Hud Hud: Could We Have Been Better Prepared?: I know that most of the answers would say YES! Maybe because there could have been. In a country like India where resources are limited and the need is high, it is very possible that there would be a lot to be done in that format.
The news is blaring saying that the worst of Hud Hud – The cyclonic storm is over. To recapitulate the worst of hud hud, winds of almost 200kmph were recorded and the rains were pouring and lakhs of people evacuated and unfortunate lives were lost. But my question still remains large – What could have been done better, maybe by the govt, maybe by the organizations and maybe by the individuals alone
1) Hud Hud Prediction
IMD – Indian Meteorological Dept has done a great job at predicting the cyclone and predicting the damage it can create as well. Of late I have an increased respect for Indian scientific accomplishments and IMD sure does deserve its due credit. The question now is, did we have enough time to prepare for this?
By now we know that the occurrence of cyclones is a regular feature on the coast of the Bay of Bengal, Odisha, and Andhra have faced these issues from time immemorial and the question is what we have done about it? How prepared are we to tackle a situation like Hud Hud when it happens again? Would it be an ad hoc solution with everyone running around to make things happen at the last minute or would the solution be more systemic – to take care that such a thing does not happen again?
2) Preparedness
I agree that there is no perfect preparation for a natural calamity. It is a huge disaster and we cannot prevent it, technology is not so advanced that we are in a place to prevent a calamity from happening. And I don’t know how close we are to getting there cos nature sure is the superior power. But we sure can be prepared better, mitigate the damage caused, and learn to handle the situation better. It is not that something happens and we run out to solve the problem.
It has proved ineffective in the past and it will continue to be that. We need to be a little ahead, we need to prepare better – Create evacuation centres much in advance, create a temporary stay for the affected people where they can be housed and rested, maybe design a parameter up to which a calamity can extend and design homes or shelters for people in case a calamity strikes.
Perhaps we do not have enough manpower to help these people during such a scenario, but can we look deeper and hire the locals instead to stand for help in such a situation, give them basic training and make it a self-sustaining project instead of looking at the govt to solve the problem magically.
3) Rehabilitation
What do the evacuated people do? Reading about the aftermath of Hud Hud, the ships are destroyed, and so are the homes, the shelters, and the sources of livelihood. What about these people? How do they get back on their feet? Sure money is a good start but does it end our responsibility there?
We all can make a donation and the govt can allot money for each of these individuals like it has always been done. But does it solve the problem? Does it rehabilitate these people? How do you educate the judicious use of money? How long does it take the money to reach these people who have been hurt by the cyclone? Does the entire amount reach these people?
Money is a temporary solution, but we need to look at something more permanent, something more practical. Maybe the govt can take a step up and allot jobs of clearing the mess created by the cyclone and pay these people for that. That way you are not doling out the money, you are achieving two of your purposes – rebuilding and judicious use of money. Wouldn’t these people be better off when you provide them with a more permanent and long term source than doling out some money and forgetting them? Isn’t it better to lead from the front?
4) Prevention
I know that a natural calamity cannot be completely prevented but there can be alternate measures. How many lives could have been saved if there was an underground shelter? How about mandating in the house plan that each house should have an underground basement?
Wouldn’t that solve the problem of evacuation? Wouldn’t that help save some lives? Can each person not have some supplies in his basement that can come in handy for a cyclone which can stay for a week or so? Cyclones are a common occurrence on the coast. Why not mandate a simple rule like this and think a little ahead? Why wait for the cyclone to happen and then cry foul and make an issue out of it? Why not prepare in the long run?
I guess it is very easy to give some money and look the other way. I am afraid that is not the responsibility. The responsibility is in solving the problem, not just shutting it away temporarily. These are our two cents on what we could do better to solve an issue like this. Please do add your thoughts below, the more solutions we have, the better placed we are to tackle a calamity!
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I guess we are still better prepared than what we were a few years back. Now the loss is too less compared to what we faced a few years back.
First of all m/ you have rocked it again. Thanks for giving me some valuable insights in case this topic will come in my GD. :D :D
Wow the underground houses are really a great idea. I think that could be done very early. It has not been done yet but can be implemented or should be implemented in near future.
I think donating money in PM relief fund is not a fast way to help stranded though it is effective to an extent. I think govt should make a software application in which there will be a list of stranded people of any sort of calamity. And
people who want to make donation can approach those people directly by using that software.
Now here is my plan that how that software application should work.
Let suppose, there is a victim of flood or cyclone who has lost his house and suffered damages of 8lakh rupees (aaprx). Let say the name is Barack Obama. Now there are 50 people who are willing to make donation and their total
donation is becoming 8.30 lakh rupees. Let say the first 50 people and they don’t know each other.
There is a moderator who is constantly monitoring the amount of donation that is coming. He has found that these 8 lakh rupees can be given to Mr. Barack Obama so that he can be helped. Now here come his role – he will send a
notification to those 50 people those were willing to make a donation and will send them the details of Barack viz contact number, damage occurred. Bank account no and the like.
Now these 50 people will route their money to his account and he will be helped in a faster manner. The donator
will also get the an acknowledgment from Indian Govt.
See, this is an impromptu solution that has struck my mind. If it can work then we can contemplate and can make it more effective.