How to face flood disasters

Judging from all available information and data on meteorological changes, it can be predicted that frequency, intensity and severity of floods will increase in Bangladesh in future. It is indeed certain that whenever any natural disaster strikes, it affects the whole community. But the rich can recover their losses in their personal capacities or by exercising their social or state power.  Taking this into consideration, we should give utmost attention to the poor community.
An impact study on floods in 1998 revealed that 62 per cent of all microfinance clients had lost their homes, nearly a half had lost their household belongings and over 75 per cent had lost their income generation scopes. In the last two decades, different agencies experimented with several types of preparedness activities at the community level to reduce the damages caused by floods. Most of the preparedness initiatives at the community level were not newly-thought-out ones. The people living in the areas prone to natural disasters developed some techniques and mechanisms on their own. The wisdom of families who experienced natural calamities and some interventions known as popular science were used in reducing damages, vulnerabilities and the risks of disasters. Yet, it can be said that all kinds of initiatives taken by the government and non-government agencies to combat floods are increasing day by day in this country. Nevertheless, any permanent way out from the severity of a deluge remains beyond our dream.
There are three schools of thought about how to face flood disasters. First, combating floods with the aim of food security. Second, living with floods. Third, reduction of the damage to lives and assets caused by floods.  
THE FIRST OPTION: Measures like construction of dam, barrage and other infrastructure can protect settlements as well as agricultural land which will ensure livelihood of the people as well as food security. But, riverine Bangladesh, criss-crossed by thousands of rivers and canals, cannot be fenced off by dams. It is feasible neither in the physical aspect nor in its economic aspect.  This initiative can create other problems like water-logging. In 1960's, the then government implemented the coastal embankment project (CEP). Altogether 4,000 kilometres of high embankments with 780 sluice gates were built under the project. The CEP resulted in a sudden increase in rice production in the region. Farmers were able to harvest two or even three bumper crops a year. But the temporary drainage congestion, which first appeared in 1982, gradually turned into a permanent problem of water-logging and it increased to such an extent that by 1990 an area of 100,600 hectares was permanently water-logged.
Ignoring the people's indigenous knowledge, in some cases technology might be unsuccessful to achieve the goal. There are many examples. In 2004, Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) took an initiative to build a soil-made embankment on the western side of the Padma River in Faridpur district. The people soon started expressing their opinions. They said any sort of soil-made embankment would not protect the riverbank and the dam would not be durable.  But the BWDB started the construction work in mid-June and expended up to Tk 200 million. Unfortunately, the embankment had broken down within a month of construction.
In order to prevent intrusion of flood water, Bangladesh Water Development Board, Dhaka Water Supply Authority and Dhaka City Corporation implemented the "Integrated Flood Control Project" at a cost of Tk 3,500 million. But in 1998, 74 wards (administrative zones of the city corporation) had been flooded out of 90 in Dhaka city. (Annual Disaster Report, Disaster Forum 1998)
Due to over siltation riverbeds are gradually or rapidly uplifting and the dams built on the banks of rivers lose their effectiveness.
THE SECOND OPTION: Followers of the second school of thought believe that all sorts of controls on nature by human beings should be stopped and the nature should be left undisturbed. The rivers should follow their own courses, keeping the plain land on two sides unaffected. It is very important to note that the formation stage of Bengal delta has not yet been completed and the normal formation process of the delta should not be hampered. Furthermore, production of fish continues as a natural process. In addition, through the natural process ground water refills repeatedly and this can be obstructed in the absence of flood water.
This line of thought is becoming a popular agenda for intellectuals but it does not explain how we can overcome the existing situation, when infrastructural measures have gobbled up the entire flood control mechanism.
THE THIRD OPTION: Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are advocates of the third school of thought. The prime concept of this thought is to reduce the damage to lives and assets caused by floods in order to keep the livelihood of people and development process intact. Though the concept and practice are highly praised by all stakeholders, yet there are some criticisms regarding this school of thought.
Many studies reveal that despite continuing with the preparedness activities to combat flood by a certain community for a long time, the concerned community could not avert the dependence on relief and rehabilitation support during a moderate or low-intensity flood.
Analysing the first school of thought it has been said that as far as the present situation is concerned, the siltation on riverbeds is increasing. As a result, riverbeds are uplifting rapidly. Infrastructure, i.e., dam, embankment etc. on riverbanks are considered as protection measures, adjacent to major district and sub-district towns. Sustainable infrastructure should be constructed on the riverbanks, especially along major district and sub-district towns and market places. And people's participation should be ensured in the planning and maintenance phase. Erosion-hit and landless people will have to be shifted to comparatively safer areas on government-owned land and, if necessary, the land will have to be raised up to the flood level. The Khash land distribution process by the government should be incorporated in the disaster management programme.
To ensure execution of plans in all stages of government and local government, "a standing order for disaster management" needs to be given. Under this order, a contingency plan for upazila and grassroots levels should be developed ensuring people's participation. Besides, short-term and long-term risk reduction action plans should be developed based on the lessons drawn from the grassroots level.
Disaster preparedness activities can reduce the vulnerability of the people of flood-affected areas as well as possible damages caused by normal and moderate floods. But such moves are unable to avert the damage and sufferings caused to the people by prolonged and severe floods. In this context a very valid issue is the vulnerability of the poor and ultra-poor. Relief and rehabilitation work is needed even during a normal flood for the ultra poor people and an appropriate indicator for identification of vulnerability is needed.
The efforts of the NGOs will not be sustainable, if they only continue their livelihood development programme. To reduce the vulnerability, especially of the ultra-poor people, the economic capacity of them needs to be strengthened.
The author is a freelance              consultant on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate              Change & Adaptation. [email protected]