The success in managing a natural disaster like the recent severe cyclone Phailin in Odisha lies as much in minimising the casualties as in coping meticulously with its aftermath. While the Odisha government, undeniably, scored high on the former count, the same cannot yet be said about the latter. The state administration, as well as the other agencies that assisted it, performed a remarkable feat by shifting perhaps as many as a million people to safer places in record time before the storm made landfall on September 12. They deserve much credit for their effort. So does the India Meteorological Department (IMD), whose timely and error-free forecast helped accomplish this stupendous task. However, the administration has so far failed to display the same level of urgency and competence in carrying out post-disaster relief, recovery and rehabilitation. Even over a week after the tragedy, the state government and central agencies seem ill-equipped to manage the foreseeable consequences such as floods, epidemics and disruption to communication systems and power supply. The incidence of diarrhoea, fever and other diseases is increasing. Available medical facilities are proving woefully insufficient and undermanned. Complaints are mounting from the affected people about the belated and inadequate relief supplies, including food, potable water, medicines and other essential items. Their ire is, unsurprisingly, causing violent protests at some places.
It's true that the task before the government is challenging, given the enormous damage caused to property, infrastructure and farmlands. Restoration of even a semblance of normalcy is, therefore, bound to take time. But the hardships of the people moved to secure sites as well as those marooned by the floods could at least be lessened through better handling of the relief operations. The damage to electricity infrastructure is said to be worse than what was experienced in the 1999 super cyclone. But its restoration, even if provisional to begin with, need not have taken this long. The failure on this front is impeding restoration of several other services, including the supply of drinking water. Blockades of roads by the fallen trees, too, have not yet been cleared fully to allow hassle-free movement of men and material. The lapses in preparedness for post-cyclone relief, including positioning of essential items, are also clear from the frantic bid by the state government at this late stage to source supplies from adjoining states of an item like chura (flattened rice), which normally comes in handy during such situations.
Nevertheless, this experience, both exemplary and bitter in parts, offers many useful lessons for future. For one, building of cyclone shelters, as was done in Odisha after the 1999 super storm, should form an integral part of long-term disaster management strategies. Besides, flood forecasting agencies should be equipped with the wherewithal and skill to issue timely and accurate forewarnings, as was done by the IMD. Moreover, the selection of tree species for planting on roadsides needs to be made with an eye on their ability to withstand strong winds. The Phailin episode has shown that while trees like eucalyptus and gulmohar fell down, blocking the roads, deep-rooted ones such as neem, mango and banyan managed to survive. This apart, wind breaks in the form of rows of deep-rooted native trees need to be created along the seashore to reduce wind speed during sea storms. Such plantations after the 2004 tsunami have proved useful in southern states. Most importantly, human habitations should be moved a safe distance away from the coast.
