Community Based Disaster Management Planning and Hazard ... · information of the study area with...

International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research in Science Society and Culture(IJIRSSC) Vol: 2, Issue:1, (June Issue), 2016 ISSN: (P) 2395-4345, (O) 2455-2909 © IJIRSSC

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Community Based Disaster Management Planning

and Hazard Risk Assessment for Social Security: A

Case Study of Talla Johar Valley of Uttarakhand,

India

Atithi Pant1, B.W Pandey

1 and V.S Negi

2

Department of Geography, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi1

Saheed Bhagat Singh College (Eve.), University of Delhi2

ABSTRACT : Participatory research approaches are increasingly admired by academic researchers and

development institutions, working to facilitate change in partnership with local communities. The

present paper deals with the concept of community based disaster management (CBDM) and explain

the impacts and community’s perception regarding different hazards. In the present paper, we

demonstrate an approach to the identification and assessment of hazards in the (Talla Johar valley) of

Uttarakhand. The prime focus is on flooding, landslide, soil erosion and forest fire etc. This paper

assesses disaster, vulnerability, capacity and risk with local concern. The understanding of the

variations in various disasters attributes on the basis of risk assessment.

Keywords: : Community based Disaster Management, Community Participation, Hazard, Hazard

Assessment, Management Assessment, PRA tools, Risk assessment, Vulnerability Assessment.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

I. Introduction:

Over the past two to three decades, the economic losses and the number of people who

have been affected by natural disasters have increased more rapidly. Mountain Ecosystem are

highly vulnerable to various hazards such as earthquakes, landslide and flash floods etc.

particularly Glacier Lake outburst floods (GLOFs). Among the Himalayan regions the sparsely

populated greater Himalayas are most prone to natural hazards. Apart from the landform, the

terrain complexity also affects the vulnerability to natural hazards like landsliding. Uttarakhand

the origin place of the Gangetic river system is possibly among the most landslide prone region

in the Himalaya. Likewise, according to another report as much as 1.99 tonnes of sediment are

reported to be generated per annum by each 10 meter of road in the Himalaya [1]. The recent

disaster (June 16/17, 2013) of Uttarakhand is the burning example of human, ecology and

economic loss. To reduce the damages caused by disasters, various efforts have been taken by

government; international community‘s including donor agencies. But due to lack of

participation most of the time community may not be prepared to face the disaster and this

issue is prime of concern. White's, and Pandey,[2],[3]; investigated the human response to

natural hazards and led to the development of the 'dominant' paradigm.

The 'dominant' paradigm attempted to incorporate the human element of risk by focusing

on people's perception of environmental hazards and how they dealt with them [4],[5]. The


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concern authority (Government, non-government and international organizations) implement

various programmes before and after the disasters. Most of them are very successful during

the project period, but gradually weaken as the years pass. We should know that without

sustainability, disaster management efforts will not preserve. The most common elements of

community involvement are partnership, participation, empowerment and ownership by the

local people [6]. The emphasis of disaster management efforts should focus on communities

and the people who live in them. Unless the disaster management efforts will not start at

individual and community level, it is difficult to reduce the losses and scale of the calamity.

There needs to be an opportunity where people can be involved from the initial programming

stage of disaster management activities. Being at the forefronts, communities need to have

capacity to respond to threats themselves. It is for this reason that communities should be

involved in managing the risks that may harm them. While different community empowerment

programmes related to disaster mitigation have achieved their objectives, they are often short

term, and issues on sustainability in these efforts are rarely addressed [7]. The community, as

the primary stakeholder and recipient of the direct impact of disasters, has hardly given the

chance to participate in the process of decision-making and implementation of activities.

Communities become vulnerable when it has left alone limited resources to cope with

disasters. Generally it has seen that the small and medium scale disasters occur more frequently

than the large-scale disasters, which are experienced in localized regions. Participatory

techniques are one way of ensuring those directly impacted upon by hazards are involved in

planning strategies to mitigate against them. Increasingly it has been advocated that

populations directly affected by environmental hazards should be deciding and developing

policies to deal with them [8]. Community empowerment for disaster risk management

demands their participation in risk assessment, mitigation planning, capacity building,

participation in implementation and development of system for monitoring which ensures their

stake.

