Stress on changing governance system

Science and governance are key to developing Kerala into a State that shows true resilience, C.T.S. Nair, forestry expert and former executive vice president, Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, has said.

Making a presentation on ‘Developing a resilient society: The environmental dimension’ at an international conference on ‘Thoughts and ideas for a resilient Kerala’ here on Thursday, Mr. Nair said such an endeavour would require major changes in the system of governance.

It would also need emphasis on accountability, transparency, efficiency and participation. A significant share of the problems faced by the State stemmed from an outdated governance system. Many institutions needed a thorough revamp, he said.

Mr. Nair underscored the need to equip the State to deal with major calamities. In recent years, climate change had triggered an increase in frequency, scale and intensity of disasters, he said.

“Disasters on a much smaller scale have been occurring on a regular basis and we have been coping reasonably well. However, disasters of the scale we have witnessed recently strain our capacity to cope,” he said. He also drew attention to the fact that most environmental issues were linked to land-use changes.

The State should enhance the disaster adaptability of its existing infrastructure, Saji Gopinath, director, IIITM-K, said, making a presentation on the infrastructure aspects of the post-flood Rebuild Kerala initiative. The first question is, how do we build an infrastructure network that is resilient towards present-day disasters and, at the same time, can withstand the demands of a changing scenario. Secondly, how can we minimise the lifetime carbon footprints in infrastructure development, he said.

It was essential to map potential disasters and the risks they posed to infrastructure. Furthermore, it was also important to develop strategies for addressing those risks, Mr. Gopinath said.

Michael Tharakan, director, Kerala Council for Historical Research (KCHR), and poet Satchidanandan, respectively, spoke on the livelihood and cultural aspects of the topic.