Mahatma Gandhi’s Articulations on natural disasters affecting Odisha in twentieth century are relevant in the context of havoc caused by Cyclone Fani

Mahatma Gandhi’s Articulations on natural disasters affecting Odisha in twentieth century are relevant in the context of havoc caused by Cyclone Fani

Last year when torrential rain lashed Kerala and caused massive and unprecedented  flood  many sensitive scholars reproduced Mahatma Gandhi’s writings on devastating flood of 1924 that hit Malabar region and resulted unspeakable damage and suffering. When Chennai faced incessant rain and large parts of the city were inundated in 2016 I had the privilege of writing an article “Chennai can learn from Gandhi” and outlined the insights of the father of our nation in addressing challenges posed by repeated and frequent natural calamities. Much earlier in 1993 when  plague broke out in Surat city some of the leading newspapers of our country reproduced writings of Mahatma Gandhi on plague and put them in the context of reemergence of that almost forgotten pestilence which used to take heavy toll of human lives before 1947.

When the State of Odisha was hit by cyclone Fani it was stated that it was the worst cyclone after the super cyclone of 1999 described as  “the most powerful ever recorded in India, and one of the strongest anywhere in the world in the 20th century.” Amitabh Sinha in his article “Cyclone Fani : How 2019 was different from 1999 super cyclone” revealed “that  super cyclone carried energy equivalent to 1,600 atomic bombs, similar to the ones dropped over Hiroshima. ” When Odisha is getting ravaged successively by one cyclone after another and the tragedy faced by people on account of such terrible natural calamities is of immense magnitude, it is important to unearth the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi who had written with pain and sensitivity about the sorrows and agony  of the people of Odisha whose life became miserable due to frequent occurrence of man made disasters such as famine and natural disasters such as flood during 1920s and 1930s.

Among numerous write ups of Gandhi on devastating effects of natural disasters on Odisha and its people two are worth mentioning. One is “The Cry of Orissa” written on 3rd November 1933 in the Harijan and the other “Havoc in Orissa” written on 25th September 1937 again in the Harijan. What remained at the core of those write ups were his efforts to locate them in the context of acute poverty of people, absence of Government worth the name to deal with disasters,  lack of adequate relief for the victims and his appeal to people across India particularly the well off sections of Bombay city to generously extend whatever relief to the affected people and continue to provide relief till the victims could stand on their own after harvesting the next crop. He also appealed to the Ministers in the British Government to uphold dignity of labor by joining people and physically working   with them in those period of grave crises. He stressed that in those tragic circumstances people who lost every thing should be enabled to stand on their own and face the challenges of disasters. And above all Mahatma Gandhi urged that engineering skills should be employed to find solutions to flood problem which became the texture of the life of the people. He wrote a letter to the legendary engineer Visweswariya to apply his engineering talent to save people of Odisha from tragedy caused by recurrent flood. He also wrote a letter to that effect to the then Viceroy of India. It is, therefore, extremely important to hark back to the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi articulated in the context of disasters plaguing Odisha during second and third decades of twentieth century. 

Odisha haunted Gandhi like a nightmare because of its poverty and vulnerability to natural disaster

When Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das informed Mahatma Gandhi about the floods of 10th September 1926 devastating the lives of people Gandhiji wrote “It is a tragic picture you have given of Orissa”.  Responding to the ardent desire of Gopabandhu to give relief in large parts of the province Gandhiji guided  him and wrote,  “My advice to you is not to travel about thinking of giving relief here, there and everywhere.  Let us recognize our limitations in all humility”.  He then asked him to confine himself to a limited area to serve people and  urged him to be mindful of the situation which he explained by stating,  ” We have no government to help us. Even our own organization, the Congress, is shattered to pieces. We have no control over over an army of workers. We are scattered individuals. If we recognize this limitation we shall not worry and shall find enough work to do...You should simply select an area which you can cope with and settle down there and develop it steadily in every way. No more is required of you or any single soul on earth than this. You will have given all you have in the best manner possible”.  Gandhiji wanted to send some one to Gooabandhu to help him organize his work to serve affected people. But he had none  to send and so asked him to be his own expert.   Then Gandhiji poignantly observed “Orissa haunts me like a nightmare. Such splendid country, its workers good and yet so helpless”. What was written by the father of our nation in 1926 sounds so contemporary for twenty first century Odisha which is now facing the wrath of Fani cyclone and is engaged in the mammoth task of restring normalcy in the badly devastated areas.

