Ever year before starting the monsoon season the fear of flood arises among the people of Pakistan. It is hitting the country since very long but still the situation is same and hundreds of casualties results in this disaster.
In 2010, the river Indus burst its bank over much of Central Pakistan killing more than 2000 people. The country has now see floods in 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2014.Mostly the flood hits the rural areas and the crops of the people also destroyed. Poverty has been and still one of the greatest challenges faced by these areas yet no step has been taken to reduce their problems. Moreover they hit by the flood and loss all they already have in just few days. Their submerged houses tell the story.
When the monsoon rain afflict us, we find ourselves incapable of dealing with them the politicians visit the affected areas ,distribute food items and cheques to the affected people and always promise to do some concrete steps to avoid these sort of problems for the next time but they always forget their words after coming back from these areas.
Inquiry reports and their recommendations are not even seen by the concerned authorities. A rude awakening’ authorized by a sitting judge of Lahore high court,Justice Mansoor Ali Shah has held the minister of Irrigation and Power for the lack of preparedness and then ineffective response to watery offensives when it started hitting barrages and bunds falling in Punjab.
National Disaster Management Committee (NDMC) headed by the Prime Minister has not met since 2012.this shows the lack of seriousness on this major issue. To add misery to the situation, India has not left any stone unturned to cause us harm.
Not only Politicians, Civil bureaucracy is also involved in this mismanagement. Several commissions have been set up for reforms and hardly any of their recommendations has been fully implemented. Bureaucracy ought not to be subservient to the ruling elite rather they have to follow the constitution and to ensure the principle of equality before law is followed in letter and spirit.
Pakistan’s bureaucracy is seen one of the worst in Asia. In a special report, entitled ‘A survey of India and Pakistan’, the Economist wrote;
Pakistan’s bureaucracy, police and public services are so infested with corruption and political favoritism, and so starved of resources that few Pakistanis expect anything from government except employment, made gainful by bribe taking.
Both politicians and bureaucracy have found themselves incapable of dealing with the uncontrolled water. They have to urgently review the situation and plug in the gaps o the war footing. Clear understanding of the monsoon weather pattern and revising the preparedness in this context is necessary. More Dams and reservoirs needs to be built so that next time the loss could be minimized.
