Sea fury threatened the coastline once again on Wednesday with rising waves sending shivers down the spine of shack operators. A few shacks were grounded, while many others waited haplessly for the water to recede. Thankfully, the tides died down later in the day and shack operators, many of whom were still in the process of building their structures, could heave a sigh of relief.
Tidal swells have been a common phenomenon lately and this is the second scare after the Cyclone Ockhi-related sea disaster that battered the coastline in December 2017 causing extensive damage to shacks and properties. Goa is always known to have learnt its lessons the hard way, but here is a case where the State has failed to take cognizance of the several warnings mother nature has sounded. The State has always felt the need of a water-tight disaster management plan and if Ockhi took the wind out of our tourism sails in December last year, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s promise of a plan came like a light at the end of the tunnel.
On paper the disaster management plan appears fool-proof with responsibilities clearly defined. Roles have been cut out for District Disaster Management Authorities. A State Disaster Response Force for North and South Goa comprising of personnel selected from Indian Reserve Batallion, fire services and civil defence and home guards are in place as quick response teams. Even a standard operating procedure is laid out. With an elaborate plan on paper, the State Disaster Management Authority claims to be battle-ready but on the field a different picture emerges and Goa completely misses out on the level of preparedness.
The recent cyclones in neighbouring states have given Goa the shivers. The state cannot take risks where thousands of people eke out a living along the coastline with tourism being the State’s mainstay. There are valuable lives and properties at risk. The tidal swells that were witnessed on Wednesday covered a vast portion of our coast including Canacona-Agonda, Colva, Betalbatim, Majorda, Colva, Candolim-Baga and the Keri-Morjim beach belt.
If Cyclone Ockhi-related sea disaster knocked on our senses, Wednesday’s swells have caught the authorities still napping. Lessons have not been learnt and shacks are still allowed to be erected in such close proximity to the beach. Caution is thrown to the wind with no study conducted on water pattern and the impact of high tides.
The state has been talking big on disaster management for quite a while. Ambitious plans of GIS-mapping system and a disaster management command and control centre have been recent add-ons. But it’s high time the government takes disaster management forward. Our level of preparedness and coordination is dismal to say the least. We need to get our act together. Stop punching holes in weather forecast, it’s time to weather the storm.
