Dear Fellow Goans, The flood situation in Bihar has worsened. From reports received it is one of the worst floods in the history of Bihar. Our SWARAJ activists in Bihar have come forward to assist the government in relief operations. Whie the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar calls this a natural disaster, this is definitely a man made disaster. When SWARAJ activists over the last 10 years had been repeatedly warning that Indians need not worry about a bomb threat from Pakistan but need to fear being wiped out by gushing waters from the dams constructed in our own country, they were ridiculed. The people living along Koshi river had opposed the construction of a dam but the foolishness of scientists, engineers, contractors and politicians was allowed to prevail. Those living in towns and cities cheered it in the name of development and progress. They needed the water, those affected could go to hell. The end result is that innocent lives are lost every year and for those who survive they are left with nothing except their frail and exhausted bodies attmepting to build their life once again. In all this development frenzy it was always one part of Bihar that year after year remained unconcerned while the other part battled for existence. But this year nature has unleashed it's fair share of vengeance against those who least ecpected that one day it would be their turn to wail and mourn. This time the embankment of the river collapsed way ahead from the usual location and the speed of gushing waters from the high altitudes in neighbouring Nepal is said to have changed the course of the Koshi river taking along with it anything that came in its way. I did have the oppotunity of touring some of these flood prone areas of Bihar earlier this year when attending one of the workshops organised by SWARAJ on flood preparedness. But as usual while some people responded the other's remained unconcerned perhaps thinking that their last year's experience was once in a life time. And like the foolish virgins in the Bible, the floods arrived this year with even greater fury and lakhs of people were not prepatred. We need to thank God that we Goans have not yet been inflicted with such a calamity. But if we do not take care to prevent the government from preparing the grounds for such an excperience through its ridiculous and disastrous development programs in Goa , our day is not far away. The relaity of the floods in Bihar is that neither the arrogant scientist, nor the unscrupulous engineer, nor the greedy contractor and not even the corrupt politician gets washed away in their own creations. It is always the common poor people who are made to pay the price for others sins. So before we condemn those who oppose development projects and cheer the government in support of development let us pause a bit to ask one question, 'how is the development or progress, which I wish to support, going to benefit the poor of the poorest in Goa?'
