southasiadisasters.net July 20162

ABOUT THIS ISSUEINTRODUCTION

India's National DisasterManagement Plan: Clear onRisk Transfer and InsuranceThe innovation is a small business

disaster microinsurance programto enhance recovery of local marketsthat play a critical role in providinggoods and services to disasteraffected populations in urban settings.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modireleased the National DisasterManagement Plan (NDMP) on June1, 2016. This is the first ever nationalplan prepared in the country. And itis the first national plan to align withSFDRR. The NDMP aims to makeIndia disaster resilient andsignificantly reduce the loss of livesand assets.

It is based on the four priorities ofSFDRR.1 The NDMP of India iscovering all the phases of disastermanagement and with detail rolesand responsibilities allocated to alllevels of the government. Theintegration of disaster managementwith development planning is alsoaimed in the NDMP to push theagenda of mainstreaming DRR withnational development. The NDMP isan important step towards taking risktransfer and insurance agenda at ahigher level of commitment andimprovement from current stage,which is crucial to make Indiadisaster resilient and directlyreducing loss of assets.

As of now Government of India isacting as a self-insurer for thepurpose of maintaining relief funds.These funds are monitored by theMinistry of Home Affairs (MHA) inconsultation with the Ministry of

Finance. The amount committed forSDRF is invested by the Union ingovernment securities. MHA hasissued guidelines in consultationwith the Ministry of Finance for themaintenance and encashment of thesecurities as and when required.However, need for projects or risktransfer instruments by privateagencies is also acknowledged by theGovernment. The correspondingpolicy changes and fund requirementare to be deliberated in detail inconsultation with the IRDA,insurance sector and otherstakeholders.2 Thus, the risk transferand insurance mechanism thattargeting is poor and vulnerablepopulations needs to work out nextstep. 'Planning process is moreimportant than making plans', saidby Shri Kamal Kishore, Member,NDMA, when he launched the plan.

Role of private sector such asinsurance companies for 'riskinformed investments in recoveryefforts' is highlighted in the NDMP.However, from the field reality point-of-view, a long journey is ahead toreach risk informed investments.needed to make.

A recent initiative of the Governmentof India for promoting life insurancecoverage through microinsuranceproducts (name of the products) iswell received by the Indian citizen.Based on the progress, Governmentand insurance companies should playa more pro-active role in motivatingcitizens in vulnerable areas to takenon-life insurance cover. This could

1 Press Information Bureao, Government of India, http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=145840.

2 National Disaster Management Plan, Government of India www.ndma.gov.in.

In June 2016, India launched itsfirst National Disaster

Management Plan (NDMP) withthe aim of improving the country'sresilience to disasters and reducingthe loss of lives and assets. Hailedas one of the first national levelplans which is aligned to theSendai Framework for DisasterRisk Reduction (SFDRR), India'sNDMP not only adheres to thespirit of SFDRR, it also entailsprovisions to help India reach thegoals set in SFDRR.

India's NDMP is an action-orienteddocument that seeks to guide theactivities of government agenciesduring all the phases of the disastermanagement cycle. It also elaboratesupon the roles and responsibilitiesof all levels of the administrativestructure before, during and afterdisasters. Most importantly, theNDMP provides for horizontal andvertical integration among all theagencies and departments of thegovernment.

This issue of Southasiadisasters.netis titled, 'First SFDRR AlignedNational Disaster ManagementPlan'. It highlights the importanceof the NDMP and its significanceto resilience building in India. Thearticles in this issue address one ofthe five thematic areas of the SFDRR,viz. Understanding Risk; Inter-Agency Coordination; Investing inDRR – Structural Measures;Investing in DRR – Non-StructuralMeasures; Capacity Development.

The various aspects highlighted inthis issue serve to depict themanner in which the NDMP canbe leveraged for the purpose ofresilience building in India. Bylaunching the NDMP, India hasrenewed its commitment to theideal of a resilient and sustainablefuture for all its citizens.

– Kshitij Gupta, AIDMI

southasiadisasters.netJuly 2016 3

be done through suitably designedinsurance policies for poor andvulnerable populations that covernon-life components, if required,with part funding from government.NDMA could play a major role inthis area for pooling the risk of poorand vulnerable populations,including small and informalbusiness operators. This type ofprotection will support the buildingback better approach and positivefinancial behavior of citizens who arecontributing over GDP - 55% fromthe informal sector.

AIDMI with support from StanfordUniversity and HIF, are sharingresults from a pilot research projecton how such mechanism can becreated by the stakeholders inimplementing NDMP.

