EDITORIAL-1
As floods swamp Hyderabad, the focus is on the inadequacy of drainage infrastructure
EDITORIAL-2
Dealing with a deluge: On Hyderabad floods
A deep monsoon depression over the west central Bay of Bengal, which weakened as it moved over Telangana, resulted in downpours over several districts in the State, severely affecting the city of Hyderabad as well. On October 13, the monthly average rainfall of Hyderabad for October (103.6 mm according to Skymet) was surpassed on a single day when 192 mm of rain fell. According to the India Meteorological Department, this is the highest rainfall for October recorded in Telangana’s capital since 1903. Such a high intensity downpour in a short span is bound to affect a densely populated urban area, and Hyderabad was no exception. At least 24 people were killed and several localities submerged and isolated following incessant rains and the overflowing of the city’s lakes. Other districts were badly affected too: roads damaged and irrigation tanks breached. The monsoon storm that never became a cyclone, has managed to cross the east (Andhra Pradesh) and west coasts (north Karnataka and Maharashtra) of India. This is rare and a rain-related disaster event that is difficult to plan for. Floods and deluges, like any other disaster, disproportionately affect the poor. Disaster management agencies have managed to limit the impact of the disaster as many of those marooned in submerged areas and flooded houses were rescued. But the extent of the damage and the turmoil show a lack of preparation and disaster mitigation, a problem that plagues most urban centres in the country.
Much of the damage was due to the overflowing of lakes — in particular, the Hussain Sagar Lake in the middle of the city and the breaching of storm water drains. Construction over lake beds and encroachments of drainage channels have been identified as problems that have exacerbated flooding and inundation in the city in the past (the deluge in August 2000, for example). But the little that has been done to unblock existing storm drains over the last decade has not been enough to handle the requirements of the city, which still depends upon an antiquated sewerage and drainage system. Hyderabad urgently needs to expand and remodel its drainage system. Besides lakes and canals, wetlands and watersheds play a vital role in absorbing excess rainfall, but regrettably, rapid urbanisation in the twin cities has resulted in the loss of a large portion of the wetlands. An analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment in 2016 revealed that 3,245 hectares of water bodies were lost in Hyderabad between 1989 and 2001. In the long term, the effects of flooding due to deluges can only be mitigated if urban planners take into account the hydro-geology of cities and ensure that construction, development and land occupation do not take place in a way that reduces the area of wetlands.
deluge--बाढ़--flood, flooding, deluge, overflow, salvo, freshet--a severe flood.
swamp-दलदल--mire, swamp
inadequacy --अनुविता--inadequacy, Insufficiency, insufficience, scantiness, scarceness
downpour--मूसलधार बारिश--
densely--घनी
submerged--जलमग्न
irrigation--सिंचाई
disproportionately--अनुपातहीन
marooned --असहाय
turmoil --उथल-पुथल
breaching --उल्लंघन
exacerbated --गहरा बनाना --sharpen, exacerbate, escalate
encroachments --अतिक्रमण
inundation --सैलाब--inundation, overflow, flood, freshet, inunction
antiquated --प्राचीन
ancient, pristine, old, antiquated, primitive, archaic
wetlands --झीलों
occupation--कब्जे--
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Showdown in Thailand: On student protests
The protests are unlikely to die down without a reversal of recent anti-democratic steps
The Thai government’s decision to issue an emergency decree, banning public gatherings and censoring the media, demonstrates both its acknowledgement of the seriousness of the challenge it is facing in the wake of months-long street protests and its refusal to address the actual problems. The protests, from July, by students against the authoritarian government of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha have since grown into a large political movement, raising challenges for the government and also to the monarchy, an institution that has historically been protected from public criticism by tough lèse-majesté laws. Mr. Prayuth, who captured power in 2014 through a military coup, won a disputed election last year. Backed by the King, he has tightened his grip on power and cracked down on dissent. In 2017, a new Constitution saw democracy being eroded further. This gradual erosion of political rights, along with the outbreak of COVID-19 and its related economic woes, triggered the protests. The protesters have earned the support of sections of society. They now call for the Prime Minister’s resignation, free and fair elections, a new Constitution that guarantees democratic rights, and want the powers of the monarchy clipped. The declaration of the emergency decree comes a day after protesters raised the three-finger salute, a symbol of resistance taken from The Hunger Games trilogy, at a royal motorcade.
Under the new rules, the authorities have banned the gathering of five or more people and restricted the publication of news “that could create fear”. They can also prohibit people from entering “any area they designate”. Clearly, the government has granted itself sweeping powers and wants to crack down on the protests. But this could have the opposite impact. That the students continued their agitation despite government pressure and have started questioning even the monarchy shows their resolve. The Thai monarchy, which lost absolute powers in the 1932 revolution, continued to maintain its high influence in the government and god-like status in society. Now, the protesters are openly challenging the powers of King Vajiralongkorn, who ascended the throne in 2016 after the death of his father, Bhumibol Adulyadej. The new King, who is mostly in Europe, and Mr. Prayuth, have become symbols of extravagance and oppression for the protesters, who have dismissed the emergency decree, saying the movement has gone past the point of no-return, and in turn setting the stage for a showdown with the police. In the past, authorities had used brutal force to suppress protests. In 1976, the police and right-wing thugs massacred protesters in Thammasat University, Bangkok. Mr. Prayuth and his Generals should ask themselves whether they should take matters to such a dangerous turn or reach out to the protesters, seeking a solution to the crisis.
unlikely--संभावना नहीं--
decree--हुक्मनामा
acknowledgement--स्वीकृति
authoritarian सत्तावादी
coup--तख्तापलट
tightened --कड़ी कर दी गई
eroded-नष्ट करना--dissipate, destroy, abrade, mangle, blast, liquidate--
triggered --शुरू हो रहा
clipped--काटा गया
आंदोलन
movement, agitation, campaign, drive
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