Its a relief that the prime minister has done an aerial survey and announced `relief' for the flood-hit in North Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Thankfully, politicking has not hampered his announcement. It's not the first time Karnataka has been hit by floods. It definitely means there are ways to look at building a flood relief system to minimise damage too. The number 226 for deaths may be a mere statistic. But for families that have lost them, they are people - breadwinners, loved ones, fathers, mothers, children...Relief announcements in multiples of 10 are a norm too. But is it not about time governments made public flowcharts showing the last paise spent?
This one is a picture of the Krishna river between the Raichur and Krishna stations, clicked in mid-August from my Mumbai-bound train, when monsoon was at prime. For me, Krishna - the name as a station, was a pleasant revelation. It bears the name of my favourite God.
Change in tone on river-linking
For a government that was over-zealous in treating river-linking as panacea to all water woes in the country, Manmohan Singh's mentioning of it being `complex' is a sign of hope too.
It's true floods and drought look beyond human control at face value. It is truer still, that humans messing up with nature and playing God by controlling rivers has a lot to do with floods.
Pic Courtesy: Radhika M
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