Greenpeace

Greenpeace

Letters to Editor
Unnatural disaster
Sir — Though many parts of India are hit by devastating floods every year, nothing worthwhile is done to prevent such periodic occurrences. Given the fact that neighbouring states like West Bengal and Orissa suffer floods regularly, the Bihar government should have taken steps to quell the deluge beforehand (“Sorrow swallows villages”, Aug 28). Despite the heavy loss of property and human lives, ministers, both at the Centre and the state, have not done enough to minimize the damage. Our technology, these days, is strong enough to combat natural calamities. But we seem to lack the will to put it in place effectively.
Yours faithfully,
Shiv Shanker Almal, Calcutta

Sir — The furious Kosi has rendered lakhs homeless in Bihar. The breach in the Kosi embankment, near the India-Nepal border, had been just a few hundred metres wide initially. But the gap was not plugged on time, resulting in the breach extending to more than a kilometre. It is shameful that after six decades of independence, the people of India have to bear the costs of critical bureaucratic errors that lead to a crisis. The Central government has declared the Bihar flood as a national disaster, but it has done precious little to alleviate the sufferings of its victims. In the future, the government should act quickly after detecting a calamity. This will save it from spending huge amounts by way of relief work and also lower the death count.
Yours faithfully,
B.K. Chatterjee, Faridabad

Sir — Bihar is one of the richest states of India in terms of natural resources. Unfortunately, human error has brought about a natural disaster in the state. Even as politicians pass the buck, people continue to suffer unimaginable hardship. It is wrong to expect the government to salvage the loss. Therefore, people from other states need to come forward and help as much as they can.
Yours faithfully,
Jyoti Shokhanda, Bangalore

Sir — Apparently, the earlier...

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