| Food crisis looms large in Arunachal |
ITANAGAR, Aug 23: Food crisis hit remote Kurung Kumey district in Arunachal Pradesh with many places remaining cut off since July 19 following massive landslides triggered by incessant rainfall. Parsi Parlo Zilla Parishad Member (ZPM) Sangha Tagik, who toured many disconnected areas of the district, said in a statement “there is acute shortage of essential commodities with the people deprived of any supply from outside and all schools have been closed for want of ration rice”. The State Government has allocated very little air tonnage, limiting it to almost two ration sorties, which, Tagik said was completely insufficient to meet the requirements of the local populace. The 39-km Koloriang-Parsi Parlo road, built with NABARD funding, was completely washed away and blocked at least at 45 places by heavy landslips in the first week of August, while numerous culverts and wire-road suspension bridges have been completely washed away, including at Mengio, Patuk, Lebia, Kemiya, Piglo and Tamin, Tagik said. Describing the situation as ‘grave’ and people’s sufferings as ‘immeasurable’, Food and Civil Supplies Parliamentary Secretary Lokam Tassar, who hails from the district, today urged the State Government to sanction immediate funds for undertaking relief and rehabilitation. (PTI) |
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By Esther Williams | Yesterday at 4:44 PM | Comments ( 0 )
Internally displaced Somali women and their children camp outside their makeshift shelter in the Somali capital of Mogadishu on August 6, 2011. REUTERS/Ismail Taxta
By Esther Williams
A humanitarian emergency continues to persist across the Horn of Africa. Farmlands are brown and months of blazing sunshine have dried up lakes, rivers and pasture as the worst drought in 60 years weighs on parts of the region.
More than 12 million people are affected by severe food shortages and aid agencies like Tearfund are responding with life-saving assistance. Over 40,000 people across the region are receiving clean water, non-food items, and veterinary support for their animals as part of the aid agency’s efforts.
In the midst of a food crisis, meeting people’s immediate needs is crucial. However, as questions are asked as to why this part of world is regularly hit by food shortages, it is vital to highlight that the situation in East Africa had been forecast months before the region began to receive high profile media attention and before donors sat up and paid attention.
The reality is that governments are wedded to emergency response and remain painfully slow to invest in disaster risk reduction strategies. We know which parts of the world are most disaster-prone and that lives can be saved through preventative measures.
GAME CHANGER
We know that climate change is a game-changer and, unless rapid action is taken to curb it, the odds are these life-threatening weather events will only increase. So it’s shameful that we continue to stick plasters on gaping wounds.
