A macro audit needed?

For last some weeks we have seen, almost literally, heavens fall. Beginning with Chisoti, Kishtawar, and some areas in Kathua, the  wrath from high above left much in ruin. The cloudbursts resulted in massive destruction of homes and hearths, besides inflicting a significant loss of life. After those incidents, there was barely any let up in rains, and the consequent devastation.

In the last week, we saw Jammu and Kashmir, particularly, Jammu division, flooded in a very dangerous way. Many areas, even in the city of Jammu, were inundated resulting in disruption of life. The normal pattern of life in almost the entire province was thrown out of gear. What particularly struck in this spell of incessant rains and horrible cloudbursts, was the huge damage to the public infrastructure. We saw entire road patches subsiding. We saw massive bridges not withstanding the flow of flood water. Although the governments, central and the local, are busy in rescuing people, and bringing some timely relief to the affected families, there are issues related to the safety of public infrastructure.

The scale of damage is disturbing on many counts. One, how safe is our public infrastructure in the face of natural calamities. Two, while conceiving the infrastructural projects, how much is the environmental risk taken into account. Three, who confirms the structural strength of these projects and who audits it. Right now, it may not be a priority, as we have a sizeable number of people in the affected regions who need immediate help. The restoration of these people is something that cannot wait. But once the immediate effects of floods and cloudburst are mitigated, there is a dire need of undertaking a macro audit of all the major infrastructural projects.

This audit should be made as part of a comprehensive study on how the impact of natural disasters can be minimised. The audit should lay a new foundation for conceiving, building and operationalising public infrastructure. If massive bridges cannot withstand floods, there is something wrong in how the projects have been dealt with.