Nature's Fury (or Human Folly?)

Calamity seems to have a natural inclination towards populations already challenged by tough adversities of human and natures forces alike. Just look around the magnitude of the killer earthquake in Bhuj or Uttarkashi, drought in Bidarbha, or, the most recent addition, the Ailacyclone in the Sunderbans. There is a lot of talk regarding the keenness and fondness of nature by the people who live in close quarters to it (One may recall the Chipko Movement in Garhwal Himalayas, and more commonly, the micro-initiatives to preserve nature in its pristine form undertaken as a daily routine by indigenous population much away from the media-glare!). Then why, almost in a regular fashion the wrath of nature is cast on these hapless humanity?

 

For the uninitiated, Sundarbans is a unique ecosystem into itself and the largest riverine delta in the world. Mangrove forests, swamps and a cobweb of rivers, tributaries and estuaries dot the land (and islands) which is also home to about 400,000 humans. Often relying on primitive communication channels (country-boats, mostly) and bare means of sustenance, these people exemplify the Darwinian doctrine-- one only survives in the badabon if he can regularly prove his physical and mental toughness. Across wide expanse of this tide-country (borrowing the term used by Amitabh Ghosh in The Hungry Tide) the State reigns but not rules. Public infrastructure is severely wanting and the rudimentary apparatus is woefully inadequate. With only earthen dams to cushion them from the saline water and high tides and reliance on fate as the only weapon in their armour to meet the challenges to life and property, Sundarbans is the classic forgotten land, only to be resurrected before the elections by swarms of leaders in spotless whites keen to show their care and concern (sic) for the lesser mortals.

 

Calamities and catastrophes are not new to the people of Sundarbans, and their seems to be a unique pact between the lands under India and Bangladesh regarding the share of the elements! Even then the Aila of the infamous May 25 was hitherto unseen and uncomprehended. Lashing waters and gushing winds virtually leveled signatures of human existence and almost overnight a majority of the people was left without a farthing of wealth and a morsel of grain. Sluggish, and often callous and unplanned response of the public authorities to the crisis added to their woes, and even after a good 10 days after the calamity, relief and rehabilitation of the affected people is yet to reach all. 

The public health aspect of Aila is more frightful. Acute scarcity of potable drinking water, decomposing remains of animals and marine life and ruthless hunger, have transformed the entire region into a nursery of communicable diseases. Clearly, Sundarbans have an epidemic in waiting. But, is the State prepared enough? Finances, it seems is not the problem, with help trickling from all quarters. What is most wanting is proper planning and execution, as also reaching the farthest nook and corner of the remote islands. Media reports have highlighted utter chaos in the entire relief exercise, multiplied by the do-no-gooders politicians of all hues (exceptions, as always, of course proves the law). A look at the government figures and few available documents on Sundarbans brings to the fore the lackluster performance of public health infrastructure and their inadequacy in meeting the people’s needs. Now, even the umbilical link to the public health facilities has been broken and the masses left at the mercy of a few paramedics and mostly on the informal physicians (quacks). Ironically, the challenge to diffuse the possible epidemics and in case of an outbreak, the management of it, rests on these little or untrained providers with all talks of quality healthcare provision left in the wilderness of the badabon.

 The Indian State machinery has a typical tendency of having a knee-jerk reaction every time a crisis falls on the masses. But even then, the reaction is mostly a patchwork of incoherent responses stitched together, justifying on paper the finances meant for it. Do we still have a National Calamity Management Strategy? I am not aware of any worth mention. As for Sundarbans, were the administration so naïve as failing to comprehend the need of adequate system, with physical and human infrastructure that can thwart the havoc of such catastrophes to the minimum extent? And, more importantly, recognizing the vulnerability of the area, could we not have a better network of health facilities and an effective, fast disaster management apparatus? Shunning away the usual blame-game (which is the easiest solution, hence so dearly loved by the politicos!), its time the policy makers work out an honest and effective strategy that can mitigate the effect and aftermath of such crisis. What Sundarbans needs is a deeper, effective presence of the Welfare State delivering services regularly with a humane face. The landscape and terrains of Sundarbans cannot and should not be changed, as also future threat of inclemencies ruled out. But we can definitely scale up the prehistoric preparedness of today into a more planned and effective response.

