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Kerala - Disaster Season 2018, Kochi (2026)

12/12/2023

നഗരവികസനവും ഭൂമിയുടെ സംരക്ഷണവും

ലോകത്തെവിടെയും നഗരങ്ങൾ വികസനത്തിന്റെ പാതയിലാണ്. ഇപ്പോൾ തന്നെ ലോകത്തെ അറുപത് ശതമാനത്തിലധികം ആളുകൾ നഗരങ്ങളിൽ ആണ് ജീവിക്കുന്നത്. കേരളത്തിൽ അതി വേഗതയിൽ ആണ് നഗരവൽകരണം നടക്കുന്നത്.

നഗരപ്രാന്തങ്ങളിൽ ഉള്ള ഭൂമിയുടെ സ്വാഭാവിക രീതി നഗരവൽക്കരണം മാറ്റി മറിക്കുന്നു. പലയിടത്തും ഇത് പ്രളയത്തിനും മണ്ണിടിച്ചിലിനും ഒക്കെ കാരണമാകുന്നു. എല്ലായിടത്തും ആളുകളുടെ ജീവിതത്തിന്റെ ഗുണനിലവാരം കുറക്കുന്നു.

എങ്ങനെയാണ് നഗരങ്ങളിലെ ഭൂമി പ്രകൃതി സൗഹൃദമായി പ്ലാൻ ചെയ്യാൻ സാധിക്കുന്നത് ?

ഈ വിഷയത്തെ പറ്റിയാണ് പുതിയ വെബ്ബിനാർ. ഈ ഡിസംബർ മാസം പതിനാലാം തിയതി ഇന്ത്യൻ സമയം ഒമ്പതര മുതൽ പത്തര വരെ.

നഗര വികസന വിഷയത്തിലോ, സിവിൽ എഞ്ചിനീയറിങിലോ ഒക്കെ ജോലി ചെയ്യുന്നവരും വിദ്യാർത്ഥികളും പങ്കെടുക്കുമല്ലോ. പങ്കെടുക്കുന്നവർക്ക് യു എന്നിൽ നിന്നുള്ള സർട്ടിഫിക്കറ്റ് നൽകുന്നതാണ്.

രെജിസ്ട്രേഷൻ ലിങ്ക് ഒന്നാമത്തെ കമന്റിൽ ഉണ്ട്

മുരളി തുമ്മാരുകുടി

19/09/2018

Dumps reaching out beyond doorsteps…

I used to say that after every disaster that hits mankind, thousand tons of solid wastes would be generated and that it was necessary to segregate them appropriately and then decompose it.

Today I happened to visit a few places which were direly affected by the recent floods. Outside every house I could see that there were accumulated wastes that could fill a pick-up! The debri included mattresses, cushions and plastic chairs all heaped up in pile. In some places, the waste had started overflowing from within the houses. Even in my locality people have begun to burn whatever could be burnt. If the dry days without rains continue for a week they will start setting the sofas and mattresses on fire too. I know that burning plastics is not good. Burning plastic wastes can further deteriorate the health of asthma patients. It can also pave way to cancer. If we do not suggest an alternative, people will continue to do what is possible and what they wish to do.

In Kerala, we do not have a waste management system, the consequences of which are being borne by us now. Even developed countries which possess proper waste disposal techniques and sophisticated technology find it difficult to cope up when such disastrous calamities strike. During the times of the Japan tsunami in 2011, colossal quantities of solid wastes were generated in an hour along the coastal lines which otherwise would have been the sum total of debris formed by all the villages together over many years.

I would like to suggest a few steps in the light of my experience of leading an international group to study on this matter:

1. It is necessary to find a place where the solid wastes can be collected and consolidated as soon as possible.

2. While collecting, the wastes have to be segregated into many categories such as wooden articles, mattresses, plastic wastes, white goods etc.

3. Kerala is the biggest market in India for electronic appliances like TVs and refrigerators. Sales of about thousand TVs take place here. Therefore, we have the capability to pressurise these companies to take responsibility of their sold goods and take them back. There is a theory called Extended Producer Responsibility in this field. We do not have to feel sorry for the companies because they are being forced to take back the useless goods and if there are some companies who are not willing to do so, our government just needs to ban the sale of products by those companies henceforth. Similarly, if the companies agree to take back the old goods in exchange for a new one by reducing a few thousands , they would be reluctant in throwing away these goods.

