*Very worrisome analysis of the Kerala flood root-cause and preventability. There should be a full enquiry and updated SOPs at all dams and irrigation departments.* ***** By *Dr Amita Singh, Prof, Disaster Management, JNU :*
‘I just don't understand how people seem to appreciate the state administration & the CM for apparent leadership, when they've failed the most fundamental test: NOT preventing of a preventable disaster. This flood was not caused merely by excess rain; *40% excess precipitation over 3 months of monsoons cannot have caused this*, nor is it a terrible outlier. *This was caused by human blunder.* *The Kerala state govt could've prevented it but didn't have the foresight to.* They knew the reservoirs were full by July. *Scientifically reliable & freely available weather forecasting systems were predicting 2000 mm of additional precip in Aug.* The first function of dams is as storage. *The right thing to do with any storage system is to have a proper input & output prediction & management.* *They could've had a warning system, water management system, looked at proper weather forecasting & released water in manageable quantum over a period of 15 to 20 days yet omitted to*. They should've realized the danger a few weeks in advance (assuming they have cognizance & sobriety). *Instead they waited till overflow & opened all the dam shutters at once* *Instead of heavy but manageable drainage flow, we got a deluge.* No surprise, In the middle of rains. It's the people who have paid dearly, not the decision makers who make no decision actually. *And it's the best governed state - by which metric, I wonder?* *Do not praise the ignorant for a superficial display of leadership in the relief after the disaster* when they could've prevented it but did not & clearly are not capable of. If you elect fools, you will fall with their folly. *Be clear: it wasn't nature or God. This was man.* God has given man intelligence, wisdom & memory with which he has created superb technology & management systems. The disuse of wisdom, lack of observation & ignorance of the laws of nature, is not God's fault. *The crime of omission is far greater than that of commission.’* [22/08, 20:05] Stephen (E. Dias): If Goa Goverment does not take precautions suggested by Environmentalists we may be heading for a similar disaster and worst in Panjim. Sent from my Samsung device