Natural disasters have been a part of human life and evolution and it will continue to do so. However, their interference in natural processes have exacerbated the frequency and intensity of these disasters.
One primary reason for disasters is encroachments. More population is directly related to higher demand for land. This is even worse in cities where the population is heavily concentrated. This higher demand leads to encroachment over cities’ lakes, streams and rivers. Thus, when there’s a cloudburst or floods, water has no place to flow and hence it inundates the surrounding areas causing millions to be displaced and becoming a source for water-borne diseases like cholera and jaundice. Another problem is lack of family planning, parents are giving birth to too many children without thinking about their financial conditions and surrounding social norms. Too many children will eventually be a burden rather than an asset.
The best to solve this problem is to focus on city planning. In other words, it is important to monitor and discuss which lands in the city should be given clearance for residential or commercial establishments. There must be strict legislation to protect the forests and water bodies in the city and even more stricter enforcement. An example demonstrating these characteristics is Hyderabad where its City development authority made a masterplan designating different zones for different purposes like residential, commercial, conservation, and more. Another solution could be to increase awareness to people over family planning, sex education and creating a generation of responsible individuals who can contribute to sustainable development.
In conclusion, problems like encroachments and overpopulation can be solved both at an individual and at a governmental level by taking some measures like city planning and family planning awareness programs