Climate change trends ‘horrifying’

The Hindu , Friday, October 31, 2008
Correspondent : Staff Reporter
BHUBANESWAR: Climate hazard has claimed on an average 580 lives every year and caused average annual property loss to the tune of Rs. 246.2 crores in the past one decade and damage has been showing increasing trend since 2000.

These horrifying trends of climate change in the State came to light when G. K Panda, professor in geography department of Utkal University, presented disaster-related damage recorded in Orissa over 37 years here on Thursday at a consultation programme on climate change issues, policies and coping mechanism. “Orissa has recorded an average annual property loss of Rs. 246.2 crores. The trend of damage is increasing over the years,” Mr. Panda said.

Flood loss

He said on an average 23,500 houses had been destroyed annually since 1970 while in successive floods in the State over 3 million people were affected annually. “Affected areas due to floods are increasing in spite of preventive measures. Cultivated area affected in 2008 is spread over 4770 sq km,” he said.

Elaborating on flood-related losses, Mr. Panda said 8073 houses were destroyed annually over last three decades while a total crop loss was estimated to over Rs. 543 crore in floods since 1971.

Similarly, lightning-related deaths were increasing at alarming rate. The annual average deaths occurred between 1998-2007 was 205.

“We are increasingly witnessing coastline changes in view of climate change. Position of river mouths, offshore islands and coastal vegetation and mangroves are being affected.

The Hukitola Island off Kendrapara coast has gone massive change since 1994,” he said. The senior researcher said there was a need to bring about a change in policy for implementing developmental projects in view of changing pattern of vulnerability.

The consultation programme was jointly organised by Forum of Collective Forms of Cooperation (FCFC), Indian Network of Ethics and Climate Change (INECC), Orissa Development Action Forum (ODAF) and Dhara to critically analyse the national action plan on climate change announced by the Union Government.

 
SOURCE : Friday, 31 October 2008
 


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