#dnaEdit: Standing by Nepal

Over ninety-six hours after Nepal was devastated by an earthquake, there is a grim reality staring us in the face. The United Nations has estimated that eight million people have been affected by the quake, of which 1.4 million are in urgent need of food. On Tuesday, Nepal’s Prime Minister Sushil Koirala said the toll could reach 10,000. But the figure, at best, is a conservative estimate with hundreds of villages still remaining sequestered from the outside world. Moreover, the mountainous terrain, the frequent landslides and heavy rainfall have retarded rescue operations and airdropping of food packets. The international airport at Kathmandu is bursting at the seams with relief material but no one seems to know how to distribute the material across the country. Meanwhile, media accounts tell us of homeless people scavenging the debris for foodgrains and many in dire need of medical help, transport, shelter, water and clothing. In the immediate aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, that killed over 2.3 lakh people, a similar scenario of piled up tents and packaged relief material was briefly witnessed, even as thousands were camping out in the open without shelter, food and water.

The consequence of Nepal’s troubled and violent political history, which has prevented the development of robust institutions, is all too evident at this hour of crisis. The present Nepal government is struggling to reach out to many of its citizens. For seven years now, Nepal’s politicians have failed to agree on a Constitution that can take the country forward. A decade before that was spent in a civil war between the then Royal Nepalese Army and the Maoists that cut off the capital, Kathmandu, from much of the country. Habituated to war but not to relief or humanitarian efforts, it will be difficult to expect the Nepalese army or the police to step into this governance void and provide leadership to the rescue efforts. It can be argued that in the immediate aftermath of any natural calamity, it is not charities and aid agencies but the military, with their helicopters, all-weather vehicles, and mountaineering skills, which are better equipped to quickly reach out to people in remote areas. For example, army engineers are known to do a fine job of quickly clearing and laying roads, bridges, and re-establishing communication networks on the ground. Right now, the Indian army and air force and the National Disaster Response Force, with their expertise in several domestic and international rescue and relief operations, is best placed to help. With strategic interests to safeguard, the Chinese can also be expected to match the Indian efforts.

Against a GDP of just $20 billion, lower than most Indian states, and official statistics of a high poverty rate of 25 per cent — presumably pegged at lower than the actual rate — the US Geological Survey has estimated that the losses suffered by the country could exceed its GDP. In Haiti, nearly $10 billion in foreign aid was committed, with the US promising $3.6 billion. Less than half these commitments fructified with countries like the US doling out development projects to American, rather than Haitian firms, which could have helped boost the domestic economy. It is unclear what commitments will be made by international nations and aid agencies to rebuild Nepal. A big dilemma facing donors is to identify the trustworthy agencies and how to get them to fulfil the assurances they make in delivering relief to the affected people. Irrespective of that, India, being Nepal’s closest neighbour, will have to be generous. And it is not just the government’s responsibility. Corporations, NGOs, trusts, and individuals will all have to step forward. The biggest challenge after an earthquake is to rebuild houses for those left homeless. Before the Nepal earthquake becomes a fading memory for people living elsewhere, mobilising funds for housing projects must begin.