If the department of local self-government suggests methods to collect and consolidate trash, more suggestions regarding their re-use and disposal can be given. But as long as they remain mute, what is the point in suggesting ideas?

If we do not take an action soon all our creeks and trenches of the flood-affected regions will be slogged with mud, all the filth will reach out to our rivers overnight, Kerala will have fire pits all over, children and the diseased will have problems arising out of pollution, all this will result in the break out of incurable diseases at least for a short time. We must not let this happen.

Murali Thummaarukudy

18/09/2018

DON’T LET OPPORTUNISTS TO EXPLOIT THE SITUATION

While Kerala is going through the worst disaster in a century, the entire state with its government, people, the Keralite diaspora and overseas Keralites have set an example to the entire world how a united Kerala is surviving the disaster. Funds are flowing to the Chief Ministers Relief Fund and most of the Keralites are determined to overcome the tragedy even by sharing their salary of an entire month.

Even at this testing times, there might be someone around who might see this as an opportunity to make some quick bucks. We have seen some unscrupulous merchants selling bottled water at black market rates! This trend is likely to grow over the coming weeks and months. From construction materials like cement and steel to household items like Television, refrigerator and furniture are likely to be the target of increased prices which have no justification whatsoever as none of these items are produced in Kerala to have the flood any impact on their prices. However, the retail merchants in Kerala or their suppliers from other states might take advantage of the situation and take it as an excuse to increase the prices. Whoever it may be, needless to say that it is an anti-social activity akin to stealing the roof supports from a house on fire. Labourers demanding higher daily wages during these times is as well an exploitation of this distress situation.

The infrastructure and the real estate loss in China from the earthquake was far heavier than the loss in Kerala due to this flood. Although the merchants there also tried to exploit the situation by increasing the prices of construction materials, the Chinese government effectively intervened by storing the bricks and cement in each village to prove the availability of adequate supplies. The government’s move paid off and the prices fell under control as people and merchants were convinced of the adequate supplies in hand.

The media can take an effective role here by investigating whether the prices of any commodities are on hike and compare the current prices with a month earlier. If the prices are being hiked unreasonably, Government must intervene and if possible declare the supply of cement, steel and other commodities through the Maveli stores.

The reconstruction in Kerala is yet to begin and the reconstruction is only a part of the construction industry. However, the price increase is across the whole state. While Keralites are tightening their belts to gather five thousand crores to reconstruct Kerala, we should not let anyone to rob six thousand crores from Kerala by increasing the prices of cement and vegetables.

13/09/2018

Tragedy and Adversities in the hill-country

Today was the second day of my quick ‘drop by’ around the disaster affected zones – A journey that began from Thodupuzha and ended at Adimaly, travelling through Cheruthoni, Karimban, Thadiyambadu, Konnathadi.

Unlike what we saw in the flooded plains and mid-lands, the disaster has inflicted a different set of wounds in the hills. For instance, with the water receding, reaching Chalakudy, Kalady or Aluva is easy as the roads are largely intact. The hills, however paint a very different picture. Even on the main roads, I encountered at least one landslide in every kilometre that I covered. In many places the roads have been completely washed off and/ or unfit for use. While the main roads have largely been repaired, the smaller roads that serviced the villages and hamlets remain unusable, leaving the people who live there isolated.

Many houses have also been destroyed: In konnathadi, a part of the mountain came down with the rains and one cannot even locate the houses that existed on the foot of the hills. Luckily, no lives were lost as people had moved out as soon as they saw cracks develop in the lands. In many places people continue to live in fear of more landslides as the downpour continues.

During this monsoon tragedy, more people have died out of landslides. Many houses have been razed to the ground and the roads have vanished – making it impossible for even the children to attend schools. But the average malayali (including your’s truly) keep referring to the tragedy as the ‘great floods’. As most of us rush to the plains to volunteer for cleaning up or for providing relief, we have forgotten about the people who live in the hills. The media was also underreporting the events that unfolded in the hills – perhaps there wasn’t the ‘spectacle’ of floods or rescue by helicopters that a landslide (and a sober JCB that moved the earth to look for people and houses) could provide.

It appears to me that the people of Idukki are accustomed to these events for their survival and living has been a battle against adversities. They have started to build their lives back – claiming their homes back from the earth that has embraced it, removing the mud and trees that has obstructed their roads (and rebuilding some of their roads themselves). As ever, the local politicians and elected representatives are at the forefront of these initiatives.

