Facing flood

There is a regularity in the visitation of natural disasters in Bangladesh. In terms of cycles, the incidence of floods and cyclones can be predicted with more or less certainty. This is the only redeeming feature of these climatic banes. The chronic nature of natural disasters, however disastrous for millions, at least gives advance notice to make preparations to cope with the havoc that may be created by them. Fortunately, cyclones and floods don't come together to aggravate the situation. These two have different impacts and call for different ways of addressing them. Simultaneous attention to both is likely to strain all available resources, including manpower. So it is just as well that nature mercifully throws one challenge at a time to be met by the people and the government of Bangladesh.

In view of the predictability of the two main natural disasters, flood and cyclone, the element of surprise or, to be more up-to-date, shock and awe, should not play any significant role. The magnitude may vary from one natural disaster, in a particular year to another in future. But in terms of basic problems like shelter for people, food, potable water, medicine, shelter for cattle etc. they remain the same. The common requirements lend themselves to standardised relief and rehabilitation measures that can be kept ready well in advance. In fact, like Famine Code, there is now a similar guideline, Disaster Manual for use in times of natural disasters. It gives details of the steps and measures to be taken by various authorities from national to local level for disaster management.

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In view of the existing manual to cope with disasters like flood, the apprehension of flood this year should not see disaster management in disarray or out on a limb. But the problem with flood is not the absence of manuals. Reaching people, who are affected or likely to be affected, and persuading them to leave their hearths and homes, if required, for safe shelters provided by the authorities is not least of the problem. For obvious reasons people don't want to leave their homes unless faced with clear and present danger. Government Departments and officials cannot do this awareness creation and motivational work adequately. Their number is few and they cannot cover the affected areas quickly because of distance. The local government bodies like Upazila (in its present ad hoc form) and Union Parishad can be more effective for this purpose. In fact, these also are the locations nearest to the affected areas and as such ideal for making flood shelters available. In addition, schools, Madrashas and any structure on high ground above flood level are also suitable for use as flood shelters. In the past high grounds for heli-pad and cattle shelter were raised under food for works programme, as were community flood shelters at Upazila level. These need to be maintained in years when there is no flood and put to alternative uses for the benefit of community.

The strategy for coping with flood should ensure extension of these facilities down to the Union level. The Union Complex should be seen as a multi-purpose infrastructure for all types of development activities in normal times and for relief in times of disasters like flood. The writer of this column takes satisfaction that he could sell the idea of Union Complex and had a prototype ready by the LGED. Though some complexes have been built many more remains to be undertaken. It should not be seen as a brick and mortar program as some donors have indicated. The uses to which Union Complex can be put are wide ranging, each having direct impact on the lives of local people. Nothing will make decentralisation at the grassroots level more manifest than the presence of this infrastructure accommodating multifarious activities. Use as flood shelter is just one vindication of this role in decentralisation.

Coping with flood, for that matter any natural disaster, is best achieved when infrastructures (shelter) and resources (transport, food, water, and medicine) are made available at union level. The Upazilas can be the major supply point for resources in addition to providing shelter at their level. More decentralised is flood relief operation (the same is true for cyclone), the more immediate and effective will be the impact on affected people. They don't have to travel far and wait long to reach places of safety and receive succour like drinking water and food. In the present disaster management the focus is still more on Upazila which in turn looks upto districts for instructions, help and relief materials. For the purpose of disaster management the district administration should be kept out of the loop to save time. Their role should be to monitor and report to the government. In respect of all other activities relating to relief and rehabilitation there should be direct communication between the national government at Dhaka and Upazilas. Hopefully, very soon this will be further decentralised with direct communication established between the national government and the Union Parishad for disaster management.

There should be a relief warehouse in each Upazila where a minimum level of relief materials should be kept in stock. These may include speedboats, medicines, canned food, jerry cans, clothes, etc. If medicines and canned food are about to cross expiry date before they can be distributed in times of natural disasters, these can be distributed among the members enlisted under VGF programme. Annual inspection and audit should significantly will reduce the risk of pilferage and misuse. In times of disasters the bench mark stock can be augmented from Dhaka or district level warehouse. These steps are not new or unknown. But they need to be reinforced or refreshed in memory.

Government has the primary responsibility in disaster management, both during relief and rehabilitation stages. But considering the magnitude of the problems its efforts may not suffice and often do not. They have to be complemented by NGOs and other community organisations. To streamline this activity in a coordinated manner particular NGOs should be tagged to specific Upazilas, depending on their presence in the area or their willingness to participate in relief work there. This type of collaboration will save time and optimise the use of resources available for relief. Both the government and NGOs have rich experiences in flood relief over a long period of time. In view of this it is surprising that no or very limited evaluation of relief work has been done at the end of the operation to learn from experiences. Such evaluation can help both the government and the NGOs in planning for the future and making adequate preparations. It should be built into the overall programme.

If relief work during flood is to be undertaken on the basis of emergency, rehabilitation activities after the flood waters recede assume ever greater importance. The whole purpose of assistance given during this phase is to restore normal life to the affected people. For some it may involve giving seedling to sow, for some help needed may take the form of small loan to buy cattle and other inputs of production. Here a family-specific rehabilitation plan will have to be drawn up which is painstaking and requires direct contact with the clientele. For this work the NGOs are eminently suitable, who should be assisted by Union Parishad members.

For the flood affected people, immediately available source of income are crucial. Even landowners may need temporary wage employment. Test Relief programme and Food for Works Programme should be drawn up even before flood water starts to recede so that actual work can start as soon as people return to their homes. The overall plan to address flood thus has to be comprehensive and properly sequenced. Again, this is not an area that is unfamiliar to Government Departments and NGOs. But it helps to think about and plan in advance.

Alongside short-term emergency plan, there has to be a long-term plan for flood protection or training of flood. This seized the attention of our authorities and donors long ago. Multi-million dollar has been spent to devise a workable strategy. Though foreign and local consultants have gleefully battened on this nothing concrete has come out of their exercises. The tiresome controversy between embankment and free flow of flood water erupts from time to time, as if to keep the problem alive. Flood Action Plan prepared with generous donor fund, most of which have gone back to the countries of origin via consulting firms, are now gathering dust. A new case may be made out soon for further studies. There should be an early end to this disgusting charade.

Hasnat Abdul Hye is a former secretary, novelist and economist.