Gandhi wanted that relief should be given to victims of natural disaster for one year till they harvest next crop

In another article “Appeal for flood relief in Orissa” he gave the details of the affected areas and people and stated that two thousand miles were covered by flood water and one thousand five hundred villages were destroyed. Noting that three lakhs of people were were affected and twenty thousand houses collapsed he said that the damage caused could be to the tune of rupees 15,00,00. He then wrote that affected people without food and clothing should be provided relief for twelve months as they would not be able to fend for themselves till the next year’s crops were harvested by them. He wrote with a high degree of sensitivity that the affected people without reaping next year’s crop would not be able to keep their body and soul together. Mahatma Gandhi writing about extending relief to the disaster affected people for a full year offers vital lessons to render help on a sustained basis  to those who become victims of natural calamities repeatedly. It was again evident in another article titled “A pice per head” which he authored  in the Harijan Bandhu on 12th November 1933. He wrote, “When the floods came, those who were destined to die died. Those who survived immediately got all possible help. But it becomes the moral obligation ot the kind-hearted to look after those who were rendered homeless till the next season is over and the new harvest is ready.....Readers will find that in some places the rice given per head is less than what even one pice can fetch. If this picture is clearly impressed on his mind, the reader would not be happy to partake of his meal without keeping aside a part of it for such unhappy people. If all contributed according to their capacity, thousands will get enough to keep themselves alive. Millowners can send clothes. Khadi lovers can send khadi.” Such articulations of Mahatma Gandhi for giving relief to victims of natural disaster should be incorporated in the growing corpus of literature on disaster management which are gaining currency and students, policy makers and analysts are relying on them to widen their perspective and understanding for dealing with disasters.

Contents of Gandhi’s article  “Havoc in Orissa”  bears significance for our time

The article titled “Havoc in Orissa” authored by Gandhiji  and published in the Harijan on 25th September 1937 is 82 years old. Its contents assume significance in the context of the cyclone Fani which has battered the State on 3rd May 2019.  The Havoc in Odisha caused by Fani is terrible. Forty four people have lost their lives because of the severity of this cyclone which as stated earlier is worse natural disaster the State faced after the super cyclone of 1999  claiming  10,000 lives and causing large scale and extensive devastations . The absolutely minimum human casualties in spite of fury and ferocity of Fani can be attributed to the effective governance of Naveen Patnaik Government in shifting 1.2 million people to safe places in just twenty four hours before the landfall of the cyclone. It  has received universal approbation. The UN appreciated it. Our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi applauded Shri Patnaik for the good job done even though he used disparaging language against him in his speech delivered in Kendrapara on 23rd April. The record creating performance of Odisha Government in safeguarding life of people in such a short time and that to  in face of an extremely sever cyclone  has set a high bench mark of excellence in twenty first century world in dealing with disasters. It was best manifested in the article of the New York Times under the caption “How do you save a million people from a cyclone : Ask a poor State in India”. 

What Mahatma Gandhi wrote in his article “Havoc in Orissa” needs to be recalled and analysed  when there is wider awareness about the recurrent disasters humanity is facing in the age of anthropocene the chief characteristic of which is dominance of human species and phenomenal increase in human activity disturbing the subtle balance of nature. He began the article by writing, “Floods, famines and pestilences have become part of the natural life of India”  and observed, “Famines and floods take place almost all the world over, but their effects are largely overcome in countries which have financial and other resources”. He continued by noting that “.... in India, where poverty reaches the point of starvation, the effects of floods and famines are not only not overcome but are felt with double force, and pestilences are ever with us through the same cause. But the gravest defect of India’s pauperism is that we have come to regard these visitations with resignation which is none the less brutal because it is unconscious.” Then Gandhiji referred to the example of Odisha to illustrate his point because at that time Cuttack and Puri districts were ravaged by flood and an appeal had been issued on behalf of the then Minister for relief for the victims of that natural disaster and people hardly contributed in response to the appeal.

