Politics and Policy regarding Floods & Climate Change

Politics and Policy regarding Floods & Climate Change

The opening page of Anatole Levine’s famous book “Pakistan A Hard Country” reminds us impacts of climate change in India and Pakistan where he mentioned many reports by international institutions too. From a long time we are observing natural and man-made disasters in our lands but still we are handling it in reactive mode. Either you like it or not, relief work is a huge business and many over smart people earned a big portion of their annual income from the relief work. I remember autobiographical account of Akhtar Hamid Khan who joined ICS in mid 1930s. In 1943, he resigned from his lucrative job and he recorded massive embezzlements in the relief work in Bengal during famine of 1943. So we have a strong legacy from colonial times of using disaster for profit making and it is still in practice.  

It is to be remembered that a cyclone was a major reason in the victory of Awami League just before December 1970 elections. The tropical cyclone hit at November 12^th 1970 still remains the deadliest tropical cyclone ever recorded, and one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern times. At that time Mollana Bhashani demanded ruling elite for postponement of the elections in Easter Wing as Mujib was using that disaster for political gains especially in all 5 affected districts. At that time some internal and external forces were trying for one party victory in eastern wing. But in the presence of Mollana Bhashani it was not possible. So government postponed election in October 1970 and set new date for December 5th. Yahya government refused to postpone elections and it was a message for Bhashani that ruling elite had decided to separate East Pakistan.  

In August 1973, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India suffered huge losses due to unprecedented rains for more than 10 days. Flood of 1973 was horrible. After those floods Pakistan with the help of World meteorological department had established a latest center at Jail road Lhore for monitoring climate. WMO supported it in numerous ways and till late 1980s Lhore center was able to monitor climate till bay of Bengal. After so much assistance problem remains there. Point should be noted that same assistance from WMO was provided during same years to Bangladesh and now Bangladesh is far ahead of Pakistan in dealing disasters. During Mushraff time, after 2005 horrible earthquake Pakistan again got chance to address issues of disasters and climate change.  So NDMA was established with the help of international development actors and with international expertise NDMA developed a framework too. But in 2014, things are still there why? Is it due to relief mafia? There are numerous departments and institutions that are busy in relief work but all are doing it separately. Duplicity, loss of human resources, conflict between institutions, is visible due to this situation. Flood relief commission, Pakistan Meteorological department (PMD), NDMA, Pakistan army, and numerous other departments are using their energies separately. In past we observe emergence of numerous Funds who were busy in collecting money from people. State should have a single institution, like NDMA for addressing challenges related to climate change and natural & man-made disasters. Political parties and parliament should have a consensus on it so that every new government takes its ownership easily. But relief mafia is stronger and it has many faces too. 

Now just come to recent flood situation. We all knew water comes from India and according to PMD, we have a capacity even to check short rain fall till bay of Bengal. From 27th August Indian media reported unprecedented heavy rain fall and at September 2, India opened shutters of her dams due to heavy rains. But at that time government was heavily engaged in dharnas. Shameful attitude of Dharna politicians regarding visit of Chinese president and recent disaster shows priorities of both leaders.Till 3rd of September, heavy rains ruined Jammu and if you have flood in Jammu then it must affect areas like Sialkot too. In Jammu flash floods were main cause and according to media report published at September 7, "Five days of incessant rains in Indian-controlled Kashmir have left at least 120 people dead". 

So in the presence of this situation toothless NDMA neither work effectively nor handle relief mafia. 

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/09/07/flooding-kills-at-least-120-in-indian-state-kashmir/

http://www.samachar.com/Jammu-14-Die-in-Landslide-as-Floods-Toll-Rises-to-120-ojgkLfcacic.html