Neha Jain

Multidimensional perspectives on Bihar floods

Multidimensional Perspectives on Bihar Floods

Introduction

Floods in Bihar are not just natural disasters leading to huge losses of life and property. It is a crisis that wreaks havoc on humanitarian, ecological and economic grounds. In order to address this issue, they need to be looked from multiple standpoints namely hydrological, socio-economic and governance.

Environmental Dimensions of Bihar Floods

Bihar lies very near to the Gangetic Flood Plain and also in close conjunction with Himalayan Rivers making it vulnerable to floods. Besides this climate change lead to increase in floods. This is due to increase in overflow of river systems.

Kosi River's course keeps changing leading to floods in Bihar. It increases siltation in the river bed because of which it raises water levels, and causes floods.

Socio- Economic Impact

• Recurring floods lead to impact on per capita income because crops are destroyed, due to floods recurring rapidly.

• Floods lead to contamination of water leading to health disruption because drinking unpotable water caused cholera and dysentery.

• Seasonal migration has grown by leaps in high risk zones of floods causing changes in labour patterns, and family structures.

Psychological Impact

Floods lead to a sense of trauma because people are displaced from their homes causing Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome in adolescents and children.

Devastating Impact on Ecology and Agriculture

Floods lead to soil erosion, and nitrogen leaching. This has led to destruction of crops, and a grave impact on agriculture.

A wide variety of crops were lost, due to floods. 4500 crore worth of crops were lost.

Transport Breakdown in Bihar

National Highways and all transport systems bear the brunt of floods, and collapse isolating regions from essential services. Relief trucks get stranded. Floods has had mostly negative impact in Bihar, but it could harnessed for biodiversity and increase in cultural diaspora.

Fisheries and Biodiversity: Floods lead to increase in inundated wetlands which could lead to breeding of fish. This could help in increase of biodiversity.

Cultural Perspective: Floods in Bihar have been the subject of folklore as destructive and, as something washes off negativity. Chatt Puja also encompasses praying to the Sun God standing in the river.

Conclusion

Floods in Bihar are an interplay of detrimental impact, and some positive transformations. It is a deeply layered issue of not only black and white, but includes a multi-dimensional perspective. The risks, and possibilities need to be weighed in equal measure to decide the course of action. Floods can bring nutrient silt, if managed in a proper way. Wetlands can support a plethora of biodiversity and wildlife which is as a result of inundation by floods.

Local knowledge can lead to adaptive models like floating boat homes preventing loss of life and putting a stop to economic depravity.

On the whole, Bihar's floods present a development paradox, and a humanitarian crisis. The way forward is to build a resilient infrastructure to coexist with floods that are seasonal.

The narrative needs to be shifted to a resilient one of regeneration in the face of crisis, an adaptation of the disaster to rethink and optimize, and organise and build better communities in Bihar, and a dystopian society.