Developmentalists vs protectionists conflict on
*Worst flood in “living memory” of Bihar: UN
Development at what cost? – is a fundamental question, over which debates have been going on for ages. But development has been taking place toeing the basic human demands – roti, kapda aur makan, but without bothering at its damaging effects!
Pointing out that mindless destruction of environment in the name of development is the outcome of massive damages caused by floods during 2017, Rajiv Gandhi University geography (HoD) Dr Nishamani Kar said that such destructions are nothing new. He cited the example of 1987 Bihar flood, one of its worst floods till then, occurred due to overflow of Koshi River to claim lives of 1,399 humans, 302 animals and public property worth Rs 68 billion. Massive developments took place during 1947 to 2017 and none could escape its impacts, he said, adding recent massive flood and damages caused were its outcome.
When asked if the impacts this year were not unbelievable and never seen in the past by citing the example of Bihar where train lines were hanging in air and the ground was washed away by torrential rains, he quipped why do you forget about such destruction in Tamil Nadu in December 2015?
The 2007 Bihar flood, which started in August last, was described by the United Nations as the worst flood in the “living memory”. It is believed to be the worst flood in Bihar in the last 30 years. Death toll has reached 418 while 1.7 crore affected.
Massive floods in NE north Bihar and West Bengal have forced railways to cancel and divert nearly 800 trains causing a revenue loss of Rs 80 crore in last 10 days, said a senior Railway Board (RB) official on August 18 last.
Calling floods this time as “unprecedented”, RB member (Traffic) Md Jamshed said tracks in parts of NE region are totally under water and entry to Northeast Frontier Railway is completely stopped.
According to RB, 445 trains were cancelled, 151 partially cancelled and 4 diverted in NFR while 66 trains were cancelled, 105 partially cancelled and 28 diverted in East Central Railways between August 10-18.
The cancellation of trains has caused a loss of Rs 80 crore with Rs 65 crore commercial loss due to the cancellation of passenger and freight services and Rs 15 crore as track repair damage.
“We are taking stock of the situation regularly and water level in some areas is still high but has started to recede. We will be able to access the exact damage after water receded,” Jamshed added.
“Catch the development flight, lest you repent!”, I wrote on 03.03.08, stating that: “In 1950, Assam (which included Arunachal Pradesh), NE India’s largest state, was more than 4% richer than the rest of India. Isolated and often ignored, by 1999 it was more than 45% poorer, with the gap steadily widening”. It is unbelievable but true, according to a United Nations report.
Chowkham or Chongkham in present Namsai district was the richest village in Asia during that period which holds a clue as to why Assam was so affluent then. Where does that village stands in development today?
It would not be out place to mention here that global warming has been posing a serious threat to the Mother Earth and human existence for which it has been the most debated topic among scientists, developmentalists, environmentalist and so on across the world.
The rise in mean global temperature unlike rise in my son’s body temperature is not caused by any bacteria or virus, but Green House Gases (GHGs). Over the past century mean global temperature has increased between 0.3 degree Celsius and 0.6 degree Celsius and now it is raising rapidly anything between 1 degree to 3.5 degree Celsius, as I wrote in this column on 11.07.06.
The climatic condition of this beautiful Capital Complex has undergone a sea change during the last few decades. Massive deforestation, earth cutting, massive landslides, shifting cultivation etc. have disturbed the ecosystem. Moreover, costly waste management system at Chimpu is defunct and the waste are burnt. All these are contributing to global warming though not visible to naked eyes. Cherapunji once had the distinction of receiving the highest rainfall in the world, but its residents are facing water crisis today. Who are to be blamed?
Earth scientists have warned that dumping of huge quantities of industrial waste and garbage into ocean should be prohibited. For, the oceans are the biggest storehouse of carbonated minerals and the dumping could result in large scale chemical reaction. This in turn would release huge quantities of carbon-dioxide and water vapor which would form an impenetrable greenhouse blanket around the earth. The resultant abnormal rise in temperature will wipe out every living cell from the face of the earth forcing it to go back to the ice-age again, it is feared.
The process could be reversed only if the mankind cares for the Mother Earth, stop wanton destruction of forest, consume less fossil fuel and adopt mechanism for waste management. The sooner a golden mean between the development-triggered destruction and conservation is struck the better.
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