April 2017 southasiadisasters.net 1communities were seen as both first recipients as well as the...

southasiadisasters.netApril 2017 1

southasiadisasters.net April 20172

ABOUT THIS ISSUEINTRODUCTION

Mainstreaming Communitiesin DRR

The National DisasterManagement Act, 2005 shifted

the priorities and approaches of theState of India towards disastermanagement putting emphasis onholistic and localized approaches fordisaster risk reduction. Localcommunities were seen as both firstrecipients as well as the firstresponders to any disaster and assuch the cycle of disaster riskmanagement must focus on last milecommunities. The Assam StateDisaster Management Authority(ASDMA) laid stress uponempowering communities for disasterrisk reduction since its inception.

The various guiding documents andplans of the Government of Assamprepared by the ASDMA, makestrong references for enhancingcommunities role in disaster riskmanagement. The Assam StateDisaster Management Policy, 2010envisages upon instrumental role tobe played by local authorities (PRIsboth rural and urban). It stresses theneed for training of officials andrepresentatives from localauthorities (Panchayats,Municipalities and Urban LocalBodies), storage and maintenance ofresources to be of use in disastermanagement and ensuring riskinformed development practices atlocal level.1

The Assam State DisasterManagement Plan includes aims to

ensure that all components ofdisaster management are addressedto facilitate planning, preparedness,operational, coordination andcommunity participation. Thus, inthe aim itself the role andimportance of community has beenemphasized.2 The recently revisedAssam State Disaster ManagementManual, 2015 further intensifies theimportance of community levelinstitutions and expects GramPanchayats and local authorities toprepare a Disaster Managementplans. Such a plan should take intoaccount all local conditions, identifyspecific vulnerable areas, initiatenecessary preparedness andmitigation measures, draw upcapacity building plans, work outshelter sites, stockpile emergencyprovision of food, fodder, medicine,drinking water plan, etc.3

Building upon the above, theASDMA has developed multi-pronged capacity developmentstrategy through whichcommunities are being empoweredfor achieving disaster resilience. TheSendai Framework for Disaster RiskReduction which is successor to HFArecognizes the progress achievedworld-wide towards reducingdisaster risks of communities andASDMA's initiatives were evidencetowards the same. ASDMA has kepton community based approaches incenter of its DRR programming.ASDMA has worked across all four

the holistic approach to capacitydevelopment in Assam

The impacts of disasters can bebroadly categorized as direct

and as indirect. Direct impactsrefer to quantifiable losses such asthe number of people killed andthe damage to buildings,infrastructure and naturalresources. Indirect impacts, incontrast, include declines in outputor revenue, and impact onwellbeing of people, and generallyarise from disruptions to the flowof goods and services as a result ofa disaster. The contextual andlocalized nature of indirect impactsmake it difficult to control them.One possible way of controllingthem is through Community BasedDisaster Preparedness (CBDP).

This issue of Southasiadisasters.netfocuses on the theme of CapacityBuilding for Community BasedDisaster Preparedness. It primarilyfocuses on how CBDP canempower communities to managetheir risks through 'locally owned'and 'locally appropriate'approaches. The key lessons fromASDMA's recently finished capacitybuilding project on CBDP havealso been highlighted in this issue.The rationale behind promotingCBDP is that communities are thefirst responders of a disaster,therefore they should be given thenecessary training to mitigate andmanage their risks.

Moreover, given the dynamicnature of risk, CBDP makes for amore relevant, inclusive, bottom-up and effective approach todisaster risk reduction. This issueis also a compendium of theemerging areas like climate risksand how they impact communitiesat the local level. Capacity buildingfor CBDP can also be viewed asthe democratization DRR byenabling communities to buildtheir own resilience usingapproaches best suited to them.

– Kshitij Gupta, AIDMI

“The priorities of government of Assam to ensure a 'Safer Assam'.Urging teachers to focus on 'social education' with the objective ofbuilding responsible and informed citizens' who are concerned andaware about their safety issues and are taking steps towards reductionof disaster risks in the society as a whole.”

– Mr. Pallab Lochan Das, Minister of State (Independent), Revenue andDisaster Management, Government of Assam.


