2137ind final report

RISK REDUCTION THROUGH

COMMUNITY BASED DISASTER

PREPAREDNESS PLANS

July 2006

ADPC PROVENTION CONSORTIUM

RESEARCH GRANT 2005

Researchers

Tapan Patel Tanvi Patel

Rushabh Hemani

Centre for Integrated Development (C f I D), Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

We express our sincere gratitude towards Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre and Provention Consortium for sponsoring the research work on ‘ Risk reduction Through Community Based Disaster Preparedness Plans’. We are grateful to Mr. David Pepiatt, Mr. Aloysius Rego and Mr. Pannawadee Somboon for guiding us throughout the study. It was indeed a learning experience to understand the complexities and dynamics of community in aftermath of a huge disaster. It is satisfying to see our hard work taking shape of a comprehensive report and we are hopeful that this study would be useful to students, researchers, institutions and organization working for disaster management in India and abroad. We are indebted to Mr. Binoy Acharya, who agreed to be the mentor for this study and guided us with his insights so that the study becomes meaningful for us and others. We would also like to thank whole staff of Unnati- Organization for Development Education; especially Mr. Bhanubhai Mistry, Ms. Allice Morris, Mr. Balaji, Mr. Uday Gaekwad, and field staff at Bhachau for immense support in field study. We are grateful to Government officers, Sarpanchs , Panchayat members, local leaders, villagers of Amardi, Morgar and Nani Chirai, and all those who have contributed directly or indirectly to the study. Finally, we are thankful to Mr. Keyur Patel, Ms. Pragna Patel and Ms. Nirali Shah for rendering their valuable service to enhance quality inputs for the study.

Centre for Integrated Development (CfID) team

Tapan Patel (Team leader for research)

Tanvi Patel (Team Member, Coordinator - Rural Development and Disaster Management) Rushabh Hemani (Team Member, Expert- Water Resources and Management)

i

Sr. No. Contents Page No.

Acknowledgement I Abbreviations and Glossary of terms II - III List of tables, Charts and Maps IV Executive Summary V-X CHAPTERS 1 Introduction 1-4 1.1 Background 2 1.2 Research Strategy 2 1.3 Framework of study 2 1.4 Objective 4 1.5 Methodology 4 1.6 Intended beneficiaries 4 1.7 Linkages 4 2 Natural Disasters- An Overview 5-18 2.1 Disasters: World Review 6 2.2 Disasters: India Context 7 2.3 Disasters: Gujarat State 12 2.4 Disaster Impact on Development 15 3 Disaster Management in India 19-27 3.1 Disaster Response Scenario in India 20 3.2 Institutional arrangements for Disaster Management 21 3.3 Other functionaries in disaster management 22 3.4 Paradigm shift 22 3.5 Institutional and Policy Framework 23 3.6 Financial Mechanism 23 3.7 New policies, practices and institutional mechanisms 25 4 Concept of Community Based Disaster Preparedness 28-33 4.1 Rationale 29 4.2 Key Concepts 30 4.3 Methodology for formulating disaster preparedness plans 33 5 Disaster Profile of Kachchh 35-43 5.1 Study Area Profile: Kachchh District 36 6 Case Study 44-65 6.1 Details of study villages 45 6.2 Disaster Risk identification 56 6.3 Disaster Vulnerability Analysis 62 6.4 Coping mechanism, institutional support and gaps 63 7 Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation Strategies 66-79 7.1 Current status of disaster preparedness 67 7.2 Proposed mitigation and preparedness strategies 69 8 Conclusion 80-84 8.1 Observations of the study 81 8.2 Lessons Learnt 82 8.3 Suggestions 83 8.4 Forward Linkages 84 Bibliography 85 Annexure 86-89 1 Resource Maps- Study Villages

BIS Bureau of Indian Standards BS&G Bharat Scout and Guides BMTPC Building Material Technology Promotion Council BPL Below Poverty Line CAP Contingency Action Plan CBO Community Based Organisation CHC Community Health Centre CMG Crisis Management group CRC Central relief Commissioner CRF Calamity relief Fund CRZ Coastal regulation Zone DCR Development Control Regulations DDC District Deputy Commissioner DMC Disaster Management Commissioner DRDA District Rural Development Agency GAU Gujarat Agriculture University GDCR General Development Control Regulations GDP Gross Domestic Product GEB Gujarat Electricity Board GNP Gross National Product GoI Government of India GSDMA Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority GWSSB Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board IDNDR International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction IMD Indian Meteorological Department ISDR International Strategy for Disaster Reduction NCC National Cadet Corps NCCF National Calamity Contingency Fund NCDM National Committee on Disaster Management NCMC National Crisis Management Group NGO Non Government Organisation NSS National Service Scheme NYKS Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan PDS Public Distribution System PHC Public Health Centre PMNRF Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund SADC South Asian Developing Countries SHG Self Help Group SIDS Small Island Developing States TSC Total Sanitation Campaign ULB Urban local Body UN United Nations UNDP United Nations Development Programme US United States (of America) UT Union Territory VDC Village Development Committee VHAI Voluntary Health Association of India (NGO) WASMO Water and Sanitation Management Organization- Nodal agency

for reforms in water sector in Gujarat WMO World Meteorological Organization

ii

Anganwadi Day care center for children below 5 years of age. Run under

central government scheme of Integrated Child Development Scheme in India

Gochar Pasture land (Gujarati) kutcha Weak, temporary (Hindi) Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK)

Agriculture Science Centre – Research and Extension units of Agriculture Universities supported by Government

Panchayat Village Level administrative and political body; lowest (village level) element of democratic setup, base of local self governance

Panjrapol Cattle feed center- normally run by government or community groups to support cattle in normal time as well as in drought.

Paani Samiti Water Management Committee at village level PRI Panchayati Raj Institution- Institutions affiliated to Panchayat and

local self governance pucca Strong, permanent (Hindi) Kutcha Weak (Hindi) Rann Desert (of Kachchh) (Gujarati), parched vast land Sajjata Sena Preparedness Army -Village level group formed by UNDP and

GSDMA for disaster preparedness Sarpnach Chief of Panchayat, Head of village Taluka/Tehsil Administrative block in a district; sub district

iii

2.1 Manor Earthquakes in India 1988-2001 7 2.2 Damage due to Natural Disasters in India 14 2.3 Annual damage due to heavy rains, landslide and floods 14 2.4 Losses due to Droughts: 1999-2001 14 2.5 Effects of Natural Disasters in India (1900-2004)

14

5.1 Magnitude and Frequency of Epicenters in Kachchh, 1819-2001 36 5.2 Spatial Variations in Deaths in Kachchh District (2001) 38 5.3 Natural Disaster Vulnerability of Kachchh District (2001) 39 5.4 Four Indicators of Development: Kachchh District, Gujarat and India

1999 42

6.1 Time line of disasters in three villages 56 6.2 Disaster Risk zoning of sample villages 56 6.3 Potential Risk factors of sample villages against various natural

hazards. 57

6.4 Vulnerability Analysis of sample villages 62 6.5 Framework for Disaster Preparedness- Bhachau Block 63 7.1 Action Points for Earthquake preparedness 71 7.2 Action Points for Drought proofing 72 7.3 Action points for flood preparedness 74 7.4 Action point for cyclone preparedness 74 7.5 Action points for Epidemic preparedness 75 1.1 Framework for Disaster Vulnerability Reduction 3 2.1 Great Natural Catastrophes 1950-2002 16 2.2 Community (by continent) affected by disaster 1991-2000 17 4.1 Relationship between Disaster, Capital assets and Well-being 30 4.2 Framework for Disaster Vulnerability Reduction 31 7.1 Role of Panchayats in Disaster Mitigation 78

2.1 Natural Hazard Map of India 8 2.2 Mortality Decline- Natural Disasters in India 9 2.3 GDP impact by natural disasters in India 10 2.4 Wind and Cyclone Hazard Vulnerability Map of Gujarat 13 2.5 Earthquake Hazard Vulnerability Map of Gujarat 13 2.6 Flood Hazard Vulnerability Map of Gujarat 14 2.7 Multiple Hazard Vulnerability Map of Gujarat 14 5.1 Kachchh District 35 5.2 Epicenters of Earthquakes in Kachchh District. 36 5.3 Deaths in Rural and Urban Areas in Kachchh District during Earthquake

2001 37

5.4 Regions of Damage in Kachchh District during Earthquake 2001 38 5.5 Epicenters in Geomorphic zones in Kachchh district 40 6.1 Bhachau Block indicating Study Village 45

iv

In last five years India witnessed three major natural disasters: Earthquake of Gujarat in 2001, Tsunami of South India in 2004 and Earthquake of Kashmir in 2006. Besides, the floods in Mumbai, Gujarat and Eastern states in 2003, 2004 and 2005; and drought situation in Rajasthan and Gujarat in 2000, 2001 and 2002 also claimed toll on lives and destroyed infrastructure and property on large scale. Economy of India is growing at the unprecedented rate and the effect of disasters on GDP has declined steadily. But whenever a disaster strikes, it pushes back the development of the region by 5 to 10 years. Major reason for this is lack of preparedness and coherent development plans to absorb disasters.

Kachchh district of Gujarat State in India was badly affected by earthquake (6.9 on Richter Scale) on 26th January 2001. More than 14000 people lost their lives all over Gujarat, in which Kachchh had more than 90% of casualties. There was complete breakdown of all the services and infrastructure was badly damaged. The response from government, local NGOs and international agencies was overwhelming and contributed to rapid recovery in the region. Bhachau block of Kachchh was one of the worst affected blocks with huge number of casualties. This research work was focused on Bhachau Taluka (block) and tries to understand the disaster preparedness efforts in the region with community perspective.

Community based disaster preparedness plans for high-risk zones provide acceptable risk reduction and strengthening of coping mechanism. The research work uses the framework of Disaster Vulnerability Reduction, which analyses vulnerability context of particular community and its effect on well-being of the community. The study also aims at developing mechanism for improving the well-being by reducing vulnerabilities, responsive governance, improving access to social security and basic rights, improving incomes, ensuring food security and sustainable use of natural resource base. Whole research work is done keeping in center the community, its perceptions and capabilities.

For research purpose, three villages with different socio economic and geographic conditions were selected. These villages were selected in consultation with Unnati♣, which is working in all the three villages for disaster preparedness. All the three villages are located in Bhachau block of Kachchh District. First hand information was collected by using participatory tools, group discussions and interactions with the villagers, local key respondents, PRI members, block level officers and NGO staff. Secondary data from reports, records and documents also helped in comprehending the study. Team comprised of social scientist, social worker, engineer, local youth and NGO staff.

Disaster risk identification was done by understanding the timeline of disaster and its impact on the village, disaster risk zoning and analyzing the potential risk factors which led to disasters and affected the severity on well being of community. Vulnerability analysis was also done with community, in which the sections of community most vulnerable to natural disasters were identified. Also the effect of disasters on social, economic, physical and environmental well-being of the community was analyzed. Individuals and families that are most vulnerable in the village were also identified to strengthen their coping mechanism. The study tries to understand, how disaster aggravates the stressful situation for vulnerable

Risk Reduction Through Community Based Disaster Management Plans

♣ Unnati is an Ahmedabad based NGO, working at National Level for Development Education. Organization is actively involved in strengthening of PRIs, Good Governance, Dalit Rights and disaster preparedness

V

Executive Summary

families and also investigates the traditional coping mechanism within community, institutional support available and what are the gaps in coping mechanism. Finally it also takes a broad look on the efforts by various agencies in the region for disaster preparedness.

The section ahead gives a brief outline of current status of disaster preparedness in three villages, preparedness and mitigation strategy proposed and how this study will be used practically.

All the three villages are prone to Earthquake, cyclone and drought in varying severity. While villagers of Amardi and Morgar are largely affected by recurring droughts, residents of Nani Chirai are most affected by cyclone. All the three villages are in seismic zone V and are prone to high severity earthquake. Level of disaster preparedness in three villages as revealed in the study:

• Physical Vulnerabilities: Most of the houses are concrete structures with earthquake and cyclone resistant. However small number of marginalized families such as Kolis in Amardi and fisher folks living in settlement of Kandla (from Nani Chirai) seeks special attention.

• Organization and institutional capacities: Social institutions of most of the upper castes in Kachchh are very strong and wealthy. These institutions come to the rescue to their community whenever needed. Social associations of Patel, Ahir, Darbars and Jains were instrumental for rapid relief and rehabilitation in Kachchh after the earthquake. These associations have largely flourished outside Kachchh; in Mumbai and other places of Gujarat and even abroad. However, lower caste people like Koli and Harijan does not have this kind of support and are entirely dependent on State for the assistance.

• Disaster Management Plans: The efforts by GSDMA and UNDP to prepare Village level disaster preparedness plans along with some training components was appreciable. However, with passage of time, the task force seems to be withering out. Linking task force with continuous development process in the village is important to sustain the effort.

• Behavior change- culture of prevention: Though awareness to be prepared for disaster has increased in all the three villages of study, there is a long way to go to develop the culture of prevention. The villagers are still dependent on external agency- be it an NGO or Government – to mitigate the impact of disaster and tread on the path of development. Behavior change has not been seen particularly on sanitation and hygiene issues in the village. All the three villages had poor condition of sanitation and hygiene. Safe disposal of wastewater, use of toilets for defecation and solid waste management were not practices in any village.

• Training and awareness programmes: Village level training programmes were initiated by some agencies including UNDP. However, the study reveals that these trainings bear no importance and impact on villagers at this date. With no sustainable activities and incentive to work, the groups tend to fall apart with passage of time.

• Resource Mapping and Inventory: Some organizations like SETU, Abhiyan, Oxfam GB and others are involved in preparing comprehensive village level database of resources including NGOs, Experts, Traders that can be useful in times of crises. GSDMA and UNDP have already prepared village level disaster management plans for all the villages of Kachchh. These plans have details of village level resources, which can be tapped in crisis situation.

Risk Reduction Through Community Based Disaster Management Plans VI

Executive Summary

• Early Warning Systems: Warning systems for cyclone are still the traditional ones. The meteorological department issues warning to state government, which in turn passes the warning to collector of the respective districts, who issues warning at sub district level. The warning to villages or coastal settlements is reached through radio and Jeep patrolling. This method, though working satisfactorily, needs improvements in technology to have precision of information and immediate reach to villages and settlements.

• Linkages with other institutions: In the post earthquake development process, many agencies have join hands to integrate their objectives. It has been beneficial to urban areas, where town planning process has been followed as a part of rehabilitation strategy. For rural areas, NGOs, research institutions, many government departments and educational institutions have worked in a team to rehabilitation. However, this teamwork is not seen disaster preparedness aspect. Here different agencies have worked with their own objectives and methodology. Many activities have been duplicated and many efforts have resulted redundant in absence of support agencies. The need of time is to bring together the agencies interested to work toward disaster preparedness in the region on one platform, have common understanding on issues and methods and coordinate to have effective results.

• Legislation: Government of Gujarat has improvised General Development Control Regulations (GDCR) for the state to incorporate the themes of disaster preparedness in the by laws and regulations. Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) have also modified certain standards for building materials and construction procedures to ensure safety of structures in seismically active zones. Some of the regulations are already in place to enhance disaster preparedness- such as Coastal regulation Zone (CRZ) norms.

Behavior Change to mitigate risk Safe practices Training and Awareness Create Demand Education

Integration of Development Processes to reduce vulnerability Development regulations Micro Zoning Land use plans Safety and quality standards

Enhancing Coping mechanisms Training and awareness Technology predation Institutional support Capacity Building Roles and responsibility

Disaster Preparedness

• Integration in development process: GSDMA has initiated seismic micro zoning for whole state to have precise and comprehensive information on risks, to develop preparedness plans. GSDMA is also in progress to have Cyclone preparedness and Mitigation Plans and Flood Hazard and Vulnerability maps; which can help to make effective action plans. New town planning processes, development plans lay special emphasis on land use planning to minimize vulnerability.

After understanding the current situation of disaster preparedness, the strategies to enhance preparedness and mitigation were devised. In context of this study, socio economic profile of region, Disaster preparedness involves three key elements:

• Integration of development processes to reduce vulnerability

• Behavior change to mitigate risk

• Enhance coping mechanisms of society

Risk Reduction Through Community Based Disaster Management Plans VII

Executive Summary

These three aspects lead to design of three programmes that can be taken up by NGO or any other agency working for development of Bhachau region. These programmes can be:

1. Community based action plan for disaster preparedness 2. Policy level advocacy to interlink development planning with disaster management 3. strengthening capabilities of Panchayati Raj Institutions

1. Community based action plans

1.1 Action plan for earthquake preparedness No Focal Points Proposed Activities Target

Population Responsible Agency

1 Housing Insurance Linking up with Insurance Co., Mass Insurance scheme

All families, especially vulnerable

Insurance co, Panchayat, NGO

2 Retrofitting Identification and retrofitting of damaged/weak houses,

All families, especially damaged

Govt, NGO

3 Trainings and certification of masons

Conducting training and mass awareness programmes

Skilled, youth GSDMA

4 Rescue team Training youths and equipping them

Youth, Sajjta Sena, GSDMA

5 Buddies for disabled and old

Identification of disabled and identifying their buddies

Youth, Panchayat, CBO, youth club, Sajjata Sena

1.2 Action Plan for Cyclone Preparedness

No Activities Proposed Activities Target Population

Responsible Agency

1 Housing Insurance Link with Insurance Co., Mass Awareness Programme

All families, esp vulnerable


2 Retrofitting Identifying and retrofitting weak structures especially roof

All families, esp damaged

Govt, NGO

3 Community Shelter Awareness about safe structures

All families Panchayat, CBO, NGO, Sajjata Sena


Identifying disabled and their buddies

All vulnerable and disabled persons

Panchayat, CBO, youth club, Sajjata Sena

5 Agri insurance Link with Insurance Co. All families, esp vulnerable


1.3 Drought Preparedness Action Plan

No Action Proposed Activities Target Population

Responsible Agency

1 Revival of village water resources

Survey, remedial measures to strengthen the bund, excavation for deepening pond, clean up of bushes and baval

All villagers NGO, WASMO, Panchayat, CBO

2 Agriculture Linking up with Insurance Co., All families, Insurance co,

Risk Reduction Through Community Based Disaster Management Plans VIII

Executive Summary

Insurance Mass Insurance scheme Marginal an small farmers

Panchayat, NGO

3 Livestock Insurance Linking up with Insurance Co., Mass Insurance scheme

All families, esp families depended on livestock


4 Watershed/ water harvesting

Check dams, reviving village water resources, water harvesting structures, formation of Paani Samiti, Generating Awareness


Govt, Panchayat, NGO, corporates

5 Pasture land development

Identifying and developing Gochar, training for operating and maintaining it

All families Panchayat, VDC

6 Irrigation technology transfer

Trainings and awareness programmes, linking with GAU


GAU, Panchayat

7 Seed bank Formation of seed bank committee under VDC, training to operate seed bank


VDC, seed bank committee

8 Fodder bank Formation of fodder bank committee under VDC, training to operate fodder bank



9 Credit & SHG creation

Formation of SHGs and training to operate it


Women SHGs, Panchayat, NGO, rural banks

10 Non farm activities promotion

Identification, promotion and market linkages to Non farm Based activities

Potential skilled, unemployed,

NGO, CBOs

11 Vocational trainings Vocation and technical training to skilled youths

Youths, women Potential skilled, unemployed, youths

12 Food and nutrition security

Trainings and awareness generation among people and staff of CHC and Anganwadi on nutrition, monitoring food and nutrition

Women and children

Vulnerable, daily wagers, poor esp women ad children

13 Strengthening PDS Constant monitoring, grievance redressal system for PDS

PDS shop owner, BPL and vulnerable

PDS shop owners, monitoring committee

2. Linking Disaster Plan with Development Plan

It has been learnt from the experience that considering future risks and hazard leads to better planning and ultimately to less vulnerable communities and assets. Linking disaster preparedness in development planning needs sound understanding of planning and decision making authorities along with strong political will. However, in most of the cases, a major disaster is the wake up call for the authorities, but not before the loss and destruction caused by the disaster. Formulation of below given processes, keeping in mind its contribution towards risk reduction and disaster preparedness will help to build an atmosphere of prevention and preparedness:

Risk Reduction Through Community Based Disaster Management Plans IX

Executive Summary

1) Land use maps: Clear demarcation of land use considering the risks and hazards of the area 2) Hazard zones: Guidelines for development in hazard zones with signage of warning of hazard 3) Development Control Regulations: DCR in line with disaster preparedness plan. Regularization of structures, which are not compatible with DCR including encroachment, slums and squatters. This will help reduce vulnerability and strengthen disaster preparedness. 4) Building by-laws: Modification and enforcement of building by laws to minimize structural vulnerability. 5) Restricted developments: Identifying safe shelters: Identification and awareness on safe shelters in time of emergency 6) Shelf of projects for disaster preparedness: for rural areas, a shelf of projects that can help to build the capacity of community to cope disasters should be envisaged and designed. These projects can be implemented in phases 7) Ear marked funds for disaster preparedness projects: at ULB level also, there should be earmarked funds for projects, which will help in building coping capacities of the community and reducing the risk of disasters. 8) Phased implementation to model Disaster Preparedness Plan: To give enough time and effort so that people can internalize the need, create demand and work towards behavior change if needed. 9) Insurance: Comprehensive and mass insurance for areas prone to multiple and recurring hazard should be promoted. Agriculture, livestock, assets and life and health insurance – all should be covered under various scheme or one comprehensive scheme.

