Tome And Plume: Faustian Bargain, Not Nature, Causes Floods In Places Like Chitrakoot

Unplanned development and inadequate maintenance have transformed Bhopal's roads into a situation reminiscent of the Sundarbans Delta, where navigating a bike or car feels like traversing a boat journey. When rain does not occur, these roads become dusty. The natural landscape of Madhya Pradesh, which usually remains untouched by natural calamities like floods and earthquakes, has seen a change due to human greed for monetary gains.

This is evident in the poor upkeep of roads and water bodies, which contribute to the state's recurring floods.

The Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan, a state government initiative aimed at restoring ancient water resources, has had limited success in addressing the broader issue of river maintenance. Illegal mining activities have exacerbated the problem by leaving deep craters in riverbeds, disrupting the natural flow of rain-fed rivers and causing them to overflow their banks.

This was seen in the case of the Mandakini River in Chitrakoot, where on August 29, the river surged eight to 13 meters above the danger mark, breaking a 23-year-old record and flooding nearby areas.

Despite the river's fury, the administration's response often falls short, as they rarely employ dredger machines for river upkeep. The relentless emphasis on unchecked urbanization, building structures in vulnerable areas, and neglecting river maintenance has led to a cascade of issues. The residents of Bhopal, the capital city, have faced challenges as 48 hours of rainfall turned the city's roads unusable.

Cyclists and car drivers found themselves navigating a wavy river, unsure of their destination, be it a hospital or their homes. The roads, ill-maintained and dotted with potholes, pose a danger to all who use them. The government's calls for cleanliness seem to have been ignored, as drains remain clogged, and during heavy rains, the dirty water from these drains spills onto the streets.

Repeated floods, like the one in Chitrakoot, are attributed to human actions rather than natural forces. The construction of buildings and shops across the state, coupled with poor maintenance, has resulted in a complex problem. Lessons from past devastating floods and earthquakes have not been heeded, leading to the continued development of hotels, roads, and houses in high-risk areas such as the Himalayas, deforestation, and destruction of forests like Pachmarhi.

The consequences of these "Faustian bargains" are clear: they result in loss of human lives and properties. While natural calamities cannot be entirely prevented, the choices made by humans have dire repercussions.