Hope Floats

Kerala expects the rebuilding process to generate lakhs of employment opportunities and revitalise the economy.

- Cithara Paul

“NEVER LET A serious crisis go to waste’’ is a quote attributed to Niccolo Machiavelli. Malayalis may or may not be familiar with it, but that is exactly what they are doing. Faced with an unprecedented deluge, which devoured district after district and took hundreds of lives, Kerala has pulled offthe near impossible.

Well, almost.

Not everything was perfect. In fact, there were moments of helplessness and despair. But the rescue and relief operations that the state carried out in the past few days could well be a chapter in the history of disaster management.

The job is only half done. As Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who has been a reassuring presence during the crisis, said, rebuilding Kerala would be a herculean task. Yet, the state remains optimistic. Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac said funds would not be an issue, as secular, egalitarian minds would help. “From individual donors to foreign countries to big industrial houses, all are willing to support us. We will raise money through the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board as well,’’ Isaac told THE WEEK.