Community Based Disaster Management (CBDM)

The Community Based Disaster Management (CBDM) approach promotes a bottom-up

approach working in harmony with the top - down approach, to address the challenges and

difficulties. To be effective, local communities must be supported into analyzing their

hazardous conditions, their vulnerabilities and capacities as they see themselves [3],[9]. The

CBDM approach provides opportunities for the local community to evaluate their own

situation based on their own experiences initially. The CBDM approach acknowledges that as

many stakeholders as needed should be involved in the process, with the end goal of achieving

capacities and transferring of resources at to the community. To re-politicise participation,

empowerment must be re-imagined as an open-end and ongoing process of engagement with

political struggles at a range of spatial scales [10].

Many literatures related to CBDM, specifically in the case of Uttarakhand are as found as

key factors for enhancing sustainability:

The existence of ―culture of coping with crisis‖ and ―culture of disaster reduction‖ exist


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Community and supporting agencies share common motivation and ownership for the

initiation and sustainability of CBDM

Risk assessment process involves genuine participation of all age and sectoral groups in

capacity building

Wider stakeholder‘s involvement and accumulation of physical, technological and

economic assets to reduce hazards and vulnerability

II. Objectives of the Study:

The main objectives in this paper is -

1. To evaluate the socio-economic conditions of the sample households.

2. To analyse the performance and progress of the handloom units.

3. To observe the marketing facilities and marketing problems of the handloom fabrics.

4. To identify other problems faced by the weavers and suggest suitable remedial

measures for their wellbeing.

III.Methodology:

The study is based on both primary and secondary data. For study 6 village of Talla

Johar valley have been selected that are most vulnerable interms of disaster risks. Twenty five

respondents from each village have been selected. Thus total 150 samples have been taken for

primary data collection. Subsequently Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools have been

used to know the ground reality. Focused group discussion and interviews have been

conducted to know the responses of local communities. Hazard Vulnerability Index has been

prepared for measuring Hazard, vulnerability and management assessment separately to

elucidate the risk assessment by giving them ranking on the basis of local responses. The

perceptions of the local community regarding different aspects of sustainability and hazard

occurrences and management have been gathered through a pre-structured questionnaire

excluding general information about the respondents. Population, socio-economic and

household, land use and disaster related data have been collected from District Census Hand

Book. Secondary data has been used for analyzing, explaining, and combining the geographical

information of the study area with additional information.

IV.Study Area:

Talla Johar Valley located in northern India adjacent to Tibet and Nepal, the Johar Valley

is a remote area within the Pithoragarh district of the western Kumaon region of Uttarakhand,

India, along the Eastern Ramganga river or Goriganga river (Figure 1). The valley used to be a

major trade route with Tibet. The best known villages in the valley are Munsiari, Milam

Tejam, Nachani, Rasiabagar and Bhaiskhaal, these villages comes under Munsiari Tehsil. The

main Gori valley from Munsairy to Milam is known as Johar. The Johar valley also divided


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into two part ‗Talla Johar valley‘ and ‗Malla Johar valley‘. The Johar Valley ranges in altitude

from 2,290 mts. at Munsiyari to 3,872 mts. in Milam. The upper Johar Valley constitutes part

of the eastern border of the buffer zone of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. For study here

we have taken lower Johar Valley. It lies between middle Himalaya and lower Shiwalik,

between 29° 16' 10" N to 29° 24' 11" N latitudes and 79° 41' 21" to 79° 48' 13" E longitudes.

The mountainous landscape of the Johar Valley includes river valleys and alpine meadows,

with alpine glaciers in the distance.

Source: Carved from Google Earth

Figure 1: Johar Valley, Uttarakhand, India.


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The Valley is accessed from the gateway village of Munsiyari along a foot trail that

follows the River Goriganga, a right bank tributary of the Kaliganga system. The foot trail is

the only link between the lower and upper villages in Johar Valley, and historically functioned

as a trade route between Johar Valley villages and villages in Tibet. As described by the

International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) these rangelands are

particularly fragile and critical ecosystems that support livestock and accommodate important

watershed functions as well as provide valuable and biologically diverse resources.

Drainage:

The valley‘s major river is the Goriganga, which starts at the Milam Glacier and flows

southeast, fed by other glaciers and streams from the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve to the east

and the five Panchachuli Peaks to the west. The area is drained by River Kaliganga system.

The Milam Glacier being a receding glacier, and is moving backward at a fast rate the newly

formed Moraine belt is the perfect area to study the origin of plants from the adjacent

mountains and Bugyals. The valley is located in the middle in the Kumaon region.

Geology:

The geology of the area divided in 3 major zones (i) zone of ridges and steep slope (ii)

moderate zone (iii) zone of minimum elevation. The zone of ridges and steep slope includes

major portion in north of the river. It lies in altitudinal zone of more than 2000 mts. thus

subjected to high erosion. It covers 45per cent area of the total area of the basin.