Gandhi was deeply disturbed to note that some 30,000 people in Cuttack became victims of flood which affected them badly on 6th August 1937 and they were sleeping or trying to sleep ten feet below the river bed.  Observing that “Cuttack is an insignificant place composed to Bombay” and “It is not one tenth of the size of that city” he noted, “Imagine what would happen to Bombay if there was a river passing by it, and floods put three lakhs of people in the predicament in which the people of Cuttack found themselves on the night of the sixth of August!”

In fact Mahatma Gandhi’s cautionary words articulated in 1937 are now becoming a grim reality in Bombay which is now known as Mumbai. It is getting impacted by flood caused by excessive rain which does not get evacuated from city because Mithi  river bed through which excess water used to be exited  to the sea is now used by real estate builders to erect buildings and thereby blocking the river. Every year the woes of residents of Mumbai caused by flood because of absence of outlet for excessive rain water remind us the words of Mahatma Gandhi. What is  true of Mumbai is true of many other towns and cities of India which faces repeated natural disasters

at the root of which remain human  interventions.

In 1937 Gandhiji in his article  captioned  “Odisha Havoc” was reflecting on the kind of problems that confronted  India.  Observing that “Fifteen hundred square miles in the districts of Cuttack and Puri have been affected by floods” he noted the absence of sensitivity to such problems and stated,  “...the recurrence of such floods annually in many parts of India has made popular conscience blunt even in a place so cosmopolitan as Bombay which has never failed to respond to the cry of distress no matter from what corner of India it has come. If my pen moves any person to respond to the appeal, let him or her send whatever he or she can.”

Gandhiji then observed that if various charities in Bombay would take consolidated action by making a joint inquiry into all such cases and make proportionate contributions in accordance with the funds at their disposal “no distress need go unheard because of want of proper championship”.

What Gandhi stressed in 1937 was that people in other parts of India who could extend relief to victims of disasters should do so without loss of time. It was amply manifested from a few lines of his article “Havoc in Orissa”. He wrote “ For the time being, following the proverb ‘he gives twice who quickly gives’, let those who feel impelled give without waiting for any joint action.” Rendering of help to the affected people without waste of time became the central concern of Gandhiji. His message of 1937 is of abiding significance for twenty first century India and world which are more vulnerable to natural disasters than ever before.

Apart from stressing on the urgent necessity of providing relief and assistance to the victims of disaster Mahatma Gandhi underlined the point that those affected by calamities should be taught the lessons self help and dignity of labor so that they could count on their own strength and reduce dependence on donations. He even suggested that Ministers should work like laborers in those trying times to set an example for others to value the dignity of labor. He also stressed on the necessity of employing  engineering skills to divert the course of excess monsoon water which caused flood. It is worthwhile to quote his words which elaborately explains his vision of making the victims of disaster stand on their own legs. He wrote,

“A word, however, to the Ministers. Whatever donations they may receive will give only partial relief. They ought, therefore, to do two things: first, adopt means and measures to make people, who may be affected, learn the art of helping themselves by engaging in any productive occupation. Bihar took up spinning and the like. Orissa may take up other occupations if people will not look at the spinning-wheel. The chief thing is to learn the dignity of labour. Let the Ministers put off their kurtas for a little time daily, and work as common labourers, so as to give an impetus to others who may be in need of labour and what labour brings. Secondly, they should make a proper effort to harness engineering skill so as to guide into healthy channels the course of the rushing waters during the monsoons”

World appreciates Naveen Patnaik’s Effective Governance in saving life from disaster and Central Leadership Neglects Odisha

Wise words indeed. Now when restoration of normal life is the primary requirement in the post disaster period political leadership at every level should set an example for others engaged in relief and rehabilitation work for upholding dignity of labor and harnessing technical and engineering skills to alleviate the sufferings of people and empower them to face natural disasters and overcome their aftermath. The role of the central leadership in addressing the problems of Odisha because of recurrent natural disasters is deplorable. They should set an example in playing a leading role in addressing the problem. It is unfortunate that the central leadership did not bother to come the State during the time it was devastated by cyclones.  There is truth in the statement of Chief Minister Shri Patnaik that central leadership never visited the State and stood by people when they faced devastation and deluge by cyclones such as Phailin, Hudhud and Titli.

