Yet another ominous threat of flood
Sunday, 9 September 2007
WHILE the government is in the midst of a flood-rehabilitation programme and the people are about to restart their life again in areas devastated by the recent flood, the country is bracing for yet another flood. Most rivers in the northern part of the country are now flowing above the danger level following the heavy downpour for the last few days coupled with onrush of water from the upstream. A vast tract of land in northern and north-eastern districts has again gone under water. According to the flood forecasting centre, the flood situation in the Indian state of Assam has taken a serious turn and the waters of the upstream rivers are likely to cause yet another flood while flowing through this country before falling into the Bay of Bengal. The Jamuna crossed the danger mark at Sirajganj Friday and the Brahmaputra was about to reach above the red mark at Bahadurabad and Chilamari Saturday.
The last flood wrought havoc in more than 38 districts claiming about 1000 lives, displacing tens of thousands of people from their homes and causing extensive damage to standing crops. The agencies concerned are now making assessment of the damage caused to agriculture, roads and embankments, fisheries, livestock and poultry in the flood hit areas. Only recently, following the recession of flood waters, people went back their homes and tried to piece together their shattered life again. And the government and other voluntary organisations are now engaged in extending all possible help to them. What has been the most important task in the flood hit districts is transplantation of Aman rice, the main monsoon crop in this country. The fresh flood has again inundated Aman paddy fields in the greater Rangpur and Sylhet areas. If the fresh flood grips areas further downstream, the possibility is that Aman seedlings transplanted only recently would be damaged, leaving no scope for re-plantation even after the recession of flood waters. That would pose a serious threat to the country's food security.
One cannot but be alarmed by the prospect of a fresh flood. A fresh bout of flood would deal almost a death blow to millions of people who are still licking the wounds inflicted by the last flood. The government might also find itself in a desperate situation in the event of a fresh flood. The last flood has caused enough strains on the government's available resources in the backdrop of poor response from donors to its appeal for assistance. An unexpected late flood would only add to the government's woes and to the sufferings of the common men who are already hit hard by spiralling prices. However, none has control over natural calamities like floods, cyclones, earthquakes etc. The best remedy lies in early preparedness and post-disaster management. There would be no option before the government and others concerned except for getting adequately prepared for the worst and help lessen the sufferings of the people in the flood-hit areas. In the event of fresh flood, private relief efforts in greater volume would be necessary than before because of the gravity of the situation. During the recent flood, such efforts had been, painfully, less than expected.
The last flood wrought havoc in more than 38 districts claiming about 1000 lives, displacing tens of thousands of people from their homes and causing extensive damage to standing crops. The agencies concerned are now making assessment of the damage caused to agriculture, roads and embankments, fisheries, livestock and poultry in the flood hit areas. Only recently, following the recession of flood waters, people went back their homes and tried to piece together their shattered life again. And the government and other voluntary organisations are now engaged in extending all possible help to them. What has been the most important task in the flood hit districts is transplantation of Aman rice, the main monsoon crop in this country. The fresh flood has again inundated Aman paddy fields in the greater Rangpur and Sylhet areas. If the fresh flood grips areas further downstream, the possibility is that Aman seedlings transplanted only recently would be damaged, leaving no scope for re-plantation even after the recession of flood waters. That would pose a serious threat to the country's food security.
One cannot but be alarmed by the prospect of a fresh flood. A fresh bout of flood would deal almost a death blow to millions of people who are still licking the wounds inflicted by the last flood. The government might also find itself in a desperate situation in the event of a fresh flood. The last flood has caused enough strains on the government's available resources in the backdrop of poor response from donors to its appeal for assistance. An unexpected late flood would only add to the government's woes and to the sufferings of the common men who are already hit hard by spiralling prices. However, none has control over natural calamities like floods, cyclones, earthquakes etc. The best remedy lies in early preparedness and post-disaster management. There would be no option before the government and others concerned except for getting adequately prepared for the worst and help lessen the sufferings of the people in the flood-hit areas. In the event of fresh flood, private relief efforts in greater volume would be necessary than before because of the gravity of the situation. During the recent flood, such efforts had been, painfully, less than expected.