Table 1: Major Types of Soil found in Pithouragadh District, Uttarakhand

Source: Negi, 1993

S.N. Situation Altitude m Soil type

1. Irrigated Lower Hills 600-1200 Alluvial Sand

2. Rainfed 600-1200 Residual Sandy

3. Mid Hill South Aspect 1200-1700 Sandy Soil

4. Mid Hill North Aspect 1200-1700 Brown Forest Soil

5. High Hill 1700-2500 Red to Dark Black Loam

6 Very High Hill 2500-3500 Red to Dark Black Loam, Black

Meadow Soil Type

7. Alpine Pastures >3500 Heavy Textured Meadow Coarse

Textured


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The zone of moderate slope lies between altitude of 1200 to 2000 mts, thus erosion is

also comparatively less. This zone also characterised by fault and a dissected topography. This

zone involves maximum anthropogenic interference thus contributes in maximum silt

discharge to the principal stream. This zone covers 35per cent area of the total area of river.

The zone of minimum elevation varies from 800 mts to 1200 mts thus erosion is low. The soil

is enriched with silt and thus it is potentially fertile, this covers roughly 20per cent area of total

river basin (Table 1). The valley covered with mountain soils in general, are immature and

have a thin surface layer. They are therefore very prone to erosion and loss of fertility.

Deforestation, disused terraces and road building activities have encourages landslides along

the mountain slopes. This has led to acute soil erosion problems in the middle Himalayas.

Climate:

The climate valley describes as of ―tundra‖ variety where mild summer season is

followed by an extremely cold and snowy winter season. Amount of rainfall is high towards

north and west in thickly forested area. Further northward increase in altitude has marked

effect in lowering the temperature. During the coldest months of December and January, the

tropical and temperate mountain ridges and high locations receive snowfall and have a

minimum - 4 to -5 temperature °C and maximum 38 °C. The temperature rises from mid-

March through mid-June. Regions lying at 3,000–3,500 metres (9,800–11,500 ft) become snow

bound for four to six months. At places like the river gorges at Dharchula, Jhulaghat, Ghat and

Sera of district pithoraghadh, temperatures reach 40 °C (104 °F). The annual average rainfall is

1200 mm., winter is a time for transhumance, the seasonal migration of the Bhotiya tribe with

their herds of livestock to lower, warmer areas. The topography varies from glaciated peaks to

grassy plateaus and rangelands to river valleys fed by the glaciers, snowmelt and monsoon

rains.

Vegetation:

The valley area is also famous for one its herbs which is known as Macrotomia, locally

known as Ratanjot which is silvery, hairy with drawn out brackets and red roots grows here in

the rocky surfaces. In Talla Johar Patti, the bugyals extend from the Tibetan border town to the

Goriganga Valley as far as its junction with the Ralam Valley. The shadow valleys or grooves

are often forested with Betula-utilis, associated with it are the alpine shrubby vegetation and

some sciophytic undergrowths. All these plants are rich in medicinal content. Beyond Milam

the sub-alpine vegetation is represented by yellow flowered Berberis sp., white flowered Rosa,

Ribes grossularia, species of

Juniperus, Lonicera and Ephedra gerardiana. The valley at lower altitude, enjoy a warmer

and more rainy climate, and vegetation patterns follow the climatic zones in this order:

―coniferous forests in the lower levels, through birch and rhododendron woods, then scrub and

alpine pastures, before giving way to bare rock and snow.‖

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharchula

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jhulaghat

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transhumance

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhotiya


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Human life:

The residents of Talla Johar Valley rely on forest resources for sustenance, and access

restrictions imposed by biosphere designation impacts the traditional patterns of resource use

(and economic mainstays) of subsistence farming, forest extraction, and livestock grazing. This

and declining transhumance all point to a need for new forms of livelihood strategies that are

respectful of the culture and ecology of the place. Tourism is already emerging as an important

source of revenue, and tourism related infrastructure development is on the rise; however, this

is happening without a coordinated plan or widespread commitment to protect the

environment. Tibetan merchants visited this place and traded in Borax, precious stones,

Pashmina and salt. The inhabitants of Johar Valley too travelled along with pack mules to

Tibet. They took rice, cotton clothes, jaggery, sugar, etc. to sell in Tibetan markets. Presently,

the loss of trade with Tibet, brought about drastic changes in the transhumant lifestyle—fewer

households arriving at their summer homes, a smaller livestock population, disappearance of

traditional handicrafts, and increased exploitation of wild medicinal and aromatic plants

(MAPs), with traditional crops being replaced by more remunerative crops such as chives

(Allium stracheyii) and caraway (Carum carvi) as the chief source of livelihood [11].

