It has been a November of unending agony for Chennai, a month that saw a century-old rainfall record being broken. Of a city of about 8 million people, more than half are battling the ravages of water, many dislocated from their homes and taking refuge in makeshift shelters; some on rooftops, waiting to be rescued, as the swilling flood waters menacingly lick their way up. The entire city is marooned — trucks cannot enter with food stocks, nor can its citizens easily flee. Trains and flights are grounded, and the few buses that somehow manage to leave are desperately packed. The city, in better days a throbbing automobile and IT hub, has suffered damages worth ₹15,000 crore, according to Assocham estimates. Apart from Chennai, at least four neighbouring districts in Tamil Nadu, apart from Nellore and Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, have received far in excess of their usual quota of winter rain. An estimated 270 people have lost their lives in Tamil Nadu, and the toll could mount. This has been an alarmingly prodigious north-east monsoon, excessive even by the standards of an El Nino year, leaving forecasters the world over flummoxed. The weathermen have predicted a few more days of rain of reduced intensity. Amidst prolonged despair, the people of the State have shown great fortitude, ingenuity and generosity. The State government has come under flak for not being as dynamic or visible as the armed forces, social action groups and numerous individual volunteers have been. A desperate citizenry understandably expects a speedy return to some semblance of normalcy. Yet, there are limits to how quickly the government can deliver in such adverse conditions.
It is when the rescue operations are completed and flood waters recede that the governments, both State and the Centre, should put their heads together. First, there is a potential health emergency to be tackled. The Centre, which has laid great store by developing smart cities and renovating existing ones, should go back to the drawing board with the realisation that technology and infrastructure alone do not make a city tick. It should have been abundantly clear after the deluge that hit Mumbai in 2005 that urban growth must integrate water management issues. Chennai has filled up its river and lake beds to its south with malls and apartments. Urban spaces cannot be surrendered on a platter to ‘developers’. Rivers and lakes should be brought back to life on a priority that is normally accorded to infrastructure projects. The same holds true for storm water drains.
Chennai should lead to a mindset change in urban development, before another deluge takes the country by surprise. Bengaluru and Pune are vulnerable for having developed without concern for their ecosystems. Indian industry should assume responsibility for shaping a new urban ecosystem along with the Centre and the States. A public-private partnership along these lines could go a long way in making our cities more inviting for citizens and investors alike. It will be a shame if we continue with business as usual.