Proactive Planning Against Droughts

The paper presents a methodological framework based on the proactive planning approach for combating droughts and the associated water shortages. Three interrelated procedures tailored for each affected system are proposed: (a) the drought severity assessment; (b) the system vulnerability appraisal; and (c) the evaluation of drought risk. This scheme is assisted by the DPSIR methodology for the detailed estimation of drought risk of each affected system. The proposed methodological framework is put into practice through the preparedness and contingency plans against droughts. Further in this paper several technocratic and institutional aspects of these plans are discussed and brief guidelines for devising them are presented. Finally, the involvement of stakeholders and the public is examined in a decentralised decision system for the effective implementation of these plans in real world drought episodes.