Authorities should take insurance asa means of funding disaster relatedexpenditures and as a tool to speedup the recovery. The role of insurancein financing disaster management forpoor and vulnerable citizens needsto further evaluation. The sub-national (state) structure can be takento target the vulnerable citizens incoastal areas (e.g. Tamil Nadu,Andhra Pradesh, Odisha thatfrequently affected by cyclone and/

or floods), hilly areas (e.g.Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh,Sikkim), flood plains (e.g. Assam,Gujarat, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, WestBengal). This requires leadership ofsub-national authorities for biggersub-national pilots with insuranceand reinsurance companies to explorepotential socioeconomic protectionmechanisms for non-life componentcoverage. Mandatory propertyinsurance solutions in respect ofproperty tax payers living in highhazardous areas (against earthquakeand cyclone and floods) can be agood beginning for risk transfer andinsurance.

Microinsurance reaches a very smallpopulation of low-income groups,

particularly from informal sectorssuch as small businesses. Theobstacles include, regulatory systems,the insufficient understanding of theinstruments, difficulties of estimatingrisks (particularly in light of climatechange), interest of insurancecompanies to reach out to poor andvulnerable populations. Much can belearned from the field pilots, whichputs people's wants at the center ofthe design and implementationprocess. The innovation is in the laststage of finalizing the insuranceproduct; and designing theevaluation, which will result into atool kit with the knowledge productfrom the project.

– Mihir R. Bhatt withAIDMI Team

INTER-AGENCY COORDINATION

Voluntary Action after DisasterVoluntary organisations are

intrinsic to the disastermanagement set up in any country.The crucial role that they play inengendering disaster preparednessand mitigation, and in providingpost-disaster relief and rehabilitationis well–known.

In a disaster prone country like India,grass roots voluntary organisationsand community based volunteers areespecially valuable stakeholders.They are usually the first responders

in any disaster situation and sincethey are well integrated into localcommunities, they can reach areasand populations that the governmentmight have limited access to. Theyare also essential for ensuring thatthe most vulnerable sections such aswomen and children receiveimmediate and adequate attention.

Another very important, but perhapslesser discussed role that voluntaryorganisations can perform in theaftermath of a disaster is that of

aiding in the process of long termrecovery. Disasters lead to thecomplete breakdown of the social,economic and political fabric of theaffected region and it often takesmonths of concerted efforts to rebuildthese structures and bring peoples'lives back on track. Once the initialcoordinated, almost frenziedinterventions from the concernedauthorities, internationalorganisations and external volunteerssubside, local organisations becomethe focal point of communitybuilding and rehabilitation.

Phot

o: A

IDM

I.

southasiadisasters.net July 20164

These Local Voluntary Bodiesperform Two Vital Functions: first,they ensure that people do notbecome dependent on external aid inthe long run; by kick–starting thelocal economy once a certain level ofinfrastructure restoration has beenachieved. Additionally, they try torestore routine social activities andestablish support networks in orderto provide people with a sense ofnormalcy. A study done in the wakeof Hurricane Katrina observed thatNGOs were 'instrumental contributors'to human recovery in the monthsfollowing the disaster, by fosteringphysical and mental well–being andcountering the effects of post–traumatic stress.

Inspite of their critical contributions,voluntary organisations in India facea number of problems when it comesto extending humanitarian assistance.

(1) Insufficient Funds: Grass rootsorganisations are often unable tosecure sufficient funds to carryout their work. Out of theimmediate pool of resourcescreated in the event of a disaster,most of the funding goes eitherto international organisations orto government agencies and it israre for these resources to get

converted into sustainablefunding for local organisations.

(2) Lack of Human Resources:Voluntary organisations have tograpple with a dearth of trainedvolunteers at the local level.Furthermore, many externalvolunteers also lack thenecessary training and end updoing more harm than gooddespite their noble intentions.One seasoned international aidworker observed that after theHaiti earthquake, many of thevolunteers that showed uplacked the skills andcoordination to have any impact.Instead, they ended up slowingdown aid efforts and puttingpressure on resources.

(3) Restrictions on WorkingAbroad: Indian voluntaryorganisations have a wealth ofexperience of working oncomplex disaster related issues.However, they are oftenrestricted from carrying out reliefoperations abroad by regulatorylaws. After the recent earthquakein Nepal, NGOs did receive acircular from the Central Boardof Direct Taxes (CBDT) allowingfor their applications to be fasttracked, but this directive came

almost five days after theearthquake leading to loss ofprecious response time.

