While flood may no be totally alleviated, the losses & the damage can significantly be minimized. However, as the flood is receding now, the health hazards are amplifying. Year in & year out, we have flood in our country, but every time we hear the same story of epidemic & escalation of water-born diseases. There have to be permanant & effective solutions to address the health hazards in the aftermath of floods. In this context, self-awareness could be an important part of the solutions as these preventable water-born diseases often turn into epidemic due to a lack of awareness among the flood-affected people. Further, when the monsoon season arrives, people of the floodplains should be armed with the necessary precautions, like anti-bacterial & anti-diarrheal tablets. Then, during the flooding, along with relief materials, affected people can be provided with safe drinkable water. Safe & clean water scarcity leads many to use contaminated flood water -that should be seriously discouraged. People should be taught how to collect & store the rain water during the monsoon season.

In fact, the solutions are at grassroot levels, not at the lengthy deliberations held at the secretariat with the thick-headed bureaucrats. Really, we’ve heard of ‘grand plans’ so many times to minimize the flood related losses & to combat the diseases in the aftermath of flood, but still: Why so much loss & why so many have to suffer? Let’s get down to reality. Long hours of bureacrratic deliberations are a waste of tax-payers money.