As a WASH professional, my world revolves around water – both its scarcity and abundance. Coming from Marudhar, the desert heart of Rajasthan, water is a precious commodity. We yearn for rain, with annual downpours averaging a mere 20-30 cm. The scorching summer sun pushes temperatures to 45 degrees Celsius, leaving the landscape parched and sandy brown.
The arrival of the monsoon, however, transforms everything. The rare rain becomes a celebration – a chance to revel in the verdant green that replaces the dusty hues, the clean, earth-kissed air, and the joy of seeing children dance in the puddles. It was unimaginable to me then, that rain could bring such devastation as floods, washing away entire villages.
In recent years, my work has exposed me to the harsh reality of floods. Witnessing their destructive power firsthand has shattered my naive perception. Now, I understand that floods are a natural phenomenon, triggered by excessive rainfall, melting snow, or dam releases, overwhelming river capacities. These overflowing rivers can cause havoc anywhere along their course, not just at the point of increased water inflow.
For instance, heavy rains in the Himalayas can lead to flooding in distant regions of southern Nepal, India, and Bangladesh, highlighting the interconnectedness of river systems.
The instinct often is to build walls – levees or embankments – to shield communities from floods. While these structures offer some protection, they come at a cost. In states like Bihar, West Bengal, and Orissa in India, and Bangladesh, countless villages rely on these embankments for survival. However, these barriers can disrupt natural river flows, impacting fish migration and jeopardizing irrigation sources. Additionally, maintaining these levees after floods requires significant resources, creating a constant struggle between protecting lives and livelihoods.
Beyond the immediate devastation, floods leave behind a trail of silent, long-term problems. Access to basic necessities becomes a challenge, and vulnerable populations like children, pregnant women, and the elderly are particularly susceptible to psychological trauma. Food shortages and unsanitary conditions can lead to malnutrition and outbreaks of diseases like dengue, transmitted by mosquitos that thrive in stagnant water.
A recent news report about the threat of mosquito-borne diseases after floods in Pakistan resonated deeply. My perspective as a WASH professional goes beyond the initial casualties. Floods create a breeding ground for mosquitos due to disrupted waste management, improper food storage, and stagnant water. These conditions contribute to outbreaks like dengue, not just in flood-prone areas, but also in deserts like mine.
In 2003, I was deployed by the American Red Cross to combat a dengue outbreak in North Gujarat. Our team visited houses, meticulously searching for mosquito breeding grounds. We discovered that the underground water tanks, vital for the villages' dairy industry, were teeming with mosquito larvae.
A resourceful solution emerged. We collaborated with mechanics to collect used oil and restaurants for burned cooking oil. Adding a few drops of this oil to the water tanks suffocated the larvae without harming humans. This, coupled with intensive fogging campaigns, brought the outbreak under control within a week.
This experience became my first lesson in the "war on mosquito" – a term I now prefer to soften to "mosquito control strategies." Over the years, I've employed various methods, including fogging, targeted insecticide application, promoting proper drainage and water storage, and advocating for mosquito nets, particularly for vulnerable populations.
One innovative approach involved planting banana trees in waterlogged areas. These plants have a high water absorption capacity, helping to control stagnant water, a breeding ground for mosquitos.
As a WASH professional, I believe the key isn't just understanding the different mosquito species (like the Anopheles mosquito that transmits dengue) – that's knowledge for medical professionals. For those on the frontline of prevention, it's about implementing effective mosquito control strategies to safeguard communities.
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