As we lend our attention and our helping hands to those who were affected by the floods, let us not forget the plight of the people of Idukki. Here are my suggestions on what we can do:

1. Difficult as this is, at least a few journalists must venture into Idukki to report about the tragedies there. Let us not forget that aid tends to reach those places that the journalists had reached and reported on.
2. At least some of you who are volunteering for relief must turn their attention to the hills. But do this after coordinating with some people from the hills – there are not many places left for you to spend the night.
3. Those of you who are from Idukki or work at Idukki take some efforts to highlight the conditions there through the social media. Do remember that no one is deliberately excluding you or forgetting about you all – it is knowledge of problems and issues that leads others to provide aid.
4. The District Administration and the Local Self Government Institutions in Idukki must not shy away from repeating (as often as they can) about the nature and kind of assistance they require. The Malayalam adage that “it is only the baby who cries that gets fed” is relevant even during times of a disaster.

We (especially the media) also need to move the conversation away from the ‘great flood’ to the ‘monsoon disaster’. The tragedy that unfolded in the hill country cannot and must not be a footnote to the disaster that unfolded in the plains.

Muralee Thummarukudy

13/09/2018

The Asbestos Around Our Neck

I had already stressed on the importance and need for post-deluge waste management and disposal when the disaster was impending. If we do not make plans for waste disposal right away people will resort to their own methods, and those methods will not be eco-friendly.

I've seen a lot of broken asbestos sheets lying around in disaster affected areas. The scientific world has been aware of the health hazards of asbestos, including cancer, for a long time now. That is why asbestos is banned in several countries. And when old buildings etc are refurbished there are a lot of precautions taken to ensure that workers and people around do not inhale asbestos fibers.

India is one of the few countries where you can legally buy and use asbestos. So we are not aware of the health hazards it poses. However, that does not mean that the asbestos in Kerala is harmless. My own father passed away due to the cancer caused by inhaling asbestos fibers.

The asbestos sheets that have been broken during the disaster need to be handled very carefully. In many other countries, there are professionals who are trained to do this and there are laws to ensure that only they handle it. Since this is not possible in Kerala at the moment, here are some practical suggestions that should be followed.

1. If there's broken asbestos in your home, or office, or factory do not rush to pick it up. Always wear a mask. And ensure that you pour water to wet the broken area before you remove it.

2. Do not attempt to cut the sheet into smaller parts. Also do not break it into smaller pieces for ease of disposal. Because it's when we break sheets that we're likely to inhale asbestos fibers and particles that harm our lungs.

3. Do not reuse broken asbestos for any reason. And in future, do not buy or use new asbestos sheets either.

4. There is no evidence of harm caused by living under existing asbestos sheets. The issues arise when it is drilled or broken.

5. I know how asbestos sheets are to be disposed. But I'm not aware of the existence of such facilities in Kerala. If someone knows, please write in. For now, all I can say is keep them away safely, ensure they don't break, and don't buy asbestos in the future.

There are many countries that didn't have awareness about asbestos and the issues it poses and they've used the post disaster phase evaluation to frame/modify laws. Kerala should also use this as such an opportunity.

Stay safe.

Muralee Thummarukudy

28/08/2018

Schools in Times of Disaster

Schooling is a big issue during every disaster. Schools close as soon as a disaster strikes. Many of them would have been destroyed and several might be working as relief camps. Some teachers and students might have met with accidents. They might have lost their books and other study materials. The road to their schools might be in a bad condition. Some families might find it financially difficult to send their children to school.
There are many reasons why it's important to restore children’s education as early as possible:

1. The reopening of schools reflects getting back to normalcy.
2. Parents dread the obstruction of children’s education.
3. Parents will have time to focus on other things when children are at school.
4. When children get together in school, they forget the tragedy and get back to their cheerful selves.

Precisely because of these reasons, even when thousands of schools are destroyed in an earthquake, the United Nations undertakes initiatives to restore education, with the help of old teachers and volunteers, making use of camps, gardens, and other comfortable spaces.

Kerala doesn’t face any huge challenges in this regard. Even though many places were flooded, there weren’t too many reports of schools having been destroyed. We haven’t lost any teachers and students either. Roads are still in reasonable conditions. And the issue of lost books can be fixed easily.

Now that schools are reopening on the 29th, here are a few things we need to take note of:

1. Avoid extending the date of reopening. If there are relief camps in schools, move them to community or wedding halls. The priority is to reopen schools.

