Since the beginning of the year, at least 550 people in Brazil have died and thousands more have lost their homes, due to this year’s floods, which have been disastrous as usual, but certainly not surprising. What is surprising is the government’s inability to prepare for a recurring problem all too familiar to local inhabitants. Of course, global warming and climate change are a big component of this tragedy, but the incompetence of local authorities is outrageous.
Floods devastate Brazil's SouthEast http://fotografia.folha.uol.com.br/galerias/1880-chuva-no-rio-de-janeiro#foto-36030 folha.com
Every single year, during summer time, Brazil suffers from flooding, which is inherent to the tropical weather of the country. Similarly, every single year, authorities recite the same words and promises of aid to calm the desperate needs of locals. They claim that the disaster is caused as “… consequence of the huge amount of rain”.
Well, if authorities are aware of the consequences of the rain season, why don’t they take necessary steps to minimize the flooding consequences during the dry season? Why can’t they relocate families living in risky areas and slums? Why can’t they build the necessary dams and water channels?
Perhaps it has to do with the fact that the vast majority of the victims of these floods are, in all truthfulness, marginalized and treated as second-class citizens. Not only do they live in precarious conditions, but they have no other recourse but to live without access to basic human rights, including housing, cleaning water and sewer. How many wealthy and influential people are among the fatal victims of the floods? Probable none. If there were, I am certain that the negligence and inefficiency of the authorities would be much smaller over the years.
While a great number of Brazilian families are treated as second-class citizens and they are remembered only during election periods, the casualties that the floods bring year in and year out, will be only be a big number that will grow over the years. But behind the numbers, there are fatalities; there are people struggling to survive in an unfair society, where the wealthy have the best of the worlds and the marginalized community has to be carefully not to become one more statistic in the speech of yet another negligent public officer.
Floods, Slums, Government’s inability, Second Class citizens, vote banks sounds like my country (India) to me
Floods, Slums, Government’s inability, Second Class citizens, vote banks sounds like my country (India) to me
Many people are dying because of the government's disinterest,that's true.
On this case, Praying is not enough to make things better,we gotta go for it.
the problem with the rain is something that causes deaths every year, and yes it is right to day that the government gives little attention to these problems of infra structure. However, according to this article, you claim that the reason for this is that only poor, second class citizend die in this catastrophy . This is not true. Several hotels and fancy houses were injured because of the rain and Many wealthy families died because of it as well. So, even though the government does neglect that region, the reason is not that the floods don't affect the wealthier class, but rather because the wealthy class visits this region of the city but doesn't reside there. This means that they have no say on the voting of the region and the mayors constantly fool the local habitants into voting for them even though they do little to help the development of the área
Many people are dying because of the government’s disinterest,that’s true.
On this case, Praying is not enough to make things better,we gotta go for it.
the problem with the rain is something that causes deaths every year, and yes it is right to day that the government gives little attention to these problems of infra structure. However, according to this article, you claim that the reason for this is that only poor, second class citizend die in this catastrophy . This is not true. Several hotels and fancy houses were injured because of the rain and Many wealthy families died because of it as well. So, even though the government does neglect that region, the reason is not that the floods don’t affect the wealthier class, but rather because the wealthy class visits this region of the city but doesn’t reside there. This means that they have no say on the voting of the region and the mayors constantly fool the local habitants into voting for them even though they do little to help the development of the área
The problem is not the indifference of the Brazilian government alone. The problem is to a great extent the misplaced enthusiasm of environmentalists and human rights activisits. This is a problme seen in all countries and I see it in my country, India, too. If the government tries to build dams, the environmentalists will raise the banner of revolt. If the government tries to relocate the population, the human rights activists will raise some objection and prevent it.
V.M.Mohanraj
The problem is not the indifference of the Brazilian government alone. The problem is to a great extent the misplaced enthusiasm of environmentalists and human rights activisits. This is a problme seen in all countries and I see it in my country, India, too. If the government tries to build dams, the environmentalists will raise the banner of revolt. If the government tries to relocate the population, the human rights activists will raise some objection and prevent it.
V.M.Mohanraj
So there is a special segment of the population that the state doesn't care about. Not up front of course, but because of their social status these people are not getting the help they need and are left alone in the face of disaster time and time again.