The government would now have to give a written commitment to the court that it will start releasing water when the reservoir level reaches 340 feet and facilitate for the dam authorities to access data collected from Madhya Pradesh.

Even senior officials of the Central Water Commission maintained that the flood could have been prevented, if they dam authorities had taken note of information they had provided about the heavy rains in Tapi catchment areas.

Claiming that it was he who had provided the inputs to the social worker for filing the PIL, dam expert Desai said, though Narmada is in spate, Surtis can sleep well. Even if there is heavy rainfall in Tapi's catchment areas, water-level at Ukai can be regulated with advance information system and wireless stations all along catchment areas.

Though there has been heavy rainfall in Madhya Pradesh, Tapi's catchment areas, present Ukai reservoir level is at 334 feet, 11 feet below the danger mark.

Surat Municipal Commissioner G P Mohapatra who had ``fully geared up the civic body to tackle floods'' however said,``Though we are fully prepared, I will be happy that if our flood preparedness is not tested,'' replying to a question about the disaster management plan drawn up the SMC.

Mohapatra, who is in constant touch with the Dam authorities said, ``There is nothing alarming as of now.''

After being roundly criticised for poor co-odination, civic authorities and district authorities were ``better prepared '' this time around. ``Last year the entire machinery had collapsed'', recalled former mayor Kadir Pirzada.

Though the embankment wall could not be completed, the SMC prepared detailed maps of the city, co-relating the water level at Hope bridge to areas likely to go underwater. Its disaster management plan also contained detailed information about the areas to be evacuated and where the resident may be moved.