 

 

An Incomplete Agenda

So, we are finally on the penultimate hours of 2008.. a year that will be hard to forget. Almost every bytes of bandwidth and rims of newsprint have been devoted to the infamous bubble and its reverberations throughout the global order of late, and a lot more unfortunate people across the world will be raising the New Year toast with a forced smile.......pink slips, plunging portfolio worth, and over and above an ominous cloud over the economic horizon, where every day the newspaper is looked up with uncanny worry, lest another bad news props up, reminds us that we are in a peculiar world.

Really?

Back home, with the added threat of terrorism and war mongering by hawks, old Santa has hardly brought cheer! But, with due credence to the financial crisis and its seemingly dampening effects on the prospects of an emerging economy powerhouse, are we not overtly concerned with only the tip of the iceberg of the challenges that is faced by the 'real economy'?True, credit crunch and recessionary environments never helps in development prspects of a nation, but an obsession with the figures churned out by the Reserve Bank and a host of other economic thinktanks on the GDP growth prospects, will only help the number-crunchers, not the people who ought to be at the centre of development policy. Over decades, development economists have been crying hoarse over the dichotomy between GDP growth and development in true sense of term, which encompasses a much wider paradigm, and the lacunae in national economic policy efforts that seems to be solely fuelled by the decimal points of macroeconomic indicators, GDP included. As Amartya Sen puts it, evidence suggest that the causality between GDP growth and development of living standards is not always unidirectional, and not always to a high rate of GDP growth guarantees improved lives for the people, in a fair and equitable manner (Interested readers can get a sample here).

Here, Abdou Diouf also warns about the other crises in more recent times that may well be of a global concern. We need to factor in these aspects and development concerns as well.

Rampant poverty, endemic malnourishment among the children, omnipresent threat of preventable morbidities, dearth of universal access to basic needs of education, sanitation, drinking water and access to public utilities still characterise the India of 2008, and would have been most likely the same even if the financial crisis have not appeared in the horizon. I intend to elaborate and consider each aspects closely in later posts (with due aid of 'statistics', as most of us are only moved by the figures!), but this reminds us of the challenge we continue to face in ensuring a more humane life to all Indians, and not limiting public discourse on the rammifications of fiscal stimulus to financial instituions, fledging stock markets and happenings on the corporate India. That will only be a penumbric act which can seriously impede our aspirations to emerge as a global superpower of tomorrow.

Prelude

Hi all,

Here's another drop added into the ocean!!In the seemingly choc-a-bloc environs of todays blogs commenting on almost everything under the blue, yours truly adds to the swelling ranks. I presume that almost all 'serious' bloggers (well, I aim to be one!) begin with lots of agenda and have their craniums bubbling in bright thoughts, but over time the spirit withers away. I am not hoping anything different either, but find it tempting to tell to myself and my peers that I will make posting thoughts ('musings', going by the blog masthead, and as I would like to call the blog by a 'proper' noun rather!!) a habit (like my other habits of daily exercise and promises to reduce flab!!).
Anyways, it is of no harm to lay out the preamble of this blog.....primarily, it is a place where I am expected (by myself!) to phrase down my viewpoint (sounds like a really empowered citizen!) on matters which are 'close' to the sweeping archways of development issues, with an Indian emphasis. Economic stuff like macroeconomic potboilers, GDP growth racing tracks and monetary-fiscal policy soap operas , that rule the lion's share of discourses on contemporary economic policy are surely going to be recalled oft and on, but not in a way that would incur the wrath of students of subjects other than the 'dismal science'.
An integral part of the 'musings' is the flavor added to them by the comments of fellow scholars and followers of the development process in India. Not limited in these circles only, all are invited to freely participate in the deliberations in these pages in future, and I particularly welcome a no-holds barred comment on any of my potential posts.Visitors to the 'musings' can also suggest any new discussion threads......looking for a participatory approach in all senses, mate!
As of now, looking at my professional commitments in the year to come, I expect to post at least 5 times a week, if not more. I honestly intend to keep the 'musings' a regular flow.

Apart from these regulation claims and self-pronouncements, I would also like to move a caveat at the outset: 'Musings' have been hatched solely out of an interest in the contemporary development tidings in India and most of the developing world, not a purpose or agenda of any kind. I wish to make it a rather free exchange of opinion among the interested, and not a platform to propagate any 'isms' or dogmas. Nothing solemn and serious to be termed as academic dialogues, and also not something that is orphaned of a theoretical and empirical underpinning, is where I intend to roll-out the 'musings'..........

Looking forward to interesting exchanges,

Best wishes to one and all