For an effective Disaster ManagementStrategy, it is imperative that theseissues be addressed and voluntaryorganisations be provided with anenabling environment to meet thechallenges of increasingly frequentand intense disasters.

– Divita Shandilya, Documentation and Research Officer,

Voluntary Action Network India(VANI), New Delhi

References:1. Chandra, Anita and Acosta, Joie, The

role of nongovernmental Organizationsin long–Term Human recovery afterDisaster, RAND Occasional Paper,2006. Available from: http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/occasional_papers/2009/RAND_OP277.pdf

2. "Oxfam India says time to reviewpolicy on permission for workingoverseas", Business Standard, May 02,2015. Available at: http://www.business–standard.com/article/current-affairs/oxfam-india-says-time-to-review-policy-on-permission-for-working-overseas-115050100341_1.html

3. "Don't rush to Nepal to help. Readthis first", The Guardian, April 27,2015. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/apr/27/earthquake-nepal-dont-rush-help-volunteers–aid.

southasiadisasters.netJuly 2016 5

The Prime Minister of India, ShriNarendra Modi launched the

Smart Cities Mission with AMRUT(Atal Mission for Rejuvenation andUrban Transformation) and Housingfor All (Urban) on 25th June, 2015(PIB, GoI, 2015).

At the outset it is important to bearin mind that there are manydefinitions of a smart city but awidely used is A city can be defined as'smart' when investments in human andsocial capital and traditional (transport)and modern (ICT) communicationinfrastructure fuel sustainable economicdevelopment and a high quality of life,with a wise management of naturalresources, through participatory actionand engagement (Caragliu andNijkamp, 2009).

The core elements of a smart city inthe Indian context have beenidentified as (smartcity.gov.in, 2015):• Sanitation• Adequate water supply• Solid waste management• Assured electricity supply• Sustainable environment• Health and education• Efficient urban mobility and public

transport• Affordable housing, especially for

the poor• Robust IT connectivity and

digitalization• Good governance, especially e-

Governance and citizenparticipation

• Safety and security of citizens,particularly women, children andthe elderly.

Although health has been explicitlyidentified in the last element, it is partof every element in implicit terms.According to World Health

UNDERSTANDING RISK

Locating Health in Smart Cities

Organization estimates,environmental factors such as waterand solid waste are responsible forat least one-fourth of the burden ofdisease (who.int, 2009). Efficienturban mobility and public transportas well as the broad term ofsustainable environment can becorrelated with the twin challengesof air pollution and climate changeand that our cities are facing. In fact,Surat in Gujarat has taken thepioneering step of establishing theUrban Health and Climate ResilienceCentre (UHCRC), the first in thecountry. Thus it is once againshowing the way to tackle the newurban health crisis after successfullyrecovering from the plague epidemicin the 90s.

Locating health in other aspects ofthe plan could prove to be a littlemore difficult for the uninitiated butall the same these linkages do exist.Affordable housing, especially for thepoor is a case in point. In 2008, thehighly regarded Robert WoodJohnson Foundation in the UnitedStates brought out a documentsummarizing the evidence in theUnited States context(commissionhealth.org, 2008).Although not directly applicable inthe Indian context, there are clearparallels in terms of thermal stress,

air pollution and infectious diseaseoutcomes. Similarly assuredelectricity supply is essential to thefunctioning of healthcare facilities.Our entire child health program forexample hinges on the success of thecold-chain for vaccines which need aminimum of 8 hours of uninterruptedelectricity supply (nccvmtc.org, 2010).

The safety and security of citizens,particularly vulnerable sections likewomen, children and elderly isparamount from a societalperspective. This is needed both athome and outside. From a publichealth perspective, acts of violencehave to be prevented. However whatis to be noted is that according to thelatest Institute for Health Metrics andEvaluation, United States the dataclearly indicates that in terms of yearsof life lost self-harm ranks as 8th androad–traffic accidents as 9th(healthdata.org, 2015). Thus it isessential that the smart city planlocates these components withinsafety and security of citizens.

The benefits of IT connectivity andgood governance are pervasive acrosssectors including heath, thus need nofurther discussion.

In conclusion, health can be locatedin every aspect of the smart city coreelements; it just requires some smartthinking! Inter–sectoral action forhealth is the need of the day.

