The vicious cycle
K M Asad / Driknews
In our beloved country natural disasters happen so often that probably these should be taken as our natural characteristics. Every year we face them and still we lose our dear ones, our livestock, crops, properties etc. The governments spend millions to build dams, cyclone centres, for irrigation, medical treatment, relief and rehabilitation. But we still bear the losses. Every year our budgets are strained, we take loans from World Bank, ADB etc, but what is the result? Have we ever thought of the vicious cycle concerning this? Projects are taken, some never end, those that end collapse and at last it is the same again. In every country the people build their dwellings according to the nature of their climate, geology and GDP. The Eskimos build their igloos, the Andes people build stone houses, those in Java and Borneo build high houses and so one. Most of our houses are built with bamboo and clay. In the rainy season they rot and in the face of floods and cyclones they collapse. Could we change our design and materials and use more durable materials like plastic, aluminium etc.? A small underground room probably could be made so that at least it can be used for shelter during cyclones. We have a lot of universities which can take the initiative to do research and with the collaboration of the govt can undertake projects to build safer houses, better flood preventive measures and more effective irrigation systems which are low cost and eco-friendly. People should be made aware through technical education. How many more lives need to be sacrificed? How many drops of tears need to be shed for our conscience to wake up?
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