Account for the huge flooding of million cities in India including the smart ones like Hyderabad and Pune. Suggest lasting remedial measures.

Urban flooding is primarily a consequence of anthropogenic activity where in flood water transgresses into the urban or peri-urban areas. 

It has been a common menace worldwide in the 21st century, with Chennai floods of 2015 and the more recent Pune and Hyderabad floods being infamous examples. 

Causes behind Urban flooding:

1. Climate change leading to excessive rainfall
2. Downpour far exceeding city discharge capacity
3. Poor waste management leading to choking of drains
4. Unsustainable city planning without factoring hydrological concerns
5. Destruction of Storage systems like wetlands, lakes due to urbanisation pressure 

Impact of urban flooding:

1. Vector borne and water borne diseases like cholera, dengue etc.
2. Damage to infrastructure- roads, buildings.
3. Disruption of utilities supply like electricity, Broadband etc.
4. Brings economic activities to a pause-impact on national scale.
5. Disruption in transportation, aid and relief.
6. Man-animal conflict- crocodiles entering residential areas during Vadodara floods.

Remedial Measures:

1. Climate resilient infrastructure- SPONGE cities proposed under SENDAI framework.
2. Use of technology for mitigation, adaptation and early warning.
3. Sustainable city planning with adequate emphasis on hydrology, topography and drainage.
4. Wetland reclamation, curtailing Encroachments and limiting building activity in dry seasons.
5. Rainwater harvesting as mandated by MoHUA.

Cities serve as economic engines, contributing to 70% Gross Value Addition. With climate change being a prevalent reality, steps must be taken to adapt, mitigate and build flood resilient cities in accordance with Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and Sendai Framework guidelines.