– Dr. Nitish Dogra,Sector Adviser (Health & Nutrition),

TARU Leading Edge Pvt. Ltd.,New Delhi

Locating health in otheraspects of the plancould prove to be a littlemore difficult for theuninitiated but all thesame these linkages doexist.

southasiadisasters.net July 20166

INVESTING IN DRR-STRUCTURAL MEASURES

Resilience in Flood Management throughTechnologyIntroduction India is one of the most floodaffected nations in the world. Itaccounts for one fifth of global deathsdue to floods. Among all the disastersthat occur in India, floods are themost commonly occurring naturaldisasters. According to NationalFlood Commission about 40 millionhectares of land area is prone to floodin the country.

Flood destruction has always broughtmiseries to numerous people,especially in rural areas. Outbreak ofserious epidemics, specially malariaand cholera, scarcity of water, drasticeffect on agricultural produce, heavylosses in household, private andpublic properties and infrastructureare the results of floods. Recent floodsin J&K, Uttarakhand, Assam, HP andnow in Chennai have raisedquestions about the way we prepareourselves to pre–empt or fight floods.

Holistic and Integrated ApproachIntegrated Decision makers mustadopt holistic approaches, plan andinitiate actions to break the event–disaster cycle. Integrated floodforecasting, warning and responsesystem in all phases of disaster withtimely response will pay hugedividends.

Indigenous and locally developedtechnologies and methods whichhave limited potential andapplicability are mostly employed.Hence, modern technologies andmethods must be applied properlyto efficiently tackle the challengesemerging from floods.

Networking of AgenciesTo derive maximum benefits oftechnologies and methods available,all agencies involved must benetworked and perform as a wellcoordinated organization.

Technologies AvailableA number of advanced technologiesand equipment available worldwidecould be useful in building up floodresilience and mitigation. Some ofthem are enumerated in thesubsequent paragraphs.

1. ICST (Information,Communication and SpaceTechnology): Provides criticalsolutions in early warning,dissemination and evaluation ofinformation, quick processingand analysis, informationintegration and analysis, disastermapping and scenariosimulation, hazard assessmentand monitoring, disaster trendforecasting, vulnerabilityassessment, emergency responsedecision support, planning ofdisaster response, reduction andrelief, disaster loss, monitoringof recovery and reconstructionand finally rehabilitation duringalmost all phases of flooddisaster management.

a. Information Technology:i. Observatory stationsii. Satelliteiii. Research resultsiv. Training contentsv. Reports and news

b. Communication Technology:i. Data transfer from

observatory stationsii. Data exchangeiii. Exchange of information

and experienceiv. Training and video

conferencingv. Tele control

c. Space Technology:i. Remote sensingii. GISiii. GPSiv. Satellite navigation system/

Satellite communicationv. TV, radio broadcastingvi. Telephone and FAXvii. Cellular phonesviii. Internet and email

2. Permanent Fixtures: Theseproducts are designed to stopwater from entering throughexisting openings (doors,windows, airbricks, vents andpipes or even the walls) inhouseholds, public and privateutilities.

a. Auto barriers:i. Self activating flood barrierii. Self closing flood barrieriii. Auto roller shutter

b. Flood alarm systemsc. Permanent barrier walls with

Alteau flood barrier in action blocking a road.

southasiadisasters.netJuly 2016 7

demountable gates / concealedgates / swing gates

3. Temporary Resistance: Thesemeasures are aimed at keepingfloodwater out of a building byputting in place devices thatblock doors, windows, airbricks,vents and pipes. In order to beprotected, these products willneed to be installed before floodwater arrives.

a. Barriers for doors /windows /garagesi. Flood Ark barriersii. Flood Angel Defender and

Sentinel barriersiii. Flood barriers floodgateIv. Flood guards panelsv. Hydro guard barrier

b. Covers / barriers for appliancevents /airbricks / pet–flaps

c. Modern versions of sandbagsi. Flood saxii. Absorbeeziii. Aqua–sac

d. Free standing barriers for largerareas (eg driveways)

4. Resilience: These measures areaimed at allowing a building toflood. Interiors are constructedof materials that are notdamaged by water. Theseresilience measures are designed

to reduce the amount of damagecaused when water enters abuilding

a. Water compatible internal wallsb. Water compatible flooringc. Water compatible kitchen and

bathroom fittings

5. Community solutions: Where aparticularly large property or anumber of homes areinvolved, there are a number ofpotential solutions available, inboth the temporary andpermanent categories.

a. Telemetry / mass notification &warning systems

b. Landscaped floodwallsc. Free standing barriersd. Demountable barriers (ground

works required)

6. Tiger Dams: Tiger Dam iscompletely reusable, and createsan impervious barrier for miles,in any shape (circles, 90 degreesturns etc.). It is stackable, from19 inches to 32 ft. in height. Ituses water filled bladdertechnology, when deployedproperly, this system may beable to divert up to 100% offloodwaters. It can be assembledwithin minutes usingfloodwaters or any water source

and with minimal man powerand no heavy equipment.