1 Assam State Disaster Management Policy, 2010 available at http://asdma.gov.in/pdf/publication/Assam%20DM%20Policy.pdf2 Assam State Disaster Management Plan available at http://asdma.gov.in/pdf/asdmp.pdf3 ASDMA (2015), Assam State Disaster Management Manual, 2015 available at

http://asdma.gov.in/download/assam_disaster_management_manual_2015.pdf

priorities of the SFDRR towardscommunity empowerment fordisaster resilience which are brieflymentioned below:

Priority 1 – Understanding DisasterRiskASDMA has envisaged Communitybased disaster risk assessment asbasis for making district disastermanagement plans. Differentcommunity level institutes have alsobeen assessed and audited for therisks they face. E.g. ASDMAconducted status survey of schoolsand hospitals of Guwahati city toassess their vulnerability and tomake corrective recommendations.

Priority II – Strengthening DisasterRisk Governance to Manage DisasterRiskASDMA has emphasized uponinstitutionalizing disaster riskreduction at community levelthrough creation and capacitydevelopment of Village LandManagement and ConservationCommittees besides capacitybuilding of local PRIs members ofdisaster risk reduction. ASDMA hasbeen emphasizing uponsensitization and capacity buildingof public representatives on DRR.

Priority III – Investing in Disaster RiskReduction for ResilienceThe state has been one of states inIndia which has an allotted statebudget for disaster risk reduction.Investments have been madethrough non-structural measures inhospitals and schools at communitylevel. ASDMA in order to enhancestructural resilience has revised thebuildings codes of Guwahati city. Ahost of measures has been initiatedto encourage sectoral/departmentalinvestment for disaster riskreduction in respective sectorsthrough departmental DM planning.ASDMA has put sufficient emphasison capacity building of stakeholdersparticularly the health sector at locallevel for comprehensive healthsafety and disaster management.

Priority IV – Enhancing DisasterPreparedness for Effective Responseand to "Build Back Better" in Recovery,Rehabilitation and ReconstructionThis priority has been considerablyemphasized over ASDMA's flagshipinitiatives. The Flood Early WarningSystem (FLEWS) which is oneunique technological advancesbefitting the last mile communitieshas been appreciated all around.ASDMA has taken up series of

training and capacity building,awareness generation activities toenhance community preparedness ondisaster risk reduction. The trainingof frontline workers and firstresponders on CBDP across the 27districts of Assam is one suchexample. ASDMA is reaching tohousehold level (through Apartmentsensitization programs on earthquakepreparedness in Guwahati city) aswell as community level (Panchayatlevel pilot projects on flood resilientmodel villages and pilot project onsustainable livelihood through DRRmainstreaming) for enhancing inter-sector disaster preparedness acrosslevels and scales in communities tobe able recover faster and build backbetter in case of a disaster isfollowed. Communities are acceptedas thrust and core. ASDMA is alsoemphasizing on documenting andstrengthening local traditionalcoping practices of communities tovarious disasters.

It is expected that through a multi-pronged and dynamic strategicapproach, ASDMA will be ableenhance local resilience againstdisasters and can contribute towardssustainable development of the stateof Assam.

First Community Based Disaster Preparedness (CBDP) training at Baksa, July 18-19, 2016.

Pho

to: A

IDM

I.


The north-eastern state of Assamis of special strategic and cultural

importance to India. Not only does itbinds India to the north-east India, itis also blessed with many naturalresources and can be considered abiological hotspot teeming with rareanimal and plant species. However,Assam is exposed to a variety ofclimate and disaster risks. Theseinclude earthquakes, landslides,floods, and strong winds. Floods andthe resulting everlasting river erosionhave proved to be particularlydetrimental to Assam's economy andcitizens. To build up the resilience ofAssam against such aforesaid risks,the Assam State DisasterManagement Authority (ASDMA)routinely takes up disaster riskreduction and climate changeadaptation initiatives. And All IndiaDisaster Mitigation Institute (AIDMI)has found that in these initiatives thecitizens of Assam play leading rolewhen given a chance.

In the event of a disaster, it is themembers of the affected localcommunity who are the firstresponders, primary beneficiariesand principal actors. Disasters andemergencies are known tooverwhelm the response capacities ofcommunities leading to large-scaleloss of life, property and livelihoods.It is therefore imperative to build thecapacity of the local community toeffectively respond to disasters andemergencies. One way of doing thisis by enhancing the preparednesslevel of the community throughcapacity building initiatives.

Recognizing the need for building thecapacity of communities to effectivelyrespond to disasters andemergencies, ASDMA launched itscapacity building initiative called'Community Based DisasterPreparedness' in July 2016. The goalof this initiative was to empowercommunities at the local level with

the knowledge, skills and expertiseto manage the risks they are exposedto. This goal was to be achieved byorganizing capacity building sessionsin all the districts of the state withthe grassroots level workers fromvarious government departmentssuch as social welfare, health, oragriculture along with volunteers andmembers of community basedorganizations. The AIDMI was thetechnical partner in this initiative andconducted these trainings sessions atASDMA's behest.

