Letters: Avoiding evacuations

This refers to the editorial "Succeeding on Phailin"( October 14). While state and central government authorities deserve all the praise, the urgent rehabilitation of millions of evacuees must get the same quality support. The role played by mobile connectivity and better roads at the local level also deserve mention. The government must simultaneously work on ways that minimise costly evacuation during cyclones. People with pucca houses were willing to stay put since they were confident of facing the high wind velocity and heavy rainfall. Thus, one solution may lie in creating conditions for the construction of more pucca houses in coastal villages. These cost more and can only be supported by bank loans.

The central and coastal state government can take a few steps in this respect. Maps of village residential areas should be prepared and published online. They should issue ownership certificates to residents that can act as title deeds. They can also notify the creation of equitable mortgage in every village without any transfer fees. The government could ask insurance companies to evolve a national scheme for covering these rural coastal houses and household goods that can be initially subsidised. All these actions empowering the people would require only a fraction of what the government will end up spending on evacuation and its aftermath during such crises.

Y P Issar Karnal

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