Day 56 – Q 5.Examine the factors leading to increasing number of droughts and floods in India. Is there a way to address the erratic weather pattern? Discuss.
5. Examine the factors leading to increasing number of droughts and floods in India. Is there a way to address the erratic weather pattern? Discuss.
भारत में सूखे और बाढ़ की संख्या में वृद्धि के कारण कारकों की जांच करें। क्या अनियमित मौसम पैटर्न को संबोधित करने का कोई तरीका है? चर्चा करें।
Approach:
- Introduction
- Factors leading to increasing number of droughts and floods in India
- Ways to address the erratic weather pattern
- Conclusion
Introduction:
India essentially forms a separate geo-hydrological and climatic unit due to its isolation from the rest of the Eurasian landmass. Thus, the problems of floods and droughts in India form a distinct unit of study while studying global climatic and water regimes. However, in the age of humans, the anthropological factor has come to dominate discussions on disasters.
Factors leading to increasing number of floods in India:
- Meteorological Factors: These include prolonged heavy rainfall which is usually common during the monsoon season. Cloudbursts are quite regular in the Himalayan region during monsoons as well. Tropical cyclones often cause flooding along the eastern coastline.
- Topological Factors: Lack of drainage from the area, saturated sub-soil, glacial lake outbursts due to the failure of outward debris dams.
- Human Factors:
Examples-
Floodplains of several rivers, especially in the northern plains like Kosi, Ghaghra, Gandak, Sarayu etc are flooded every year. Yet, these areas have been settled by people, usually lying in the lower economic-strata- eg. Assam and Bihar plains. The destruction of natural wetlands including marshes and lakes has led to blocking of areas that had earlier served as water sinks.
Construction of houses in a haphazard manner.
With increasing deforestation especially along coastal areas and river banks, the first line of defence against floods has been removed.
Factors leading to increasing number of droughts in India:
- Meteorological Drought: Reduction in rainfall for a specific period below a specific amount.
- Hydrological Drought: Drying up of water sources – both surface and ground water (together or individually)
- Soil Moisture Drought: Unavailability of adequate moisture to support the standing crop.
- Ecological Drought: Productivity of a natural eco-system falls significantly as a consequence of distress induced environmental damage.
Though all reasons mentioned above seem to pertain to natural causes, yet drought is said to be a man-made disaster in the present context. This is due to:
- Faulty cropping systems that lead to excessive wastage of water like the flooding of fields during rice sowing.
- Growing crops that do not suit the agro-climatology of a particular region. India has been divided into several agro-climatic zones and it is recommended that crops that suit that region must be grown. For example, sugarcane in Maharashtra where the interiors face a shortage of water perennially. Also, rice in southern Karnataka and northern Tamil Nadu are other examples.
- Increasing urbanization has led to indiscriminate use of water by urban centers. This has led to water being pumped from hundreds of kilometers away leaving the sources dry and deficient in water.
- Lack of water storage structures that cause water that falls during the monsoons to just wash away. Also, destruction of natural water storage structures due to encroachment.
Addressing the erratic weather pattern:
- Mitigation by checking climate change- India has set ambitious targets under INDC (Paris agreement). The road map should be implemented strictly.
Adaptation:
- Growing crops suitable for the agro-climatic zone.
- Planned settlement.
- Afforestation in flood plains and along coastal areas (Mangroves).
- Efficient use of ground water resources needs to be incentivized.
- Investments in R&D for the development of drought-resistant crops can help reduce some of the negative impacts.
- Improvements in hydro-meteorological systems for weather forecasting and the installation of flood warning systems can help people move out of harm’s way before a weather-related disaster strikes.
Conclusion:
Today, the country faces the twin challenges of floods and droughts that recur every year. Solving the challenges requires a policy based top-down approach and also a local government based push. India has committed itself to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, these are aligned with the Sendai Framework of Disaster Risk Reduction to which India is a signatory. It is thus imperative that India synchronize its efforts so as to meet its targets under both by addressing all disasters – especially floods and droughts.
Best answer: gargantuan