3. Strengthening of PRIs

In India Panchayat is the village level body and lowest yet powerful component of democratic setup. Panchayat can plat effective role to enhance organising community, forming village level disaster response committees, developing early warning systems, organising rescue teams and diversifying livelihood sources. Hence it is extremely important to build capabilities of Panchayat so that they can act effectively in times of disaster.

The outcomes of the research were shared with Unnati, Sneh Samuday, GSDMA and UNDP. Unnati, which has its long presence in Bhachau region; have programmes on disaster preparedness, livelihood and strengthening local self-governance in two villages included in the study. As Sneh Samuday is working on SHGs in Nani Chirai, the outcomes of the research were also shared with them so that their programme can be articulated better. Some of the information was also shared with TARU, consultant to GSDMA to prepare Cyclone Preparedness Plan for Gujarat. They have agreed to consider the conditions of vulnerable group of fisher folks which reside just on sea shore, while preparing action plan for Cyclone preparedness.

The research will be provide valuable insights into the process, stakeholders and dynamics between them to articulate their programme effectively.

Risk Reduction Through Community Based Disaster Management Plans X

Introduction

Risk Reduction Through Community Based Disaster Preparedness Plans

This chapter outlines the objective and rationale of the research. It also explains the strategies and approaches, which were used to carry out the study.

1.1 Background 1.2 Research Strategy 1.3 Framework of study 1.4 Objective 1.5 Methodology 1.6 Intended beneficiaries 1.7 Linkages

1

Introduction

1.1 BACKGROUND

Gujarat is a multi hazard prone area. Earthquakes, cyclones, recurrent droughts and recent floods have marked Gujarat as one of the most multi hazard prone regions of India. Earthquake 2001 was a land mark in history of Gujarat in terms of awareness and seriousness of disaster preparedness among civil society, policy makers and administrators. More than 14000 lives were lost, properties and infrastructure worth billions of Rupees destroyed. It was an eye opener for policy makers, government and local bodies and completely changed the way they planned the city or developed a rural region.

1.2 RESEARCH STRATEGY

Considering the earthquake of 26th January 2001 as the event of disaster for the study, we are now in the development and disaster preparedness phase for Kachchh region. Many NGOs and Government agencies were involved in rehabilitation and reconstruction activities and some of them are still working in the region. The research is focused on to formulate effective disaster preparedness programmes and study the ongoing efforts by various agencies on disaster preparedness. There are seven major components of study:

A) Conceptualising and evolving framework of study

B) Identifying the agency to support and utilize the outcome of study: Unnati- Organisation for Development Education, agreed to support the study in terms of providing data and access to the villages. Unnati is working in Bhachau region of Kachchh for disaster preparedness and strengthening PRIs; and the research outcomes would benefit them to articulate their programme effectively.

C) Identify the specific geographical area (villages) to carryout study: This was done in consultation with Unnati. Three villages, having different socio economic conditions and disaster profiles, were selected in Bhachau block.

D) Evolving tools to carry out research: As outcomes of the study was going to be the basework for future programmes for Unnati, it was decided to come to a common understanding on how to carry out research. Tools for carrying out research at field level were evolved in a two-day pilot study in one of the villages and the lessons learnt were documented.

E) Field Study: Interaction with villagers using PRA tools. Focused group discussion to understand the risk, vulnerability and coping mechanism of the villagers.

F) Primary and secondary information collection: Interaction with Panchayat institutions, government officials, NGOs, and others for data collection, understanding social dynamics within communities, understanding the gaps in coping mechanisms and external response in time of disaster, institutional capacities within village.

G) Linkages for future programmes: Linking outcomes of research with action plans of NGO and other agencies.

1.3 FRAMEWORK OF STUDY

‘Risk reduction through community based disaster preparedness Plan’ would essentially focus on capturing community perceptions, demands and capabilities to cope with natural disasters. It involves vulnerability assessment, understanding existing coping mechanism of

Risk Reduction Through Community Based Disaster Preparedness Plans 2

Introduction

community, internal and external institution support, identification of gaps in coping mechanism and identification and linkage with agencies to minimize the gap. Study will also analyse the efforts done by various agencies in three villages of Bhachau block of Kachchh district of Gujarat State, which were highly affected during 2001 earthquake. These are the villages where Unnati (NGO) has been working for long term disaster preparedness through process of Community Based Disaster Preparedness Plans (CBDP). The study would also try to understand the underlying factors that contribute to a sound disaster preparedness plan and sustained implementation in the field. This work would be the base on which Unnati will be taking up programmes on disaster preparedness. Whole research work was based on the frame work of ‘vulnerability reduction in context of well being’ which is explained here.

The framework for Disaster Vulnerability Reduction analyses vulnerability context of particular community and its effect on well-being of the community. It aims at improving the well-being by reducing vulnerabilities, responsive governance, improving access to social security and basic rights, improving incomes, ensuring food security and sustainable use of natural resource base. Community well being is mediated by the policies, institutions and processes. The framework helps in understanding vulnerability context on the basis of disaster- development relationship so as to consider factors such as lack of means to cope, socio-economic and political marginalization, inequitable access to social security and basic services besides shocks and seasonality and affects the community well being.

The framework also talks about the strategies to reduce vulnerability such as identification of

gaps in coping mechanism; community based planning, implementation and monitoring with clear focus on vulnerable groups. Based on this framework, the study shall be carried out

Vulnerability Context

• External factors like hazards – intensity and frequency of occurrence, seasonality

• Socio-cultural and economic factors such as caste-class and gender inequities, physical disabilities, ethnicity and minorities

Strategy

• Identification of gaps

• Community based planning, implementation and monitoring

• Vulnerability focus with clear targeting

Development Planning, Resources and Institutions

• Normal time and disaster time • Access to information • Access to services and community

assets • Participation in Resource Planning and

Decision Making • Civil Society/Government Institutions

Physical Well being

Economic Well being

Environmental Well being

Chart 1.1 Framework for Disaster Vulnerability Reduction

Social Well being


Introduction

involving various stakeholders from community, NGO, CBOs, policy makers and administrators.

Community participation has been recognized as the essential element in disaster management necessary to reverse the worldwide trend of exponential increase in disaster occurrence of and loss from small and medium scale disasters, build a culture of safety, and ensure sustainable development for all. The community-based approach also corrects the defects of the top-down approach in development planning and disaster management which failed to address local needs and ignored the potential of indigenous resources and capacities.

This sets the backdrop of the present study which mainly focuses on development of mechanism for community based vulnerability reduction by adopting a case-study approach.

1.4 OBJECTIVE:

To develop a mechanism for community based vulnerability reduction in the rural areas of Bhachau Block in Kachchh district (Gujarat State, India)

1.5 METHODOLOGY:

1. Conceptualizing study

2. Identification of sample villages (3 villages) as case study.

3. Developing field processes

4. Field Study: Study of village with current development planning and disaster profile. Identification of well being of the community. Identification of gaps and resources. Identification of vulnerability reduction strategies and methods to incorporate it with

the development planning. Identification of linkages and resources for implementation of the disaster risk

reduction strategies.

5. Discussions of the outcomes with the local government, local/ state disaster Management Authority, local community, local NGO’s and incorporating their suggestions.

6. Documentation of the study

1.6 INTENDED BENEFICIARIES:

Local Community in Bhachau Block, CBOs, NGOs

1.7 LINKAGES, CONSULTATIONS AND INFORMATION DISSEMINATION:

• UNNATI, Organisation For Development Education, Ahmedabad, India • Panchayati Raj Institutions (Local Self Government Institutions) • Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority, Gandhinagar • District Rural development Agency, Kachchh • Local Community Based Organisation like Women’s Group, Water Committees. • Organisation linked with Social Security like Insurance Companies, Health Department,

etc.


Natural Disasters: An Overview


This chapter highlights the situation of natural disasters worldwide and India, its effects on communities and the devastation. Chapter focuses on the disaster situation in Gujarat State and the vulnerability of the community. 2.1 Disasters: World Review 2.2 Disasters: India Context 2.3 Disasters: Gujarat State 2.4 Impact on Development

5


2.1 NATURAL DISASTERS – WORLD REVIEW During the last decade, more than one billion people were affected by natural disasters and assets worth approximately US$730 billion were destroyed, according to data from the World Disaster Report. Moreover, the losses from natural disasters are increasing. And in less developed countries, natural disasters tend to have a disproportionate impact, causing much greater losses (in terms of GDP) than in developed ones.

Global Losses through Natural Disasters

According to Reinsurance Company “Munich Re” costs associated with natural disasters has gone up 14 fold since the 1950’s. Each year from 1991 to 2000, an average of 211 million people were killed or affected by natural disasters – seven times greater that the figure for those killed or affected by conflict. Towards the end of the 1990’s, the world counted some 25 million ‘environmental refugees’ for the first time more people had fled natural hazards that conflict.

Source: Disaster Management in India, Govt. of India, Ministry of Home Affairs

Recognizing the important role of disaster mitigation and risk management in the reduction of losses from natural disasters and sustainable development, it is necessary to shift the traditional focus on assistance for post-disaster reconstruction toward assistance for building a culture of prevention. This new approach necessitates research, the development of new policy and lending instruments, exchange of knowledge, the creation of communities of practice and awareness raising for governments, civil society, and local communities.

The increased demand for both disaster assistance and mitigation capacity building calls for a structured, comprehensive and global risk management framework, one that can be used by regional and national authorities and by communities themselves.

It is increasingly recognized worldwide that the devastating effects of natural disasters can be linked to shortcomings of development policies. Disasters are a development problem. First, because certain natural phenomena tend to have greater effects in developing countries than in developed countries. Second, because several structural factors associated with a low level of development exacerbate disasters’ effects. Third, because the negative impact of natural phenomena on the prospects for long-term development is considerably greater in less developed countries. Thus, confronting disaster issues in a systematic and coherent fashion must be an explicit objective of development strategies. This introductory module reviews worldwide trends in disaster occurrence, regional distribution, and links to global trends such as persistent poverty, environmental degradation and growing urban density.



2.2 NATURAL DISASTERS – INDIAN CONTEXT 2.2.1 Disaster Profile:

An Internet study reveals that India makes it on the chart among the top 10 world disasters in the case of landslide and avalanche, railway and aviation and tropical cyclone. The striking of disasters in India is a geographically filled moment. All the disasters in India carry the tag of the place for their reference. The High Power Committee report on the National Disaster Management list 31 types of disasters in India. The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent list 25 disasters. Photo Courtesy: GSDMA, UNDP, India

Box 2.1 India’s Key Vulnerabilities

India’s Key Vulnerabilities

Coastal State. Particularly in the East Coast and Gujarat are vulnerable to cyclones.

40 Million hectares land mass is vulnerable to floods

68 percent of the net sown area is vulnerable to earthquakes

Sub Himalayan/ Western Ghat is vulnerable to landslides

The Indian sub continent is highly prone to natural disasters. Floods, droughts, cyclones and earthquakes are a recurrent phenomenon in India. Susceptibility to disasters is compounded by frequent occurrences of manmade disasters such as fire, epidemics etc. Between 1988 and 1997, disasters killed 5,116 people and affected 24.79 million every year. The changing topography due to environmental degradation has also increased the vulnerability of the country. In 1988, 11.2 % of total land area was flood prone, but in 1998 floods inundated 37%

geographical area. Three major disasters that India has experienced in the recent past are the Super cyclone in Orissa (1999), the Earthquake in Gujarat (2001), Tsunamis in South India (2004). Frequent disasters lead to erosion of development gains and restricted options for the disaster victims.

Table 2.1 Major Earthquakes in India 1988-2001 Date Location MagnitudeAugust 21, 1988

Bihar- Nepal border

6.4

October 20, 1991

Uttarkashi, Uttar Pradesh

6.6

September 30, 1993

Latur- Osmanabad, Maharashtra

6.3

May 22. 1997

Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh

6

March 29, 1999

Chamoli, Uttar Pradesh

6.8

January 26, 2001

Bhuj, Gujarat 6.9

Between the years 1991 to 2000 Asia continent has accounted for 83 per cent of the population affected by disasters globally. While the number of people affected in the rest of the world were 1,11,159, in Asia the number was 5,54,439.Within Asia, 24 per cent of deaths due to disasters occur in India, on account of its size, population and vulnerability. Floods and high winds account for 60 per cent of all disasters in India.

Many parts of the Indian sub-continent are susceptible to different types of disasters owing to the unique topographic and climatic characteristics. About 54per cent of the sub-continent’s landmass is vulnerable to earthquakes while about 4 crore hectares is vulnerable to periodic floods. The decade 1990-2000, has been 65 one of very high disaster losses within the country, losses in the Orissa Cyclone in 1999, and later, the Gujarat Earthquake in 2001 alone



amount to several thousand crore of Rupees, while the total expenditure on relief and reconstruction in Gujarat alone has been to the tune of Rs 11,500 crore.

Similarly, the country has suffered four major earthquakes in the span of last fifty years along with a series of moderate intensity earthquakes that have occurred at regular intervals. Since 1988, six earthquakes have struck different parts of the country. These caused considerable human and property losses.

Map 2.1 indicates the major natural hazards occurring in India. It has been observed that India is prone majoritily to Earthquake, flood, drought, landslides and cyclones. Floods and droughts significantly impact the majority of India though they are most prevalent in the northwestern and eastern regions respectively.

Map 2.1 Natural Hazard Vulnerability Maps of India

Source: The Earth Institute, Columbia (website search)



2.2.2 Effects of Disasters:

The dimensions of the damage, emphasize the point that natural disasters cause major setbacks to development and it is the poorest and the weakest that are the most vulnerable to disasters.

Geophysical hazards affect the Himalayan region in the north and northeastern portions of the country where they rank in high deciles for mortality and lower deciles for GDP impact. Cyclones influence a relatively small area of the country but have high-ranking mortality and GDP weighted impacts. Lastly, both the multi-hazard mortality and GDP maps demonstrate that almost the entire country is significantly impacted by at least one hazard and mortality impacts are particularly concentrated in the north and northeastern regions. (Mortality Deciles as per Map 2.2 & GDP maps as per Map 2.3)

Map 2.2 Mortality Deciles -Natural disasters in India

Source: The Earth Institute, Columbia





Map 2.3 GDP impact by natural disasters in India

10


In the earthquake in Gujarat State (India) in year 2001, more than 14,000 lives were lost, ten lakh houses were damaged and the asset loss has been indicated to be worth 15,000 crore. Tables 2.1 to 2.5 giives an indication of the magnitude of the damage and losses incurred by the country in recent natural disasters.

Table 2.2 Damage due to Natural Disasters in India

Year People Affected (Lakh)

Houses & Buildings, partially or totally damaged

Amount of property damage/loss (Rs. In crores)

1985 595.6 2449878 40.06 1986 550 2049277 30.74 1987 483.4 2919380 20.57 1988 101.5 242533 40.63 1989 30.1 782340 20.41 1990 31.7 1019930 10.71 1991 342.7 1190109 10.9 1992 190.9 570969 20.05 1993 262.4 1529916 50.8 1994 235.3 1051223 10.83 1995 543.5 2088355 40.73 1996 549.4 2376693 50.43 1997 443.8 1103549 1998 521.7 1563405 0.72 1999 501.7 3104064 1020.97 2000 594.34 2736355 800 2001 788.19 846878 12000

Source : Annual Reports, Natural Disaster management Division, Ministry of Agriculture, India

Table 2.3 Annual damage due to heavy rains, landslide and floods

Year Districts Affected

Villages Affected (no.)

Population affected (lakh)

Crop Area Affected (Lakh hectares)

Houses Damaged (no.)

Human Life loss (no.)

Cattle Loss (no.)

Estimated value of loss to houses (Rs. In crore)

1999 202 33158 328.12 8.45 884823 1375 3661 0.72 2000 220 29964 416.24 34.79 2736355 3048 102121 631.25 2001 122 32363 210.71 18.72 346878 834 21269 195.57


Table 2.4 Losses due to Droughts: 1999-2001

Date of Occurrence

Total no of districts

District Affected

Villages Affected (no.)

Population affected (lakh)

Crop area affected (lakh Hectare)

Houses damaged (no.)

Human life loss (no.)

Cattle loss (no.)