This partnership has been special. Itgenerated results on the ground,influenced the two institutions, andcreated enabling environment forDRR in Assam.

As the first phase of these trainingsdraws to a close, I am happy to reportthat this initiative has been successfulin achieving its stated objectives andgoal. Hitherto, a total of 1055participants from 27 districts ofAssam have been covered under theambit of this initiative. Theparticipants have become informedrespondent. So many of themcommitted advocates of disaster riskreduction. And some of them havebecome local leaders in reducingrisks. But these numbers, asimpressive as they are do not coverthe wisdom, ingenuity and creativitywith which the local communities inAssam have managed and mitigatedtheir risks. AIDMI has learned morefrom the participants, not only whatto do and how but also new ways ofthinking about both, risk and Assam.Perhaps the most important lessonfrom this initiative was theeffectiveness of risk reductionmeasures if they are carried out inan inclusive, participatory anddemocratic manner.

PROJECT BRIEF

Community Based Disaster Preparedness

Participants explaining the findings of group exercise, depicting the hazards,vulnerabilities and capacities of in and around areas of the conference hall building.

Pho

to: A

IDM

I.


CSR AND DRR

Corporate Social Responsibility as aResponse to Disaster Risk ManagementIndia's geo-climate conditions as

well as its high degree of socio-economic vulnerability, makes it oneof the most disaster-prone countriesin the world. In its consideration ofDRR, UNISDR defines "resilienceas….the ability of a system,community or society exposed tohazards to resist, absorb,accommodate to and recover fromthe effects of a hazard in a timelyand efficient manner. This itselfexpress crucial role of CSR inmanaging disaster risk, with focus onpoor and vulnerable communities.

The increase in socioeconomicvulnerability is often as a result ofreduced resilience due to risk andrelated vulnerabilities, including local(micro) disaster events. This situationmay cause the direct and/or indirectloss of livelihood and ultimatelytrigger higher economic unequality

and socioeconomic vulnerabilities,particularly related to naturalresources such as water, food, andlivelihoods. CSR intervention withrespect to DRM is offering hugeopportunities for companies as it stillin the least understood initiatives -limited to relief, response, and notlong term recovery and linkingclimate change adaptation. However,the concept and practice of CSRinvolvement in social development isnot new in India. The social workand CSR field greatly overlap as itsevolved and focus on people livingin poverty.

However, corporate contribution inbuilding disaster resilience hasremained minimal. Currently, CSR isbased on policies and activities thatdo not directly address DRR. Mostcompanies implement their CSRprojects through their own CSR

project management initiatives,confining benefit to people living inthe locality of their operations. InIndia NGOs and civil society ingeneral to get actively involved inDRR and resilience (not limited toinitial disaster relief and response),that encourage and influenceincreased involvement of CSR inDRR and resilience.

As said, CSR is neither a new conceptnor from action point of view inIndia. The rich experience of TATA -CSR since 1892 - is an important casefor all level of companies to engagein community development, even forcommunity resilience. TATAcompanies work - towardsempowering people by helping themdevelop the skills they need tosucceed in a global economy -consolidate into its CSR programme.Its emphasising on equps

Community based DisasterPreparedness (CBDP) refers to allthose activities and measuresundertaken by a community using alocally owned and locallyappropriate approach to reduce andmanage its disaster risks. In essence,CBDP implies a community basedapproach to risk reduction done byusing existing resources in acontextualized and localized manner.In simple words, AIDMI team startedfrom where the communities were,building upto where they want to be.Given the participatory nature ofCBDP, the pedagogy followed byAIDMI in imparting these trainingsemphasized introspection,deliberation and dialogue.

These trainings focused on providingtechnical skills such as conductinghazard, vulnerability, capacity(HVCA) assessment; drawing

seasonal hazard maps; capacity-vulnerability matrix and compilingcommunity resource inventories atthe block level. These technical skillshelped the participants in identifyingthe underlying causes of theirvulnerability to disaster risks andthen proceed to make elaboratepreparedness plans. Similarly, thebest practices on CBDP from previousprojects and programmes was alsoshared with the participants.

