When I was a child, the rainy season in the city was completely different from how it is now. These days, the media provides immediate and full coverage of weather forecasts. During my school days, we did not have WhatsApp school groups. So, most of us travelled all the way to school and got to know about the holiday declaration. I do not remember my parent’s struggle to stock essentials before a heavy rain prediction. The very word ‘flood’ was not scary before. It was just a slow day at home surviving with what we had.
This scenario is not the same now. Life has become better in terms of prediction and availability of supplies. Even with all these developments, when a flood-kind situation arises, the amount of panic and hardship we face today is much more than that of yesteryears.
I was in the US during the 2015 floods. It was double the scare and was cross-checking 24 hours if everyone back home was safe here. I was active on Facebook, acting like a helpline coordinating with people who needed help. When it comes to taking action, the regulations are on paper but are not strictly followed when it comes to approval of buildings on waterbodies. Despite the government gearing up its infrastructure, corporation employees working round the clock, and the media keeping us educated about the rains, all this goes in vain because of the destruction of waterbodies in our city.
The condition of our city’s waterbodies is in a pathetic state. Only awareness will not help, strict regulations are a must now. Most of the grounds that are part of apartments are covered with cement for easy maintenance. So, how can the water be absorbed by the earth when it rains? All these activities may also contribute to flooding. An actively functioning body at a micro-level should be created to ensure the policy works.
In foreign countries, trees cannot be uprooted or cut like how it is done here. We cut trees for individual needs here. This proves that the rules, when it comes to nature protection, are not effective here.
I often see government workers themselves chopping off trees to handle public complaints without thinking about other ways to handle the situation or resolve the issue. If the laws are not made stronger, the repercussions increase year after year. Even the laws should be formulated keeping climate change in mind.
(The writer is a Tamil historian and has written research articles on social aspects, ancient flora, water management, ancient clothing and cuisine)