Floods

Floods in Eastern Nepal and in upper Bihar. Dozens have died and several thousand displaced. As usual, rescue efforts are slow in Nepal, but what exacerbates the issue is the utter neglect to maintain buildings and other structures like bridges. There are building codes but as this article in the Nepal Times points out, much of the cost in both lives and property damage lies on the shoulders of, well, human beings.

This isn't a matter of blaming the victim. People who have lived in the flood plains know better, but these are folks who have few options. We may feel that those who move further in should definitely know better, but again, these are not the power holders. Much of the responsibility lays with the government and developers. Given how regular monsoons are and knowing how potentially dangerous the results can be after re-routing estuaries and adding to erosion, there's little excuse for endangering a population. Houses and other buildings are constructed from cheap materials because builders cut costs by cutting corners and there's no real regulatory system of accountability in place. Not in Nepal and not really in Nitish Kumar's Bihar. 

Some have estimated as much as 80% of the crops in the Terai may be wiped out. This is the bread basket of Nepal and again, with proper planning, genuine infrastructural repairs and a government that would actually care enough about its people to mobilize first responders, relief and rescue workers, much of this could have been averted.

This live blog may give an idea of what has hit Nepal so hard: http://www.recordnepal.com/live-blog/2017-nepal-floods-live-blog/

As for Bihar, the ramifications are just as devastating.

In Nepal, you will often hear "ke garne?"/"what to do?" The Nepalese have one of the most laissez fairer governments on the face of the earth. While it's all well and good Prime Minister Deuba seems well-meaning, absent any real top-down change, "what to do?" will continue to be the default response from an uninvolved, if not distant and corrupt leadership and a neglected, if not outright despised polity. "What to do?" Change the whole bloody parliament. It's not just the Maoists, the various so-called democratic parties and the odd "bring back the monarchy" eccentric. It's just about everyone involved. My friend Krishna has opined many time that the problem, as he sees it, is rooted deep in Nepali culture. "Sir, we have a big problem here: 20% very nice, good people. 80% very bad, always putting themselves first." 

Deuba dragged her feet on this, waffling and delaying declaring a state of emergency and all that does is send the rather obvious signal that if the government isn't outright lazy and corrupt, it's unprepared and unfit.

In Bihar, one might be forgiven thinking that things are better, but Mr. Kumar and his cabinet aren't the most impressive of representatives, either. At least, Bihar has better-coordinated and better-trained response teams and can plan ahead, but owing to ineptitude on both sides of the border, there isn't really any collaboration on this shared geography. Why would there be? Two governments who can't be bothered to shore up buildings, roads, and bridges or take the time to implement long-range strategies to deal with a regular, annual occurrence, aren't likely to consider marshaling the political capital to change the situation. 

To be sure, there are people of goodwill who are working to change these situations on both sides, but without the support of leadership vested in protecting and promoting safety for the people, it's left to the people themselves to effect what changes they can.

"Ke garne?" Here's how you can help:

http://www.onwardnepal.com/nepal/nepalfloods2017-government-public-can-help/

https://cedarfundeng.wordpress.com/2016/08/04/appeal20160804/