17-18 Oct 1999 30 4 5181 37.47 1.58 331580 199 10578

29-30 Oct 1999 30 12 14643 129.22 18.43 1628532 9887 444531


Table 2.5 Effects of Natural Disasters in India (1900-2004):

Disaster No. of Events

Total person Killed

Avg. Killed per event Total Affected Avg. Affected per

event Cyclone 133 162,986 1226 91,322,407 686,635 Drought 21 4,250,430 202,401 1,391,841,000 66,278,143 Earthquake 24 60,396 2,517 27,108,561 1,129,523 Flood 158 51,020 323 663,187,348 4,197,38




2.3 NATURAL DISASTERS – GUJARAT STATE

2.3.1 Context and history of disasters in Gujarat♣

Given the intensity and frequency of disasters in India, the need for a comprehensive approach to the prevention and mitigation of hazards and the need for mainstreaming the concept of disaster risk management into ongoing developmental activity cannot but be emphasized more strongly. Especially so if development gains made over the years through painstaking effort and the precious lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable sections of society are to be protected. The prosperous industrial state of Gujarat experiences droughts, flash floods, cyclones and earthquakes with depressing regularity. Some of the most devastating disasters which have stuck the State in previous decades include the Morbi flood of 1978, the epidemic in Surat of 1994, the Kandla cyclone of 1998, the floods which swept across Ahmedabad, Baroda, Surat and Mehsana in 2000, and the killer quake of January 26 2001. The multi-hazard scenario of the state is illustrated below:

A. Wind and Cyclone Vulnerable Areas:

Zone Wind Speed Area Probable

Surge Very High Damage Risk Zone B 50 m/s Kachchh (Coastal Talukas), Jamnagar,

parts of Rajkot, Amreli and Bhavnagar 3-7.5 mts.

Moderate Damage Risk Zone 47 m/s parts of Anand, Bharuch, Surat,

Navsari Valsad 4-8 mts.

Moderate Damage Risk Zone A 44 m/s

Part of Kachchh, Banaskantha, parts of Surendranagar and Patan

Low Damage Risk Zone B 39 m/s

Parts of Surendranagar, Patan and Sabarkantha

B. Earthquake Vulnerable Areas: Zone Area Probable Surge V Kachchh VI to IX or more

IV Banaskantha, parts of Surendranagar, Patan, Rajkot and Jamnagar V- VIII

III Sabarkantha, part of Panch Mahal, Surendranagar, Amreli, Junagarh, Bhavnagar, Anand, Bharuch, Vadodara, Surat, Danges and Valsad

III- V

II Dahod and Parts of Panchmahal < III Source: Vulnerable Atlas of Gujarat, 1991

C. Flood Vulnerability: Major River Vulnerable District Banas Patan,Banaskantha Sabarmati Ahmedabad,Kheda,Sabarkantha Mahi Vadodara,PanchMahal Viswamatry Vadodara,PanchMahal Narmada Bharuch,Vadodara Tapi Surat Damangaga Valsad, Ambika Valsad Purna Valsad,

Maps 2.1 – 2.4 depict the vulnerable areas of Gujarat in various disasters.

♣ Disaster Risk Management Program Hand book by Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority and UNDP, India



(Source: Disaster Risk Management Program Hand book by Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority and UNDP, India. Original Source: BMTPC, India)

Map 2.4 Wind and Cyclone Hazard Vulnerability Map of Gujarat

Map 2.5 Earthquake Hazard Vulnerability Map of Gujarat



Map 2.6 Flood Hazard Vulnerability Map of Gujarat

Map 2.7 Multiple Hazard Vulnerability Map of Gujarat

14Risk Reduction Through Community Based Disaster Preparedness Plans


2.4 IM PACT ON DEVELOPMENT

During the past four decades, natural hazards such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, landslides, tsunamis, tropical cyclones and other severe storms, tornadoes and high winds, river floods and coastal flooding, wildfires and associated haze, drought, sand/dust storms, and insect infestations have caused major loss of human lives and livelihoods, the destruction of economic and social infrastructure, as well as environmental damage. Economic losses have increased almost 10 times1 during this period. In recent years, floods in India, Algeria, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Guinea, India, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sudan, Thailand, Venezuela and Vietnam, volcanic eruptions in Ecuador, Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Montserrat, and the Philippines, and earthquakes in Afghanistan, El Salvador, India, Indonesia, Japan, Peru and Turkey, have created widespread social, economic and environmental destruction. . In some cases, natural disasters can amplify manmade emergencies or vice versa, as epitomized by the drought, earthquakes and unfolding events in Afghanistan.

The escalation of severe disaster events triggered by natural hazards and related technological and environmental disasters is increasingly threatening both sustainable development and poverty-reduction initiatives. The loss of human lives and the rise in the cost of reconstruction efforts and loss of development assets has forced the issue of disaster reduction and risk management higher on the policy agenda of affected governments as well as multilateral and bilateral agencies and NGOs. This trend led to the adoption of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR)2 by governments to succeed and promote implementation of the recommendations emanating from the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR, 1990-1999). The aim of the ISDR is to mobilize governments, UN agencies, regional bodies, the private sector and civil society to unite efforts in building resilient societies by developing a culture of prevention and preparedness. The Secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR), which falls under the direct authority of the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, was established together with the United Nations. Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Disaster Reduction,3 as the international mechanisms to coordinate the development and implementation of the ISDR.

In addition to the projected estimate of 100,000 lives lost each year due to natural hazards, the global cost of natural disasters is anticipated to exceed $300 billion annually by the year 2050,4 if the likely impact of climate change is not countered with aggressive disaster reduction measures. The environmental impact of natural hazards, in particular the loss of environmental services (water, forest, biodiversity, ecosystem function, etc.), is still difficult to assess and is often underestimated. Indirect economic losses of ‘market share,’ following the disruption to trade after a disaster, can also go largely unnoticed. For example, almost seven years after the Great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake (1995) in Kobe, Japan, devastated the facilities of one of the country’s primary ports, the equipment and harbor facilities have all been rebuilt and modernized, yet the amount of shipping trade in Kobe has dropped by about 15 percent from pre-earthquake revenues.

Floods in 2002- affected over 17 million people worldwide (29 August 2002, WMO) Floods in more than 80 countries have caused hardship for more than 17 million people world-wide since the beginning of 2002, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

1 Munich Re Topics 2000, Natural Catastrophes—the current position. 2 Resolution, UN General Assembly 54/219. 3 By UN General Assembly resolution 54/219, on 3 February 2000, reconfirmed in resolution 56/195, January 2002. 4 SEI, IUCN, IISD: Coping with Climate Change: Environmental Strategies for Increasing Human Security, August 2001 (Source: Munich Re and UNEP).



Chart 2.1 Great Natural Catastrophes 1950-2002

Almost 3000 people have lost their lives while property damage is amounting to over thirty billion US dollars. The total area affected by the floods is over 8 million square kilometers, almost the size of the United States of America. At any time throughout the world a river somewhere is in flood and its waters are threatening communities, their property and even

their lives. Few of these events are reported in the headlines due to their local impact. However, the floods in Central Europe and China have drawn international attention. At the other end of this extreme water overload are droughts that have been and are still occurring around the world at the same time. Droughts and floods both have major impacts on the socio-economic well being of countries. In some cases, countries experience both extremes simultaneously as is currently occurring in India and Niger. Serious droughts are occurring in the SADC countries of southern and central Africa, which is resulting in starvation and global outcry for food aid. In North America, over 37% of the United States are suffering from a severe drought with the longest-lived drought in the southeastern states. A delayed monsoon in India has resulted in unseasonably hot and dry conditions throughout northern and western parts of the country; its impact is a 10 million-ton drop in India’s rice crop. Australia is stricken by severe rainfall deficiencies across eastern portions of the country, resulting in serious crop loss and a need for drought aid packages to farmers.

While no country in the world is entirely safe, lack of capacity to limit the impact of hazards remains a major burden for developing countries. An estimated 97 percent of natural disaster related deaths each year occur in developing countries5 and, although smaller in absolute figures, the percentage of economic loss in relation to the Gross National Product (GNP) in developing countries far exceeds that in developed countries. This fact becomes even more relevant for small island developing States (SIDS). In addition, 24 of the 49 least developed countries still face high levels of disaster risk; at least six of them have been hit by between two and eight major disasters per year in the last 15 years, with long-term consequences for human development.6 These figures would be much higher, and some experts estimate at least double or more, were the consequences taken into account of the many smaller and unrecorded disasters that cause significant losses at the local community level. The chart 2.1 also clearly demonstrates the considerable geographic variations in the occurrence and impact of natural hazards. Asia is disproportionately affected with approximately 43 percent of all natural disasters in the last decade. During the same period, Asia accounted for almost 70 percent of all lives lost

5 World Bank, World Development Report, 2000-1:170. 6 UNDP, ERD: Disaster Profiles of the Least Developed Countries, May 2001.



Chart 2.2 Community (by continent) affected by disaster 1991-2000

due to natural hazards.7 During the two El Niño years of 1991/92 and 1997/98, floods in China alone affected over 200 million people in each year. While the world has witnessed an exponential increase in human and material losses due to natural disasters, there is an ongoing debate about the increase of the frequency and intensity of extreme hydro-meteorological

events due to, in particular, climate change. There is, however, no evidence of more frequent or intense earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. For these geological hazards, the reasons for increased losses are found in the global rise of people’s vulnerability, induced by currently determined paths of development. The effects of climate change and the risks posed by the increasing degradation of the environment, epitomized by deforestation, loss of biodiversity and associated knowledge, reduced water supply and desertification, can only contribute to increased concern on these issues. The capacity to cope with the impact of disasters is determined by a number of

factors, including the composition and circumstances of the social group affected; for example, whether the group is rich or poor, male or female, young or old, able or disabled.

2.4.1 Human vulnerability, environmental degradation and increasing impoverishment in developing countries There is a close correlation between increased demographic pressure, especially in developing countries (and most notably in the least developed countries), growing environmental degradation, increased human vulnerability and the intensity of the impact of disasters. Detrimental development and inappropriate use of resources are contributory factors to natural disasters. They can accelerate or amplify recurrent phenomena such as droughts. Environmental degradation increases the intensity of natural hazards, and is often the factor that transforms the hazard, or a climatic condition such as heavy downpour, into a disaster. For example, river and lake floods are aggravated by deforestation, which, in turn, causes erosion and clogs rivers. Floods or droughts leading to famines dislocate families who become refugees as they are forced to migrate elsewhere. Poverty and hazard vulnerability are integrally linked and mutually reinforcing. The poor are forced to exploit environmental resources for survival, thereby increasing both the risk and exposure to disasters, in particular those triggered by floods, drought and landslides. Sustainable and integrated management of natural resources, including reforestation schemes, proper land use and good management of rivers and coastal areas, will increase the resilience of communities to disasters by reversing current trends of

7 EM-DAT database, CRED, 2002, see: www.cred.be



environmental degradation. Globalization has increased the risks faced by the marginalized and excluded. Whilst no country is safe from natural hazards, lack of capacity to limit the impact of hazards remains a major burden for developing countries. Traditional coping mechanisms have come under severe pressure and adaptation strategies, once valid, are no longer appropriate. Globalization has weakened the organizational capacities that still exist in small towns and rural areas to deal with hazards by introducing dependency factors. Due to inequitable access to resources, poor people in developing countries are far more vulnerable to negative environmental changes than their wealthier counterparts, since they lack the means to cope and recover from the impact of such changes.

Deforestation, land degradation, and related food security are shaped by the practices of men and women who make livelihood decisions about how to use these resources. It can be claimed that the major impacts upon these issues are due to unsustainable western consumption patterns and investment decisions in the richer nations. In poorer communities, motivated by poverty, migration, illness, etc., these decisions may also have a profound impact on the environment. In some cases, rural development practices have marginalized and segregated farming and livestock which, in many cases, have turned agriculture into an independent area of economic growth, without linkage to economic and food security of the broader community.

2.4.2 The ecological footprint

Every human requires an area of land and shallow sea for food, water, shelter, transport, energy, commerce and waste. This is called an ecological footprint. Demographic pressures result in more forest loss and more land degradation. This means increased flooding, drought, or both. In rich nations such as the US, this ecological footprint is almost 10 hectares per person. But even in the poorest places in the US this footprint is at least one hectare. Every day, another 200,000 newborns will require up to 200,000 hectares of what might have been a benign and necessary wilderness. More people also means more fossil fuel consumption, which means more carbon dioxide emission, which means climate change. Such a world, climate scientists have warned repeatedly, is a world with a greater frequency of extreme events. The combination of climate change and population growth will exact a price. The latest UN calculation is that three decades from now, around 70 per cent of the world’s land will be affected in some way by human activity and half the people in the world will be short of water. Many of the other half will be at risk from increased flooding. By that time, there could be eight billion people on the planet.♣

Least developed countries are more vulnerable to natural hazards. They are subject to the highest rates of population growth, which is projected to double in less than 30 years. Poverty and social and economic pressures, such as migration, unemployment and illegal land tenure practices, make people more vulnerable by forcing them to live in dangerous locations, often on unsafe land and in unsafe shelters or low-cost dwellings, because there is no other land available at reasonable cost sufficiently close to employment opportunities. Disasters contribute to, and are also exacerbated by other factors that make people vulnerable, for example: unemployment, political instability, poor economic conditions, unequal distribution of wealth, food insecurity, lack of personal security, and violation of human rights. Repeated exposure to disasters can lead the poor into a downward spiral of chronic poverty, even though poverty alone is not the only vulnerability factor.

♣ Source: Living with Risk: A global review of disaster reduction initiatives, ISDR, 2002


Institutional Mechanism For Disaster Management in India


This chapter gives an overview of institutional mechanism to

respond to a natural or manmade disaster. It explains role of various stakeholders in the society in responding to a disaster, financial mechanism in time of emergency and policy directives. Major part of the chapter is excerpts from document ‘Disaster Management in India’, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India; and ‘Hazards, Disasters and your Community- A primer for Parliamentarians’ , Government of India, National Disaster Management Division. 3.1 Disaster Response Scenario in India 3.2 Institutional arrangements for Disaster Management 3.3 Other functionaries in disaster management 3.4 Paradigm shift 3.5 Institutional and Policy Framework 3.6 Financial Mechanism 3.7 New policies, practices and institutional mechanisms


3.1 DISASTER RESPONSE SCENARIO IN INDIA

Disaster response in India has traditionally been State driven with initial response from local community. For years, it had remained adhoc and without any standard process. Typically its focus is on rehabilitation and compensation for a large-scale disaster. Of late, national level and state level authorities have been set up for disaster response, mitigation and preparedness for disaster in an organized manner. Finance for this type of response is earmarked in the Union budget under two heads called National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF) and Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF). The programmes for rehabilitation and compensation are carried out through administrators, mostly the Revenue Department with assistance of other departments. Collectorate of the respective province plays important role in the process of compensation and relief distribution.1

Keeping in view the new developments and initiatives, the disaster management setup in India is trying to orient itself towards a strong focus on preventive approaches, mainly through administrative reforms and participatory methods. Preparedness measures such as training of role players including the community, development of advanced forecasting system, effective communication, and above all a sound and well networked institutional structure involving the government organizations, academic and research institutions, the armed forces and the non governmental organizations have greatly contributed to the overall disaster management in the country. Identification of vulnerable communities, integrating disaster prevention into habitat planning and developing a culture of prevention are new emerging approaches for disaster management and has been propagated by High Powered Committee on Disaster Management. The Government of India, after the Gujarat Earthquake has established a National Committee on Disaster management (NCDM) headed by the Prime Minister, to provide a forum to political parties to share and discuss the issues related to disaster management and mitigation. This committee is supposed to suggest the institutional and legislative measures to strengthen the existing disaster management structure of the country. The Planning Commission has incorporated, for the first time, disaster management as one of its areas of concern. A chapter titled ‘Disaster Management- The Development Perspective” has been included in the Tenth Plan document to make whole gamut of planning process sensitive to various dimensions of disaster management. The Tenth Plan also addresses the community based disaster preparedness and management by the way of strengthening and capacity building of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). A special mention has been made about the role of youth in disaster management, not only through educational institutions but also through youth movements like Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Bharat Scout and Guides (BS &G), etc.


1 Hazards, Disasters and your Community- A primer for Parliamentarians; Government of India, National Disaster Management Division.


3.2 INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT- INDIA2

3.2.1 Central Level Central Government plays a key role for providing financial and logistic support in case of major disasters and coordinates the effort of Central Ministries/ Departments/ Organizations. Cabinet Committee on Natural Calamities is placed at apex level. The scope of the Committee has also been enlarged so as to address mitigation and preparedness measures also. National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) headed by Cabinet Secretary gives direction to Crisis Management Group (CMG), Ministries and Departments for specific action needed in mitigating the crisis situation. CMG, chaired by Central relief Commissioner annually review contingency plans formulated by various ministries /departments/organizations in their respective sector coordinates activities of Central Ministries and State Government in relation to disaster preparedness and relief and obtains information from nodal officers. In event of disaster, CMG meets frequently to review relief operations and extends assistance to the affected State. It is proposed to create Disaster/ Emergency Management Authorities at State and National level with representatives of relevant Ministries/Departments and experts to have a multidisciplinary team.

3.2.2 State Level The states have been asked to set up Disaster Management Authorities under the Chief Ministers with Ministers of relevant Departments as members. 11 States and Union Territories – Tamilnadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Orissa, Gujarat, Kerala, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar administration and Chandigarh administration have notified the authority. At the state level, the work of post calamity relief is handled by the Departments of Relief and Rehabilitation. The Government of India is working with the State Governments to restructure the Departments of Relief and Rehabilitation into Departments of Disaster Management with an enhanced responsibility to include mitigation and preparedness along with relief and rehabilitation. The states have been advised to restructure the officers/staff within the department with definite functions to pursue holistic approach to disaster management. The four functional groups to be assigned with specific tasks are • Functional Group 1: Hazard Mitigation • Functional Group 2: Preparedness and Capacity Building • Functional Group 3: Relief and Response • Functional Group 4: Administration and Finance

3.2.3 District Level At the district level, the District Magistrate is the chief coordinator and focal point for coordinating all activities relating to prevention, mitigation and preparedness apart from his existing responsibilities pertaining to relief and response. The District Coordination and Relief Committee is being reconstituted/ re-designated into Disaster Management Committees with officers from relevant departments being added as members. District Disaster Management Committees have been constituted in 256 districts.

3.2.4 Block/ Taluka/ Tehsil Level Similarly, Sub divisional Disaster Management Committees are being constituted. At village levels such committees and teams will help drawing Disaster Preparedness Plan along with youth organizations, CBOs and NGOs.


2 Hazards, Disasters and your Community- A primer for Parliamentarians; Government of India, National Disaster Management Division.


