The floods in different parts of the country do not draw as much attention as they should. But floods in north Gujarat have, thankfully, drawn enough attention at the highest level and thus deserve to be analysed from the perspective of ‘what next’.
As is well known that apart from the loss of human life, hundreds of livestock, if not thousands have perished. Those who have gone to provide relief services inform the stinking nature of carcasses lying around in many places. If these carcasses are not buried in the ground, they might become an important source of spreading infections and also polluting underground or surface drinking water sources. NSS and other volunteers need to be mobilised urgently to help the district administration in this task.
Massive use of gamaxin for sanitation purpose is not advised due to its well-documented adverse effect on liver and neurological pathways. We need to use safer alternatives. Awareness has to be spread about safer herbal and other alternatives.
It is extremely important that we also realise the merit of what Dr Swaminathan advised in 1973. He advocated the development of good weather code just like we have a famine code. Do we have a strategy if too much water is available due to excessive rains or dam bursts? Can we anticipate such events if not accurately, at least in probabilistic terms? Can that help in planning massive public water recharge works, desiltation works and other such activities, which can help overcome the declining groundwater table problem.
We need a comprehensive strategy for rehabilitation, nursing and rejuvenation of socio-ecologicial system after disaster. We need to learn from the after effects of previous floods. It is creditable that state could provide relief very fast. Many civil society agencies/groups and individuals like K V Patel tried to mobilise youth to provide tea to communities and relief to workers.
What we need to worry about: Seed stock with most farmers could be damaged. We need to provide seeds of crops that can be grown on residual moisture in coming months in rabi season. Similarly, animal health is needs attention because of the stress they have gone through. Farmers who lost their precious cattle may need to be compensated. The sudden burst of dam in Rajasthan without warning needs to be avoided in future. The post flood increase in diahorrea cases needs to be anticipated and attended to.
The loss of employment of labourers needs attention and massive employment programmes need to be started for public sanitation, carcass burial, cleaning of drainage, sanitation, desilting of tanks, water channels, and upkeep of other common property resources.
Animal camps, fodder camps, and seed camps are urgently needed. We should also recognise human health implication of unbalanced food that will become norms for many months due to disruptions in food supply chains. Advance release of food items under the Food Security Act is urgently needed.
Schools have been damaged, so are stationery and books. We need to provide supplements for books and stationery to restart the schools. Lot of other infrastructure needs repairs. NSS camps need to be arranged in the region to make a comprehensive map of unmet social needs, resources that need repairs, or rehabilitation. Loans will need to be rescheduled and rehabilitation funds will have to be arranged.
Will be happy to hear from others so that we can help the affected communities recover fast. Honey Bee network empathises with all those who suffered and are willing to join hands in rehabilitation process.