Special Category Status is a well deserved demand by Naveen Patnaik  to deal with disaster 

In his first interview after Fani cyclone hit the State he said “Special category status is the need of the hour due to the massive loss to infrastructure which may stall growth of the State. In fact this is one of the main demands before the Union Government. Odisha faces natural calamities almost every year. The assistance we get from the Centre is mostly for temporary restoration  of infrastructure. We have to spend a lot from State’s own funds to work for the longterm”. Lack of response to such pressing demands of the State and appeal of the Chief Minister is like blunting of the conscience which Gandhi talked in 1937 when Odisha was facing disaster caused by flood.

The blunting of conscience which he talked in 1937 is equally true in twenty first century India and particularly in the context of cyclone Fani which has ravaged the State of Odisha where thankfully human casualties have been reduced to minimum because of effective governance of Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik in dealing with disasters . In spite of the high acclaim received by the Odisha Government at the national and global level for evacuating 1.2 million people to safe places in twenty four hours before the cyclone struck , the necessary assistance required to restore normalcy to remedy colossal devastation wrought by Fani is rather disheartening and indicative of the blunting of conscience. Large parts of Puri and Khurda districts which bore the brunt of Fani are yet to receive the relief even after a week of the disaster and the restoration of electricity and other essential facilities in such places would take some time. In such a grave situation where the catastrophy of the disaster has torn normal life asunder the rest of India should have come forward to render whatever help needed for the affected people. Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik’s demand that special category status to Odisha should be conferred by the Union Government deserves to be accepted in the context of the cyclone of severe category pounding Odisha every year and causing devastation of high magnitude.

Contents of Gandhi’s article “Cry of Orissa” of 1933 bring pain and pathos of disaster victims even today

The demand of Chief Minister Shri Patnaik for special status for Odisha reminds us  the contents of the article “The Cry of Orissa” authored by Mahatma Gandhi in Harijan on 3rd November 1933 in response to the distress of the people caused by severe flood affecting large parts of the State.  He mentioned the services rendered by Marwari Society which fielded 3,500 persons from 25 villages and providing some amount of rice per head per month. He also referred to the contributions of society in giving one cotton sheet and husk for cattle. He described distribution of such quantity of relief as little dole for which there was big rush. Noting that able bodied got nothing he observed that relief was confined only to women and children. Some one sent to extend help was quoted by Gandhi. He said,  “You should not imagine that anything like adequate relief is being given”. Gandhiji then observed, “I have always held that Orissa is the most helpless and the poorest province of India.Thousands of pilgrims visit the ancient temple of Puri for acquiring merit. Hundreds among them are rich enough to satisfy the hunger of the hungry and clothe the naked. Times are not doubt bad. That is just the opportunity for the moneyed people to deny themselves many things they have hither to held necessary for their comfort or enjoyment and establish their right to the wealth God has blessed them with, by unstintingly helping the helpless.”

Yet again observing that “Somehow or other, ever since my return to India in 1915, Orissa has been to me an epitome of India’s distressful helplessness” he appealed to people across India to extend all help and particularly invoked the catholic charity of Bombay and wanted rest of India to imbibe that spirit to respond to the cry of Odisha. Can the Union Government which appreciated Chief Minister Patnaik for saving millions of lives respond to his appeal for a special status for the State taking into account the devastation wrought by several natural disasters including Fani cyclone? The real statesmanship lies in accepting the idea of Shri Patnaik which formed part of the BJP Manifesto in 2014.

The author was OSD and Press Secretary to the late President of India Shri K.R.Narayanan and served as Director in the Prime Minister's Office as  Joint Secretary in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.