3.3 OTHER FUNCTIONARIES IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT

3.3.1 Role of Armed Forces In a disaster situation or an emergency, armed forces are looked upon for the immediate rescue operation and maintaining law and order in India. The country has not been able to develop a separate trained and specialized indigenous groups or teams for rescue operations in case of natural hazards. Some efforts made by Central government and some of the state governments to prepare a trained group for such operations are too little to carryout such a specialized job. In case of Gujarat earthquake, expertise and efficiency of foreign rescue teams proved far more and better equipped than Indian counterparts.

3.3.2 Role of Local Community The initial rescue and response to people trapped in a disastrous situation is most often from the local community. Hence community based disaster preparedness and developing a culture of disaster preparedness will have far reaching implications on disaster management.

3.3.3 Role of NGOs NGOs play vital role in coping with disasters. They enhance the outreach for relief and rescue immediately after the disaster and play crucial role in rehabilitation ensuring participatory methods, community well being and acting as a bridge between the community and the government. In recent years, role of NGOs have become even more proactive and articulate. NGOs have been given decisive roles in some of the government relief schemes ensuring more transparency and effectiveness of the programmes. They are now playing roles as partners in development and not seen as mere activists to oppose the government. 3.4 PARADIGM SHIFT

Over the years of experience there has been paradigm shift towards Disaster Preparedness from Disaster Mitigation in modus operandi of Government and Non Government organizations. Recently focus on integrating Disaster Preparedness in development plan itself has gained widespread acceptability among policy makers as well as grass root workers. Experiences of recent disasters in India underscored the need to adopt a multi dimensional endeavor involving diverse scientific, engineering, financial and social processes; the need to adopt multi disciplinary and multi sectoral approach and incorporation of risk reduction in the developmental plans and strategies and have forced policy makers in the Government to invest in Disaster Preparedness rather than reacting in aftermath of a disaster, which in turn proves beneficial socially, physically and economically. Proper planning and implementation of Disaster Preparedness plan can reduce vulnerability of a society towards any potential disaster.

The steps being taken by the Government emanate from the approach outlined above. The approach has been translated into a National Disaster Framework [a roadmap] covering institutional mechanisms, disaster prevention strategy, early warning system, disaster mitigation, preparedness and response and human resource development. The expected inputs, areas of intervention and agencies to be involved at the National, State and district levels have been identified and listed in the roadmap. This roadmap has been shared with all the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations. Ministries and Departments of Government of India, and the State Governments/UT Administrations have been advised to develop their respective roadmaps taking the national roadmap as a broad guideline.



3.5 INSTITUTIONAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK3

At the national level, the Ministry of Home Affairs is the nodal Ministry for all matters concerning disaster management. The Central Relief Commissioner (CRC) in the Ministry of Home Affairs is the nodal officer to coordinate relief operations for natural disasters. The CRC receives information relating to forecasting/warning of a natural calamity from India Meteorological Department (IMD) or from Central Water Commission of Ministry of Water Resources on a continuing basis. The Ministries/Departments/Organizations concerned with the primary and secondary functions relating to the management of disasters include: India Meteorological Department, Central Water Commission, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Urban Development, Department of Communications, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Petroleum, Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Ministry of Power, Department of Civil Supplies, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Planning Commission, Cabinet Secretariat, Department of Surface Transport, Ministry of Social Justice, Department of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Environment and Forest, Department of Food. Each Ministry/Department/Organization nominate their nodal officer to the Crisis Management Group chaired by Central Relief Commissioner. The nodal officer is responsible for preparing sectoral Action Plan/Emergency Support Function Plan for managing disasters.

3.5.1 National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC): Cabinet Secretary is the highest executive officer, heading the NCMC. Secretaries of all the concerned Ministries /Departments as well as organizations are the members of the Committee. NCMC gives direction to the Crisis Management Group as deemed necessary. The Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs is responsible for ensuring that all developments are brought to the notice of the NCMC promptly. The NCMC can give directions to any Ministry /Department/Organization for specific action needed for meeting the crisis situation.

3.5.2 Crisis Management Group: The Central Relief Commissioner in the Ministry of Home Affairs is the Chairman of the CMG, consisting of senior officers (nodal officers) from various concerned Ministries. The CMG’s functions are to review yearly contingency plans formulated by various Ministries/Departments/Organizations in their respective sectors, co-ordinate measures required for dealing with a natural disasters, coordinate the activities of the Central Ministries and the State Governments in relation to disaster preparedness and relief and to obtain information from the nodal officers on measures relating to above. During Natural disaster, CMG meets frequently to review the relief operations and extends all possible assistance required by the affected States to overcome the situation effectively. The Resident Commissioner of the affected State is also associated with such meetings.

3.5.3 Control Room (Emergency Operation Room): An Emergency 24 hours Operations Center (Control Room) exists in the nodal Ministry of Home Affairs. It assists the Central Relief Commissioner in the discharge of duties, collects and transmits information concerning natural calamity and relief, keeps close contact with governments of the affected States, interacts with other Central Ministries /Departments /Organizations in connection with relief, maintains records containing all relevant information relating to action points and contact points in Central Ministries etc., keeps up-to-date details of all concerned officers at the Central and State levels.


3 Disaster Management in India; Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 23


3.5.4 Contingency Action Plan: A National Contingency Action Plan (CAP) for dealing with contingencies arising in the wake of natural disasters has been formulated by the Government of India and it had been periodically updated. It facilitates the launching of relief operations without delay. The CAP identifies the initiatives required to be taken by various Central Ministries/Departments in the wake of natural calamities, sets down the procedure and determines the focal points in the administrative machinery.

3.5.5 State Relief Manuals: Each State Government has relief manuals/codes, which identify that role of each officer in the State for managing the natural disasters. These are reviewed and updated periodically based on the experience of managing the disasters and the need of the State. 3.6 FINANCIAL MECHANISM

Funding mechanism: The policy and the funding mechanism for provision of relief assistance to those affected by natural calamities is clearly laid down. These are reviewed by the Finance Commission appointed by the Government of India every five years. The Finance Commission makes recommendation regarding the division of tax and non-tax revenues between the Central and the State Governments and also regarding policy for provision of relief assistance and their share of expenditure thereon.

3.6.1 Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) has been set up in each State as per the recommendations of the Eleventh Finance Commission. The size of the Calamity Relief Fund has been fixed by the Finance Commission after taking into account the expenditure on relief and rehabilitation over the past 10 years. The Government of India contributes 75% of the corpus of the Calamity Relief Fund in each State. 25% is contributed to by the State. Relief assistance to those affected by natural calamities is granted from the CRF. Overall norms for relief assistance are laid down by a national committee with representatives of States as members. Different States can have State-specific norms to be recommended by State level committee under the Chief Secretary. Where the calamity is of such proportion that the funds available in the CRF will not be sufficient for provision of relief, the State seeks assistance from the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF) - a fund created at the Central Government level. When such requests are received, the requirements are assessed by a team from the Central Government and thereafter the assessed requirements are cleared by a High Level Committee chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister.



3.7 NEW POLICIES, PRACTICES AND INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISM4

The changed policy/approach, however, mandates a priority to full disaster aspects of mitigation, prevention and preparedness and new institutional and policy mechanisms are being put in place to address the policy change.

It is proposed to constitute a National Emergency Management Authority at the National level. The High Powered Committee on Disaster Management, which was set up in August 1999 and submitted its Report in October 2001, had inter alia recommended that a separate Department of Disaster Management be set up in the Government of India. The organization at the Apex level will have to be multi-disciplinary with experts covering a large number of branches. The National Emergency Management Authority has, therefore, been proposed as a combined Secretariat/Directorate structure – a structure which will be an integral part of the Government and, therefore, will work with the full authority of the Government while, at the same time, retaining the flexibility of a field organization. The National Emergency Management Authority will be headed by an officer of the rank of Secretary/Special Secretary to the Government in the Ministry of Home Affairs with Special Secretaries/Additional Secretaries from the Ministries/Departments of Health, Water Resources, Environment & Forests, Agriculture, Railways, Atomic Energy, Defence, Chemicals, Science & Technology, Telecommunications, Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation, Rural Development and India Meteorological Department as Members of the Authority. The Authority would meet frequently to review the status of warning systems, mitigation measures and disaster preparedness. When a disaster strikes, the Authority will coordinate disaster management activities. The Authority will be responsible for:-

• Coordinating/mandating Government’s policies for disaster reduction/mitigation. • Ensuring adequate preparedness at all levels in order to meet disasters. • Coordinating response to a disaster when it strikes. • Coordination of post disaster relief and rehabilitation.

The National Emergency Management Authority will have a core permanent secretariat with three divisions – one for Disaster Prevention, Mitigation & Rehabilitation, the other for Preparedness and the third for Human Resource Development.

At the State level, disaster management was being handled by the Departments of Relief & Rehabilitation. As the name suggests, the focus was almost entirely on post-calamity relief. The Government of India is working with the State Governments to convert the Departments of Relief & Rehabilitation into Departments of Disaster Management with an enhanced area of responsibility to include mitigation and preparedness apart from their present responsibilities of relief and rehabilitation. The changeover has already happened in eight State Governments/Union Territory Administrations. The change is under process in other States.

The States have also been asked to set up Disaster Management Authorities under the Chief Minister with Ministers of relevant Departments [Water Resources, Agriculture, Drinking Water Supply, Environment & Forests, Urban Development, Home, Rural Development etc.] as members. The objective of setting up an Authority is to ensure that mitigation and preparedness is seen as the joint responsibility of all the Departments concerned and


4 Disaster Management in India; Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 25


disaster management concerns are mainstreamed into their programmes. This holistic and multidisciplinary approach is the key to effective mitigation.

At the district level, the District Magistrate is the chief coordinator and focal point for coordinating all activities relating to prevention, mitigation and preparedness apart from his existing responsibilities pertaining to response and relief. The District Coordination and Relief Committee is being reconstituted/ re-designated into Disaster Management Committees with officers from relevant departments being added as members. Because of its enhanced mandate of mitigation and prevention, the district heads and departments engaged in development will now be added to the Committee so that mitigation and prevention is mainstreamed into the district plan. The existing system of drawing up preparedness and response plans will continue. There will, however, also be a long-term mitigation plan. District Disaster Management Committees have already been constituted in several districts and are in the process of being constituted in the remaining multi-hazard prone districts.

Similarly, government is in the process of creating Block/Taluka Disaster Management Committees in these 169 multi-hazard prone districts in 17 States. At the village level, in 169 multi-hazard prone districts, constituting Disaster Management Committees and Disaster Management Teams. Each village will have a Disaster Management Plan. The process of drafting the plan has already begun. The Disaster Management Committee which draws up the plans consists of elected representatives at the village level, local authorities; Government functionaries including doctors/paramedics of primary health centers located in the village, primary school teachers etc. The plan encompasses prevention, mitigation and preparedness measures. The Disaster Management Teams at the village level will consist of members of voluntary organizations like Nehru Yuvak Kendra and other non-governmental organizations as well as able-bodied volunteers from the village. The teams are provided basic training in evacuation, search and rescue etc. The Disaster Management Committee will review the disaster management plan at least once in a year. It would also generate awareness among the people in the village about dos’ and don’ts for specific hazards depending on the vulnerability of the village. A large number of village level Disaster Management Committees and Disaster Management Teams have already been constituted.

The States have been advised to enact Disaster Management Acts. These Acts provide for adequate powers for authorities coordinating mitigation, preparedness and response as well as for mitigation/prevention measures required to be undertaken. Two States [Gujarat & Madhya Pradesh] have already enacted such a law. Other States are in the process. The State Governments have also been advised to convert their Relief Codes into Disaster Management Codes by including aspects of prevention, mitigation and preparedness. In order to further institutionalize the new approach, the Government of India has decided to enunciate a National Policy on Disaster Management. A draft policy has accordingly been formulated and is expected to be put in place shortly. The policy shall inform all spheres of Central Government activity and shall take precedence over all existing sectoral policies. The broad objectives of the policy are to minimize the loss of lives and social, private and community assets because of natural or manmade disasters and contribute to sustainable development and better standards of living for all, more specifically for the poor and vulnerable sections by ensuring that the development gains are not lost through natural calamities/disasters.



The policy notes that State Governments are primarily responsible for disaster management including prevention and mitigation, while the Government of India provides assistance where necessary as per the norms laid down from time to time and proposes that this overall framework may continue. However, since response to a disaster requires coordination of resources available across all the Departments of the Government, the policy mandates that the Central Government will, in conjunction with the State Governments, seek to ensure that such a coordination mechanism is laid down through an appropriate chain of command so that mobilization of resources is facilitated. 5The broad features of the draft national policy on disaster management are enunciated below: - • A holistic and pro-active approach for prevention, mitigation and preparedness will be

adopted for disaster management. • Each Ministry/Department of the Central/State Government will set apart an appropriate

quantum of funds under the Plan for specific schemes/projects addressing vulnerability reduction and preparedness.

• Where there is a shelf of projects, projects addressing mitigation will be given priority. Mitigation measures shall be built into the on-going schemes/programmes

• Each project in a hazard prone area will have mitigation as an essential term of reference. The project report will include a statement as to how the project addresses vulnerability reduction.

• Community involvement and awareness generation, particularly that of the vulnerable segments of population and women has been emphasized as necessary for sustainable disaster risk reduction. This is a critical component of the policy since communities are the first responders to disasters and, therefore, unless they are empowered and made capable of managing disasters, any amount of external support cannot lead to optimal results.

• There will be close interaction with the corporate sector, nongovernmental organizations and the media in the national efforts for disaster prevention/vulnerability reduction.

• Institutional structures/appropriate chain of command will be built up and appropriate training imparted to disaster managers at various levels to ensure coordinated and quick response at all levels; and development of inter-State arrangements for sharing of resources during emergencies.

• A culture of planning and preparedness is to be inculcated at all levels for capacity building measures.

• Standard operating procedures and disaster management plans at state and district levels as well as by relevant central government departments for handling specific disasters will be laid down.

• Construction designs must correspond to the requirements as laid down in relevant Indian Standards.

• All lifeline buildings in seismic zones III, IV & V – hospitals, railway stations, airports/airport control towers, fire station buildings, bus stands major administrative centers will need to be evaluated and, if necessary, retro-fitted.

• The existing relief codes in the States will be revised to develop them into disaster management codes/manuals for institutionalizing the planning process with particular attention to mitigation and preparedness.


5 Disaster Management in India; Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

Key Concepts of Community Based Disaster Preparedness


The chapter sequentially explains the rational, key concepts and methodology of formulating Community Based Disaster Preparedness Plan. 4.1 Rationale 4.2 Key Concepts 4.3 Methodology for formulating

disaster preparedness plans

28


4.1 RATIONALE

Community based approaches for disaster management emerged as an alternative during the 1980’s and 1990’s. Over the last two decades it has become apparent that top-down approaches fail to address the needs of vulnerable communities, often ignoring local capacities and resources. A top down approach can undermine project improvements in quality of life, security and resilience. The aim of community based disaster management through preparation of disaster preparedness plan aims to reduce vulnerabilities and to increase the capacities of vulnerable groups to prevent or minimize loss and damage to life, property, livelihoods and the environment, and to minimize human suffering and hasten recovery. ♣

The response to repetitive disasters that have plagued India over the years has, in most cases, been spontaneous and supply driven. The government in its official capacity and non-governmental organisations including the corporate sector has provided assistance mainly in the form of relief and rehabilitation to the victims of major calamities. These initiatives though well intentioned were inadequate in two ways, firstly, they failed to incorporate preparedness and mitigation measures into the rehabilitation and reconstruction effort and secondly the initiatives were in the 'provision' mode whereby the community became the beneficiary by default.

The emerging paradigm shift in disaster management worldwide from response to prevention and preparedness has prompted mitigation measures such as the drought proofing programs in Gujarat, Orissa and Rajasthan and the propagation of the retrofitting technology in Maharashtra and Gujarat after the Latur (1993) and Kachchh(2001) earthquakes respectively. Moreover the Gujarat earthquake rehabilitation programme has been one of the best examples of GO-NGO collaboration. However, a truly comprehensive approach to disaster management entails hazard specific preparedness, mitigation and prevention measures being undertaken by communities who are most affected by such events. This approach termed as Community Based Disaster Preparedness as exemplified in disaster prone countries such as the Phillipines, Bangladesh, and Nepal has gained momentum in India in the aftermath of the super cyclone of Orissa in 1998 and the devastating earthquake of January 26th 2001. The approach aims to prevent as far as possible and to mitigate against the impact of natural and man-made disasters through raising awareness and building upon local coping mechanisms and knowledge, thus creating a disaster resilient, self-reliant and less vulnerable community; a community equipped with the necessary skills sets and aware of the steps to be taken pre, during and post disaster to protect their lives and property.

♣ Building Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia: A way forward. ADPC look ahead to 2015. Dec 2004

Risk Reduction Through Community Based Disaster Management Plans 29


4.2 KEY CONCEPTS

4.2.1 Disaster Risk Reduction through Vulnerability Reduction

Before we discuss the strategic processes for disaster preparedness planning, it is important to understand and define ‘vulnerability’ as this forms the key concept of our processes. Vulnerability is propensity to loss/ adverse impacts with implicit notion of differential magnitude and type of impacts to different groups of the community. Most of the literature on vulnerability identifies the uncared aged, the very young, the poor, the socially and physically isolated, the disabled and the minority groups as being particularly vulnerable. To understand what makes people vulnerable, we need to look at wider set of influences: the whole range of social, economic, environmental, cultural, institutional and political factors that shape a community’s life. In addition to poverty, there are also other aspects such as caste-class, community structure, community decision-making processes and political issues that determine the vulnerability of the poor. The disaster preparedness planning would require that we identify and strengthen the attributes and coping mechanisms of these groups which reduce vulnerability and which enhance resilience.

Disaster risk reduction is being recognized as a challenge for development. The Disaster Risk Index developed by UNDP recognizes and identifies development factors that contribute to the vulnerability and risk. Therefore, disaster preparedness with implicit objective of reducing long term vulnerabilities requires mainstreaming with development planning. This provides us an appropriate perspective for developing framework for our intervention.

4.2.2 Relationship Between Disaster And Aspects Of Well-Being:

Disaster

High Frequency/ Intensity

Low Frequency/ Intensity

Sound Capital Assets

Poor Capital Assets

Well Being Maintained

Well Being Destructed

Low/ moderate

impact

Severe impact

Chart 4.1 Relationship between Disaster, Capital assets and Well-being

Although there are no evidences of increase in natural forces causing the disaster, the felt impact of disaster on communities have increased many folds due to non-ability of the assets- to withstand against the forces of the disasters. The severity of disaster impact is evident by fact that the insurance industry worldwide paid out $48 billion for claims from weather-related losses during 1990 to 1996. The chart 4.1 shows the inter-relationship between disaster and well-being. On one hand, a disaster affect the well being of the community/household through altering status of their physical, economic, social and



environmental conditions, while its access decides severity of disasters’ impact on community and their coping capacities. Thus Disaster Preparedness Planning which is sum total of anticipating, structuring response and laying a framework for recovery from the impact of the event, should essentially take in to consideration impact on physical, economic, social and environmental- well being of the community to reduce impact of disaster at the time of disaster and enhance quality of life in normal time.