Hence in the summer months they travelled and during the off- season reaped a harvest

of Jowar (Maize). This harvesting gave them and the area the name of Jowari Bhotia (now

Johar).

Village Profile of the selected Villages:

Among the selected villages of Talla Johar Valley village Nachani has the highest

population (Table 2). The main livestock are-buffalos, cows, bulls, goats, hens, and dogs. The

main occupation of the villagers is agriculture and other occupations are poultry farming, dairy

farming and bee-keeping. The most pressing problem of the village is the lack of a motorable

road. Although the plan of it was sanctioned 15 years ago, the village is yet to see it

materialize. Another infrastructural loophole is in the area of health. The villagers have to

either go to main pithouragadh city for even the mildest of illnesses. In cases of emergency,

such as labour pain or sudden health deterioration, trekking down on foot for 10 kms is the

only way out. The 108 emergency service holds no good for these people because neither the

vehicle can come to the village (on account of absence of road) nor can it keep standing in the

area for long for it also has to cater elsewhere. Electricity supply does not pose a grave

problem unless a pole or wire gets damaged. Almost all the existing families have cattle. Those

who do not own cattle, buy milk from others. Fuel-wood and grasses are brought from the

nearby forest. The sources of water are many but in the last hamlet which is the main village

Rasiabagar, they are few and usually dry up in summers. People are dependent on their farms

for food as also PDS to get access to rice and wheat. Manure is organic (cowdung only),

Rajma, lobhia, soyabean (locally called bhat), tur daal are grown but are destroyed by the

monkeys and the wild pigs. There is no mono culture in crops. Mixed farming with cowdung

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pashmina


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as manure used. In fruits, malta, gooseberries, lemon and oranges are grown. There are

virtually no government schemes operating in the village. The village seemed to suffer

extremely for the lack of a motorable road and hospital. Even a post office or post-box was

seen missing. Road, a health centre with a permanent ASHA and a post-office are the primary

needs that should be addressed on an urgent note.

Table 2: Village Profile of the Selected Villages of Talla Johar Valley

Source: Based on Primary Survey

V. Result and Discussion:

Hazard Identification in the Talla Johar Valley

The climate of the Johar Valley is strongly influenced by the summer monsoon and

winter incursions of cold air masses and westerly storms which may bring heavy snowfall.

Throughout the year and at higher elevations, the area is subject to occasional extreme snowfall

and blizzard conditions. The summer monsoon brings copious and sometimes intense, rainfall

(>1000 mm) to the Valley. The area has been subject to extreme and damaging

meteorological/hydrological events such as floods, landslide, snow avalanches and

earthquakes, throughout it. Owing to its typical geomorphic setting, high relief variation,

dominant impact of monsoon winds, thick forest cover, presence of glacier and glacial lakes

along the higher reaches, the area prone to various types of natural hazards. Annually the

damages caused to life and property by cloudbursts, flash floods, forest fires, landslides and

mass movement processes in the valley are enormous. The snow avalanches are also common

along the higher reaches, but the damages caused by them are generally unnoticed as they

Name

of the village

Number of

families

Total population Population

Livestock M F Total

Tejam 151 280 263 543 388

Rasiabagar 16 31 32 63 45

Bhaiskhal 40 124 149 273 198

Nachani 235 526 512 1038 488

Timtiya 49 91 120 211 98

Dhekuna 48 137 141 278 210


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occur away from the human habitation. The studies show that the Johar Valley is prone to

seasonal flash floods which lead to massive damage to property and loss of life occasionally.

The flash flood in the Johar Valley is related with the extreme rainfall and occasional

cloudburst events during the monsoon period from mid July to mid September. Cloudbursts

usually occur in the upper catchments of the tributary valleys. The impact of the cloudbursts is

seen in the area of the main Talla Johar valley which recorded a quick high discharge and

caused consequential loss of property and even life. Forest fire is a matter of great concern to

the people and the local administration. Soil erosion is also increased by periodic forest fires in

the Johar Valley. Massive alluvial fans, terraces, etc. confined to the valley bottom and the

mass movement are apparent.

Community Perception Regarding Different Aspects of Hazards :

Knowledge of naturally occurring processes that may pose a hazard to life and property

in mountain environments is held by long-standing and indigenous inhabitants of such areas.