Although the technical knowledgeimparted during these trainings willhelp these participants to carry outdisaster risk reduction (DRR)activities in a systematic andcoordinated manner, perhaps thegreatest achievement of thesetrainings was that it encouraged theparticipants to speak up on theirperception of risk, vulnerability andpreparedness. And, more

importantly, on what they thinkthey can do to reduce risk if given achance and resources. This was trulyenriching, as people from differentparts of Assam experienced risksdifferently and would often suggestinnovative approaches to managethem. This made the entire discoursesurrounding preparedness muchmore relevant and comprehensiveinstead of just being a vacuousexercise full of oft-repeated clichés.

I once again commend andcongratulate ASDMA on organizingthis initiative and successfullyempowering citizens of Assam toplan, prepare and manage their risks.This is AIDMI's small contribution tooperationalise National DisasterManagement Authority ofGovernment of India in Assam withcitizen of Assam.

– Mihir R. Bhatt, AIDMI


communities with information,technology and the capacity toachieve improved health, educationand livelihood outcomes. Thefollowing 10 core principles of CSRprogramme of TATA1 reflecting veryuseful case for all levels of CSRactions. These points can be linkedwith the disaster resilience.1. Beyond Compliance: while all

CSR interventions shall fullycomply with the relevant lawsof the land in which theyoperate, they will strive to meetcore needs, even if it is beyondwhat is mandated.

2. Impactful: Interventions willfocus on impact on communitiesand to this end, all companieswill work collaboratively andsynergistically on a set of agreedTata Group Focus Initiatives.

3. Linked to Business: Allcompanies may seek businessbenefits and leverage their corecompetencies while undertakingCSR activities. However,community benefits will haveto be paramount and clearlydefined.

4. Relevant to National and LocalContexts: The CSR initiativesmust be closely aligned with andrelevant to the local and national

contexts in which the companyis located.

5. Sustainable DevelopmentPrinciples: All CSR interventionswill follow sustainabledevelopment principles - theywill factor social, human rightsand environmental impacts intheir design and execution.

6. Participative and Bottom-up:Communities must be central tothe interventions and they mustbe actively involved inidentifying the issues to beaddressed and in themanagement and monitoring ofthe interventions.

7. Focus on the Disadvantaged:Special care must be taken toensure that the needs of the mostdisadvantaged in the community- in terms of gender, ethnicity,disability and occupation - areaddressed.

8. Strategic and Built to Last: Bydesign, all CSR initiatives shallensure that communities cansustain them on their own,beyond the involvement of theTata Group. Hence, the initiativesmust be part of a long term CSRstrategy.

9. Partnerships: All CSRinterventions will be done in

partnership with institutionsthat are close to the ground -community organisations, NGOscompanies (Within and outsidethe Tata group) and government:Local, state and central.

10. Opportunities For Volunteering:The CSR initiatives will bedesigned to provide a range ofvolunteering opportunities forTata employees.

To shape CSR contribution, moreimportant is how can companies atany financial level understand theimportance of DRR and resilienceand engage locally. In current scenario,CSR, so far, has been based on apolicies and activities that do notdirectly address community resilience.

Lastly, it is essential to developappropriate guidelines for corporatesto build, and shape their CSRinterventions aligned with DRR andresilience. Needless to say that theultimate goal of such developmentis moving towards povertyreduction, targeting poor andvulnerable communities and localcontextualized with the sustainabledevelopment goals2; the SendaiFramework3; climate change actionplan4, and the principles of the UNglobal compact5.

- Dr. Ramesh Vaghani, Head, andMrs. Kruti Mehta, Faculty,Department of Social Work,

Saurashtra University

1 http://www.tata.com/sustainability/articlesinside/corporate-social-responsibility.2 http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/3 http://www.unisdr.org/we/coordinate/sendai-framework.4 http://www.moef.nic.in/sites/default/files/Pg01-52_2.pdf.5 https://www.unglobalcompact.org/what-is-gc/mission/principles.

The group's CSR activities.

Pho

to: w

ww

.tata

.com

.