4.2.3 Framework for Disaster Vulnerability Reduction:

The framework for Disaster Vulnerability Reduction analyses vulnerability context of particular community and its effect on well-being of the community. It aims at improving the well-being by reducing vulnerabilities, responsive governance, improving access to social security and basic rights, improving incomes, ensuring food security and sustainable use of natural resource base. Community well being is mediated by the policies, institutions and processes. The framework helps in understanding vulnerability context on the basis of disaster- development relationship so as to consider factors such as lack of means to cope, socio-economic and political marginalization, inequitable access to social security and basic services besides shocks and seasonality and affects the community well being.

Vulnerability Context

• External factors like hazards – intensity and frequency of occurrence, seasonality

• Socio-cultural and economic factors such

as caste-class and gender inequities, physical disabilities, ethnicity and minorities

Strategy

• Identification of gaps

• Community based planning, implementation and monitoring

• Vulnerability focus with clear targeting

Development Planning, Resources and Institutions

• Normal time and disaster time • Access to information • Access to services and community assets• Participation in Resource Planning and

Decision Making • Civil Society/Government Institutions

Physical Well being

Economic Well being

Environmental Well

being

Chart 4.2 Framework for Disaster Vulnerability Reduction

Social Well being



The framework identifies four aspects of community well being - physical, economic, social and environmental and seeks to maintain them in disaster time and enhance them in normal times and particularly targets the vulnerable. The four aspects of community well being are as follows:

Physical: access to land, housing, basic services, communication, transportation, etc. Economic: employment, incomes, savings, access to credit, productive assets, skills, health etc. Social: networks, groups, trust, access to institutions, knowledge & information, participation in decision making processes, etc. Environmental: land, water, rivers, ponds, bio-diversity, forests, environment, etc.

This analysis made in participatory way with the community provides collective insights and raises understanding. Subsequent to this, It is proposed to develop strategies with the community to fulfill the identified gaps and strengthen the coping mechanisms.

4.2.4 Concept of Risk reduction through community driven disaster management plans

Communities are at the frontline of disasters. Over the last two decades it has become apparent that top-down approaches to disaster risk management alone fail to address the specific local needs of vulnerable communities, often ignoring the local capacities and resources. At times this approach further increases the vulnerability of the community. In response to the limitations of this top-down methodology, the community-based disaster management emerged as an alternative approach, during the decades of 1980s and 1990s.Community action for disaster risk management is a crucial element in promoting a “culture of prevention” and creating safer communities. Concept of Risk reduction through community driven disaster management plans is based on realization of following aspects.

• Institutionalization of the community based disaster risk management in the policy, planning and implementation of the government ministries and departments

• Intensive work with community for information dissemination and awareness generation

• Development of frameworks and tools to support the work of decision-makers and practitioners;

• Development of new training tools to enhance the capacity of practitioners; • Development of a regional information and technical support center on CBDRM

practices



4.3 Methodology for Formulating Community Based Disaster Preparedness Plan:

A disaster preparedness plan incorporates all important aspects of different types of disasters to mitigate them effectively. It also describes the means to address a disaster, detailing the mechanisms for operations at the onset of a potential disaster. The community based planning involves discussing and sharing with the people about existing coping mechanisms, past experience & existing resources. Further it ensures that the community owns, accepts and sustains the process of making and implementing the disaster preparedness plans. The disaster preparedness plans typically include risk assessment, vulnerability analysis, resource inventories and planning, mitigation and management strategy, roles and responsibilities of community, institutions and other participants. Disaster preparedness plans bring a perspective for understanding vulnerabilities of the community and reduce them in long term. The most essential element for preparing this type of plans is the involvement of community right from the concept development to implementation.

Study ongoing efforts on disaster preparedness and role of various actors

Study Disaster History and severity

Risk Identification and analysis Vulnerability analysis and identifying vulnerable groups

Study Coping mechanism within society

Identifying Gaps in coping Mechanism

Identifying resources and institutions

Action Plan for Disaster Preparedness

Sequential Steps for Community Based Disaster Preparedness Plan

Assigning responsibilities and establishing linkage with institutions


Disaster Profile: Kachchh Region

This chapter highlights the history, physical attributes and severity of natural disasters in Kachchh District (Gujarat State), India. The chapter also describes social, economic and physical vulnerability of community towards natural disasters. 5.1 Study Area Profile: Kachchh

District


34


India

Gujarat

Kachchh

5.1 STUDY AREA PROFILE: KACHCHH DISTRICT

Map 5.1: Kachchh District Source: Census of India, 2001

5.1.1 Kachchh: Land of multiple disasters: Kachchh district lies on the northern part of Gujarat State occupying about 45,652 square kilometers. It is surrounded by Gulf of Kachchh in the south and by desert and salt marshes on other three sides. The district of Kachchh has ten Blocks, Bhuj, Bhachau, Anjar, Gandhidham, Rapar, Mundra, Mandvi, Nakhatrana, Lakhpat, and Abdasa. These cover 884 villages and 10 towns. The towns are Bhuj, Madhapar, Anjar, Mundra, Mandvi, Gandhidham, Rapar, Abdasa, Bhachau, and Naliya. Bhuj being the administrative headquarter is an important trade centre and the largest urban centre.

Kachchh is a land of multiple disasters with major seismic belt extending 400 Kilometers east to west and 150 north to south. Forming a sensitive part of west continental margin of India, the district falls in the high tremor risk zone v where earthquakes of magnitude eight or more occur. Kachchh also faces major cyclones due to the Gulf of Kachchh and Arabian Sea on its west and south. Along with these two major disasters, Kachchh has been repeatedly facing creeping disaster of drought due to its hydro geology and low rainfall pattern. The district is classified as a severely drought prone area where rainfall deficiency is more than 50 per cent. ♣ All such multiple and compounded disasters make it a high disaster prone area.

5.1.2 Natural Disaster Profile- Kachchh Region:

A. Earthquakes: Kachchh has a history of earthquake strike at least one in 15 years. The earliest recorded earthquake to have occurred in close vicinity of Kachchh was in 893 A.D. A systematic and continuous record of earthquake occurrence is available from 1819 onwards. Since this time, of the 91 earthquakes, 56 occurred in the Rann of Kachchh while the remaining 35 were spread over the mainland. There were 25 earthquakes from 1819 to 1901 and 66 from 1901

♣ Source: DISASTERS IN INDIA-Studies of grim reality-Anu Kapur & Neeti, Meeta, Deepmita, Roshani, Debanjali. (Chapter: Kachchh: Land of multiple Disasters)



to 2001. There are no earthquakes from 1851 to 1860; eight were recorded in the period from 1981 to 1990 and seven in the 1990s.

Kachchh has generally experienced earthquakes ranging from 4 to 8 magnitudes on the Richter scale. Of the total 91 earthquakes 12 were of magnitude 5 to 8 and 79 were of low magnitude with less than 4 to 5. The latter form 87 per cent of the total occurrence. (Table 5.1)

Table 5.1: Magnitude and Frequency of Epicenters in Kachchh, 1819-2001 Magnitude (Richter scale) Numbers of Epicenters

Less than 4 14 4 to 5 65 5 to 6 05

More than 6 07 Total 91

Based on records of the Indian Meteorological Department, 2001.

The three most devastating earthquakes with an intensity of more than 6, before 2000 are Allah Bund earthquake of 1819, the Anjar earthquake of 1956 and Bhuj earthquake of 2001. In Peninsular India, which is a stable continental mass, the largest intraplate event that occurred was the great Kachchh earthquake of 1819 of magnitude 7.8 that caused heavy losses. The earthquake was felt over an area of 3 million square kilometres, killing nearly 1,500 people. The ground deformation was dramatic, affecting stream direction and causing marshy conditions and diverted the course of Indus river permanently from Kachchh. A six to

nine metre high scrap was formed with an east west trend for least 90 kilometres. The Anjar earthquake of 6.1 magnitude occurred at a distance of 7

kilometres south from the site of the

1819 earthquake.

The tremors of this

earthquake were felt over entire Saurashtra and other parts of Gujarat, causing considerable damage in Anjar and central Kachchh. The third and most destructive earthquake in the history of Kachchh occurred on 26th January 2001 at a distance of 80 kilometres from 1819 earthquake in the south-east direction. The earthquake is known as Bhuj earthquake despite the fact that its epicenter was in Bhachau.

Map 5.2 Epicenters of Earthquakes in Kachchh District.



A.1 Bhuj Earthquake 2001

The Bhuj earthquake on 26th January 2001, occurred with magnitude of 6.9 on Richter scale at depth of 25 kilometers from earth’s crust. The epicenter was Lodai village near Bhachau block. The depth of origin was shallow. The tremor of main shock lasted for 30 seconds. Some foreshocks were experience in the Saurashtra Peninsula located on the south of Kachchh district in Gujarat within time frame of 1 year before this devastating earthquake occurred. The main shock was followed by 638 aftershocks, for 65 days from 26 January to 31st March 2001. Out of these, 12 aftershocks had magnitudes ranging from 5 to 5.7 on the Richter scale.

The earthquake caused severe loss of life, injury and damage to the property and infrastructure in Gujarat. About 38 million people spread over the state of Gujarat and beyond were affected. Of the 25 districts in Gujarat, 21 sustained some level of damage. District like Rajkot, Jamnagar, Ahmedabad, Surendranagar, Patan and Banskantha were highly affected after Kachchh. Nearly one million homes were damaged leaving two million people rendered homeless in state.

Kachchh recorded 92 per cent of total deaths and 82 per cent of total injuries. Three hundred and forty three villages or 39 per cent out of its 884 villages were demolished to the ground. Extensive damage was also reported from other villages. From the total 10 town, five, namely Bhuj, Bachau, Anjar, Rapar, and Gandhidham were seriously affected. The impact, even though widespread, was not uniform over space (Table 5.2). Within the district of Kachchh,

Bhachau Block

recorded 39 per cent deaths, Bhuj and Anjar

together accounted

for another 53 per cent. All these Blocks were near the epicenter of

the earthquake.

The concentration of deaths was highest in and near

urban centres of Bhuj and Anjar . Deaths in villages were more widespread. Bhuj city recorded maximum deaths among the urban areas and Bhachau Block the maximum among the rural areas.


KachchhDeaths in Rural and Urban Area

Map 5.3 Deaths in Rural and Urban Areas in Kachchh District during Earthquake 2001 Source: Records of Kachchh Earthquake branch, District Development Office, 2001


Table 5.2 Spatial Variations in Deaths in Kachchh District (2001)

KachchhRegions of Damage

Blocks Deaths in rural areas

Per cent to total

Deaths in urban areas

Per cent to total

Bhachau 3321 70 1146 30 Anjar &

Gandhidham 1184 34 2288 66

Bhuj 728 24 2317 76 Rapar 567 85 99 15

Mundra 72 100 0 0 Mandvi 44 73 16 27

Nakhatrana 21 100 0 0 Abdasa 20 100 0 0 Lakhpat 02 100 0 0

Total 5959 49 6166 51

A.1.1 Spaciality of Damage

Map 5.4 Regions of Damage in Kachchh District during Earthquake 2001 Source: Based on Z score calculation on damage data collected from District Development Office, 2001

Bhuj, Bhachau and Anjar blocks were highly damaged. There was a difference among rural and urban damages.. The urban areas of Bhuj had recorded highest death, injuries and higher house collapse among other rural areas. An exception was Bhachau, which was severely affected irrespective of it being a small urban centre as well as epicenter of the earthquake. The reported house damage was more in rural areas as compared to the urban counterparts.



B. Cyclones: Kachchh has a long coastline of 352 kilometers. It thus faces high cyclone risk. These cyclonic storms are concentrating to the southwest monsoon months. The most destructive part of cyclones are storm surges. Ocean waters are pushed and dragged onto the coast by winds, generating waves up to five to 10 metres high, strong winds, heavy rains and floods. This is reflected in the 1998 cyclone that crossed the coast near Porbander with a wind speed of 170 to 250 kilometres per hour, and with a storm surge of five to eight metres. Out of total 884 villages in the district, 412 villages were affected, killing 19 and displacing 246,123 persons. The tents and hutment of thousands of salt workers, residing in the creeks surrounding Kandla port, were washed away due to these continued tidal storm surge.

C. Drought: Low annual rainfall with its seasonal concentration coupled with high velocity wind, extremes of temperature, and high rates of evapo-transpiration, enhances the vulnerability of the district to droughts. The Bhuj earthquake occurred at a time when the district of Kachchh was already reeling under the impact of drought and had experienced a devastating cyclone two years back. All this compounded the damage.

Table 5.3 Natural Disaster Vulnerability of Kachchh District (2001) Type of Natural Disaster Risk Zone Area under effect Type of Damage

vulnerability zone

Earthquake Zone V Whole of Kachchh Highly vulnerable Cyclone Risk Zone B Coastal blocks of Very High damage Drought Arid Area Whole of Kachchh Highly vulnerable Flood Zone Nil

Source: Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority

5.1.3 Dimensions of Vulnerability- Kachchh Region: Physical:

Due to its geographical location the district of Kachchh inherited geological, geomorphical, hydrological and climatic features, which endow it with a high degree of physical vulnerability. This area is classified as Zone V in the seismic map of India published by the Geological Survey of India in 1998. This is a high-risk zone where earthquakes of magnitude eight or more have occurred. The framework within which earthquakes take place thus becomes an important ingredient accounting for the vulnerability of the district.

Kachchh rift basin is a block surrounded by well-defined structural features. Five principal faults make district of Kachchh vulnerable to earthquakes: Nagar Parker fault, Island Belt fault, South Wagad fault, Kachchh Mainland fault and the North Kathiawar fault. Besides these, numerous minor tensional and shear faults of low magnitude occur in all the uplifted land, consisting of the Allah Bund fault. Katrol Hill fault, Banni fault and Vagodi fault. The island belt fault in the north consists of an east-west chain of four uplifts namely, Panchhani, Khadir, Bela and Chorar. Further north of the island belt is the Allah Bund fault and to its north is the Nagar Parkar fault, to the south of it is Nagar Parkar uplift (Map 5.6).



Earthquakes show a tendency to cluster near three main faults namely: Nagar Parkar fault, Island Belt fault and Allah Bund. The other cluster of earthquakes is in the central part of Kachchh mainland in east west direction towards Katrol Hill fault, Kachchh mainland fault and between these southwest trending Vigodi faults. These faults manifest active plate tectonics in the region. The proximity of this region to the triple junction formed by Indian, Eurasian and Arabian plates and the active plate boundaries influence its seismicity. These structural features endow the district of Kachchh with a geomorphic landscape that reflected active tectonism (Map 5.6).

Kachchh Epicenters in Geomorphic Zones

The two Ranns, one in the north of Kachchh and the other between Kachchh and Gujarat mainland are a saline wasteland. The Rann of Kachchh (Great Rann) has an area of about 16,000 square kilometres being 256 kilometres from west to east and 128 kilometres north to south. The little Rann is much smaller and does not exceed 6,000 square kilometres in area. Rising barely above sea level both the Ranns are separated from each other by the highland of Kachchh.

Map 5.5 Epicenters in Geomorphic zones in Kachchh district Source: Disasters in India, Studies of Grim Reality, Anu Kapur & others

Both the Ranns are dry during non-rainy season, while during monsoons they are not effectively drained resulting in water logging. Forty eight per cent area of the district comes under two Ranns but due to harsh conditions they are completely devoid of any population. The two Ranns cover 48 per cent of the area and are agriculturally unproductive. The population resides only within the remaining 52 per cent of the area of the district that includes the three geomorphic zones in Kachchh mainland, Banni plains and the coastal zone.

A spatial distribution of epicenters shows the spread of earthquakes over all three geomorphic zones except the coastal zone. The Ranns record 58 per cent, Kachchh mainland 38 per cent and Banni plains four per cent of the total earthquake epicentres. The fact that more than half of earthquakes occurred in the Rann could be considered a saviour



for the region, as it is the non-ecumene part of the district. But impact of earth quakes extends well beyond the location point of an epicentre. The close proximity of the geomorphic zones leads to damage in all zones. For instance the 1819 earthquake occurred in Great Rann but it killed 1,500 persons in the Kachchh mainland.

The Kachchh mainland is a geomorphic zone prone to the maximum number of earth quake followed by Banni plains and coastal plains. The mainland is overlain by large number of faults and is the most densely populated. Bhuj city and three villages surveyed are located in this zone.

Besides the control of land, even the drainage is also not favourable to the district. It has no perennial river, no glacial fed river. This leads to the scarcity of water. Few tributary streams and even fewer small streams find their way either to the Rann or to the Gulf of Kachchh. All the rivers here are of a short length. The Katrol range in the central area forms a watershed, with the rivers flowing northward and southward. All originate from the central highland and move towards the sea in the south and Little Rann in the south-east. The main south flowing streams are Kanakwati, Khari, Mithi, Rakamati, Bhukhi Sai, Nairai and Sakra. The north flowing streams are Bharaud, Kali, Khari, Ray and Kaswati. These originate from the northern flank of Katrol hill range and flow across Bhuj lowland and Northern hill range and debauch into shallow intervening depression on the southern flank of the Banni plains. These north flowing streams on crossing the Kachchh mainland fault give rise to conspicuous semi-Circular conical alluvial fans at the base of Kachchh uplift. Drainage in the district of Kachchh is fed mostly by monsoon torrents, retaining water only for few days after the rains and most of the rivers drying out during the summers. The seasonal nature of streams leads to adverse conditions for agriculture. No major irrigation scheme could be introduced to support agriculture. Some minor and medium irrigation schemes were of course, introduced. These include Rudramata Kanakwati, Kaswati, Mitti, Nara and Bhuki. The extensive damage to dams during the earthquake adversely affected agriculture and livelihood of people.

While the geological and structural foundations clearly place the district of Kachchh into the earthquake Risk Zone, added to this are the climatic problems such as droughts and cyclones that affect the district. Kachchh is an arid tract, with tropical monsoon climate. Overall, the district remains dry with scanty arid uncertain rainfall even during the south-west monsoon season. The mean annual rainfall is only 39 centimetres, distributed over 13 rainy days, practically all during June to September.

About 484 villages in Kachchh district were found as water scarce in year 2001 while the remaining 400 were noted for semi-scarcity. All the villages thus suffer from water shortage and frequent droughts.


