Himalayan Neighbours Must Act Together

With natural calamities on an escalatory trend, it is time to draw up a foolproof plan — not only in consultation with various disaster management agencies within the country but also with our Himalayan neighbours — to avert the threat posed by global warming in the eastern Himalaya. The recent destruction caused by unprecedented rainfall and flash floods in North Bengal should serve as an eye-opener. It has been found that the failure to open the lock gates at one of the hydel power plants in Bhutan resulted in flash floods that submerged a large part of the Dooars region. This only shows that to save lives and property, Bhutan, India and Bangladesh must work together. Without cooperation among these three countries, calamities are bound to strike repeatedly, rendering this fertile alluvial land uninhabitable.

Researchers have claimed that rainfall will increase by almost 25 per cent in more than 70 per cent of Northeastern districts in the near future. Anyone familiar with the geography of the region can easily assess the threat this poses, given its inherent vulnerability because of young mountains, an active seismic zone, and numerous glacial lakes that can wreak havoc if not properly monitored. A proper warning mechanism should be in place to minimise the impact of such destruction. This can only be achieved if the countries come together, recognising the magnitude of the impending danger, where survival itself will be the only criterion. Such cooperation can be achieved only by keeping politics, diplomacy and a “big brother” attitude at bay.

Hopefully, sensing what lies ahead if proper remedial actions are not taken on a war footing, these three countries — along with China and Nepal — will join hands to make this part of the world a safer and more prosperous one.

As a first step in this direction, all the countries should form a combined river commission to incorporate norms regarding disaster preparedness, management and data-sharing protocols, while recognising that all nations are interlinked and none can survive without the help of others. Real-time exchange of information will help restrict damage to a large extent and save lives and property worth crores.

In this context, India has a crucial role to play, as its fertile and densely populated areas are in danger of extinction due to nature’s wrath. The country should therefore take a proactive role in enhancing cooperation among the neighbouring nations in the wake of threats posed by climate change. Otherwise, sustainable development will remain a distant dream, with devastation becoming the order of the day.

At the same time, the country must adopt a futuristic approach while planning new projects. The climate is changing fast, and it is time to prepare ourselves to face any eventuality. The devastation in Darjeeling and adjoining areas has shown how lethal nature can be. To survive, we must act swiftly to prevent such nightmares from returning again and again.