2. We can divide affected schools into: a) Schools that have been directly affected by the floods b) Schools which were not directly affected but have teachers and students who were affected c) Others

3. Whatever be the category of schools, it’s important to keep in mind that all the students, teachers and others in Kerala are going through severe mental stress.

4. Reopen the school only after a thorough understanding of how teachers and students experience stress. 1) The impact of what has happened has not completely sunk in among students. They are also scared if such disasters will happen again. They worry about their lost books and how to cope with all the portions for exams. 2) Teachers are first concerned about their situation at home. Then they have to contend with the issues at school: the safety of the school building, the status of school records, and how to manage students’ stress and complete the curriculum on time.

5. Do conduct the PTA meeting with all the teachers this week itself before the school reopens. Discuss all the issues that the school, its teachers and students might face once the school recommences. Take special care of the teachers and non-teaching staff who have been directly affected by the floods. Guarantee all possible help and be a bit relaxed on the regular work pressure.

6. If the school or the records have suffered any damage, people may accuse the principal. Right from weather forecasters to the disaster management authority in Kerala, no one managed to foresee the scale of this disaster. Naturally, no teacher in Kerala has willingly done anything to cause any harm to their school or students. If anyone had taken any precaution, make sure we acknowledge them. At the same time don’t point fingers at those who had not. It will be great if the Chief Minister himself could announce that no teachers or non-teaching staff would be held accountable for any loss suffered by any school in Kerala.

7. Several people will be going through severe financial crisis due to the disaster. Some parents might find it difficult to send their children to private schools. They may try to change schools. (In other countries, children even stop coming to schools altogether.) This situation might stress out both parents and children and therefore needs to be avoided. The Chief Minister should announce that no child will have to shift his or her school. The expenses should be borne by either the school or the government. Or we can form a crowdfunded clearing house, as former Kozhikodu Collector Prasanth Nair (Prasanth Bro for Malayalees) and others have done before.

8. Before the school reopens, we need to form some school committees, with teachers, PTA members and volunteers if required. You need a committee for each of the following: a) To assess the damages (only for schools that were directly affected by the floods) b) To ensure the building is safe and secure (You may do this for all schools) c) To analyse the mental state of teachers and students, and to arrange for counselling d) to ensure financial security to students, teachers, non-teaching staff and the school e) to settle the legal issues around the loss of school and student records

9. All the flood-affected schools as well as those that served as camps must keep accurate records of the losses incurred. Do not forget to take the pictures of the affected areas.

10. In all flood-affected schools, we need to conduct a structural assessment and electrical safety audit along with ensuring the following: no broken bottles and spilled chemicals in the laboratory; no pollution of school wells; the safety of chairs, benches and desks.

11. In schools that functioned as relief camps, a lot of waste, including toilet waste, would have been generated. Please ensure that this waste has been effectively disposed off as early as possible.

12. Ensure the safety of students in schools that will continue to function as relief camps. Children should avoid going into the camps.

13. On the first day of reopening itself, teachers and students must take a pledge that this generation should learn a lesson from this disaster, that they will not let such a disaster happen to the state again, and that they will create a culture of safety for themselves, in their homes, and in their schools. A message from the Chief Minister saying that we will create a safe new Kerala should go out to all the schools.

14. If there have been any deaths of teachers or students in any school, pay tributes to them. But avoid dismissing the classes soon after. Discuss what happened during this disaster and what we can do to prevent them.

15. The first day of reopening should be dedicated to discussing safety issues. First, allow children to talk about their experiences during the disaster. Let them articulate their thoughts and apprehensions.

16. Talk about all the safety issues related to the school. (This should also be done in schools that were not directly affected by the floods.) Discuss what they are expected to do if there is an accident at school.

17. Schools that were not affected should discuss what they can do for affected schools. It is not appropriate to collect materials. It’s not immediately necessary to collect money either. Plan if your school wants to adopt any affected school as a sister concern and how to plan a visit for your school children to those schools. After a disaster, Japan has this practice where schools from unaffected parts send fortune signs and toys to affected schools. We can try this out as well.

18. It is not possible to recover the losses suffered by schools or to erase the mental trauma suffered by children in a day or even in a year. All interventions should be done keeping this in mind.

I will return to this subject again. For now, I request everyone to share this. Don't forget to tag your teachers and friends who are teachers.

