Kozhikode: City dwellers, as well as experts, call for collective action to enable sustainable development, aiding in overcoming and adapting to the changed climate pattern.
The city and adjacent areas witnessed unprecedented floods uprooting many from their moorings to the confinement of relief camps.
Former mayor V. K. C. Mammad Koya MLA said that heavy rain received in three days had ended up in disaster and colossal losses.
"Rehabilitation of people living in sensitive areas is an arduous task. Disaster management will become an unavoidable skill if this pattern repeats," he told DC
"Urgently, sand and mud accumulated in drainages, canals and rivers need to be removed as it hurdles the easy water flow into the sea."
"The sand accumulated in rivers in 2018 floods have not yet been removed, and the survey is now underway for its removal," Mr Koya pointed out.
S.B. Abilash, assistant professor of meteorology at Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat), believes drastic changes in the usage of land and its policies along with the strengthening of civic bodies could bring about changes.
He also suggests capacity building mainly among marginalised sections to overcome disasters.
"Awareness among people on disaster management has to be strengthened. Houses rebuilt by Kerala government have survived the floods, and such architecture is a model to behold."
The constant heavy rain that lashed the hills was the reason for the flash floods that submerged parts of the city for days. "Cumulonimbus clouds, common during April, May, October and November with one to 14 km extension along with thermodynamic instability had resulted in the heavy downpour for three days. Global warming is thus showing its effect here," he said.
"Unsustainable, over exploitative land-use practices have reduced soil strength, which resulted in landslides. Gadgil report cannot be solely relied upon as a solution."
DYFI president Mohammed Riyaz, a city resident, advocates collective eco-friendly actions through sustainable development for a longer period.
