The Hindu Business Line : An opportunity in adversity

THE relief that came after the tsunami tragedy was as big as the wave that hit the coastal areas of the South. The noble gesture was tarnished by some complaints that the aid packages have not reached certain pockets.

No doubt, every effort aimed at immediate provision of basic amenities to the affected families for their immediate daily requirements is welcome. But crisis management should concentrate at both the micro and macro levels.

At the latter, the local bodies, be it the village panchayat or the co-operative, must be encouraged to bring order in the disaster-hit area so that there are no leakages. Such orderliness will introduce an element of transparency in the distribution of essentials to the affected communities. The answer is centralised control of relief operations. This can demarcate clearly the area of operations by various NGOs and other bodies.

Now, aid distribution happens largely by the administration, is done by political parties, NGOs and other bodies often in a disorganised way. Such an approach opens up opportunities for the unscrupulous to take advantage of the situation. But one agency coordinating relief can regulate operations effectively.

At the macro level, the effort involves a thorough examination of the the infrastructure requirements. The government must work with ecologists, meteorological and oceanographic experts to evolve safe construction designs. The Chennai Port Trust, for instance, is thinking of creating an artificial beach, as a buffer.

Rather than merely replacing the tsunami-affected hamlets, the government should institute a committee of experts to redesign the entire shore area to minimise the impact of such calamities. The communication network along the coast must be improved so that effective early warning systems can be put in place.

Both the Central and State governments must realise the opportunity thrown up by the tsunami to put in place strict rules on a variety of aspects impacting coastal livelihood.

The relief work, now aimed at immediate, short-term solutions, must look beyond to assist the survivors resume their normal life quickly so that the economic activity resumes at the earliest. Soft loans through banks can be arranged for the fisher folk to help them repair or replace their fishing equipment. Even the insurance sector involved to give people low-cost cover.

There is a scope to build a modern India along the coastal areas and the opportunity must not be lost. This is the time to take coastal India towards advanced technology.

(The author is a Chennai-based chartered accountant.)

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