclones ) had disastrously impacted on east coast causing human loss and destruction of property. There were 13 coastal states and UT's with 84 coastal districts affected by tropical cyclones with an affected population of ten million people.

These guidelines call for a participatory approach to strengthen the national vision of moving towards a more pro-active pre-disaster preparedness and mitigation- centric approach. These contain all the details that are required and will help in preparation of plans by the State. A National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project of Rs.1600 crore is in the process of finalisation covering all the 13 coastal states/UTs.

He said Andhra Pradesh had set a roadmap of early warning systems and mechanisms against cyclones and Tsunami's on the east coast with the latest technology and state of the art equipments at the INCOIS ( Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services) for advance warning and information systems on Tsunamis and Cyclones at Hyderabad.