People's Democracy

EDITORIAL

Worsening Flood Situation

WITH this year’s monsoon, floods have again affected many states. Assam, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh have suffered most severely from the ravages of the floods this time. Parts of North Bengal, Kerala and Karnataka have also suffered. 

The flood situation in Assam has still been grim and worsening. More than one crore people have been affected by floods and erosions. Even, according to official bulletin, the ravaging floods has affected 90 lakh people in 26 districts of the state. The death toll has gone up to 68. In the capital city of Guwahati alone, land slides due to heavy rain and artificial deluge killed more than 15 people. Lakhs of people have been rendered homeless and around 21 lakh hectares of land, including 6 lakh hectres of crop land has been submerged. Property worth crores of rupees has been damaged. The floods have washed away national highways, bridges, culverts, network of embankments etc.

The flood situation in Bihar is also grim and worsening. Over one crore people have been affected by flood in North Bihar. The entire North Bihar districts are under water. The death toll has gone up to more than 100. In Samastipur alone, 25 people died. The prices of essential commodities are going up. Many thousands of cattle died in the devastating floods. 

The flood situation in Arunachal Pradesh is worsening due to second wave of floods affecting more than a lakh people. Many districts are under water. 

Lakhs of people are waging a grim struggle against hunger and water-borne diseases in relief camps, makeshift shelters and marooned areas in the north eastern states and Bihar. Thousands and thousands of people are languishing either in relief camps or in inaccessible areas without food, medicines, safe drinking water, baby foods, fodder for livestock etc. The threat of epidemics looms large over the flood-affected areas. Prices of essential commodities are soaring high due to the artificial shortage created by unscrupulous traders. 

The relief and rescue operations in all these three states are completely inadequate. Some relief has been announced by the central government from the National Calamity Relief Fund. But they are totally inadequate to deal with the magnitude of the problem.

The losses on account of natural calamities have been on the increase decade after decade. The recurring floods have made serious ecological changes in many parts of the country, particularly in north eastern states. Erosion is taking place at an alarming level and vast extent of land is made unsuitable for cultivation. Every flood or drought is making its impact on the ecology and if appropriate remedial measures are not taken, the intensity of the adverse effects will increase year by year. This is happening in India.

The central and state governments should take both short term and long term measures to overcome the present devastation. Immediate measures include providing food, kerosene, safe drinking water, preventive and curative medicines, baby foods and fodder. Money and building materials for repairing and construction of houses to the flood-affected people should be provided. The government also should take immediate steps for restoration of road, rail and communication systems. The long term measures include implementing an integrated system of efficient management of the land and water resources, taking remedial measures to counter the adverse ecological effects, control of soil erosion etc. 

The prime minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, during his visit to the flood-affected areas in Assam, has announced the setting up of a Task Force which would recommend to the central government ways to solve the recurring floods problem. It is important to see that this step yields results both in terms of practical measures to cope with the problem of floods and for the government to take up the recommendations seriously for implementation. 

In the meantime, the central government will have to ensure that Assam and Bihar are provided adequate funds to deal with the aftermath of the flood havoc.