The monsoons are here...and some work in the days ahead

For all of us it is our life line.
We depend on it for the recharging our rivers, lakes and underground water reserves, for the flooding the fields where we grow our staple rice crop and for bringing cool comfort to a country baking under the blast of the summer sun..
Yet to many it will also be a curse....
Placed opposite is a satellite image of today and a chart from India Meteorological Dept telling us that the monsoons have arrived over the hills......

What is so sad in all this is that in the intervening 8 dry months since the last monsoons, not even a stone has been lifted by way of preventive action even in areas which are densely populated and landslide prone....
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And in the days ahead...

a) To mark World Environment (05Jun2008) there are a series of work shops being conducted here. The main theme for the lectures and workshops which is being organized by a network of NGOs is "Water and Solid Waste Management" however I have been asked to cover the landslide issue as well.
The program is as follows:-

i) 05Jun2008 - Kalimpong
ii) 06June2008- Darjeeling
iii) 07Jun2008 - Mirik

b) I have been informed that 3 post graduate diploma students of Disaster Management (with whom I interacted in the winter) of North Bengal University will be doing their project work in Kalimpong.
Subject: The landslide problem in Kalimpong.

Since generating awareness amongst our own people regarding the landslide hazard is one of the key issues involved, I am looking forward to all the above events.

praful rao