7. Aqua Barrier System: This is ofmodular design, ensuring easyand rapid deployment, isportable, employs a linkagesystem that is unique in that itforms a watertight seal when incontact with water. The productis re-usable and could be storedin anticipation for futureflooding. The flexibility of theproduct ensures its effective usein a variety of floodingsituations.

8. Conclusion: Only few thetechnologies and products havebeen highlighted above. Thereare a large variety of technologyand products available. Actualdeployment of these will dependon a number of factors: finances,layout of the town, groundconditions, drainage system,built up areas, flood lakes etc.Therefore, integrated and holisticapproach will be the cornerstonefor fighting floodssuccessfully.

– Amarjeet Singh,Adviser Business Development, Tojo

Vikas International Pvt Ltd., New Delhi

Example picture of Tiger Dams set up around an office building.

southasiadisasters.net July 20168

The daily needs of millions of sick,elderly and disabled people are

provided for by unpaid familycaregivers. Caregivers are a highlyvulnerable group and experience illhealth, social stigma and reducedearning ability. Many local, nationaland international NGOs support thesick, elderly and disabled. However,few recognise the vital role theircaregivers play. Due to caringresponsibilities, caregivers cannotaccess mainstream developmentactivities or local governmentprogrammes. Caregivers are deniedbasic human rights through lack ofrecognition and support, leading toinvisibility and exclusion. Many aretied to the house, unable to attendwork or school or even socialize.Many families lose two incomes –that of the affected person and thatof the caregiver who has given upwork to care – and are living inextreme poverty. Their contributionsgo unrecognised, unsupported andunpaid by policy makers orgovernment.

Services that can support caregiversinclude support groups; counselling;improved awareness amongstdoctors, teachers and employers;access to respite; and opportunitiesto earn whilst still continuing to care.Where these provisions have beenmade, caregivers have seenimprovements in their emotional andphysical resilience, increases inhousehold income and enhancedcapacity to care.

At times of humanitarian crisis, theissues and struggles communitiestypically face are amplified, andjoined by a host of new challengesbrought about by the disaster itself.A sudden onset disaster, like the

INVESTING IN DRR: NON-STRUCTURAL MEASURES

Caring after Crisis: Meeting the Needs ofthe Caregivers

recent floods in Chennai, findsfamilies having to immediately adaptto a crisis situation. The needs of thevulnerable – the sick, disabled, veryyoung and very old – are paramount.Relief efforts get underway and thoseindividuals are prioritised for food,shelter and medical care. It is criticalthough that the relief agencies alsoseek out the caregivers to ensure theirvoice is heard and they areadequately supported.

Caregivers provide the bulk ofphysical and emotional support tothe vulnerable, and will know thebest way to meet their needs. At atime of humanitarian crisis, careneeds can increase, especially in thecase of those with mental healthneeds or mobility issues. In addition,the disaster itself may have causedillness or disability to someindividuals and so there will befamily members who haveunexpectedly become caregivers andare new to that role. Relief providersmust listen to caregivers in order toprovide the most appropriateinterventions to the most vulnerablemembers of society. Caregivers mustbe involved in planning theimmediate and then longer termsolutions needed to enable

communities to recover. Thecontribution of the caregivers mustnot be overlooked.

Critically though, NGOs andgovernment agencies providing reliefand recovery assistance must notforget the specific needs of caregivers.Caregivers will adapt to meet theneeds of the cared-for person. In sodoing, they will neglect their ownneeds and may spiral downwardsinto social isolation and physical ormental ill-health themselves. If thiscontinues unchecked, caregivers canend up unable to continue theircaring role and in need of carethemselves.

As part of their role, relief workersneed to actively seek out caregiversand encourage them to identify theirown needs, not just those of thecared-for person. NGO andgovernment staff will be in a positionto link caregivers with others in asimilar situation for mutual support.Medical professionals can ensure thephysical and mental health needs ofcaregivers are not neglected. As thecommunity recovers, NGOs canensure caregivers and their familiesare included in recovery andrehabilitation schemes such as thoseaimed at re-establishing livelihoods.If enshrined in best practice, thesesimple but vital steps following ahumanitarian crisis will ensure thatfamily caregivers, the providers ofcritical health and social care tocountless sick, disabled and elderlyindividuals, are not left invisible butare supported to regain their naturalresilience and continue their caringrole.

