Why is it that whenever there is a major tragedy, as the one in Uttarakhand, our first impression is that the state and Central governments have bungled? That we have no faith in their ability to act speedily in a crisis situation? That everything that will go wrong, will go wrong wherever government action is called for? That we as a nation are conditioned to first feel bad — like a kangaroo court that decides that the accused is guilty, irrespective of the facts.

How else does one explain why we are reluctant to acknowledge that despite the gloom over the loss of lives something commendable has also happened in Uttarakhand? That over 1,00,000 people have been evacuated to safety from the most treacherous terrain and weather conditions in the past fortnight.

An armyman carries an elderly woman up a hillside during the Uttarakhand rescue. AFP

That the Indian Army, Air Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, National Disaster Relief Force, state government employees and countless others have done a stupendous job in rescuing the stranded despite grave risk to their own lives (20 personnel lost their lives while doing so). They showed us that we as a nation could rise above our differences and shortcomings and act as one when catastrophe struck.

Even developed nations have struggled to act when Nature unleashes its wrath. Recall how the US, when Hurricane Katrina struck its Atlantic coast with such ferocity in 2005, struggled to respond despite having the most sophisticated warning systems in place. New Orleans was inundated and the state was helpless as people took shelter in a giant stadium to avoid being drowned. More recently in 2011 Japan was stretched when a tidal wave caused widespread destruction and even a meltdown of the nuclear power plants in the Fukushima. So we must as a nation feel proud and grateful to all those people both in government and NGOs who pulled off the amazing rescue act. If not for their efforts the death toll would have been far higher than what it is today in Uttarakhand.

Sure there were shortcomings in our response to what happened in Uttarakhand. We could argue the Indian Meteorology Department (IMD) could have warned the state much earlier about the impending deluge. That the state government should have prevented pilgrims from going to some of the holiest of Hindu temples once the Met department had sent out warnings. That the National Disaster Management Authority could have acted with greater alacrity and effectiveness.

Unfortunately, even as the rescue efforts were on in full swing, the state government was being lambasted by all, including the media, for allowing hotels and tourist facilities from coming up on the banks of the rivers. People forget that in every state or major city in the country, buildings violating civic laws are the most common offences — it is a national affliction. So why should Uttarakhand be the paragon?

There are a lot of wounds the nation still has to heal in the coming days. In the first two weeks the focus was on rescue and relief, especially of tourists and pilgrims from outside the state. Meanwhile, close to 2,300 villages in the flood-affected areas of Uttarakhand remain cut off with roads leading to them damaged. Power lines are down. Drinking water pipes are broken. Health services are non-functional. A colossal effort is required to ensure people in these villages receive timely help. The state government will need all the assistance it can get both in terms of money and manpower from the Centre and any other state or NGO volunteering help.

Simultaneously, efforts must be made to repair the vast network of national highways and state roads that have been damaged in Uttarakhand on a war-footing. This is the time to study vulnerable zones and build adequate fortifications so that they do not collapse easily. While rebuilding tourist facilities this is also an opportunity to put in place building restrictions and identify safe zones. Long-term conservation plans of the entire Western Himalayas straddling Uttarakhand, Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir need to be implemented to put an end to the rampant deforestation that is changing weather patterns, eroding hillsides and silting rivers.

As we look ahead at what more needs to be done in Uttarakhand, we must as a nation be mindful of the limitations and respect those who fight the battle against great odds. We must come together as one and not play politics in rehabilitation as many parties and politicians did while rescue and relief efforts were on. We must learn the hard lessons so that we do not repeat our mistakes. But most of all let us not forget to say a big THANK YOU to the armed forces in particular and the other rescue personnel in general for the splendid job they did in Uttarakhand. By their selfless actions and heroics, they remind us of what a great nation we really are.