Flood control measures steeped in neglect?

Lack of observational capacity, neutered imagination and castrated action sense, are the symptoms for a more serious disease -- apathy. We should not simply bunch the intelligentsia, political leadership, technocratic establishment and the educated citizens and accuse them of lack of vision. There has to be a more explainable reason for the situation that we are in now.

We have some idea about the various difficulties that lie on the path of a well-planned and workable solution that would save Dhaka from regular inundation. This reverine country is poor and flood protection is an expensive and difficult project to undertake when feeding the teeming millions can be the urgent necessity. However, the rest of the country depends on Dhaka city being safe, as long as possible, because all relief effort backed by administrative muscle has to be conducted from here.

It is a sorry thing that flood protection strategies are mired in controversy and much debate. The embankment is considered unsafe because the rash of water may burst the bank. Any large scale work should be done in a manner that does not lead to even more disaster. Planning should be done with an eye for solving further problem. However lower and less intrusive embankments are very much subscribed to by all schools of thought.

Such embankments could be strategically placed along with other measures. In the meantime, we should start with urgency on the other more practical and safer measures. More space needs to be given for the water to spread, making it a necessity to allow more space between human habitation. We need to start dredging on a scale not seen before, so that the riverbeds are deeper and capable of holding more water. There are hosts of other practical solutions that may just work to keep Dhaka safe from any deluge that could threaten the already chaotic operational capacity of city. We know of Holland as a nation that has survived and prospered by successfully taking care of crippling inundation that ravaged with regularity. It is easy to ask help, on an urgent basis from Holland and there would be good response. Funding can be organised within the country.

Life has to go on. The teeming millions need comfort and help right now. We should continue with our daily habits, and try to keep our spirit up.

Ershad Khandker is a free lance writer