Kerala warning

Letter August 26, 2018
The devastating floods in Kerala that began on August 8 have killed hundreds of people and displaced millions

LAHORE: The devastating floods in Kerala that began on August 8 have killed hundreds of people and displaced millions. The incident has perhaps been the worst in India’s recent history. However, apart from showing our humanitarian concern and helping the victims with financial assistance, Pakistan should consider the incident as a warning.

Environmentalists have stated that the floods should come as a warning to Pakistan as we are also equally vulnerable to such a disaster. Absence of dams and a poor water sector management system can leave us to the same faith as of the people of Kerala.

As Prime Minister Imran Khan stated in his maiden speech, environmental issues are real and we should be prepared to tackle them ably. Training staff for climatic changing patterns and opting for measures that can avoid any such catastrophe should be our top priority, lest we lose thousands of precious lives to a tragedy we could have easily avoided.

Mr Khan and his government should act now.

Haider Chaudhry

Published in The Express Tribune, August 26th, 2018.

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