Letter to BS: Think sustainably, junk current model of reckless development

The flood in Kerala (pictured) has caused havoc in most parts of the state. The landscape presents a grim picture. Everyone is now left to narrate how they lived through the flood. Normally the flood of this intensity does not go without causing loss of life. The Kerala flood too hasn’t. 

While the let-up to rains provides some relief, the forecast of more rains and ‘perigean spring tides’ is a cause of worry. It will take time to see the full scale of the damage. The sheer scale of the disaster points to incalculable damage to dwellings, crops and infrastructural facilities. Meanwhile, it was heart-warming to see people coming together to overcome the adversity without being overwhelmed by distress or despair. The disaster management personnel have done a commendable job.

The flood victims cannot be now expected to rebuild their lives on their own. Given their impoverishment, it is next to impossible for them to restore their normal life without outside help. They need the support of the state and the Centre, NGOs and the wider civil society in the rest of the country. 

We need long-term measures to reduce human and environmental vulnerability to natural disasters. We need to protect the Western Ghats and replace the current model of reckless development with sustainable development. We need to act on the natural disasters that climate change induces or accentuates. 

G David Milton

Kanyakumari