DRR AND CCA

Sustainable Urban Development throughIntegrating Disaster and Climate Resiliencein Assam

The urban growth in Assam hasbeen rapid over the years. In the

last population census of 2011, Assamhad the largest urban population of4.3 million amongst the North-eastern States. Guwahati has about0.9 million urban population, whilethe other large cities of the state areNagaon (population 116,355),Dibrugarh (population 138,661) andSilchar (population 172,709. Thestate's level of urbanization grew at14% in 2011, which shows an increaseof 1.2% over the Census 2001 wherethe level was 12.9%1. Wideinequalities have been observed inurbanization in terms of share ofurban population in the districts ofAssam. The important aspect ofurban growth is the dominance of thecapital city, the state capital cityGuwahati had experienced fasterurban growth primarily due tomigration from infrastructuredeficient areas2. Like any other partof Indian states, urbanization is fastincreasing and posing a number ofchallenges in Assam. One of the keychallenges that exponentiallyincreased is the exposure to existinghazards and creation of new ones.The vulnerabilities grew rapidly withunplanned expansion, depletion andinjudicious exploitation of naturalresources, construction in vulnerableareas etc. The need for integration ofDRR CCA in development isespecially urgent in urban areas toreduce vulnerability and hazardexposure in order to increaseresilience to the potential adverseimpacts of climate extremes. Thus, itrequires design and implementationof capacity inputs with measuring the

impact of short to long time scale.DRR and CCA require wellcollaborative and coordinatedcapacity building actions in urbanareas of the state.

The state is facing challenges likeother states of India regardingurbanization. These urban areas arealso potential contributors toinnovation and technological inputsfor DRR and CCA in the state.Training and capacity building inputsare required across the state amongthe municipal corporations, municipalboards and town committees for DRRCCA measures with basic orientationto incorporate with the planning.

Similarly, the department in closepartnership with ULBs isimplementing various sandimportant services such as, integratedurban transport, sanitation, solidwaste management, urbaninfrastructure, urban poverty, urbanhousing, urban planning, financialsustainability of ULBs and generalurban governance. All these servicesand involved manpower are in needof capacity building inputs for DRRCCA. All these services have greatpotential to build their capacity andcontribute. The urban flooding is oneof the biggest challenge due touncontrolled and vulnerabledevelopment that increasing the riskof the urban areas.

The department has its owncommunity involvement processwith community and institutions.This process should be used tocommunicate for awareness and

sensitization at local level. Thisinclude, training, dialogue withcitizens, campaigns, celebrations ofkey days that have space for DRRCCA agenda.

The department with DRR CCAexpert should carry out integrationexercise and design of capacitybuilding actions that cover all the keyservices of the department. The resultwill include the modification in theprocess, ways of risk communicationsand measures (risk reduction andadaptation). However, it is suggestedthat the involvement of thedepartment should strong andcomprehensive in this exercise. Itshould not be done dominantly bythe expert only. Each of the states anddepartments have theirdevelopmental processes andcontexts that requires extensiveengagement of their own experiencedofficials having basic and necessaryunderstanding on the subject.

With cities experimenting andlearning on dynamic components ofrisk reduction and adaptation, capacitybuilding inputs can be generatedfrom different case studies andreviews explaining various learningfrom similar past experiences fromwithin and out-side the state.

The officials should be providedtraining with practical exercise onconstruction of multi-hazard resilienthousing with a cost effectiveapproach and adaptation measuresagainst climatic extremes and slowonset events keeping futureprojections in the centre. This should

1 Data derived from department of Town and Country Planning available at http://tcpassam.gov.in/2 Manta et el. Urbanization and growth of Small Towns In Assam, India, https://www.unil.ch/files/live/sites/igu-urban/files/

shared/Manta.pdf


be done on ongoing basis and shouldcover newly induced officials andstaff.

Basic trainings which cover riskassessment, early warning system,the concept of DRR and CCA,existing developmental frameworksand tools for sustainabledevelopment, should be covered formanpower who are directly involvedin the implementation of services.

The department requires goodunderstanding to conduct andanalyze cost effectiveness of differentrisk reduction and climate changeadaptation measures.

The state and urban bodies arehaving recent experience through

several DRR CCA related projectsthat implemented in partnership ofgovernment and/or humanitarianand development agencies. Forexample, Guwahati - ClimateResilience Strategy under AsianCities Climate Change ResilienceNetwork (ACCCRN)3; These pilotsand process build the department'scapacity with national and globaldevelopments. The departmentshould conduct exercises to capturethe learning and identify the areasfor mainstreaming into thedepartment. The usage of processesand outputs in other key cities of thestate is another area of capacitybuilding. Such projects should becontinued in Guwahati and/or in thestate due to its location, requirementand importance. The department

with the SDMA and the departmentof environment together shouldhave a consultation process in theinstitutionalizing process of theexperience and learning in the urbandevelopment. The negotiation withdonor agencies also can be done onwithdrawal strategy during thedesign phase of the project.