Scarcity of water, harsh climatic conditions, inland drainage, all conspire to make the soils of Kachchh unproductive. Three types of soils dominate in the district namely: alluvium sandy, black soil and red soil. Alluvium sandy soil covers vast areas of Kachchh mainland and the Rann. The soil here is saline with sandy texture that is often shallow and unproductive. The alluvial soils of the Rann of Kachchh are saline and are grey to black in colour. Often silty, they have a laminar to blocky structure. Because of aridity and heat, the surface is badly cracked. These have developed under poor drainage conditions and an arid climate. In Kachchh, the soil becomes saline because of impeded drainage. Red soil occurs in patches all over the district. Harsh climatic conditions result in lowering the moisture retention capacity of soil, which makes the growth of vegetation difficult. This has resulted in sparse Vegetation Cover of the district. The natural vegetation cover in the Kachchh comprises of small trees or


open shrub. The hills of Kachchh are bare because of low rainfall. The reason is the persistence of anti cyclonic conditions in the upper atmosphere of the entire northwest Indian subcontinent which does not allow uplift and condensation of the monsoon. In the drier north, vegetation turn thorny and tend to assume xerophytic character, with some sites for cattle grazing. Occasionally these are bamboo plantations, but there are virtually no trees that can yield timber. The dry shrub makes way for poor grass and bush.

In Kachchh, almost 39 per cent is barren uncultivable wasteland, 35 per cent is cultivable wasteland and four per cent is cultivable fallow land. Net sown area is only 13 per cent of the districts total area. Irrigated area is only 14 per cent of the net sown area. Pastoral activities are important but rain failure leads to scarcity of fodder.

Kachchh is thus one of the seismically and tectonically active areas outside the Himalayan mountain belt. Along, with unstable land and active tectonism leading to frequent earthquakes. The district also falls in high cyclone risk. Climatologically, it is prone to severe droughts leading to difficult conditions for living and sustenance. In a physical setting that poses hindrances, the low socio-economic backdrop of the territory makes it more susceptible to create disasters.

Socio-Economic Vulnerability:

Besides geological and physiographical factors, the socio-economic conditions also play a major role in the increased vulnerability of community in this region. However there are spatial variations in socio- economic vulnerability in this region. Such variations were recorded by the district of Kachchh in general and rural and urban areas in particular. Kachchh district has a low development confirmed by the four indicators of urban population: Literacy level, female literacy rate, and percentage of industrial workers. The district is below the national and state average in all of these four variables (Table 5.4).

Table 5.4: Four Indicators of Development: Kachchh District, Gujarat and India 1999

Indicators of development Kachchh Gujarat India

Urban Population (% to total) 31 35 26

Literacy Level (in %) 53 61 52

Female Literacy Rate (in %) 40 48 52

Industrial workers (in %) 10 15 10

Based on Census of India 1991

The table indicates low literacy, specifically female literacy, and low percentage of industrial workers as compared to Gujarat State and India. In whole, the district of Kachchh emerges distinctly as an under-developed region. The typical geographical conditions, its remote positioning and physical characteristic let as a serious constraint in the development on one hand and enhance the vulnerability on the other.


Besides overall parameters a specific feature on which the socio-economic vulnerability in an earthquake prone area can be assessed is the quality of housing conditions. A large number of houses in the region were either completely or partially damaged during the Bhuj earthquake. Housing could therefore be the main parameter defining vulnerability. In fact it is the collapse of houses that lead to high casualties and a very high percentage of injured population getting trapped under the debris.


In 1991, the district of Kachchh had 2.5 million houses. Of these 69 per cent were in rural areas and 31 per cent were in urban areas. The average size of a house in rural area was 200-250 square feet while that in an urban area was 150-400 square feet (Building Material Technology Promotion Council, 2001). The rural houses were mostly single storied, with country tile roof and stone/mud walls. Those in urban areas were two to three storied high with country tile roof or asbestos cement sheet roof or reinforced concrete cement roof with walls made of stone or cement concrete blocks or red bricks in few cases.

The fact of the matter is that the building structures were non-resistant with poor quality construction material and flawed designs coupled with poor maintenance led to massive house collapses during the earthquake 2001. The field survey confirmed that houses were reduced to rubble because of their inability to resist the earthquake-generated tremors. Houses made by superior construction material with reinforcements and proper designs faired well even without proper seismic safety codes. Inspite of frequent earthquake in the district of Kachchh no improvement has occurred to strengthen house types taking into account appropriate building codes till year 2001. The survey reveals that majority respondent were weavers, potters, agricultural labourers with limited and un-assured income. This low income not only deprived people of basic necessities but also forced them to select inferior quality of construction material.

Overall the houses in the district of Kachchh reflect poverty related to income, a fact highlighted by the living conditions, structure and construction material used in the houses. In 1993-94, almost 26 per cent of the households in the district of Kachchh lived below the poverty line. The low level of income not only deprives the people of their basic necessities but is also a reason for their selecting inferior quality of construction material. The economy of the district is primarily agricultural. Twenty six per cent of the people are cultivators and 25 per cent agricultural labourers. These together constitute 51 per cent of the main workers, against the state average of 57 per cent. Industrial development in the district is as low as only 10 per cent of the workers are industrial as compared with 15 per cent in the state. In rural areas 77 per cent of the workers were engaged in agriculture and Iivestock sector, while in urban areas 45 per cent of the workers were in trade and service sector with another 18 per cent in manufacturing and repair. Only 16 per cent of the rural population and 40 per cent of urban population on were employed in government services, and therefore were assumed to be financially secure.

Problems like salinity and aridity have resulted in low level of returns in agriculture. The district had been severely affected by droughts of 1998 and 2001. Moreover, 40 per cent in rural areas and 24 per cent in urban areas worked as labourers, such as weavers, black smiths, potters, masons, carpenters, tailors and drivers. This reflects a lower level of income and limited employment opportunities. Most of the population is engaged in the unorganized sector.

One of the major vulnerability of the community in this region is that youth, specifically from rural areas have migrated to major towns in the district or in the state for employment generation. This has resulted in physical as well as social vulnerability of the aged people in the region.


Case Study


44

The first part of this chapter highlights village level profile with focus on natural disasters (3 villages identified as sample). 6.1 Details of Study Villages 6.2 Disaster Risk Identification 6.3 Disaster Vulnerability Analysis 6.4 Identifying Coping Mechanisms,

Gaps and Probable Actions

Case Study

6.1 DETAILS OF STUDY VILLAGES


Bhachau Taluka

Kachchh District

India

Gujarat

Kachchh

For research purpose, three villages with different socio economic and geographic conditions were selected in consultation with Unnati.♣ NGO working in these villages for disaster preparedness. All these villages are located in Bhachau block of Kachchh District. Adjacent maps show the location of villages. First hand information was collected by using participatory tools, group discussions and interactions with the villagers, local key respondents, PRI members, block level officers and NGO staff. Secondary data from reports, records and documents also helped in comprehending the study. Team comprised of social scientist, social worker, engineer, local youth and NGO staff. Most of the data given here are the outcome of PRA exercises and records available at village level. ♣ Unnati is an Ahmedabad based NGO working for development education. Organization works at National level.

BHACHAU

Map 6.1 Bhachau Block indicating Study Village

Case Study

6.1.1 VILLAGE PROFILE: AMARDI VILLAGE

A. Physical Profile

A1. Location Amardi village is located 12 Km North to Bhachau on Bhuj-Bhachau highway in Kachchh district. Village touches state highway and has good connectivity to major destinations like Bhuj and Bhachau

A2 Geographical Area Amardi is spread across 1036 hectares. The village has been primarily divided into 3 parts: the core village, agricultural fields adjacent to highway and the new plots developed after the earthquake 2001.

A3 Land and Soil Type About 810 hectares are used to agricultural purpose, out of which 629 hectares is irrigated and remaining non-irrigated. The agricultural land is divided in two patterns in village. The eastern side of village is called ‘Dhrago’, which has good quality ground water but does not have fertile land. Western side is called ‘Kantho’ which is rich in fertility but has brackish groundwater-unsuitable for agriculture. Most of the bore wells are in Dhrago. There is a waste land of about 155 hectares located near Kantho.

A4 Climate Summers are dry and hot with maximum temperature reaching to a high of 48 degree Celsius. In winters the mercury goes down to a chilling 3 degree Celsius as minimum temperature. Rainfall is scanty and erratic. Average annual rainfall is about 286mm with only 13 rainy days in a year.

A5 Accessibility of village Amardi is adjacent to Bhuj-Bhachau state highway. Hence it is accessible with state transport and private services directly to the village.

A6 Demographic Profile The total village population of 1150 persons is formed by 620 females and 530 men. (as per the census 2001) The village comprises of 285 families of diverse social pattern. Of total 285 families, 20 fall under the BPL category. About 150 Adivasis, who came in search of livelihood post earthquake, have also become a part of Amardi village.

A7 Socio Economic Profile

The main castes among the villagers of Amardi are Patel, Sathwara, Muslim, Ahir , Koli, Vankar, Rabari Major occupation of the people in Amardi is agriculture and general labour work. Most of the agriculture is rain-fed. Some people are also engaged in small trades, government jobs and animal husbandry.

Agriculture is dominated by Patels and Sathwaras and some of the Harijans. They own agriculture land and normally carry out work through crop sharing method. Local people are hired on a percentage basis of the production. With the advent of Adivasis (Tribals) from Panchmahal, there has been a decrease in employment opportunities for local people, specifically in percentage based agriculture. Most of the local people have now resorted to other livelihood options like working as daily waged labours in near by factories, construction etc. Some have resorted to migration for better livelihoods.

46 Risk Reduction Through Community Based Disaster Management Plans

Case Study

Muslims are engaged in motor driving, repairing and labour work. Others are engaged in general labour work in construction, and factories near by.

A8 Literacy Literacy level in the village is about 42%.

A9 Infrastructure Profile Infrastructure type Type of facility available

Drinking water source House tap connection from local ground water source Electricity Yes. Gram Jyoti village. Electricity supply available for 12 hr/day Approach Road Metal Internal Roads Kutcha /Mud Telephone Gram telephone, connectivity with mobile Post office In village Street lighting Yes Transportation S.T. and private vehicles School Primary Health facility Dispensary (CHC) Anganwadi Yes (One) PDS shop Food available throughout the year

A10 Natural Resource Water Body : There are two ponds for domestic and cattle feed purpose managed by Panchayat. These ponds retain water all year round and are often desilted in Governments drought relief work. There are three stand posts managed by water committee, which are used occasionally.

B Administration Amardi is administered by Amardi Gram Panchayat with 8 members is headed by Female Sarpanch. Panchayat comprises of 60% females

C Institutions linked There are couple of youth clubs (Ashapura Mandal & Navratri Mandal) in the village which takes initiatives in organizing functions and festivities in the village. They also help financially and morally to disabled and poor at some time. Some well off families of Kolis and Harijan outside the village come to occasional help to the families of same caste in the village. Patels and Sathwaras have their caste mandals for their support. Many of these group work for breaking evil customs prevalent in their caste and promote Samuh Lagn and girl education. There also exists support from Voluntary Organizations/ NGO’s in normal and disaster times. Setu, Bhachau has supported the village in establishing the village database in terms of physical and demographic characteristics of village. Unnati, Organization for Development Education based at Bhachau supports the village in developmental education. The organization has also supported in linkages of disabled for physical and financial support. Organization has also undertaken temporary house support Post Earthquake.


Case Study

D Disaster Profile

Year Disaster Impact Possible risks 1819 Earthquake Huge loss of

property and life Possibility of EQ greater than magnitude of 6 = 1: 50 Years

1956 Earthquake Huge loss of property and life

Possibility of EQ greater than magnitude of 6 = 1: 50 Years

1998 Cyclone Damage to property Cyclone with similar or high intensity: 1: 15 years

2004,2002,2001,2000,1997,1996,1995 (in last 10 years)

Recurring Drought

Crop failure, loss of livestock, scarcity of water

Recurring. 1:3 years

2001 Earthquake Huge loss of property and life

Possibility of EQ greater than magnitude of 6 = 1: 50 Years

Amardi village comes under Zone V of seismic disturbances in India. This puts the region in high risk factor for earthquakes. Last 50 years has seen two major earthquakes in the region resulting in great loss of life and property. Still the possibility of an earthquake of similar magnitude cannot be ruled out in 50-100 years of time. This region is also prone to cyclonic winds from the West coast. A cyclone in 1998 had damaged houses and properties of the village to large extent. Drought seems to be a regular feature in this region. Thus micro-planning for disaster preparedness and implementation of plan in stipulated time with specific objectives will be necessary. Although in a crisis situation, village as a whole comes under severe threat to loss of life and property, but falia-wise disaster planning and specific designed response can be crucial to save valuable lives at initial phase of disaster and ensure equity in relief phase.

The village is prone to cyclone, earthquake and drought. Village Resource Map: Attached as per Annexure 1


Case Study

6.1.2 VILLAGE PROFILE: MORGAR VILLAGE

A. Village History The village is 350 years old. It is believed that after a conflicts between Meghjibhai Patel, a highly reputed landholders of the Dhudhai village, and other landholders of the village, he decided to move out of Dhudhai village and settled in Morgar, where he owned land. Many families belonging to Patel, Ahir, Bawajii and Dalits community in favour of Meghjibhai also settled with him. This led to formation of Morgar Village. Village Desalpar which is also a part of this village administration is about 6 kms from this main village. This is a small settlement, which is now completely reconstructed after earthquake 2001 B. Physical Profile

B1. Location The village Morgar is located 21 kms to the west of the Bhachau Taluka, of Kachchh district in Gujarat State. It is located on the Bhachau – Bhuj state highway. The village boundaries form: North Agriculture land and desert area. East Pond near the village, stream, and agriculture land South The Arabian sea (distance is 25 – 30 kms by air) West Village, agriculture land and desert area

B2 Geographical Area The village is settled near the old river and the approach road is very close to the village. The total area of the village is 2683.10 hectare, which include residential area, agriculture land, wasteland, grazing land, forest, and water bodies.

B3 Land and Soil Type The land and the property of the village is under the control of the revenue department. The total area of the village is 6630 hectare. 74% of the total land is fertile and is used for cultivation. Rest of the land is pastureland, wasteland and non-cultivable land.

Type of land and Land use Percentage Irrigated land 74% Waste land 11% Pasture land 3% Land not cultivated 3% Non cultivable land 9%

B4 Climate Summers are dry and hot with maximum temperature reaching to a high of 48 degree Celsius. In winters the mercury goes down to a chilling 3 degree Celsius as minimum temperature. Rainfall is scanty and erratic. Average annual rainfall is about 286mm with only 13 rainy days in a year.

B5 Accessibility of village Morgar village is accessible from Bhuj-Bhachau state highway. It is located about 3 kms from the state highway. There are paved roads for accessibility to the village from state highway. Approach to Desalpar is a Kachchha (unformed) road from Moragar. There are agricultural field beyond Desalpar.


Case Study

B6 Demographic Profile

Adult (16 yrs-50 yrs.)

Old (above 50yrs)

Children (below 16yrs)

Disabled

Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female

Total

344 267 49 63 258 239 11 5 1236

Total population of livestock Live stock Goats and sheep Cow, bull and buffalo Total Number 3204 192 3396

Total number of houses and type of houses Tiles

houses Fibre R/f Domes

Total

17 36 53

Morgar Village Tiled Slab

houses Bhunga/ Thatched/huts

Total

270 166 21 457

B7 Socio Economic Profile The major community of the village form Harijan, Patel, Ahir, Rabari, Suthar, and Rajput. Agriculture is a major source of livelihood of the village. Agriculture, agriculture labour and cattle rearing are some of the main occupation. Some of families are self employed and engaged in Block printing. The Rabari community is mainly involved in animal rearing. Agriculture - There are only total 63 people who are engaged in cultivation. Most of them belong to Patel community. The main crops that are cultivated is wheat, mustard, cotton, jawar and til.

Labour- There are 34 people who depend on agriculture and daily labour for their livelihood. The belong to the koli, rabari, muslim and dalit community. Casual labourers are engaged in mason work and loading and unloading goods. Self-employed: There are 34 families who are engaged in block printing. They are Harijan and Muslim families. Some families run small shops, flourmill, government fair price shop and in transport service. They drive chakdaa which is the mode of transport apart for the State transport bus.

B8 Literacy Education level is medium in this village. Literacy level about 42% in the village.

B9 Infrastructure Profile Infrastructure Morgar Desalpar

Water Individual tapped water connection through water supplied by GWSSB. Village pond and well for other domestic purpose

2 stand post provided by GWSSB. One well and pond ( water available for 6-8 months).

Transport State transport buses are accessible to the villagers of Morgar. There are 4 motor vehicle and 6 jeeps available and run by the private

Dsalpar is accessible by state transport through Morgar only. 2 private jeeps are used by community to travel to Desalpar in emergency. In normal times people travel by cycles or walking.


Case Study

Health No health facility in village. Nearest CHC at Bhachau 21 kms away and PHC at Amardi adjacent to this village. 1 health worker and 1 birth attendant/midwife visit village twice a week.

No health facility in village. Nearest CHC at Bhachau 27 kms away and PHC at Amardi adjacent to this village.

Communication Private telephones available in many houses. However, no public booth available. Private radios and televisions available in most of the houses

Private telephone and television available in two houses only. No public booth available.

Market 3 small shops, 1 government fair price shop and 1 flourmill in the Morgar village.

Desalpar have their access from Morgar.

Education 1 Primary School and Anganwadi. For further study they go to Bhuj or Bhchau or Anjar.

1 primary school. Further study in Bhuj, Bhachau or Anjar.

Solid Waste Management

No proper system for collection and storage at household/street level. Dumped near house and in waste lands near by village.

Public Security Police Station at Bhachau, Fire Station at Gandhidham about 44 kms and recently built in Bhachau -15 kms away.

Electricity GEB power supply available to all houses. Bhachau is the main centre for repairs and complaints

Community Hall 1 community hall is constructed by local NGO

1 community hall is constructed by local NGO

B10 Natural Resource Water Body: A river is located in the eastern side of the village and it is used for irrigation and domestic purpose. A pond and a open well is also another source of domestic water. In Desalpar, a lake with huge catchment is located adjacent to the locality. However, it needs to be rejuvenated on periphery for good water storage.

Pasture and waste land : The Babool tree is one of the common species grown in non cultivated land. The pastureland is used for the grazing cattle. Most part of the wasteland is rocky and it is not used for any purpose.

C Administration Morgar and Desalpar have been constituted in Morgar Village Panchayat (local administrative body).

D Institutions linked CARITAS India, supported housing reconstruction (36 fibre R/f Plastic domes) after earthquake 2001 Unnati Organisation for Development Education, Bhachau for savings group and livelihood generation activitites Aparajita for savings groups and community structure reconstruction like community hall. SETU for demographic documentation.


Case Study

E Disaster Profile

The village is prone to cyclone, earthquake and drought.

