The pictures and videos of many dead bodies of infants floating in flood water, dead bodies of women stuck in the mud, and hundreds of thousands of people stuck in the running water without shelter, food, water, and emergency medicines, have shattered my soul deep inside. In Balochistan and Southern Punjab, in most cases, entire cities have drowned, and people have nowhere to go. A hundred thousand people are still at the mercy of an unexceptional rain that wreaked havoc in Pakistan.
We have observed that climate change has become a great threat to the communities of Pakistan, and although we have contributed very little in terms of pollution generation, we are paying a great price in terms of lives, property, infrastructure, and psychological loss. The world should realize it and compensate for the loss we are facing due to uncontrolled pollution generation in the past few decades by the western developed world.
It has been estimated that about one million people are affected just because of floods annually which causes the loss of $2.7 billion. An expert report submitted to the Ministry of Climate \change has indicated the local population has encroached on large areas of approximately 50 percent of Indus flood plans. These encroachments have been made with the encouragement of local politicians. Even roads and electricity installations have been constructed within the flood zone.
Every year we face floods and other natural disasters but unfortunately, we never learn to control and manage floods. For decades, we have debated about larger dams but failed to build smaller dams and water reservoirs, especially in Balochistan which is the most neglected province of Pakistan.
Every calamity exposed poor and ill-prepared infrastructure, and the incapability of disaster management. People of Balochistan, Southern Punjab, and Sindh are equal citizens of this country, as much as any others are, so we must move forward from paper promises and do something real for them before it’s too late.
Protecting forests can also reduce the risk of floods. We need to learn from China asw does the rest of the world: the Yangtze River which is double the length of the Indus River, has been protected by building dikes and dams along the riverside. The dike and dams work simultaneously, the dam stores water and we can control the flow of water while the dike protects the life and properties of residents residing near the river. Reinforcing dikes and dams can increase their stability and resistance against dike breaching.
No doubt climate change and natural disasters are a reality, but we cannot shut our eyes to the criminal negligence of politicians, government policymakers, and the institutions who are responsible for implementing them. There is a lack of coordination and irresponsible behavior among various departments including irrigation, wildlife department, forest department, water and power, and disaster management. As a result, it cost thousands of lives. There must be a judicial commission that enquires into the whole matter, fixes responsibility, identifies the culprits, and punishes them accordingly
It is a matter of great urgency that not only the government and people should contribute but the World Food Program should also provide relief assistance in terms of financial as well as food, shelter, and medicines. Like every time during a natural disaster people should not hang back, but need to move forward in order to help their fellow citizens even though this time the country needs more.
Whatever anyone can contribute should provide tents, flashlights, flood rations including pulse, edible oil, rice, flour, tin pack food, baby food, and other edibles to the government as well as local on-ground NGOs. Government should establish a central command and control system ao that anyone who wants can have access to know the current situation and contact details of the different flood-affected areas which will be very helpful in relief activities.
A hundred thousand acres of cultivated crops have washed away, and most of the food storage in every district is badly affected or completely lost due to flood. New food insecurity and price hikes are waiting for us. Lack of access to pure water, poor sanitary conditions, and lack of waste disposal will ultimately result in the spreading of bacteria and viruses, which will open another door toward serious health outcomes for the general population. Respiratory infections and gastrointestinal infections are one of the main reasons behind the diseases and death of people who are displaced due to floods. Viral infection is considered a major outcome of flood-related diseases even during and after the weeks of flood which results in yellow fever, hepatitis A and E, dengue fever, diarrheal diseases, and many others, so it will add more risk to the lives who are already under very miserable conditions
Every calamity exposed poor and ill-prepared infrastructure, and the incapability of disaster management. People of Balochistan, Southern Punjab, and Sindh are equal citizens of this country, as much as any others are, so we must move forward from paper promises and do something real for them before it’s too late.