More and more people will be livingin cities. Thus, local capacity buildinginputs to DRR and CC adaptationand mitigation are important. Thecities of Assam are increasinglyshowing leadership, and committingto take actions. However, limitedplanning and implementationcapacities can be one of the keyobstacles for urban development inAssam. – Kishore Dutta, ASDMA

3 Climate Proofing Guwahati, Assam - City resilience strategy and Mainstreaming Plan, http://www.teriin.org/eventdocs/files/TERI_Guwahati_CityResilienceStrategy.pdf

LEARNING WORKSHOP

Integrating Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation

Learning workshop on Integrating Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation was held in Guwahati.Over 30 Community Based Disaster Preparedness (CBDP) trainees participants from key local institutions to jointhe workshop to share the experience. February 23, 2017, Guwahati. The event was organised by District DisasterManagement Authorities with support from Assam State Disaster Management Authority and facilitated by AllIndia Disaster Mitigation Institute.


TITLE

ISET: Initiatives in Community Based DisasterRisk Management in India

In 1997, a group of hydrologistsfrom India, Nepal, and the USA

formed a collaboration that resultedin the founding of the Institute forSocial and Environmental Transition(ISET) and launched a long-standinginitiative to build climate changeresilience. ISET's work in India spanstwo decades and covers thefollowing areas: integrating disasterand climate risk management intopublic planning and policy;adaptation and resilience to climatechange; strategic approaches to waterresource management; and urbanresilience. ISET directly addressesthe risks created by social anddemographic changes, poverty andclimate change.

Over the years ISET has leadinternational programs on themessuch as water management, adaptivestrategies and livelihood resilience,economic costs and benefits ofdisaster risk reduction, and urban

resilience. In all these endeavours,ISET has consistently integratedglobal knowledge with on groundimplementation.

ISET has also developed a system forengaging with a diverse set ofstakeholders called the 'SharedLearning Dialogues (SLDs)'. SLDs arefounded on the principle ofmeaningful public participation, andbring together stakeholders withdiverse interests, perspectives,information, knowledge, and power.This often means assemblingscientists, social leaders, andunderrepresented communitymembers such as women or minoritygroups, along with governmentofficials and encouraging a healthydialogue among to tackle societalproblems. Such an inclusiveapproach creates deeperunderstanding and often results insolutions not previously considered.

Specific examples of our communitybased approach:Recently ISET conducted SLDs toinvestigate flood resilient housing inGorakhpur, a municipality in easternUttar Pradesh. Flooding is arecurring problem in Gorakhpur,and climate change – combined withrapid urbanization – is likely toincrease the severity of this problem.As more people move to Gorakhpurand erect homes, water-bodies areencroached upon, furtherexacerbating flood vulnerability.The majority of vulnerable housesare in low-income areas of themunicipality. ISET then collaboratedwith partners like the NationalCenter for Atmospheric Research(NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado, andthe Gorakhpur EnvironmentalAction Group (GEAG) to createclimate projections for thisgeographic area and to engage thelocal community.


SLDs were conducted withincommunities to learn about thechallenges they were facing, and toinform researchers about adaptivemeasures already used to reduceflood damage to homes (forexample, many households raisedthe plinth of their dwellings).Researchers asked SLDs participantswhat adaptive measures wereeffective in preventing economicloss and housing damage.Researchers also collectedsuggestions on specific housingdesign features that participantsperceived to be climate-changeresilient. Based on these communitySLDs, ISET worked with SEEDS India,an NGO involved in urban planningand DRR, to organize a housingdesign competition. The winningdesign from this competition waswidely shared.

Furthermore, the study team heldconsultations with local masons andarchitects to ascertain theconstruction practices and designs

used in Gorakhpur. ISET also heldSLDs with medical practitioners inGorakhpur in order to gaugethresholds in temperature, humidity,and excessive rainfall, and to assesshow these elements threatenedhealth and well-being in thismunicipality. ISET has conductedsimilar climate-change resilienthousing projects in Vietnam andPakistan, and innovative findingshave been shared internationally.

