Context
Concerns over unauthorised construction on floodplains, which reduces rivers' capacity to contain a lot of water within their banks, have been rekindled in the wake of the most recent Yamuna floods in the nation's capital.

The Critical Need for Flood Management  
• Flood Frequency and Intensity: Recent tragedies in Pakistan, Himachal Pradesh, and metropolitan regions of India are just a few examples of how climate change is posing a significant threat to floods globally.
• Urban vulnerability: India's cities are particularly at risk from uncontrolled urban growth, and the country has around 40 million hectares of flood-prone territory, or about 12% of its total land area.
• Disaster management strategy: India's current legal framework for disaster management is insufficient to face the anticipated threats connected with floods, highlighting the need for a change in strategy.
 
Flood Protection to Risk Management Transition 
• International Strategy Shift: In countries like Germany, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands, the emphasis has switched from flood protection to flood risk management, prioritising water retention and floodplain restoration over technical solutions like dikes and flood defence walls.
• River Capacity Restrictions: In India, encroachments on floodplains, as seen in Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand, exacerbate flooding by lowering river capacity during periods of heavy rain.
• Illegal mining: Despite legislative restrictions and studies of its effects on the environment, illegal mining and development nonetheless take place in some places.

What Political Will and Ecosystem Preservation Mean  
• Ecosystems as Natural Barriers: The German Federal Water Act illustrates how safeguarding ecosystems, such as wetlands, forests, lakes, and coastal areas, can serve as a natural defence against floods and other natural calamities.
• The need for an Integrated Framework: An Integrated Framework for Climate Change Adaptation must take into account land use, water body preservation, coastal limits, and environmental impact assessment regulations.
• Cooperation and Support: Strong political will is required to establish such a framework, especially in the face of populist leaders who may reject "green" policies, putting infrastructure, lives, and livelihoods in peril.

LTX Mains Question
Q. The critical need for flood management in India highlights the danger of climate change-induced rainfall and encroachments on floodplains. Consider the role that maintaining ecosystems plays and the importance of political will in addressing this issue.