– Anil Patil,Founder and Executive Director, Carers

Worldwide, Hertfordshire, UK

Caregivers providethe bulk of physicaland emotionalsupport to thevulnerable, and willknow the best way tomeet their needs.

southasiadisasters.netJuly 2016 9

During a March 2005 trip toIndia, I had the opportunity to

see the All India Disaster MitigationInstitute (AIDMI) at work. Theinstitute is supported in part by theUnitarian Universalist ServiceCommittee (UUSC), of which I am amember.

Mudaliarkuppam, a village of 150 to200 families just north of Puducherry,had been devastated by the tsunamitwo months earlier. Eighteenvillagers died and most of theirhomes, boats, and fishing nets weredestroyed. The AIDMI staff showedme the damage and described theprogress of reconstruction. Brokenfishing boats, tangled nets, andremnants of household goods andpersonal belongings littered theabandoned area. Topless palm treessilhouetted against the bright bluesky testified to the force of the waves.

AIDMI staff made damageassessments and provided forimmediate survival needs during thefirst few days of continuous cleanupwith "cash for work". They workedwith Mudaliarkuppam's panchayat

UNDERSTANDING RISK

Photo Essay of Visit to Tamil Nadu afterTsunami

to determine ongoing needs for long-term recovery. These electedcommunity leaders decided one ofthe first things needed was a rebuiltroad to the next village. A sampletemporary thatch house was built toestimate the cost of materials toprovide housing for every family.Houses constructed by their ownersare best because the owners knowwhat they want or need. The newvillage site had plenty of space, somany families added additionalliving areas as they individualizedtheir new homes.

When it was time to purchase newkitchen supplies, the AIDMI staffasked the all-male panchayat whowould be most knowledgeable tomake these choices. Several womenwere suggested as experts to pick thebest cooking pots. Everyone whowanted to be involved was given ajob. A ten-year-old girl with excellentEnglish skills became the clerk forAIDMI, keeping track of work hoursand compensation paid.

I witnessed AIDMI's empowermentof the villagers and their movement

toward long-term, sustainabledevelopment with the rebuilding ofemployment opportunities. Becausethe villagers' traditional jobs, whichdepended on the sea, were no longerpossible, AIDMI had brought in localartisans to teach the women newmarketable skills. Some were runninga new machine that twisted hempfibers from coconuts into long ropes.Several others were perfecting thedyeing process for candles. A thirdgroup was making incense from localmaterials.

The men described their previouslives as fishermen and said it hadtaken several weeks to face thedevastation and redevelop the desireto work again. Every day without ajob made them feel" lazy anduncomfortable." They said they nowhad hope for their future and by nextyear there would be no men in thevillage during the day because theywould all be at work in their boatsproviding for their families.

The villagers of Mudaliarkuppamused the time during my visit to relaxand celebrate their recovery progress.They prepared a delicious traditionalmeal served on banana leaves. Theywere eager to share their stories ofrecovery and wanted to express theirthankfulness to AIDMI and UUSC.

On the ride back to the hotel, I passedseveral bleak refugeetent campssponsored by other NGOs. Now Icould really appreciate the excellentwork AIDMI and UUSC were doingand I felt proud and honored towitness their contribution to thetsunami relief work in India.

– Barbara Weber,Retired Licensed Clinical Social Worker

from near Philadelphia, PA, USA

southasiadisasters.net July 201610

The Integrated Mountain Initiative(IMI) was founded in 2011 as a

response to the need for a commonplatform where diverse stakeholdersworking on mountain issuespertinent to the Indian mountainstates could come together to engagein an informed debate on identifiedthemes, with the objective ofinforming and influencing policyformulation in respect of themountain region.

IMI convened the fourth edition ofits annual Meet of the MountainStates (MoMS 2015) in New Delhi on11 December 2015, on the occasionof International Mountain Day. TheMeet was organized at the VishwaYuvak Kendra, Chanakyapuri. TheMeet followed upon the successfulconclusion of the 4th SustainableMountain Development Summit(SMDS–IV), which was organised bythe Sustainable Development ForumArunachal Pradesh (SDFA) under theaegis of the Integrated MountainInitiative (IMI) at Itanagar, fromOctober 7th – 9th, 2015.