Their local or indigenous knowledge has influenced land use and resource management

decisions and adaptive strategies for generations. These and the indigenous and local

knowledge provide a rich corpus of information which may be of use to scientists, engineers,

planners and outsiders involved in development projects in a new area. Hazards are caused due

to change in geophysical set up. The scale of severity is based on the state of fragility and

vulnerability. So far as the frequency of hazards in the Talla Johar Valley is concerned (Table

3). The trend (frequencies) has been categorized under 6 heads, namely: increasing slowly,

constant, reducing rapidly reducing slowly and don‘t know. The hazards of, landslide, floods,

cloudburst, forest fire, heavy rain storm and soil erosion have been regarded by the respondents

as increasing rapidly by 77, 83, 81, 90,73 and 60 per cent. Heavy rain storm and due to that soil

erosion has been increasing slowly as observed by 26 and 27 respondents respectively (Table

3).

Table 3: Peoples' Perceptions Regarding Present Trend of Hazards (frequency)

Hazards

Present

Trend

Landslides Floods Cloudburst Forest Fire HeavyRain

storm

Soil Erosion

Res.* per cent Res.* per cent Res.* per cent Res.* per cent Res.* per cent Res.* per cent

Increasing

rapidly

115 77.0 125 83 120 81.0 135 90.0 110 73.0 90 60.0

Increasing

slowly

12 08.0 25 17 20 13.0 15 10.0 26 18.0 27 18.0

Constant 15 10.0 0 00.0 5 3.0 0 00.0 9 06.0 15 10.0

Reducing

rapidly

0 00.0 0 00.0 0 00.0 0 00.0 0 00.0 10 06.7


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Reducing

slowly

0 00.0 0 00.0 0 00.0 0 00.0 3 02.0 3 02.0

Don‘t know 8 05.0 0 00.0 5 03.0 0 00.0 2 01.0 5 03.3

Total 150 100 150 100 150 100 150 100 150 100 150 100.0

Source: Primary Survey, 2013

* Res. - Number of respondents, Based on Community Response

Perceptions Regarding Causes of Hazards

Intensive household level attitudes were collected for individual hazards: their root cause and

other responsible factors were identified through questionnaire. Deforestation, slope cutting,

heavy rainfall and overgrazing were identified as the driving factors causing these hazards.

Table 4: Local’s Perceptions regarding cause of Hazards

Causes Hazards

Landslides Floods Cloudburst Forest Fire Heavy Rain

Storm

Soil

Erosion

Res* per

cent

Res* per cent Res* per cent Res* per cent Res* per cent Res* per

cent

Deforestation 150 100.0 150 100.0 120 80.00 150 100 16 10.67 150 100

Slope cutting

and

construction

of Roads

150 100.0 130 86.67 0 00.00 60 100 0 00.00 150 100

Improper

Draining

on slopes

120 80.00 90 60.00 20 13.33 0 00.00 15 10.00 130 86.67

Heavy

Snowfall

18 18.00 10 06.67 0 00.00 0 00.00 10 06.67 10 06.67

Overgrazing 10 06.67 5 03.33 0 00.00 100 66.67 0 00.00 123 82.00

Steep Slopes 60 40.00 0 00.00 10 06.67 0 00.00 20 13.33 76 50.67

Heavy

Rainfall

130 86.67 150 100.0 150 100.0 0 00.00 145 96.67 150 100

Changing

Land Uses

55 36.67 22 14.67 30 20.00 90 60.00 0 00.00 58 38.67

Faulty

Agricultural

Practices

40 26.67 15 10.00 05 03.33 10 06.67 0 00.00 27 18.00

Glacial lake

Outburst

55 36.67 20 13.33 12 08.00 0 00.00 0 00.00 14 36.67

Tourism 10 06.67 10 06.67 0 00.00 15 10.00 10 6.67 20 13.33


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Source: Primary Survey, 2013

* Res. - Number of respondents, Based on Community Response

The improper draining on slope is also recognizing as a responsible factor. Most of the

respondents considered heavy rainfall and deforestation as the major factors for cloudburst.

Deforestation, overgrazing and changing land use are the major factors responsible for forest

fire in the area. Primarily human activities like deforestation, slope cutting, road construction,

improper draining on slope and heavy rainfall are responsible for soil erosion about 150,

150,130 and 150 respondents respectively. Heavy rainfall, slope cutting and construction of roads

and improper drainage slope were identified as other responsible factors for landslide hazards

by 130, 150 and 120 respondents

respectively. For the hazard of forest fire traditionally, deforestation was considered as

the foremost factor, others are Slope cutting and construction of roads and overgrazing. About 150

respondents recognized the faulty heavy rain fall, deforestation, slope cutting and construction

of roads are as a tool for soil erosion in the area (Table 4).