ISET is also engaged in several otherresilience-building projectsincluding the integration of climatechange adaptation and disaster riskreduction into district-level policiesin other hazardous areas (forexample, the coastal plains of Odishaand mountainous state ofUttarakhand.) To learn more aboutour projects we invite you to readthe following ISET publications:1. Unpacking Mainstreaming DRR-

CCA in the Sub-National LevelDevelopment Planning, http://i-s-e-t.org/resources/policy-tech-

reports/unpacking-mainstreaming-drr-cca-in-the-sub-national-level-development-planning.html

2. Climate Smart DisasterManagement Plans: A Tool forImplementing State Action Planson Climate Change, http://i-s-e-t.org/resources/policy-tech-reports/climate-smart-districk-disaster-management-plan-as-effective-tool-for-implementing-state-action-plan-on-climate-change.html

3. Handbook for DistrictCollectors on Climate-ResilientDRR, http://i-s-e-t.org/resources/training/handbook-for-district-collectors-on-climate-resilient—disaster-risk-reduction.html

4. Community Based Evaluation ofResilient Housing Options:Gorakhpur, India, http://i-s-e-t.org/resources/working-papers/community-based-evaluation.html.

– Abrina Williams, Social MediaCorrespondent, ISET–International, USA

DISASTER AS OPPORTUNITY

Building Back Better – Case of 2001 GujaratEarthquake

The 2001 Gujarat Earthquakebrought about an

unprecedented level of death,destruction and deprivation to thestate of Gujarat. Bhuj, the epicenterof the quake was entirely razed tothe ground as were most of the otherparts of the Kutch district. Despitethe massive scale of the damagecaused by the earthquake, therecovery of the Kutch region postthis earthquake has beenphenomenal to say the least. Thedevelopment of criticalinfrastructure like roads, highways,bridges complimented by the

growth of industry and tourism,together with the expansion oftransportation services have madethe region more prosperous andeconomically robust than it ever was.

On the flipside, the region'sstupendous post–disaster recoveryhas also given rise to a higher levelof economic inequaity. The postearthquake development boomattracted a lot of skilled andunskilled migrants to the regionwhich has also caused a littleinsecurity among the natives. Thecost of land has also increased

substantially which has led to achange in the pattern of landownership.

The earthquake recovery hasprovided useful lessons in townplanning albeit with certainchallenges. The followingchallenges were faced by manyplanners in the recovery process.

In terms of use and operation, thetown planning act was totally newfor Kutch, even for involvedinstitutions and people (disastervictims). Prior to 2001 earthquake,


the understanding was limited tolayout approval, land measurementand calculation. It was indeed verychallenging to deal with lack ofawareness on town planning withdifferent stakeholders. Second, theland records were either not updatedor were entirely missing prior to theearthquake. This situation createdlots of hurdles in the process ofreconstruction, particularly inmanaging lots of cases, in a specifictimeframe. Third, handling a widerange of stakeholders with lots ofdifferent understanding andperceptions was challenging duringthe reconstruction phase. Thisdelayed the achievement of sometown planning outcomes.

The integration of recoveryplanning to all the sectors (such ashealth, education, economic, finance,housing, transportation, etc.) is aprerequisite for effectiveness. Inreality, facilitating such anintegration is no easy task. Itnecessitates proper guidance andcooperation from governmentauthorities as well as from technicalexperts. Fortunately, the Kutchreconstruction process receivedample support from all suchstakeholders.

Several good cases can be reportedlike the establishment of a cityhospital in the city of Bhuj by thegovernment in partnership withprivate contractors and technicalexperts. The hospital now operatesas a well-known medical college.

Similarly, awareness generationdrives around safe constructionpractices were also undertaken inplanning and implementation of therecovery phase. The priority areasand sectors were identified byhigher authorities weretransportation, health, education,housing. The orientation processaddressed both public and privateinstitutions. In result, the earthquake

recovery brought good physicalresults in housing, transportation,port development and others evenbetter connectivity and speed oftrains.

The priorities were clear from thebeginning at every level of recoveryoperation among the various actors(government and non-government).It is imperative that the lessons andgood practices from the recovery inKutch can be replicated and scaledup for long term recovery all overthe world.

One of the primary reasons for thesuccess of Kutch recovery was thequality of leadership emerging fromgovernment authorities andhumanitarian institutions. I believe,the higher government authoritieswere also very astute in theappointment of good decisionmakers to key positions in thedistrict during the recovery phase.The recovery planning andimplementation was very openwhenever institutions participated inthe process according to their leveland commitment. The orientationand direct monitoring by keyofficials was fruitful at the end.Involvement of NGOs was pivotalin the recovery operations. Thedecision makers in differentinstitutions were well oriented aboutthe recovery plan and took decisionsto help the disaster victims. Forinstance, bank officials wereinstructed by the district collector tosupport account holders by askingfor minimal documentation for thepurpose of processing of a loanborrowed for the reconstruction ofa damaged house or dwelling.