The central theme of the Summit wasDisaster Risk Reduction (DRR),which is particularly crucial for the

INTER-AGENCY COORDINATION

IMI and Disaster Risk Reduction: A MeetingReport

mountains which face increasinglyfrequent large and small–scaledisasters such as earthquakes, flash–floods, and landslides. Naturaldisasters result in loss of lives, andset back the economy of the regionby destroying assets, interruptingschool education and livelihoods. Atthe conclusion of the Summit, threeshort–term action agendas wereidentified, amongst other mediumand long–term ones. These were:• Achieve 100% coverage of District

Disaster Management Plans acrossall districts of Indian mountainstates

• Develop capacity: One modelDistrict Disaster ManagementAuthority per mountain state

• Structural & Non–StructuralRetrofitting of one building forevery State.

To follow up the recommendationsmade during the Summit, MoMS2015 was held in the format of aworkshop with a view to formulatean action plan for implementation ofthe short-term resolutions bySeptember, 2016. The Meet wasattended by Lt Gen N.C. Marwahand Dr Kamal Kishore, Members ofthe National Disaster Management

Authority, as well as representativesfrom the National Disaster ResponseForce, the State and DisasterManagement Authorities fromSikkim, Uttarakhand, and HimachalPradesh. Grassroots organizationsworking on disasters on the ground,All India Disaster MitigationInstitute, Delhi and Save the Hills,Kalimpong participated.

The participants formed themselvesinto three groups and deliberatedupon an implementation plan foreach of the DRR recommendations.The groups also identified theimplementing bodies, liaisonmechanism, resources required, andtimelines to achieve the statedoutcomes. The Chief Guest, Mr KirenRijiju, Hon'ble Minister of State forHome Affairs, recently declared theChampion of DRR for the Asia–Pacific region by the United Nations,gave an address espousing hisconcern about disasters and offeringhis full support for mitigation andpreparedness measures. He alsoreleased the Summit Report fromSMDS–IV.

Representatives of the three groupspresented their implementation plansbefore the gathering. Following this,Mr. P.D. Rai Member of Parliament(Lok Sabha) Sikkim updated thegathering about his participation atthe UNFCC COP 21 in Paris,particularly the keen interest insupporting measures for disaster riskreduction in mountain states shownby Margareta Walhstrom, SpecialRepresentative of the Secretary–General of the UN for Disaster RiskReduction. The Meet ended with aVote of Thanks by Mr P.D. Rai – Mridula Paul, Programme Director,

Integrated Mountain Initiative,New Delhi

southasiadisasters.netJuly 2016 11

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT

Child Centered DRR–An Approach AddressingLives, Rights and Needs of Children

The above quote from David W.Orr, focuses the attention on the

significance of the community basedand child centered measures as thekey area of intervention towards anew development perspective formainstreaming Disaster RiskReduction (DRR).

DRR entails the systematic practicesand efforts of reducing thevulnerability and exposure tohazards of people and property bystrengthening resilience, judicioususe of natural resources, improvisingearly warning systems andpreparedness for adverse events.Child Centered DRR adds asignificant dimension to disastermanagement initiatives andenvisages the active participation ofchildren in the whole process ofdisaster risk reduction.

As a matter of fact, humans cannotprevent natural hazards but canmitigate the risk of occurrence ofdisasters which often follow naturalhazards. UNISDR (the United Nationoffice for Disaster Risk Reduction)believes that there is no such thingas "natural disasters", there are only"natural hazards". It implies that theseverity of a disaster depends uponthe extent of impact the hazard hason the environment and society. Thisis in turn directly linked with ourchoices, including 'what is taught inour schools to our children'.

Children are considered to be a most'vulnerable' population, owing totheir age, sex, and also theirdependency which results to theirrisk of exploitation, neglect, abuse,violence, etc. Children’s lives, rightsand needs get affected in high

proportions by disasters. Children'sreactions to crisis may differ, but theyare as much affected as of adults.Disasters affect the normalfunctioning and growth of a childand obstruct their healthy physical,psychological and overall personalitydevelopment, as they highly disruptthe sense of well being by destroyingusual expected and regular liferoutines of children. Children's senseof what happened is often notrealistic due to their inability topractically comprehend the totality ofthe situation and their limitedcapacities to process information.

