Decisions, decisions!

What a week! A nearby place had 2 of their dams breach and all that water comes into a major dam where I work, which itself is ancient and earthen.It breached too. This breach along with the sudden unexpected quantities of rain threatened to break the damn dam. To add to the agony, at the very same time we had 3 other cases of people getting stuck in an island like place, surrounded by water, no way to get out because of the sudden and excess rain. Had to call in RAC from neighbouring district for one place, the Army for another and our own rescue team in the third.

Luckily, I mean very luckily, the dam held up and no casualties amongst those stranded either. I will remember this day for years to come..

What I realised during this ordeal was that when this dam started leaking, I went there and there was an SE, 2 Ex Ens and a bunch of A.Ens from irrigation department there. While they were doing whatever they could with sandbags, it wasn't helping. It was only after I reached and discussed the matter with them that they came out with the real picture that for various reasons it appears to be better NOT to fix the leak when its raining so much! But no one stopped trying to fix it because that was just the usual thing to do. It was only a after they heard it from my mouth - go ahead and stop fixing that leak, start breaking another part of the dam for water outlet - that they jumped to action.

I'm no engineer. I just spoke to them and weighed the two sides they gave me and feedback from villagers standing there.. it is surprising that a complete generalist has to take the decision even for technical things. I find this to be the case in the smallest and biggest of things. No one wants the burden of a decision on them. So my post steps in. We generalists take those damned decisions. In that sense, its a warped job but since thats how the system is, you are contributing everyday and that gives some work satisfaction.

One man and his goats.

One man. 4 goats. Torrential rain. Equals what? Equals to the man and his goats being stranded on a mini island created by incessant rain and the entire administration running around trying to pull him out of there safely. We were unable to with the resources available in my jurisdiction so we needed help from outside. Thats when I decide to visit the spot to see the level and kind of assistance we would need first hand. The flip side of authority is people dont want to tell you even if you are walking into a damn minefield, because it isnt appropriate to question a senior. Or maybe they kept quiet about what lay ahead just to get back at me for some shouting I must have done at some point or something.

Either ways, there I was, oblivious to the slush that lay before me, trudging 2 kms down to the point from where the stranded one could be seen. No one warned us that there is no route, proper or improper to get there. As we walked on, we stumbled through feet high water in clayey paddy fields, getting soaked to the skin in the rain and legs covered in mud.. it was a crazy crazy thing to do.. but I dont know why, it took me back to my childhood in a way. Even though I hadnt ever been in a situation as precarious as this, the constant drizzle, the cold wind and drenched clothes all reminded me of the many monsoons I spent in the western ghats. 

Maybe , if I had a better idea of what I was getting into I wouldnt have gone right to that spot. But Im glad I did. I realised that I love being 'there' when something is wrong, someone needs help. I need to see things with my own eyes, specially if its getting to be a bigger issue than what we anticipated initially. Another thing which probably compels me to go on site is that each time Ive been on such a scene, I have realised that while people gather around in troves, they are usually by-standers. Its only when someone steps up as their leader that they start contributing to the solution. Each time I have walked into such a situation, I have noticed that given my post, people immediately submit themselves to my leadership. They rely on this post to get things done, to sort issues out. And they willingly contribute the best they can as we ask of them. Thats why I have never found it a waste of my time or effort to go to the crisis spot.  It also creates a wonderful feeling of being in one team together. 

Anyhow, we reached the spot, realised there was nothing we could do for the man with the goat from there and trudged all the way back. Found another spot from where a boat could be let into the river. As soon as the rescue team arrived from the neighbouring district, the boat was taken up to the man and he was safely removed from there after being stranded for over 24 hours. Soon as the boat got into the water, I left my deputy in charge and rushed back home to get out of the mud soaked, wet clothes I had been shivering in for over 3 hours - which I didnt have a chance of changing in the village, with so many people thronging around, and of course, because I had no change either!

On the way back, I tried to think back to what precipitated it all. What I realised, Im still not sure whether to be angry at the man or laugh my guts out.. even as the water rose and he had a chance to get out, that man, btw his name is Bablu, decided to stay on that piece of mini island to safeguard his 4 goats! There was enough for the goats to eat over there without his supervision. Why couldnt he just get out and go back when the rain abated? What the hell was he thinking - that in the worst case, he will be able to swim ashore with his goats on his shoulders??? One man. Had about a 100 people on their toes for 12 hours thanks to his love of his goats.  The human race, never ceases to amaze me!