Muralee Thummarukudy

(These are unofficial translations of the Facebook posts of Muralee Thummarukudy, The views expressed are those of the author and should not be considered that of the organisations he is associated with)

28/08/2018

Call Before the Water Rises

It has almost become a routine among my media friends to call me whenever there's a mishap in Kerala. To clarify technical queries, to know how things might turn out and to comment on the issue. I am happy to receive these calls and discuss things in detail if I have the time. However, chasing an issue only when a disaster strikes is something I disapprove of. More than 8000 people die in accidents in Kerala in a year -- most of which could have been avoided. People need to know how to avoid accidents before they happen. How do we let people know about the possibilities of disasters when things are going well? This is where I need the help of my media friends.

What bothers us now are landslides. Landslides happen when water seeps into the soil during prolonged rains and the hills are completely saturated. Boring tunnels through hills, slicing the edges of hills for widening roads, slashing hillsides to build houses, cutting trees on the hills, granite quarrying using dynamites -- all of these increase the chances of landslides. It is when such things happen that we need media attention. That is when people need to be made aware and asked to resist. That's when illegal acts, if any, need to be brought to the government's attention. If any officials are found to collude with those who violate the law, this is also the time to expose them. On the other hand, what is the point of calling or blaming anyone when landslides happen?

Let me give a clue. This year rains started right from April. June witnessed plenty of rainfall as well. If things are to proceed like this, by July itself our dams would have reached full capacity. Kerala has always received the maximum rainfall during July. Along with heavy rains if dam shutters are opened, water levels below are bound to rise. The situation will go out of control. It's time to understand the water levels in all the dams in Kerala. Learn about the reservoir management policy for each dam. Figure out the policy for opening shutters if the dams were to fill up halfway through the monsoon. Keep people informed about this on a daily basis. If we do all these, we can avoid a deluge. On the other hand, if we are to enjoy the July rains, with froth in our mugs and curry on the plate, when water rises, dam shutters open and spring tides arrive, there's no point calling mummy or blaming government.

It's to discuss the possibility of a disaster that you need to call Geneva. After all, isn't it better to avoid a disaster than to face it?

Muralee Thummarukudy

(These are unofficial translations of the Facebook posts of Muralee Thummarukudy, The views expressed are those of the author and should not be considered that of the organisations he is associated with)

28/08/2018

Floodgates Open, Controversies Pour Out

The rescue operations of the biggest floods in this century are just coming to an end. There are 10 lakh people still at the camps. Others are returning to knee-deep muck and poisonous snakes at home. Government officials responsible for rebuilding roads and bridges and ensuring the prevention of hunger and communicable diseases are working day and night, without Eid or Onam. I’m so proud to see the people of Kerala, including the youth, standing together to help the government. Goosebumps!

During these times of disaster, the media has behaved quite responsibly. And the world has taken notice. However, today everyone seems to have come forward with the question: “Who is responsible for the floods?”
I am of the view that one must research and find out the root causes of every disaster, even minor road accidents. I have done many research studies around these, too. But none of that was used to pin the responsibility on someone. Nobody in Kerala thought of creating a flood. And no one has made any decision thinking let’s go and make some floods.

However, we definitely need to discuss how to manage our dams. If there have been any missteps, we need to find and fix those. On the other hand, if we start our investigation by making someone responsible for it upfront, the real facts will never be revealed. We won’t learn our lessons either.

Not just that. The whole world is witness to the commendable work done by Kerala, with its people standing steadfastly together, while facing this disaster. People across the world are reaching out to help Kerala. Creating a controversy at this time can maximum help put a minister or a department in the dock. It’s not going to help those who have been hit by the disaster; it will also turn the attention of government officials and local people away from those who need immediate assistance.

We must definitely find out more about this disaster. However, this is not the most important subject for me today or over the next one month. It’s enough if we learnt these lessons before the onset of the next monsoon. For now, these controversies can only hurt the flood victims.

Muralee Thummarukudy

(These are unofficial translations of the Facebook posts of Muralee Thummarukudy, The views expressed are those of the author and should not be considered that of the organisations he is associated with)

28/08/2018

Some Suggestions to Government of Kerala

As Hon. Chief Minister pointed out, Kerala is facing a severe and very serious situation currently. Even though everything seemed to be under control until yesterday, people are now disturbed after hearing the news about people remain stuck at houses in Pathanamthitta last night. During disaster time it is extremely important for the Government and people to be at the peak of their confidence. Based on my experience in managing some major floods and other disasters around the world, let me share few points:

1. Asking for help is not a weakness but a strength. Disaster Relief Systems of our country is having a lot of resources. Armed Forces including Army, Navy and Air Force, National Disaster Relief Force - all these are on standby. There is no hesitation to seek maximum help from all these available mechanisms. “First deploy and then withdraw if not needed’, is the principle that is considered as the best practice globally. In earlier days, only in extreme cases, other help was sought. But now it has changed.

