Are floods, landslides, heavy rain, and extreme humidity the new normal for the world to live with, or are they due to the harm that humanity has inflicted on nature? ResponsibleUs gathered some existing facts to find out the reason behind these scenarios.
The northern, southern, and eastern regions of the country are struggling with landslides, floods, and torrential rain. The 2024 Monsoon has resulted in the most devastation ever faced by the country. Since it has started, cities in different regions have faced waterlogging, cloudburst, landslides, flooding etc. leading to many people being stranded and even loss of lives. The deaths in Delhi’s coaching centre, Wayanad, Mandi (Himachal Pradesh), and Greater Noida are examples of situations where humans have paid with their lives.
Flood is the deadliest natural disaster. Between 1980 and 2017, India experienced 235 floods, which led to 126,286 deaths and affected 1.93 billion people. It does not only claim lives but also impacts the economy. According to the Emergency Events Database, the losses due to floods stood at $58.7 billion. As per the Rajya Sabha data, in 2018, India suffered economic losses of approximately Rs 95,000 crore due to floods across the country, and unfortunately, 1,808 people lost their lives.
While these are not man-made, however, they are certainly invited by humans. Deforestation is one of the most prominent reasons for floods to occur more frequently. As the nation’s population keeps increasing, it has become a necessity to clear land and create more homes. In the Western Ghats and Himalayas, deforestation has led to increased landslide activity during the monsoon season.
Waterlogging in cities however has a more direct connection to human actions. Delhi’s waterlogging is one example of poor waste management. The drainage system of the city is based on a master design that was created in 1976, when Delhi had just six million residents, and could barely withstand 50 mm of rain. In contrast, Delhi is currently home to almost 32,941,000 people, and the number of concrete areas has increased several times. A Memorandum of Understanding was struck in 2011 between the Delhi government and IIT Delhi to develop a new drainage system master plan. A study on the master plan based on a mathematical model was submitted in 2018 by IIT Delhi. The idea was rejected by the newly elected state administration in 2021 because its implementation in the city was considered too complex by its officials.
The state government instructed the Delhi Public Works Department to establish an agency to design a drainage master plan that separated Delhi into three basins, drawing inspiration from the IIT Delhi master plan, in the same year. The master plan for Delhi’s drainage system has not been created or implemented since that time.
While the occurrence of floods and landslides are natural phenomena, the impact of human activities on the frequency and severity these disasters cannot be ignored. The constant encroachment of natural areas to support an ever growing populace, mismanagement of natural resources, and general apathy towards preventing these devastating events leaves the citizens extremely vulnerable. It is imperative to be mindful that actions taken today in the name of progress are done in sync with nature and do not end up destroying lives in the long run.