Reference Article: The Hindu
UPSC CSE Relevance:
– GS Paper I: Distribution of key natural resources; geographical features and their impact
– GS Paper II: Governance
– GS Paper III: Agriculture, Water Resources, Disaster Management
– Essay Paper: Environment, Development, and Governance
India received 8% more monsoon rainfall this year than the long-period average, which on the surface suggests abundance. The sown area under kharif crops rose by around 15 lakh hectares to 1,110 lakh hectares, with rice cultivation alone increasing by 8.45 lakh hectares. Pulses, oilseeds and coarse cereals showed similar growth. Water storage in major reservoirs also improved, reaching 163 BCM in late September compared to 157.8 BCM last year.
Yet this seeming bounty was accompanied by widespread destruction. Torrential rains in August and September caused flooding in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Punjab, where swollen rivers breached flood marks and submerged entire villages. Landslides, erosion, and siltation caused massive damage across rural and urban landscapes.
Regional and Meteorological Patterns
- Seasonal rainfall exceeded averages significantly: Northwest India (27%), Central India (15%), South Peninsula (10%).
- Reports of “cloudbursts” were common, though technically accurate only in one case (Tamil Nadu). Misuse of terminology skews public perception — treating events as rare anomalies rather than predictable risks.
The Framing Problem
IMD had forecast “above normal” rainfall since April, a prediction that proved accurate. But the official framing continues to celebrate accurate forecasting as success while ignoring failures in preparedness.
- Drought warnings trigger urgent responses.
- Excess rainfall is still perceived as nature’s gift rather than a hazard demanding preventive action.
- Such framing shifts accountability away from the state and reduces excess rain calamities to mere acts of fate.
The Case for Reform
With advances in forecasting and infrastructure capabilities, India cannot afford outdated perceptions of excess rainfall. Necessary steps include:
- Reframing policy language to treat excessive rains as disasters-in-making rather than munificence.
- Upgrading preparedness frameworks with equal seriousness for floods as for droughts.
- Integrating forecasting into planning for urban drainage, reservoir management, and early warning systems.
- Improving communication by using correct meteorological terms to avoid misleading public perception.
Conclusion
India’s 2023 monsoon highlights the dual face of rainfall — agricultural prosperity on one hand and widespread destruction on the other. Effective governance requires shifting from reactive relief to proactive preparedness. Failure to reframe excess rainfall as a governance responsibility, rather than fate, amounts to an abdication of duty.