2. Kerala is behind you as a single unit. Thanks to the strengthening of social media in Kerala, there is no one who doesn’t know about the disaster. Those who are not affected by the disaster are always willing to assist whichever way they can. We just need a system to integrate this goodwill with the government machinery. Our resident associations are ready to accommodate people or to cook food for the affected brothers and sisters. In times of disaster, even though the Government have the ability to do provide all relief work, general public must be involved as well in the relief and recovery process. That is how we increase our social capital.

3. Interaction with General Public: More often the fear that Government may not reveal all information during a disaster time can cause fear among people. If we make a standard practice that the Hon. Chief Minister will talk to media at least for 15 minutes every day after the meeting of the disaster relief authority this fear will subside. One of the reasons why 2015 Chennai floods became catastrophic was the fact that the Chief Minister and ministers were absent from the general public’s visibility.

4. Correct information needs to be available on time. During the disaster time a situation report with pictures needs to be published every 4 hours. Availability of correct information will prevent rumors and fake news.

5. Information and Help for migrant workers from other states: Currently most of the news about Kerala floods are in Malayalam and English languages. Most of our workers from other states doesn’t know how to read this. Similarly, our helpdesks don’t have support professionals who speak languages like Bengali or Oria. Hence we need to create a special helpdesk for migrant workers from other states. Same way, all these subjects needs to be published in different languages.

6. Helicopter Observation: Until water levels go down completely, every day morning and evening there must be an observation flight by Helicopter. From Kochi make one trip towards northern side and another trip towards southern side. It is important to take the full video and photos of such trips and such videos and photos will be very beneficial for future planning. Every day three or four media persons may be permitted to fly on the helicopter on such observation flights and this help in the communication with general public.

7. Funds will not be an issue. People inside and outside Kerala are all on standby to do anything for Kerala in this disaster times. Because of this there will not be any shortage of funds for the flood relief and recovery operations. Since there was a news about spending of Tsunami fund for other activities many might have apprehensions to contribute to Governments Relief fund. If we can ensure the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund will be subjected to a social audit and two socially acceptable members may be nominated for this, there will also be a big change in this.

8. Challenges are yet come. Water levels will subside within two or three days. Once rainfall reduces, the landslide issue also will be settled. But Kerala’s challenges will only begin then. In the floods on 1999, most people lost their lives not in the actual flood, but on the diseases that followed the floods and by starvation due to loss of crops in the flood. We need to give special instructions to those who return to their homes after floods on health matters. Drinking water sources that are adulterated needs to be cleaned immediately. To make sure there is no loss of life due to starvation a special and large scale employment project needs to be launched.

9. The Opportunity of this Century: Every disaster is an opportunity. People of Kerala have now understood that we need a land utilization plan that is inclusive of risk assessments for natural disasters as well as climate change related issues. It won’t take much time for people to forget this once water goes down. Due to this we need to bring new land use laws even before reconstructing houses and roads that were destroyed in the floods. Such laws should also consider the climate changes that may occur in the twenty first century. If we are able to think in this direction undoubtedly our new laws and policies will be a reference model for the whole world.

10. Those who spread fake news needs to be managed: It is sad to note even at this hour of a disaster there are people who create and circulate fake news and rumors. We must give strict warning against this. One or two needs to be arrested. Fake news attack may be effective to people of Kerala who are now disturbed after the Okhi, floods and landslide. This must be prevented.

11. Controlling and Punishing those who attempt to make individual profits exploiting the situation: We need to give strict warning against those who attempt to make undue profits in this time of disaster by hiding basic necessities or by charging extra rent for vehicles or buildings. In this matter we can seek help from business community. We must arrest those who try to make money exploiting the situation.

12. Avoid Shameful Acts: Malayalees as a whole is helping and assisting the affected brothers and sisters. In between this we must handle strictly those who create any trouble to people who are already affected by the floods.

Muralee Thummarukudy

(These are unofficial translations of the Facebook posts of Muralee Thummarukudy, The views expressed are those of the author and should not be considered that of the organisations he is associated with)

Kerala - Disaster Season 2018

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