Facing the Nature's Wrath

Our mythology makes several references to ‘Pralaya’ or the deluge which would swallow the entire universe. The recent devastating floods in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh besides parts of Maharashtra and Goa appeared to be a trailer of that. Some of the television shots reminded one of the Biblical Noah’s Arc, carrying human beings and animal species.

The depression over the Bay of Bengal triggering the rains unprecedented in almost a century was beyond any Government’s control. It was a natural disaster, nay calamity, nay catastrophe. But could the immense losses to human and animal life and property have been reduced is the million dollar question. One does not wish to cast any aspersions on any Government – the BJP in Karnataka or the Congress in Andhra Pradesh but once the water recedes and life returns to normal, one must take into account these factors lest there be a repetition next year around. If it was due to climate change on account of global warming, nature’s fury will unleash once again but we cannot afford to lose our people and their properties. Already over 200 people have been killed and property worth thousands of crores devastated. Lakhs have been rendered homeless and livelihoods of millions have been snatched away.

Janata Dal (Secular) Supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda has alleged that the Karnataka Government did not act despite the warnings given by the Meteorological department a week back. Was that the case? If so, why we remain unprepared despite the existence of agencies to manage natural disasters, established in the aftermath of earthquakes and Tsunamis in the past? Or are these organizations only on paper with their only job being to insert some awareness advertisements in the newspapers and organize some mock drills for the media?

The previous NDA Government had embarked on an ambitious programme for inter-linking of rivers, which was touted as the ultimate panacea for the recurring floods and droughts which occur simultaneously over the Indian subcontinent. MoUs for a couple of such projects were signed even during the initial years of the previous UPA regime. But after Rahul Gandhi’s statement describing it as an environmental disaster, Ministers are unwilling to even touch the idea with a fork.

The need of the hour is to examine the proposal comprehensively by experts including some from abroad, if necessary, so that a long-term solution can be found to these recurring floods which destroy within days all the good work done over the decades.

Desilting of rivers, canals and other storage spots, creation of a strong drainage and sewerage system in the small towns and rural areas, afforestation etc are some of the measures that can be regularly undertaken to minimize the impact of such floods.

A flood insurance scheme, which would ensure that the affected persons are able to gather the lost threads of their lives without much difficulty, is something that both the Centre and the states should ponder over.

However, at the moment, the utmost priority should be to rehabilitate the affected people and provide maximum relief to them and for once, let there be no politics over it. Let us stand as one man and face it.