Effective facilitation amongstexternal agencies was anothermanifestation of a robust earthquakerecovery. The officials at the districtauthority involved most of theinstitutions based on theircommitment. Thus, each and every

institution contributed in recoveryfrom local to state and nationallevels including state actors andhumanitarian agencies. In the caseof earthquake recovery, thecontribution of outside groups wasgreat. Effective facilitation wascritical in the successful involvementof such external groups.

The following are five simplesuggestions to people in otherdisaster situations managingphysical recovery based on thelessons drawn from long termearthquake recovery in the Kutchregion.• Awarenes generation with

constant communication at thelocal level: Public meetings arevery important. Interactionswith local communities/victims. It may be timeconsuming initially, but later ithas fruitful results.

• Training to local masons withpractical orientation andmonitoring support forconstruction efforts.

• Involvement of localinstitutions (social, economic,humanitarian and also technicalinstitutions, even if not local)can solve many local issues.These institutions have a betterunderstanding of people'sbehavior in relation to localcases (socioeconomicenvironment).

• Recovery implementation mustinvolve young professionals. Itbrings speed with quality whichis the most important aspect inrecovery implementation.

• Multiple stakeholders. It may bechallenging in the initial stagesdue to a higher investment oftime, energy and money but canalso lead to many positive andfruitful results in the end.

– Chirag Bhatt,Bhuj Area Development Authority

(BHADA), Gujarat


HEALTH AND DRR

Integrating Resilience to Health Sector

Editorial Advisors:

ALL INDIA DISASTER MITIGATION INSTITUTE411 Sakar Five, Behind Old Natraj Cinema, Near Mithakhali Railway Crossing, Ashram Road,Ahmedabad–380 009 India. Tele/Fax: +91-79-2658 2962E-mail: [email protected], Website: http://www.aidmi.org, www.southasiadisasters.net

Denis NkalaRegional Coordinator, South-South Cooperationand Country Support (Asia-Pacific), UnitedNations Development Programme, New York

Ian DavisVisiting Professor in Disaster Risk Management inCopenhagen, Lund, Kyoto and Oxford BrookesUniversities

Dr. John TwiggSenior Research Associate, Department of Civil,Environmental and Geomatic Engineering,University College London, London

Madhavi Malalgoda AriyabanduSub-Regional Coordinator, Central Asia & SouthCaucasus, United Nations Office for Disaster RiskReduction (UNISDR), Kazakhstan

Mihir R. BhattAll India Disaster Mitigation Institute, India

Dr. Satchit Balsari, MD, MPHThe University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell,New York, USA

T. Nanda KumarChairman, Institute of Rural Management Anand(IRMA), Anand, Gujarat, India

The WHO operational framework provides practical guidance on how the healthsector and its operational basis, health systems, can systematically and effectivelyaddress the challenges increasingly presented by climate variability and change.Its objective is to guide health systems and public health programming to increasetheir capacity to protect health in an unstable and changing climate.

According to the WHO'sdefinition, 'a climate resilient

health system is one that is capableto anticipate, respond to, cope with,recover from and adapt to climaterelated shocks and stress, so as tobring sustained improvements inpopulation health, despite anunstable climate'. The following arepossible strategies and actions in healthsector for DRR CCA capacity building.• Understanding resilience levels of

existing infrastructure as per theclimate change and disaster riskfor both rural and urban watersupply and sanitation systems.

• Increase the coverage with speedand quality.

• Understand local issues andpromoting adaptation and riskreduction in both infrastructureand services.

• Build capacity of manpower toimprove planning and design ofprogrammes for the health sectorand its integration with DRR CCA.

• Building capacity to prepare andexecute contingency plans ofhealth sector and linking benefitanalysis of adaptation optionswith the focus of public healthmanagement and WASH.

• Improved understanding ofsystematic research studies forcost and benefit analysis ofadaptation and risk reduction

options with the focus of publichealth management and WASH.

• Increase communityunderstanding, capacity and

Climate ChangeClimate ChangeClimate ChangeClimate ChangeClimate Changeand Human Healthand Human Healthand Human Healthand Human Healthand Human Health

involvement in local levelplanning and community basedrisk reduction and adaptation forpublic health.

April 2017 southasiadisasters.net 1communities were seen as both first recipients as well as the...

Documents

Transcript of April 2017 southasiadisasters.net 1communities were seen as both first recipients as well as the...