Disaster Risk Assessment

Disaster Risk Assessment is a participatory process to assess the hazards, vulnerabilities

and capacities of a community. Through hazard assessment, the likelihood of the occurrence,

the severity and duration of various hazards is determined. The vulnerability assessment

identifies what elements are at risk and the causes of their vulnerable conditions. The result of

the disaster risk assessment is a ranking of the disaster risks of the community as basis of

planning for risk reduction.

At the local level, the most important factor concerning vulnerability is the level of

income. The nature of houses adds to the vulnerability of the local people. Homes made of

mud and stone, and roofs made of thatch grass and galvanized tins are more vulnerable than the

RCC houses. Usually, houses in municipal areas are better protected with majority of them

made of reinforced cement concrete in most of the countries. Poverty status, education,

communication and transportation systems, accessibility of public resources such as forest

produce, government facilities and drinking water, and presence of agricultural banks/credit

banks, NGOs and other service delivery institutions can be used for assessment of

vulnerabilities in an area.

Hazard Assessment

The average of frequency, effect and ranking of flood in Rasiabagarh and Baiskhal is 3

followed by Tejam 2.7 and Nachani 2.7. These villages are also vulnerable in case of landslide.

Forest fire registers 2.7 and 2.3 respectively in Tejam and Baisiakhal villages. Village Timtiya

(2.7) effected by heavy rainfall (Table 5). Thus we can see that the chances of flood and


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landslide disaster in first 4 villages is very frequent and intense, while landslide is very much

intense and frequent disaster in all five villages except Timtiya along Talla Johar Valley.

Vulnerability Assessment

In Rasiabagar and Baiskhal the vulnerability of floods on population, building, infrastructure,

resource, and economy is 2.32 which is highest incomparison to the other villages. It also

records highest frequency of flood and forest fire is 1.95 and 1.77 respectively. Village Timtiya

seems less vulnerable interms of hazards here its ranking value is lowest among the selected

villages. Most hazard prone villages are Rasiabagar and Baiskhal. In Rasiabagar the

vulnerability by floods and landslide is 2.8. While village Tejam is most prone to Forest fire,

its ranking value is 2.4 which is highest among the selected villages. In Dekuna major hazard is

heavy rainfall and its ranking value is 1.8 (Table 6).

Management Assessment

The management assessment table shows that most of the people opted prevention and

mitigation strategies before the occurrences of disasters for to weaken the disasters impact. The

level of weather warning before and after disaster is very essential in the case of occurrence of

heavy rainfall. People wants from the government to establish a weather station in every

village so that they can alert before the onset of heavy rainwater which cause several water

induced disasters. In the case of Nachani most of the respondent believes that after forest fire

government should takes some initiatives in the form of compensation, safekeeping or

replantation in the affected area. Participation of community and government and their level of

awareness count a lot after and during heavy landslide and flooding situation. People believe

that NGOs and other institutions are not being active during and after disasters.

Risk Assessment

The risk assessment of disasters show, risk of landslide in Rasiabagar, Bhaiskhal and Dekuna

is respectively 5.0, 5.02 and 3.90. While of flood in Rasiabagar (5.0), Bhaiskhal (4.70),

Timtiya (3.10). Risk assessment of forest fire in Tejam, bhaiskhal and Rasiabagar is

respectively 3.90, 3.11 and 1.90 and of heavy rainfall (3.20) in Timtiya. Thus Table 8 shows

risk of Landslide and flood disasters is very high in all six villages along Talla Johar Valley.


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VI.Conclusion :

Utilising participatory techniques in such a manner for disaster risk reduction has

broadened the capacity for dialogue between impacted communities and relevant stakeholders.

Besides anthropogenic process of resource development, specifically construction of road

along sensitive slopes, expansion of settlement zone and agriculture on forests and upslope

areas, overgrazing etc. have further rendered this entire zone prone to frequent and widespread

land sliding and excessive soil erosion. The research has found that the role of community is

very insignificant to mitigate and manage disasters in the Valley; as well the role of

Government authorities also not satisfactory. Although by the efforts of government, in some

areas retaining wall to prevent landslides have been erected, but these means are not helpful to

that extent due to lack of maintenance.

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