As rescue and relief operations are in full swing on the third day in Wayanad district, Kerala, the commitment to leaving nothing to chance is evident. Amidst the devastation, stories of heroism have emerged, such as a forest official risking his life to save three children trapped in the forest. The combined efforts of central and state agencies, including the Army and the Air Force, along with local residents, demonstrate an unwavering resolve to find any trace of human life or remains. The death toll may eventually reach 500, as many individuals remain unaccounted for. Disturbingly, body parts are still being recovered from the flooded Chaliyar river, into which the landslide water had poured. Those who lost everything, including loved ones, are too traumatised to provide coherent accounts of the events of July 30.
Needless to say, this is certainly not the time for political point-scoring. Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s claims in Parliament that the state government ignored warnings are not supported by available public records. What is indisputable is that Wayanad received an excessive amount of rainfall, leading to the catastrophe. Even a lesser amount of rainfall recently caused flooding in Delhi, forcing the government to close schools for a day. Worryingly, even the new Parliament building experienced leaks. However revered an ecologist Madhav Gadgil may be, his comments on the disaster's causes are premature at this moment. The immediate focus must remain on rescuing people and providing relief. Once these efforts conclude, hopefully within a few days, the focus should shift to rehabilitating those who have lost everything. At least 250 houses, if not more, need to be built, a task that will be easier if the state government allocates land. Public and private philanthropic agencies can pool their resources to construct homes that meet the victims' needs on a war footing.
There must also be a broader discussion on preserving the Western Ghats, which stretch from Gujarat to Tamil Nadu via Kerala. The reports of the Gadgil and Kasturirangan commissions will be crucial in formulating policies that protect the region's flora and fauna while respecting the interests of its residents. In these trying times, the unity and resilience shown in rescue efforts should extend to long-term rehabilitation and ecological preservation. By focusing on immediate relief and future sustainability, the nation can honour the memories of those lost and provide a stable future for the survivors.
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