Irreparable damage already done to environment
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: May 14, 2022 -

THERE are more than enough evidences that whatever amount Manipur gets from the Union government as special packages to prepare for lessening the impact from natural calamities, the state will continue to face floods and landslides during the monsoons and drought-like situation when winter months set in.

The collapse of the Bailey bridge, which was constructed over the Irang river along the Imphal-Jiribam road in December 2000, and landslides reported from different corners of the hill districts due to consistent rainfall across the state are tell-tale signs of adverse impact of climate change, lack of enthusiasm among the masses to join hands on forest conservation activities and haplessness of the government to prevent further deterioration of the environment.

When pre-monsoon rainfall could cause damages to important structures and trigger landslides one can easily foresee what lies ahead when monsoon actually arrives. Collapse of the Irang bridge after its basement got washed away by the swift current of the river indicates that no technological advancement and engineering marvel could withstand the wrath of nature.

As reported, the steel bridge was constructed around 17 months back by 22 Engineer Regiment of the Indian Army after a decades-old similar structure standing there was rendered useless multiple times.

As the Army's engineering unit succeeded in restoring Vehicular movement along the lifeline within three weeks of commencing construction, there were widespread applauses from different sections of the society, the transport operators in particular, over its work efficiency, even as critics pointed out that Bailey bridges wouldn't be the lasting solution to logistics problems.

With the Irang bridge unlikely to be repaired anytime soon, operation of vehicles through the alternative route via Khoupum to Rengpang, as arranged by the district authority too would run into trouble within short notice for the said road passes through rugged and narrow terrain.

The rainfall-induced damages caused to roadways and suffering of villages in affected regions would ultimately be blamed on the government as is evident from a Kangpokpi district-based organisation holding the establishment accountable for occurrence of regular mudslides near a village under T Vaichong sub-divisional.

A leader of joint Monitoring Development Committee of IT Road, whose representatives assessed the situation, interestingly stated that the said area is experiencing the natural calamity for the seventh time since August last year.

In fact, repetitive occurrences of landslide/mudslide at the same zone underscore severity of the disturbance done to the environment.

That the government wouldn't be impressed by blaming it for natural calamities could be comprehended from works minister Govindas Konthoujam expressing deep concern over numerous landslides and mudslides in hill areas, remarking that climate change and deforestation are main causes for these phenomena and appealing to the people to plant more trees.

In view of existential threat to the human race due to climate change, the least that the government of Manipur could do is to hope that natural calamities do not claim human lives and carry out intense awareness activities to impress upon the people that tales of survival in apocalyptic science fiction movies aren't workable in real-life situation.

Efforts must be made to bring on board the masses in dealing with the reality of climate change.