Reading nature |
A FAMILY lost its buffalo during the floods earlier this year when the major rivers were overflowing. The buffalo was the family’s sole economic asset. At this moment of sadness, someone came to sympathise with the family, but the head of the household said it would have been better had he died instead, as then the family would mourn for a few days but life would then go on. However, the loss of the buffalo, he said, made his family not only mourn but also starve.
There are thousands of such stories, describing the plight of affected people who have been left penniless due to the disaster. Many families, already living hand-to-mouth, are now destitute and traumatised.
Pakistan is a resource-rich country, but around 40 per cent of its population lives below the poverty line. Every year we experience floods, storms, droughts, earthquakes and other calamities which increase poverty levels. The government is unable to control these calamities and cannot deal with their aftermath. Natural calamities occur due to inherent natural processes and forces.
External factors, such as climate change, intensify these events. While the underlying forces are natural, human activities can influence the frequency and severity of these occurrences,........