Disaster Management heavily depends on inputs from Science and Technology. KSNDMC has been serving as a common platform to the various response players in the field of Natural Disaster Management by providing timely proactive Science and Technology inputs.

Karnataka has been experiencing weather related natural hazards consecutively every year since 2001. The total estimated loss due to these natural hazards, as per the CRF headlines is about 29,000 Crores. The management of weather related natural hazards requires Forecasting, Monitoring, Early Warning, Early Recognition and providing Advisories to the response players-Governance & Community towards preparedness and mitigation measures.

Karnataka State has the distinction of being first in the country to establish a Drought Monitoring Cell (DMC) in 1988 as an institutional mechanism affiliated to Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of Karnataka.

Subsequently in 2007, the DMC was renamed as Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) and the activities were broadened to also include monitoring of other natural disasters viz., Floods, Hailstorms, Gale-Winds, Storm-surges, Earthquakes, Landslides, Tsunamis etc.

KSNDMC has established Master Control Facilities in its own land of 10 acres for which activities are taken up in providing Alerts/Early Warnings/Forecast/Advisories to the farmers, fishermen, Governance and others in the State along with information dissemination for real time data towards providing Near Real Time Alerts/Early Warning/Advisories to the Community.

KSNDMC has been a “Nodal Agency” identified by the Government for taking up monitoring activities pertaining to all Natural Disasters in the State.

Governing Body of KSNDMC is headed by the Chief Secretary, GoK and Principal Secretary to Govt., Dept of Revenue (DM) is also one of the Vice Presidents – Members comprising the Secretary to Govt., Dept of Revenue (Disaster Management) and other line departments and Scientific organizations.

Executive Committee of KSNDMC is Chaired by Principal Secretary to Govt., Dept., of Revenue (DM) – Members from line Depts., and Scientific Organizations.

KSNDMC provides inputs to line departments like Dept. of Revenue, Agriculture, Horticulture, Water Resources, Watershed Development Department, Fisheries, RDPR and Department of Energy, GoK.

KSNDMC provides inputs to the Farming Community, Agriculture and Horticulture based sector, Fisherman, Transport sector, Power and Electricity sector, State and District level Disaster Management Authorities in Karnataka. Besides, the information is being shared with the knowledge centres like State Universities, Research Centres and National Institutes like ISRO, IMD, CMMACS etc.

KSNDMC uses the state-of-the-art technology, software, web-enabled application in the Master Control Facility for monitoring the Natural Disasters and is unique in the Country. The Centre has been providing meso-scale weather forecast at Hobli level, early warning, alerts and scientific reports for management of Natural Disasters in Karnataka.

KSNDMC prepares and disseminates Reports on Daily/Weekly/ Monthly/Seasonal and Annual at Hobli level and also provides Rainfall and Weather information at Gramapanchayath level. The customized information is disseminated through SMS, email, Web Portal, Social Network & Social Media. The reports and information in the form of Advisories are provided to the Community in general and to the Farmers in particular through the 24x7 Help Desk named Varuna Mitra.