For at least 10 years, rainfall patterns during the monsoon season have shown a distinct change. Most parts of the country witness intense bursts of rain, interspersed with relatively dry spells. In the past three days, for instance, the interaction of two climatic factors — good monsoon circulation and a western disturbance — has led to record-breaking rainfall that has, unfortunately, claimed the lives of at least 19 people, caused destruction and thrown life off gear in large parts of north India. Like in past instances of flooding, the authorities have focused on providing relief to those hit by the elements. Such efforts need to be stepped up. But it’s high time attention is also given to addressing another imperative: A proactive policy against climate vagaries. After the Uttarakhand disaster of 2013, not a single year has passed without India experiencing at least one intense rainfall event that has resulted in large-scale flooding, and in many cases, loss of lives. These floods have sent out several warnings — in Chennai in 2015, Kerala in 2018, Bihar in 2019, Bengaluru last year, Assam almost every year. Disturbingly, few lessons have been learnt.
As most Indian cities expanded, they wrested areas that were natural rainwater sinks — wetlands, marshes, and lakes. At the same time, storm water drains in most parts of the country remain locked in networks that were planned several decades ago. Inept municipal administration compounds the problem and these drains are almost always clogged. This means excessive rainfall gets trapped within the city’s boundaries. Delhi’s storm water drains, for instance, are not equipped to deal with the 153 mm of rainfall the city received over the last weekend. In 2011, the state government signed a contract with IIT Delhi to prepare a drainage master plan, and the institute submitted a report in 2018. But the project was shelved in 2021 and drainage revamp seems to be one of the many casualties of the incessant wrangling between Delhi’s lieutenant governor and its elected government.
India has developed early warning systems that have helped the country minimise damage by cyclones in recent years. Floods present a more complex challenge, especially because they are accompanied by landslides that take a large toll. The fragile geology of the Himalayan states make them more vulnerable to landslips. In the past decade, there has been some progress in developing a landslide warning system, but experts believe that it will be some years before landslides can be predicted with pinpoint accuracy. The trouble also is that the vulnerability of these areas increases because state and national highway authorities rarely take expert opinion into consideration while undertaking large-scale excavation of hills. Several directives of the judiciary to this effect, including that of the Himachal Pradesh High Court in 2021, have gone unheeded. Extreme weather events might become par for the course. But the disasters they result in are largely products of anthropogenic factors. They must be contained.
