Should Mumbaikars live on the assumption that this is the fate that befalls them every year or should they continue to fight to improve the situation? This is the real question.
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The recent heavy rains in Mumbai and subsequent floods in some parts of the city have made Mumbai's Tumbai an annual event in the city. The resulting collapse of buildings and walls, loss of life of people, loss of work and other personal and public losses came as a result. Despite the unavoidable impact on Mumbai every year, there does not seem to be much difference in the approach of disaster management systems. His reluctance to handle the situation persists. So, should Mumbaikars live on the assumption that the situation is their destiny or should they keep fighting to improve the situation? This is the real question. The main purpose of this article is to find the answer to this question.
We have to look at this question by acknowledging that Mumbai will get occasional heavy rains. This is mainly the result of two things. First, Mumbai falls within the Konkan coast. This belt breaks into areas of heavy rainfall. Studies of several committees have proved that excess rainfall is a feature of this region. If we want to analyze the incidence of torrential rains in Mumbai, we have to go back to 1886 and 1957. According to that historical statistic, more than 200 mm of rainfall in 24 hours is 50 per cent in Mumbai suburbs and 33 per cent in Mumbai city. This has been mentioned in the report of the Kelkar Committee. Climate change is exacerbating the situation. Rainfall changes are still difficult to predict today. Even so, warmer climates increase rainfall and lead to more rainfall in areas with higher humidity, scientists say.
Although climate change is a recent concept, it is not a fact that Mumbai falls in the area of excess rainfall. It has been witnessed and recorded through years of experience. However, the rate at which Mumbai is expanding and the extent to which it is expanding has not been taken into account. The indifference to the environment and the awkwardly growing constructions over the years is a picture of Mumbai for the last several decades. The effects of this indifference were seen from time to time, but now they are coming forward with more intensity.
Mumbai has so far been a jungle of concrete and even the few open spaces are being attacked by the construction sector. The city's endless appetite for money and its prosperity are the main reasons for the city's devastation. Mumbai has become a haven for the migrant poor across the country. The politicians of a bunch of polling booths have helped him. The population density of Mumbai is increasing exponentially. Every corner of Mumbai is occupied by people. Therefore, if any wall or building collapses, it is bound to take its life.
While the large number of poor migrants coming to Mumbai has contributed to the economic growth of the city, it has often been seen that Mumbai has fallen victim to greed. It is as if he has imposed his own destiny on Mumbai. All the places like rivers, mangroves and nallas have become the rightful place for the slum dwellers to live and pollute. Silt-filled underground nallas, encroachments on rivers, filled nallas and inefficient drainage system have left no space for drainage of rain water. If a city is overcrowded beyond its geographical capacity, accommodating that population will affect its natural resources. The terrain also came into it. It has been proven that meeting the needs of a large population puts stress on the land concerned. In such a situation, if the water does not find a way out, it turns into a disaster. That water finds its place.
It is now almost clear that the overpopulated and aspiring Mumbai cannot be disciplined by the rulers or restrained in any way. That is why a comprehensive and fundamental solution to this city's problem is not in sight. Economic issues are also a cornerstone of Mumbai's solution to the problem. There is no balance between spending on other development works in the city or investing in flood control measures. So far, several committees have come up with comprehensive solutions to the problem of floods in Mumbai. However, he did not bother to suggest how to raise funds to implement the recommendation. Not only that, he never suggested how much such a financial investment would solve Mumbai's flood problem.
The last committee set up before the 2005 floods had given a long list of flood control measures in Mumbai. These included re-occupying important sites along with some new works, repairs, preventive measures as well as setting up a completely new system for maintenance. The first phase involves planning, re-surveying the sewerage network, implementing and improving the Brimstowad project, completing intersecting drainage systems, increasing pumping facilities, and reviewing the overall design of runways at the airport.
The second phase includes removal of barriers to drainage of flood water, clearing of four main routes for discharge of water from the city, removal of blockages due to waste and silt, removal of encroachments on and around drains, effective handling of waste problem, rehabilitating sludge wells. Was. In addition to curbing future encroachments, a ban on plastics was also suggested.
Recommendations for the administration include strengthening of MMRDA and municipal independent municipal water centers, river management authority, potential disaster warning system, integrated control, public relations system, flood water and air rescue in case of time. In particular, the last committee had recommended immediate implementation of all the reports of the previous committees.
Recommendations for the administration include strengthening of MMRDA and municipal municipal water centers, river management authorities, strengthening of early warning system, integrated control, public relations system, flood water and in case of air rescue. In particular, the last committee had recommended immediate implementation of all the reports of the previous committees.
There is no doubt that Mumbai is facing a huge burden of expectations. The previous half-work is a daunting challenge. It will require huge financial investment. Still, the government believes in making the impossible possible. However, given the clumsy planning of the city, this belief seems very hollow. It is clear that there will be bitter political opposition to the re-occupation of municipal lands. It is a very difficult task to relocate the people who have been occupying the places around the nallas and waterways. There is no guarantee of how much rain will fall in the shortest possible time. Even the best disaster management system can fail in extreme situations like sudden floods. Moreover, the city of Mumbai is under constant threat of rising sea levels. Therefore, there is a lot of room for doubt in the government's credibility.
In such a scenario, the administration seems to have decided to prioritize selected tasks and implement them. The rest of the work is left to the future. This means that if a disaster strikes, it will last for a few days. They are hoping that we will get through it on the strength of luck. At such times, only the citizens have to make a choice. They may be forced to deal with flooding by following the system, dragging them to court, or other means. If these efforts fail, all Mumbai residents can do is be prepared to endure the onslaught of floods for a few days like Salabad and take steps for the safety of themselves and their loved ones. Otherwise, someone will say, 'After all, everyone is their own and God belongs to everyone.'
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