India: Why constructing canals is not the solution to floods in Punjab
By Srishti Choudhary
As Punjab government announces a major plan to canalize all rivers of the state to avert another flood-like situation in near future, environmentalists warn that the move could trigger more severe flooding and damage along the flood plains.
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Citing example of Kosi River in Bihar, retired Indian Forest Service officer, Manoj Mishra who leads the Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan said, “Embankments create an illusion that people living alongside them are now safe from floods. More people settle in the floodplains. But look, what has happened in Bihar? The floods have been devastating. Why don’t we learn from our mistakes?"
Experts highlight that instead of focusing on creating embankments, the government must direct its attention to protecting the catchments area of major rivers. “If we had protected our catchment areas well enough, all this damage could have been controlled," said Devinder Sharma, agriculture policy expert based in Punjab, “It is more important, amid concerns of these rivers going dry due to climate change."
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With extreme rainfall events on the rise, the disaster potential for flooding in major rivers has only increased. The pace of development has changed the land-use patterns, especially along the rivers, with increasing number of people living in low-lying areas. Experts highlight that overreliance on concrete based solutions is a cause of concern, especially when it is preceded by lack of any serious evaluation of whether this solution is effective or not.
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