Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Coping with disaster

Nature’s fury has created unprecedented destruction in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, leading to a huge loss of lives and property. The displacement caused by the floods year after year has raised serious questions on the efficiency of our disaster management system and the utilisation of funds by the Centre and the State governments to tackle the consequences of the recurring calamity.

It is unfortunate that the project of interlinking rivers, envisaged as an important mechanism to tackle drought and contain floods, has received little attention. The government must rethink its strategy of compensating people after a disaster occurs.

Syed Khaja,

New Delhi

Natural disasters are, no doubt, beyond human control. But they occur every year and crores of rupees are pumped in for relief and rehabilitation. Why were preventive steps not taken in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka? Efforts should be made in flood prone areas to divert water and store it.

The water which wastefully drains into the sea is enough to take care of our drinking water and agrarian needs. The huge amount spent after calamities strike can be used better for disaster management and to minimise suffering.

G. Ramachandran,

Thiruvananthapuram

Every year, we experience some natural calamity but we have no strategy to mitigate its effects. Places surrounding the flood-hit areas experience drought as the result of monsoon failure and we watch helplessly.

Such environmental imbalance should make us look at interlinking rivers more seriously. Dealing with such imbalances needs a lot of foresightedness and that is what we expect from our political class.

T. Arun Kumar,

Chennai

We should gear up the official machinery and ensure that flood victims get basic amenities such as drinking water, medicine, and food. The immediate task is to dispose of the bodies and carcasses to check the spread of disease. Political parties should set aside their differences and rise to the task of relief and rehabilitation. The authorities should be encouraged — not criticised —to provide better service. We should remember that floods are a natural phenomenon.

R. Appanna,

Srikakulam

We can surely manage floods, cyclones and drought with concerted efforts by the governments at the Centre and the States. The Meteorological Department should provide near-accurate predictions on the extent of rainfall and the trajectory of a cyclone, at least a few days in advance. The irrigation department and disaster management groups should do everything to avoid flooding along river basins by regulating the release of water from dams, reservoirs, etc.

As a long-term measure, an adequate number of check dams should be built and the existing lakes revived. When we spend money on locating water on the Moon, what prevents us from diverting surplus water from one region to drought-hit areas?

Thangam Chelladurai,

Nagercoil

Interlinking of rivers is, of course, a larger issue. But will it not help avoid the damage caused by floods in one area and drought in another?

It will also help in saving the enormous amount spent on relief and rehabilitation and make all parts of the nation fertile.

N.E. Appasamy,

Coimbatore

A heartening factor amid the devastation is the attitude of people, who are coming forward in large numbers to extend a helping hand. The media have played a vital role in bringing the issue to centre stage, and encouraging the masses to participate in the rescue operations. The need of the hour is to evolve a sound strategy to mitigate the effects of such calamities by effective water management.

Prathibha Amand,

Hyderabad

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