THE overall flood situation is still deteriorating in the southern and northern districts of the country. As the floods along with torrential rains inundated the villages of those districts the affected people tried desperately to take shelter on the nearby highlands and embankments. But due to a lack of flood control embankments only a few of them could reach such shelters. Many of the embankments have also been washed away due to river erosion. Hence millions of the flood-hit people have been living in their inundated and damaged houses. They are facing an acute crisis of food. As cooking was not possible they have been living mainly on dried foods like ruti or bread, puffed rice, flattened rice and molasses which they had in their reserves. But the foods are also diminishing quickly and most of the flood-hit people have started to face starvation. On the other hand as the floodwaters have inundated the sources of drinking water including wells, tube-wells and ponds the flood-hit people are also facing a serious crisis of pure and safe drinking water. Thousands of them have been suffering from various stomach related diseases, particularly from diarrhoea and dysentery. But since they could not get medicines and the hospitals and health centres are beyond their reach many of them have already died. The number of sick people are increasing very rapidly.
In short, the flood situation has reached such a dangerous stage when mere political rhetoric will not mitigate the sufferings of the flood-hit people. They need relief materials including foods, safe drinking waters, medicines and immediate treatment at hospitals. On the other hand no mentionable relief materials have yet reached the people of any area and their sufferings are aggravating day by day. This does not prove the government’s sincerity and intention of serving the people. As the flood did not appear suddenly— rather Assam and Tripura’s flood and torrential rain made it inevitable, the government should also have taken early preparation for the upcoming danger. But unfortunately the leaders in power did not react positively and start the relief work timely. It must be said that had the government taken precautionary measures including shifting of the flood-hit people to safer places and arranging foods, medicines and drinking water for them the danger could be avoided to a greater extent. We think the government can yet play the saviour’s role by helping the flood-hit people with relief materials of various kinds. Seeds and other necessary things should also be provided to the peasants so that they can save their damaged crops and take preparation for the next season’s harvesting.