Child Centered Disaster RiskReduction (CCDRR) – a form ofprotection and welfare system forchildren can provide them withrealisation of their Right to Protectionand the Right to Development. It canhelp in mitigating the risks ofexploitation, abuse, violence,trafficking, etc., along withprevention from any kind of physical,psychological and emotionaldisabilities which is generally aresultant of unpreparedness of anycalamity. For CCDRR, we need toaccept that children are as muchaffected by any disaster as the adultsare and can participate in DRRmeasures as much as adults can.Albeit their involvement in DRR maydiffer from that of adults, they are acrucial stakeholder in disastermanagement.

Child survival, child protection andchild development are vital aspectsof a child's life, which influences thechild's experiences for lifetime alongwith the opportunity for optimumgrowth and development. Theseentails the fundamental rights of

child to being born and live in anenvironment which is safe andnondiscriminatory, safe guardingthem from all type of exploitation,abuse, violence, etc. and emphasiseon life cycle of child which coverearly childhood care, right toeducation, health and nutrition, etc.

Very recently, the Hyogo Frameworkfor Action (2005–2015) andMillennium Development Goals havecome to an end, and are replaced bythe Sendai Framework for DRR(2015–2030) and SustainableDevelopment Goals; which haveprioritized and emphasized the focuson DRR and Resilience through thegoals of Risk Reduction, RiskPrevention and StrengtheningResilience, which is serving as themost significant and major post 2015agenda of sustainable development.

For the accomplishment of thesegoals, mainstreaming of CCDRRinterventions across various sectorslike education, health, livelihood,governance, environment, foodsecurity, etc. is the need of the hourto support the agenda of sustainabledevelopment, leveraging the rights ofchildren, democratic and participatorydevelopment and humanempowerment. CCDRR practices andefforts, not only contribute inbuilding a culture of safety andresilience by preventing andminimizing the impacts of disasters;but also in the long term, it empowerschildren to form responsivebehaviors and make wise choices anddecisions that reorients communitiesand societies towards realisation andadoption of practices that buildsresilience and capacity to managerisks and enhance sustainability.

”The plain fact is that the planet does not need more successful people. But it does desperately need more peacemakers,healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of every kind. It needs people who live well in their places. It needs peopleof moral courage willing to join the fight to make the world habitable and humane. And these qualities have littleto do with success as we have defined it."

southasiadisasters.net July 201612

Editorial Advisors:Denis NkalaRegional Coordinator, South-South Cooperation and CountrySupport (Asia-Pacific), United Nations DevelopmentProgramme, New York

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

Dr. John TwiggSenior Research Associate, Department of Civil,Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, UniversityCollege 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

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: bestteam@aidmi.org, Website: http://www.aidmi.org, www.southasiadisasters.net

AIDMI is delighted to receive generous support of UNICEF (India) towards this issue.

As it is rightly said that, we do notinherit the earth from our ancestors,but we borrow it from our children.Here institutions like schools arecritical to engage with children andeducational functionaries to work onCCDRR. This can certainly contributeto the realisation of a range of rights,particularly focusing on children -right to life, right to safety, right toeducation, right to health and alsoon their right to participation. This,although no where gets directlyarticulated with regard to disastersor as human rights, but are indeedthe most significant aspect andobjective of DRR and for theachievement of sustainabledevelopmental goals.

CCDRR, especially in disaster proneareas, creates opportunities forchildren at local levels to participatein DRR measures in schools andcommunities, to make their voiceheard and express views on thematters which affect their lives; toseek, receive and exchangeknowledge and information onvulnerability, hazards, climatechange and risk reduction. Thus, alsorealising children's right toinformation and freedom ofexpression along with the right toparticipation. CCDRR specifically

address the children's' rights byaiming towards securing safercommunities and reducing thedisaster risks that may affect theirlives; by engaging children inlearning new knowledge and skills,with scientific information and lifeskills; by developing awareness andrespect for the natural environment;and by also promoting behaviorchange in support of environmentalprotection, better hygiene, preventionof diseases and accidents. Mostprominently it minimizes thedisruption of schooling or education

Children learning from environment at Public School, Uttarkashi (Uttarkhand).

of children during disaster events byendowing them with safer learningspaces.

– Apoorva Patel, Assistant Professorof Social Work, Gujarat National Law

University, Gandhinagar andVipul Nakum, AIDMI

References1. India Disasters Report – Towards

Policy Initiatives (2000) edited byParasuraman S. and Uniikrishnan:Oxford University Press

2. Rights of the Child, United NationsChildren's Fund

3. United Nation's Sendai Framework forDisaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.