Cyclone The Arabian Sea is on the southwestern side of the village and this increases the possibility of the village being hit by cyclone. The cyclone occurred in the year 1998 in which destruction took place in the eastern side of the village. The kuchha, semi-pucca and the tiled roof houses were destroyed. Only the slab houses were not affected by the cyclone and the community took shelter in these houses at the time of cyclone. The trees fell down and the crops in the field were destroyed. The loss of human life was less as compared to the recent earthquake but people got injured. The community also experienced the loss of livestock. The livestock that were left loose during cyclone were lost.

Earthquake An earthquake occurred in the year 1956 in which Sukhpar village, 7 k.m away from the Morgar was completely destroyed. In this village the impact was comparatively less and only Kachchha houses were destroyed. But in the recent earthquake of 2001, the village experienced severe loss of houses and infrastructure and 37 people died.

Drought From last eighteen years the rainfall has been below normal. Due to low rainfall despite the fact that many families own land they are not able to cultivate any crop. The salinity of the land is also increasing that lead to increase in the percentage of non- cultivable land. The community is shifting to livestock related activities and daily labour. Migration is also on the increase. Based on the experience of the people the pattern of rainfall is as follow:

Heavy rainfall occurs once in ten years. Medium rainfall occurs once in three to five years. In the remaining years rainfall is very low causing drought in the area.


Case Study

6.1.3 VILLAGE PROFILE: NANI CHIRAI VILLAGE

A. Village History

Nani Chirai underwent drastic social change after the earthquake in 2001. Before 2001, the main castes population in the village was residing in an cohesive and integrated manner. Upper castes like Patel, Jadejas, Ahirs were well off, while one third of the population, i.e Muslims were mainly engaged in fishing occupation. Few among them were big traders while most of them are subsistence fishermen. More than six months a year, they reside in a settlement near Kandla port on sea face for fishing. These settlements have temporary hutments with no facilities of basic infrastructure like road, water supply, sanitation, electricity or communication. These settlements also do not have any legal sanctions and are vulnerable to cyclone and other disasters. After the earthquake, village was divided into three major societies surrounding the original village. Muslims chose to remain the original village, while Rabaris formed a new settlement called Gokulgam; and Jadejas and Ahir formed another settlement called Jashodadham. Some of the families from Moti Chirai also settled here.

Harijans and Kolis, the lowest ebb of the society, worked as labourers in the farms of high caste people. Displacement of well off population also leads to displacement of these labourers. The Rabaris gave them small plots in their new settlement at nominal cost to retain the labours.

There are about 300 Muslim families residing in the village. Out of these, about 150 families are engaged in fishing. They live in temporary settlements at Kandla just facing the sea. These settlements do not have any infrastructure like water supply, sanitation, road, power or permanent shelters. Most of the families have small engine boats and they live in settlement for almost 11 months a year. This community is vulnerable to cyclones and tidal waves.

For this study, the original village, where there are 100 Muslim families residing at present, was selected.

B. Physical Profile

B1. Location Nani Chirai is located 15 kms from Bhachau National Highway 8. It falls under Bhachau block of Kachchh district. The village is covered with land area on its east, west and north, while to the south is located Gulf of Kachchh.

B2 Geographical Area The total area of the village is 2322 acres.

B3 Land and Soil Type The village is a costal village and most of its soil is silty and sandy murram. Agriculture largely depends on rainfall.

B4 Climate Summers are dry and hot with maximum temperature reaching to a high of 46 degree Celsius. In winters the mercury goes down to a 7 degree Celsius as minimum temperature. Rainfall is scanty and erratic. Average annual rainfall is about 286mm with only 13 rainy days in a year.


Case Study

B5 Accessibility of village Nani Chirai is accessible from Bhachau National Highway 8.

B6 Demographic Profile Male Female Total Children Old /Aged 2820 1988 4808 380 464

Total population of livestock Live stock Goats and sheep, hen Cow, bull and buffalo Camel Total Number 154 439 1 594

Total number of houses and type of houses

Tiled Slab

houses Total

15 85 100 B6 Socio Economic Profile Muslim is the only community residing in the original village. Most of them are casual labours. Around 150 men are engaged in fishing work and they stay in settlements in Kandla Port for most of the year.

B7 Literacy Education level is as low as 50% in the village.

B8 Infrastructure Profile Infrastructure Nani Chirai Water Piped water supply by GWSSB with house hold tap connections. Recently

Narmada pipeline has augmented the supply. There are two stand post one open well and a pond in the village.

Transport State transport buses are accessible to the villagers. Health There is no health facility in the village. Nearest CHC at Bhachau 15 kms

away. There are no para-meds and trained birth attendants in the village. Communication Private telephones available in about 25 houses. However, no public

booth available. Private radios and televisions available in most of the houses

Market 1 government fair price shop and a kerosene shop. Education 1 Primary School and Anganwadi. For further study they go to Bhuj or

Bhachau or Anjar. Anganwadi not operational. Solid Waste Management

No system of solid waste management. The debris after the earthquake is still a major nuisance for the villagers, even after five years of earthquake.

Public Security Nearest Police Station is at Bhachau- 15 Km Electricity Electricity is provided in the village by GEB. Community Hall

1 community hall is constructed by Unnati NGO and other is constructed by another NGO.

B9 Natural Resource Water Body : One village pond, which is largely unused. Pasture and waste land : there are no pasture lands and most of the waste land is occupied by rapid industrialization.


Case Study

C Administration Nani Chirai has its independent Panchayat Body and includes Jashodadham and Gokulgam settlements.. Mr. Adamiyaji Sheikh, resident of original Nani Chirai is the Sarpanch

D Institutions linked A number of NGOs helped in initial rescue and relief operations in the village. Two major NGOs involved in reconstruction of houses in new settlement site- Jashodanagar and Gokuldham were KRIBHCO1 and VRTI2. However, there are no CBOs and youth clubs in the village. Lately, Action Aid project called ‘ Sneh Samuday’ has started SHG activities in the village with women and youth members.

E Disaster Profile The village is largely prone to cyclone, earthquake and drought. There was one incidence of flooding in 1979.

Cyclone The Arabian Sea is on the south side of the village and this increases the possibility of the village being hit by cyclone. The cyclone of year 1998 in affected badly in the village. The kuchha, semi-pucca and the tiled roof houses were destroyed. Only the slab houses were not affected by the cyclone and the community took shelter in these houses at the time of cyclone. The trees fell down and the crops in the field were destroyed.

Earthquake Major earthquake occurred in the years 1956 and 2001. In year 2001, the village experienced severe loss of life, assets including houses and infrastructure. There were 60 casualties in the village in earthquake.

Flood The village is located near the coastline and is thus prone to floods. Major flood occurred in 1979 , which destroyed agriculture and livestock to a great extent.

Drought The salinity of the land is increasing and that lead to increase in non- cultivable land.

For village map see Annexure 1

Inference of discussion and village map Main problem of the village is nuisance of debris spread all over the village. Tonnes of

debris lie in the village causing major problems of insects and snakes breeding beneath the debris, stagnant water as breeding ground for mosquitoes. Children playing in debris are often bitten by harmful insects and worms. Pigs and dogs find their place for breeding and often bite the children playing near by.

Disposal of household drains is done in the rivulet near the village. No health facilities available in the village. People were not aware about the ANM visit

the village. They had no health cards for pregnant and lactating women and infants. Anganwadi is not functional in the village. No representation and awareness about Gram sabha. Sarpanch not sensitive of development needs Panchayat do not disseminate any information on development schemes.

1 KRIBHCO: Krishak Bharti Cooperative, working for promoting technologies and research for agriculture


2 VRTI: Vivekanand Research and Training Institute, Mandvi, Kachchh- a prime research and training institute 55

Case Study

6.2 DISASTER RISK IDENTIFICATION

When a disaster strikes, it affects the weakest section of society or services. The gaps in the system are the most vulnerable points for penetration of ill effects in a crisis situation. Hence it becomes all very important to first identify the gaps ad weakness of the system and structure and then to devise mechanism to overcome the weakness. Given the status of services, infrastructure and socio economic condition, the potential threats and risks are identified for the three villages. Disaster risk and threats for the three villages are more or less same except Nani Chirai due to similar geographical location, livelihood pattern and climate. Research tries to identify risks and assess vulnerability through people’s perception. PRA tools like Time line, social and resource mapping, social and economic matrix, transect, group discussion etc were used to capture people’s perception and wisdom on disaster preparedness. Major outcomes of these exercises done in all the three villages are explained here.

6.2.1 Disaster Time Line

Table 6.1 Time line of disasters in three villages Year Disaster Impact

Amardi Morgar-Desalpar

Nani Chirai

1819 Earthquake Huge loss of property and life 1956 Earthquake Huge loss of property and life 1979 Flood Nil Nil Heavy loss to livestock

and agriculture. 1998 Cyclone Damage to property 2004,2002,2001,2000,1997,1996,1995 (in last 10 years)

Recurring Drought

Crop failure, loss of livestock, scarcity of water

2001 Earthquake Huge loss of property and life. Worst earthquake after 1819.

Minor and medium scale earthquakes and the aftershock are still occurring in the Bhachau block

6.2.2 Disaster Risk Zoning

Table 6.2 Disaster Risk zoning of sample villages Disaster

Type Village Disaster Risk Zone Probability of risk

Earthquake Amardi, Moragar, Nani Chirai

Zone V ( as per hazard vulnerability map of Gujarat, Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority)

6 to 8 intensity on Ritcher Scale

Possibility of Earthquake with magnitude greater than 6, 1: 50 years. Villages close to Katrol hill fault. Active Vagad and Banni faults are also near by, which increases probability of small and medium quakes every year. Currently Vagad fault is very active and small


Case Study

quakes are experienced every month

Wind & Cyclone

Amardi, Moragar, Nani Chirai

Very high damage zone

Wind speed 50 m/s or more

1:15 years

Flood Nani Chirai Very High damage zone

1:20 years

Amardi, Morgar

Medium –high damage zone

1: 50 years

Drought Amardi, Moragar, Nani Chirai

Very high 1: 3 years

6.2.3 Potential Risk Factors Natural hazards put various elements to risk, which creates disaster. Following table indicates degree of risk to various elements with 6 probable natural disasters. This chart basically indicates the extent of vulnerability/damage while natural hazard occurs.

Table 6.3 Potential Risk factors of sample villages against various natural hazards. RISK Factor Drought Earthqua

ke Cyclone Epidemic Flood Fire

Life threat Med High High High Med High Shelters & property loss

Nil High High Nil High High

Infrastructure and services Disruption

Nil High High Nil High Low

Agriculture crop loss

High Low High Nil High High

Social security risk/ exclusion

High Med Med High Med Med

Debt trap High High High Med High High Stress Migration High Med Low High High Low Education loss High High High High High Low Water scarcity High Med High Med High Low Health hazard and Mal-nutrition

High Med Med High High Low

Stress selling High Med Med Med Med Med Livestock loss and health hazard

High Med High High High Low

Livelihood disturbed

High High High High High High


Case Study

6.3 DISASTER VULNERABLITY ANALYSIS

Vulnerability against disaster can be analyzed based on social, economic and physical capacities of community and their resources to resist against hazard. Following chart indicates vulnerabilities against natural hazard for sample villages.

Table 6.4 Vulnerability Analysis of sample villages Type of Hazard/ Problem

Type of vulnerability

Village

Amardi Morgar- Desalpar Nani ChiraiPhysical (Infrastructure and Shelter)

Semi – permanent houses of Kolis are specifically vulnerable to collapse during earthquake.

Semi – permanent houses of Kolis are specifically vulnerable in earthquake and cyclone. Complete absence of health facility

15 houses with tiled roof are vulnerable to cyclone. The community center with tiled roof was also damaged in low intensity wind whirls.

Economic (livelihood andincome)

Heavy loss in agriculture due to recurring droughts

Heavy loss in agriculture due to recurring droughts

About 150 families from the village live in settlements in Kandla. They are subsistence fisher-folks and range of issues like debt trap, poverty, education and health issues.

Social (Exclusion and customs)

Kolis are the most marginalized community and lowest ebb of the society. In migration of labours from other states and drought adds to their grief of unemployment. Kolis also do not have access to basic health facilities.

Kolis are the most marginalized community and lowest ebb of the society. In migration of labours from other states and drought adds to their grief of unemployment. Kolis also do not have access to basic health facilities.

Being a Minority caste, they are often sidelined in the development process. They have limited representation in local governance. Also as they are involved in fishing, which is considered a occupation of sin in this area which is dominated by upper caste Hindus and strictly vegetarian.

Earthquake, Cyclone, Drought

Environmental Ground water table constantly depleting because of over exploitation. Polluting industries have been set up on the village land.

Salinity ingress in the land and vicinity to desert affects badly on agriculture. Polluting industries have been set up on the village land.

Degradation of Mangroves on sea shore, polluting industrial units in the village, effluent and waste dumped into the sea- great threat to ecology, flora and fauna in the region.


Case Study

6.4 IDENTIFYING COPING MECHANISMS, GAPS AND PROBABLE ACTIONS

It is essential to understand the local coping mechanisms of the people to understand the capacity of society to withstand and respond to a disaster situation. The study tries to get a broad picture of issues in normal time and how it gets aggravated in crisis situation, the support institutions available to the society, coping mechanism of community, gaps in coping mechanism and proposed actions to fill in the gaps.

Table 6.5 Framework for Disaster Preparedness- Bhachau Block Issues

Aspects of Well being Normal time Stress situation Coping

Mechanism Support

Institutions Gaps Actions

A. Physical

1 Land (Agriculture; Housing)

Lack of awareness on

new techniques / Productivity loss Crop failure

Drip irrigation, water

harvesting structures

GAU, Private Companies

Lack of Transfer of technology, lack of

awareness Watershed, training Seed bank,

Agriculture insurance

2 Shelter

Lack of awareness on

safe construction practices

Damage/collapse of house No -

Training/ awareness on EQ & Cyclone resistant construction

3 Water (Irrigation, Domestic) No/less irrigation Scarcity

Tankered water

GWSSB, Panchayat

Lack of awareness, water resources

Infrastructure, Revival of traditional sources

4 Food (General, PDS) Quality/ quantity Social exclusion NGOs/communi

ty group Navratri youth

mandal Corruption, monitoring

Monitor through Panchayat/ CBO

5 Fodder Scarcity Distress sell/

livestock deaths Distress sell

Panjrapol (Cattle feed

center) Livestock insurance Fodder bank, livestock

insurance 6 Fuel - scarcity -

7 LivestockLack of fodder &

vet services Fodder, water,

vet service - Often Vets are far

off and costly Para Vets, fodder bank, cattle troughs

8 Road Kutcha road Non Accessible State Gov Local rep

9 Electricity Load shed No electricity Traditional

tools GEB Local rep 10 Sanitation Poor Non existent Temporary TSC


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Issues Aspects of Well being Normal time Stress situation

Coping Mechanism

Support Institutions Gaps Actions

arrangements 11 Water drainage Poor Filthy Model

12 Education/school Drop outs High Drop out Informal

education State NGO interventions Incentives and policy changes

13 Community center Non functional Non existent Common places

14 Medical

Lack of medicines and

injections, people pay for medicines

Lack of staff, operating units, treatment facility

too far

Transport to nearest

PHC/Hosp CHC, PHC,

VHAI

Timely, regular supplies of basic

and critical medicines, regular

doctor visit, contingency plan

Networking with nearest hosp for rapid transit in emergencies

15 Panchayat OfficeAbsentees, non

responsive

Lack of knowledge to coordinate Outside help Panchayat

Training, Awareness PRI trainings

B. Economic

1 Livelihood Unemployment Debts, stress

selling Borrowing,

stress selling Lenders, Insurance, credits Occupational insurance, easy

credit banks

2 Savings Credits, bank, SHG Non functional Non existent Awareness, SHG

3 InsuranceLack of

awareness Non functional

No agency to cover comprehensive

risks Agri/ Livestock C. Social

1 Caste Hierarchy Civil exclusion Riot Highhanded admin police

Civil Society, Leaders,

NGOs, Police Reform drive Social reform agents,

Education, Peace Committees 2 Political affiliation Civil partisan Disturbance Compromise Awareness Educating political persons

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Issues Aspects of Well being Normal time Stress situation

Coping Mechanism

Support Institutions Gaps Actions

3 Migration

Security and safety of land and

property

Distress sell of land and property

Old people stay back

Augmenting livelihood activities

4 Gender relationship Domestic violence

on women Suicides - NGOs Reform, education Education and reforms D. Environmental

1 Water resource Over exploited

and filthy Water Scarcity Buying water

externally Panchayat,

WASMO Reforms in water

sector, laws Awareness generation

2 Solid waste disposal Filthy conditions Epidemic - Panchayat Awareness, priority Technical assistance, networking of villages

3 Waste water disposal Filthy conditions Epidemic - Panchayat Awareness, priority Technical assistance,

Awareness

It could be noted from above chart 1. The problem at normal time surely gets aggravated and serious in times of disaster. This is more often true for marginal communities and poor families, which

don’t have institutional support and inherent capacity to cope with crisis. 2. The study also indicates that there are intuitions like Agriculture University, insurance companies, available near by the village, which can be of great help in

strengthening the preparedness aspect, but the comprehensive design and planning is lacking. 3. Main gaps found in coping with disasters are attributed to either lack of awareness or malfunction of established system, mainly government services. 4. There is a great need to revive and reform health and education sectors in the rural areas of Kachchh. 5. One of the most prominent inferences from this study can be that- disaster preparedness cannot be effective without overall development of the region.

Social, economic, physical and environment well being of a society has to be improved simultaneously. 6. The problem at normal time surely gets aggravated and serious in times of disaster. This is more often true for marginal communities and poor families, which

don’t have institutional support and inherent capacity to cope with crisis. 7. The study also indicates that there are intuitions like Agriculture University, insurance companies, available near by the village, which can be of great help in

strengthening the preparedness aspect, but the comprehensive design and planning is lacking. 8. Main gaps found in coping with disasters are attributed to either lack of awareness or malfunction of established system, mainly government services. 9. There is a great need to revive and reform health and education sectors in the rural areas of Kachchh. 10. One of the most prominent inferences from this study can be that- disaster preparedness cannot be effective without overall development of the region.

Social, economic, physical and environment well being of a society has to be improved simultaneously.

Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation Strategies


This chapter is a summary of Disaster Preparedness Plan for Sample Villages. The plan has been displayed in following Context: 7.1 Current Status of Disaster

Preparedness

7.2 Proposed Mitigation and Preparedness Strategy

66


7.1 CURRENT STATUS OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

Working out a strategy or plan for disaster preparedness and mitigation measures needs thorough understanding of coping mechanisms at community level and broad external structures at block, district, state and national level. Let us first understand the present scenario on various aspects of disaster management, which were observed during the research study. Level of Disaster Preparedness in three villages as revealed in the study:

• Physical Vulnerabilities: Most of the houses are concrete structures with earthquake and cyclone resistant. However small number of marginalized families such as Kolis in Amardi and fisherfolks living in settlement of Kandla (from Nani Chirai) seeks special attention.

