Law Kumar Mishra
The rebuilt Machchu dam in Morbi, destroyed on August 11, 1979 in a furious flood that devastating the industrial town, stand tall as a success story of dealing with the nature’s ferocity.
Over 25000 people were killed even as all industrial units turned into scrap while road, rail communication remained suspended with uprooted telephone poles speaking volume of the devastation.
The then chief minister of Gujarat, Babu Bhai Jashbhai Patel reached town through Kutch as there was no air services. He used HAM radio services to communicate with home guard commandant, Usha Kant Mankad who in turn communicated to the outside world.
CM ordered alternative electric poles from all over Gujarat to be pulled up and transport it to Morbi. Besides, cement and sand bags from entire state rushed to the town to plug breaches in the dam.
He appointed a junior IAS, Ramrakhyani as CS at Morbi camp with all financial and administrative powers. CM orders were in plain papers without any official dispatch number and official seal of the CM office. He wrote, as chief minister, he shall be held accountable for all lapses.
Within 24 hours, road communication through Rajkot was restored and power supply and water supply resumed within 48 hours.
RSS workers were engaged to dispose of carcasses and carry out mass cremation. When Indira Gandhi visited the area, she was shocked to pass through the bodies lying on the roads and streets.
Kiritbhai Pathak, then a student in Malviya college, recalled Mrs Gandhi had visited the NSUI relief camp at Trikon Baugh in the heart of Rajkot.
Now, Morbi is full of life, ceramics and clocks industries booming with the town being upgraded to a district. It has emerged as a major trade centre in the country.
Red tape and bureaucracy can be avoided in crisis, Morbi model.
(The author is a senior journalist, having served long in Gujarat as The Times of India Correspondent).
