Tackling NE’s Perennial Flood Problem

India’s vulnerabilities in disaster management have yet again been exposed, as within weeks of the arrival of the monsoon season, floods across the country have claimed 85 lives and affected over 30.83 lakh people, along with submerging 3,154 villages and damaging 49,014 hectares of cropland. It is quite perplexing that despite 329 lakh hectares of land being prone to floods, and on average 75 lakh hectares of land being affected every year, floods in India have not yet been declared a national calamity. As a result, it has become a recurring problem, which continues to impose huge financial burdens on the affected states. It is high time for the Centre to step in and take measures to prevent the loss of lives and property. In this context, it must be stated that the argument that foreign tourists would stop visiting the country if floods were declared a national problem is unlikely. All over the country, river embankments should be strengthened, and timely maintenance should be ensured. Simultaneously, trees should be planted along riversides, not only for beautification purposes but also to prevent soil erosion. Moreover, several reservoirs should be built to store excess water for use during the dry season. Rain harvesting should be encouraged in every nook and corner of the country. It is pertinent that steps are taken to minimise the impact of floods on vulnerable areas. 

Due to its geographical location, much of the Northeastern region is prone to flooding. Every year, the region suffers heavily due to floods, and their impact cannot be ascertained solely by statistics. Every year, travel within the Northeast gets heavily restricted due to floods and landslides prevalent during monsoons. With roads, bridges, and railway tracks getting destroyed with unfailing regularity every year, investors drop the region from their lists when they plan to make new investments in the country, and unemployment continues to rise alarmingly in the region. Thus, taming the Brahmaputra and other major rivers in the region should be a top priority.

As anticipated, this year again Assam has been severely hit by floods; 1.8 lakh people have thus far been affected. The situation in Assam clearly proves that schemes announced over the years to prevent flooding have not been implemented. Moreover, poor maintenance of the five-thousand-kilometre-long embankment in the state has largely contributed to the flood fury. Twenty-eight districts in the state are presently submerged out of a total of 35 districts, causing enormous hardships not only to the populace but to wildlife as well. The world-famous Kaziranga National Park (KNP) is facing the worst deluge in decades, where 174 animals have so far been killed, including 10 one-horned rhinos. Hence, finding a solution to this perennial problem is of utmost importance to protect this beautiful and strategic region of the country from destruction.