Is Rain the reason for Chennai Floods? Absolutely NOT
***I am not an expert on this topic and I don’t claim factual accuracy. This article has been written based on my understanding of the situation, so feel free to correct me if I am wrong***
During the innumerable debates on Science Vs. Religion, I’ve been fed up with one section blaming the former while the other blames the latter. Blaming SYSTEMS while the actual blame lies on PEOPLE who do nefarious activities hiding behind the cloak of a system, is a favorite past-time for many.
The same thing is happening with Chennai Floods. People are blaming the ‘heavy’ rains and nature’s ‘fury’ while the actual blame lies on . . .
Think about this: There were two depressions over the last month where the city received as much rainfall, if not more. But the damages, though considerable, were not as huge as the damages due to the third depression and the rains that followed.
What happened during the third time?
Why did the affected areas go many feet under water within a short time, when there was only knee-deep water in most places?
The dams/water reservoirs around the city were all opened suddenly (as they were about to exceed their safe holding capacity), and that water flowed right through the city, that too during the night, causing maximum damage.
Human beings build dams/reservoirs without planning what will happen during floods, they don’t bother how to discharge excess water safely, they ‘develop’ areas that were supposed to discharge water to the sea by selling plots and buildings,
And then blame nature and rains.
How fair is that?
Destination Infinity
Reason is failure of govt, and lack of planning.
And citizens who don’t expect or demand planning from the Govt!
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Majority citizens fear the govt officials but will not accept it.
Taking it a bit further, but till the time the majority of the Indian population is striving to meet the basic needs, thoughts on higher needs will go unheeded.
Until a disaster strikes.
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Bad planning…
Most of these reservoirs were constructed by the British, so the planning should have been good, with a proper channel for draining of excess water. But what can the British do if our people get independence and construct plots and houses all across?
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We can’t blame nature in anywhere and it is we that changed the pattern of rain and its flowing path… We haven’t made proper planning to drain or store maximum amount of water. It makes me sad to see excess fresh water go merging with salty sea. I think the matter was the average rainfall in the previous years was very less and people forget to think about heavy rain and built homes wherever the land is dry. Now when the rainwater occupies its space, people blame simply without realizing their houses were on rivers and lakes rather on real land.
That’s true. Even if we take that these rains were unexpected, there should still have been some planning and procedure for what to do with excess rainwater.
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We pray for the rains and then when it comes in excess we again blame the rains, instead of being prepared for the worst even after enough warnings. And of course, very bad urban planning and illegal constructions on lakes does come at a heavy cost, we all learnt that.
I guess people who constructed those illegal buildings learned their lessons, as well.
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Utility and the main thing is Government…
That’s bad. The damage was huge and sad that it was something we brought upon ourselves