• Coping Mechanisms: Residents of Kachchh are resilient in nature and demonstrated great unity in time of crises. External support for most of communities is strong. Here again, the special attention should be on poor and marginalized. Their coping mechanisms against disaster, post earthquake, have definitely strengthened due to more awareness.

• Organization and institutional capacities: Social institutions of most of the upper castes in Kachchh are very strong and wealthy. These institutions come to the rescue to their community whenever needed. Social associations of Patel, Ahir, Darbars and Jains were instrumental for rapid relief and rehabilitation in Kachchh after the earthquake. These associations have largely flourished outside Kachchh; in Mumbai and other places of Gujarat and even abroad. However, lower caste people like Koli and Harijan does not have this kind of support and are entirely dependent on State for the assistance.

• Disaster Management Plans: The efforts by GSDMA and UNDP to prepare Village level disaster preparedness plans along with some training components was appreciable. However, with passage of time, the task force seems to be withering out. Linking task force with continuous development process in the village is important to sustain the effort.

• Behavior change- culture of prevention: Though awareness to be prepared for disaster has increased in all the three villages of study, there is a long way to go to develop the culture of prevention. The villagers are still dependent on external agency- be it an NGO or Government – to mitigate the impact of disaster and tread on the path of development. Behavior change has not been seen particularly on sanitation and hygiene issues in the village. All the three villages had poor condition of sanitation and hygiene. Safe disposal of wastewater, use of toilets for defecation and solid waste management were not practices in any village.

• Training and awareness programmes: Village level training programmes were initiated by some agencies including UNDP. However, the study reveals that these trainings bear no importance and impact on villagers at this date. With no sustainable activities and incentive to work, the groups tend to fall apart with passage of time.

• Resource Mapping and Inventory: Some organizations like SETU, Abhiyan, Oxfam GB and others are involved in preparing comprehensive village level database of resources including NGOs, Experts, Traders, which can be useful in times of crises. GSDMA and UNDP have already prepared village level disaster management plans for all the villages of Kachchh. These plans have details of village level resources, which can be tapped in crisis situation.



• Early Warning Systems: Warning systems for cyclone are still the traditional ones. The meteorological department issues warning to state government, which in turn passes the warning to collector of the respective districts, who issues warning at sub district level. The warning to villages or coastal settlements is reached through radio and Jeep patrolling. This method, though working satisfactorily, needs improvements in technology to have precision of information and immediate reach to villages and settlements.

• Linkages with other institutions: In the post earthquake development process, many agencies have join hands to integrate their objectives. It has been beneficial to urban areas, where town-planning process has been followed as a part of rehabilitation strategy. For rural areas, NGOs, research institutions, many government departments and educational institutions have worked in a team to rehabilitation. However, this teamwork is not seen disaster preparedness aspect. Here different agencies have worked with their own objectives and methodology. Many activities have been duplicated and many efforts have resulted redundant in absence of support agencies. The need of time is to bring together the agencies interested to work toward disaster preparedness in the region on one platform, have common understanding on issues and methods and coordinate to have effective results.

• Legislation: Government of Gujarat has improvised General Development Control Regulations (GDCR) for the state to incorporate the themes of disaster preparedness in the by laws and regulations. Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) have also modified certain standards for building materials and construction procedures to ensure safety of structures in seismically active zones. Some of the regulations are already in place to enhance disaster preparedness- such as Coastal regulation Zone (CRZ) norms.

• Integration in development process: GSDMA has initiated seismic micro zoning for whole state to have precise and comprehensive information on risks, to develop preparedness plans. GSDMA is also in progress to have Cyclone preparedness and Mitigation Plans and Flood Hazard and Vulnerability maps; which can help to make effective action plans. New town planning processes, development plans lay special emphasis on land use planning to minimize vulnerability.



7.2 PROPOSED MITIGATION AND PREPAREDNESS STRATEGY

Looking at the current status of disaster preparedness in three villages of study area, three pronged strategy can be adopted to develop a comprehensive plan for disaster preparedness.

In context of this study, socio economic profile of region, Disaster preparedness involves three key elements:

Integration of development processes to reduce vulnerability Behavior change to mitigate risk Enhance coping mechanisms of society

Behavior Change to mitigate risk

Safe practices Training and Awareness Create Demand Education

Integration of Development Processes to reduce vulnerability

Development regulations Micro Zoning Land use plans Safety and quality standards

Disaster Preparedness

Enhancing Coping mechanisms

Training and awareness Technology up gradation Institutional support Capacity Building Roles and responsibility

1. Integration of development processes to reduce vulnerability: Administrative measures like development regulations, microzoning and check on safety and quality standards play a major role in reducing vulnerability. In redevelopment of Kachchh, these aspects have been taken care of. Deputation of engineers by Government to monitor the ‘owner driven’ reconstruction programme has helped in maintaining quality and regulations for earthquake resistant houses in this region. Commissioning of a separate body called Bhachau Area Development Authority for carrying out all town planning related works also helped to smoothen the process, which the local municipal body of Bhachau was incapable to handle.

2. Behaviour change to mitigate risk: It is very important to create demand within community so that they ask for quality and safe practices to reduce vulnerability. Awareness programmes, education, training etc play important role in behaviour change of people and build a culture of prevention in the society. This, in turn acts as pressure point on manufacturers, service providers, administrators and Government to deliver quality services and goods. NGOs have worked hard with community on this issue and results are showing up lately. In Vondh village in Bhachau block, the villagers demanded technical audit of the primary school as they felt that the school was not built using safe technology by the



Government contractor, which was doctored to build their own houses. Some of the educational institute have included subject of earthquake engineering and disaster management in the syllabus. GSDMA♣ has set up Gujarat Disaster Management Institute to train and generate awareness to government officers at various level on issues of disaster mitigation and preparedness. At community level too, it as a feeling of ownership and pride for building safe houses.

3. Enhancing coping mechanism: As truly said, ‘Problem can’t be solved at the level it was generated’; it needs extra effort and capability to overcome a crisis situation. Enhancing coping mechanism is an invariable part of any disaster preparedness plan. There can be more than one ways to enhance coping mechanism of a community. These may be training and awareness programmes, technology upgradation, institutional support, capacity building, assigning roles and responsibilities etc. Revision of General Development Control Regulation (GDCR) to regulate construction and land use planning is an important step by government to reduce vulnerability. It was also noticed that the support from the people and especially from the same community residing outside Kachchh was unprecedented and spontaneous. It reveals that institutional mechanism within the community to respond to disaster situation is strengthening.

In given socio-politico-economic condition of Kachchh these three aspects play vital role in building a culture of prevention.

These three aspects lead to design of three programmes that can be taken up by NGO or any other agency working for development of Bhachau region. These programmes can be:

1. Community based action plan for disaster preparedness 2. Policy level advocacy to interlink development planning with disaster management 3. strengthening capabilities of Panchayati Raj Institutions

Core thematic aspects of these three programmes have been explained here

7.2.1 Community based action plan for disaster preparedness

All the three villages are prone to Earthquake, cyclone and drought in varying severity. While villagers of Amardi and Morgar are largely affected by recurring droughts, residents of Nani Chirai are most affected by cyclone. All the three villages are in seismic zone V and are prone to high severity earthquake.

Disaster Mitigation and preparedness has been planned in consultation with local community and local governing bodies with view of available resources. The strategies are so formed to integrate with development planning in order to have a long-term preparedness measures. The disaster profile and issues of all the three villages are more or less same due to their proximity in geographical location, livelihood pattern and social conditions.

7.2.1.1 Preparedness against Earthquake

Earthquake is a rapid onset disaster, which gives no warning. The effects of an earthquake can be disastrous, as we have experienced it in recent past. Hence the response and preparedness for this kind of disaster should be quick and effective.

It has been observed that most of the damages to life occur due to collapse of buildings and infrastructure rather than mere shaking of ground in this region. Hence single most important



factor here is the safety of the structure. This includes shelters, community halls, Panchayat building, schools, PHC/CHC.

Reconstruction of highly damaged structures and retrofitting of weak structures should be the top most priority for earthquake disaster preparedness. Technical audit of all the houses for structural safety can be carried out on priority and the vulnerable houses should be retrofitted on priority basis.

Old people, disabled are the most vulnerable in an event of earthquake. A pre assigned buddy to each disabled, who will take care of rescue of these people in any eventuality will help save their life. This buddy can be a family member or any other person who can quickly get into action and save the life.

Sajjata sena (Preparedness Committee) in the village can play a crucial role in rescue operations in the time of crisis. This team can be well trained an equipped. Immediate Evacuation should be taken care by Sajjata Sena for the disabled enlisted as vulnerable. Sajjata Sena can also play role in ensuring first aid, when the medical means are not available immediately.

A long-term disaster preparedness goal should be training and certification of masons for earthquake resistant construction practices.

Table 7.1 Action Points for Earthquake preparedness No Focal Points Proposed Activities Target Population 1 Housing

Insurance Linking up with Insurance Co., Mass Insurance scheme

All families, especially vulnerable

2 Retrofitting Identification and retrofitting of damaged/weak houses,

All families, especially damaged

3 Trainings and certification of masons

Conducting training and mass awareness programmes

Skilled, youth

4 Rescue team Training youths and equipping them

Youth,


Identification of disabled and identifying their buddies

Youth,

7.2.1.2 Preparedness against Drought Villages in Kachchh are most vulnerable to drought because of scanty and erratic rainfall. This is one of the slow onset disasters that lead to more widespread and complex crisis, which affects large population. Water scarcity, food and nutritional deficit, epidemics, migration, stress selling, livestock deaths, debt traps, exploitation, social exclusion, etc are largely contributed by a single harsh drought.

Small farmer, marginal farmers and the poor are the most vulnerable from drought. Although, big farmers incur great loss due to crop failure, but the daily wage labours and poor farmers are hit the worst. Water scarcity; both drinking and domestic; affects the health severely. Women and children are the most vulnerable for health hazards and mal nutrition.

Creation of fodder bank and seed bank within the village will largely help the villagers to sustain their live stocks in stressful conditions of drought and reduce burden of financial loss in case of crop failure.



Crop failure, depleting ground water levels, salt intrusion and lack of moisture content in the soil affects the productivity of the land and results in great financial loss for the farmers. Agriculture insurance is of paramount importance in this region. Also better and subsidized credit facilities will help poor farmers in reducing their financial stresses. It will also put a check in exploitation by money lenders and debt traps. Insurance cover for livestock will also help poor villagers to cope up with their losses due to death of their cattle.

Other activities like promoting non-farm activities, vocational trainings to youth, SHG groups etc will act as income generators. Linkages with Agriculture University, Gochar development and watershed activities will help in improving the quality and quantity of agriculture yield, help in natural resource conservation and management and provide defective drought proofing. Strengthening of PDS and regular monitoring of quality and quantity of ration issue from PDS shop will help in keeping check over mal nutrition.

Rooftop rainwater harvesting can be initiated at individual and community level. Check dams, well recharging and other watershed activities can be planned out with villagers.

Revival of traditional sources of water also holds importance to provide water security. There are two ponds in the village. Strengthening of earthen bunds of village ponds and cutting out bushes from the pond will help to create water security in the village. It will also help to recharge ground water and benefit the wells in the farms in vicinity of the pond. Table 7.2 Action Points for Drought proofing

No

Action Proposed Activities Target Population

Responsible Agency

1 Revival of village water resources

Survey, remedial measures to strengthen the bund, excavation for deepening pond, clean up of bushes and baval

All villagers NGO, WASMO, Panchayat, CBO

2 Agriculture Insurance

Linking up with Insurance Co., Mass Insurance scheme

All families, Marginal an small farmers


3 Livestock Insurance

Linking up with Insurance Co., Mass Insurance scheme

All families, esp families depended on livestock


4 Watershed/ water harvesting

Check dams, reviving village water resources, water harvesting structures, formation of Paani Samiti, Generating Awareness

All families, esp vulnerables

Govt, Panchayat, NGO, corporate

5 Pasture land development

Identifying and developing Gochar, training for operating and maintaining it

All families Panchayat, VDC

6 Irrigation technology transfer

Trainings and awareness programmes, linking with GAU


GAU, Panchayat



7 Seed bank Formation of seed bank committee under VDC, training to operate seed bank



8 Fodder bank Formation of fodder bank committee under VDC, training to operate fodder bank



9 Credit & SHG creation

Formation of SHGs and training to operate it


Women SHGs, Panchayat, NGO, rural banks

10 Non farm activities promotion

Identification, promotion and market linkages to Non farm Based activities

Potential skilled, unemployed,

NGO, CBOs

11 Vocational trainings

Vocation and technical training to skilled youths

Youths, women Potential skilled, unemployed, youths

12 Food and nutrition security

Trainings and awareness generation among people and staff of CHC and Anganwadi on nutrition, monitoring food and nutrition

Women and children

Vulnerables, daily wagers, poor esp women ad children

13 Strengthening PDS

Constant monitoring, grievance redressal system for PDS

PDS shop owner, BPL and vulnerables

PDS shop owners, monitoring committee

7.2.1.3 Preparedness against Cyclone

Cyclone is another rapid onset disaster which gives very less or no warning. Cyclone can affect physical structures as well as agriculture. Hence cyclone resistant housing and infrastructure is the key for preparedness. Retrofitting of the structures to withstand the cyclonic winds will reduce the threat of loss of life and property to a grate extent. In most of the cases, roof of the structure is the most vulnerable element in cyclone. Retrofitting of roof will quite reduce the damage to the structure. A model cyclone resistant shelter in villages can be used as community shelter in case of cyclone. School building or community hall or any other safe building can be pre assigned for utilizing as emergency shelter during crisis. In normal time it can be used as community hall for various purposes. This will ensure that there is no loss of life in any eventuality of cyclone. Again housing and agriculture insurance will be of great help for rural community. Here too, buddies for disabled will play important role in saving their lives. Technical audit of houses for cyclone safety for roofs can be carried out. Emphasis should be on the houses with country tile roof with no anchorage with rafters and walls. Retrofitting of weak houses should be carried out immediately.



Table 7.3 Action point for cyclone preparedness No Activities Proposed Activities Target

Population Responsible

Agency 1 Housing

Insurance Link with Insurance Co., Mass Awareness Programme



2 Retrofitting Identifying and retrofitting weak structures especially roof


Govt, NGO

3 Community Shelter

Awareness about safe structures




All vulnerable and disabled persons


5 Agri insurance Link with Insurance Co. All families, esp vulnerable


7.2.1.4 Preparedness against Flood Due to scanty rainfall, flood is not a regular feature in this part of region. However erratic rainfalls of high intensity can cause a deluge and flood like situation in low-lying areas of the villages. Nani Chirai is more prone to floods due to proximity if Gulf of Kachchh. Once there is deluge, it leads to other hazards such as epidemic, inaccessibility, shortage of water and food items, crop failure and damage to property and sometimes even threat to life.

Table 7.4 Action points for flood preparedness No Activities Proposed Activities Target

Population Remarks

1 Housing Insurance

Link with Insurance Co and mass awareness programme



2 Access roads and drainages

Putting up demand of roads in Government


Govt, NGO

3 Community Shelter

Use of Sajjata Bhavan and awareness about the safe shelter


4 Agriculture insurance

Link with Insurance Co. All families vulnerable


5 Rescue team Training of youth and equipping them

Youth and women

Sajjata sena



Disabled, weak and vulnerable


7.2.1.5 Epidemic

Epidemic can be a result of widespread unhealthy and unhygienic conditions, deluge, vector spread or external agents. The most vulnerable people to epidemic are the children and women. Early diagnosis and control actions are crucial in these situations. Once there is a



panic among the villagers, epidemic can trigger other crisis such as mass migration, riots, and social disturbances and in some instances even sabotage and loot.

Strengthening health service is the single largest factor to prevent and control epidemics. Also improvement in hygiene conditions in the village contributes a lot in prevention of diseases.

Continuous water logging can lead to health and sanitation degradation in the surrounding areas and can get worsen in monsoon months. Soak pit can be constructed to allow the water percolation into the ground and avoid water logging. Additional ground dressing for slope or channels can be constructed to divert the water into the soak pit.

Table 7.5 Action points for Epidemic preparedness No Actions Proposed Activities Target

Population Responsible

Agency 1 Strengtheni

ng and Networking PHC/CHC

Strengthening infrastructure- staff, equipments, medicines, storage, communication and transit

All families, esp vulnerable, women and children

PHC/ CHC, Govt, Panchayat, NGOs and Corporate

2 Periodic monitoring system

Team of trained persons monitors health condition in the village regularly


Govt, NGO

3 Women volunteers

Training of youth and women Youth and skilled CBO, NGO

4 Medical insurance

Link with Insurance Co All families, esp vulnerable


5 Emergency Planning-

Planning for medicines, transit, communication, first hand treatments, awareness generation

All vulnerable Sajjata sena, CHC/PHC, volunteers, NGO

7.2.2 Linking Disaster Preparedness Plan with Development Planning:

Natural Hazards damage the region or society, but the extent of damage depends on vulnerability of that society or region. The quantum of loss due to disaster, natural or manmade is a result of vulnerability to a society/region to disaster. The capacity of a society to resist the impact of these forces finally decided the degree of loss to it by hazard and this depends on the precautions, the society has taken, during various stages of development. Thus the disasters are inextricably linked to the development and it is the development pattern of society that decides its susceptibility/ vulnerability to disasters. Taking this aspect into consideration, it is utmost importance that development pattern of region. Society is to be tailored in such a way, so that the development along with decreasing its vulnerability to natural hazards also makes society strong and resistant enough to withstand their adverse impacts.

A planned and systematic development in a region certainly helps in reducing the susceptibility of a region and society to disaster losses. Development is an inextricable component of disaster management, which is universally applicable, but it is more relevant in



the areas with continuous threat and frequencies of disasters. In such areas, disaster management activities are to be considered as developmental activities and vice-versa. The approach of developmental programmes in the areas should be positive one, with stress on building strong and resilient socio-economic and physical structures, capable to resist the impact of natural hazard. It is also necessary to view disaster management activities as developmental activities, while revising structural as well as non0structural vulnerability reduction strategies and recognize and integrate the positive elements of indigenous technology.

The main emphasis of disaster management system should be on reducing vulnerability, which will automatically take care of post-disaster stages. As development pattern and vulnerability are two aspects of a single problem and are inter-dependent, the approach of an appropriate disaster management should be tailor development of the region in such a manner, so that susceptibility of a society to disaster is minimised. Conventional development is not able to take care of vulnerability and this is why the areas with high disaster frequency need specialized development planning.

A planned sustainable development contributes greater to disaster preparedness than anything else. It has been learnt from the experience that considering future risks and hazard leads to better planning and ultimately to less vulnerable communities and assets. Linking disaster preparedness in development planning needs sound understanding of planning and decision making authorities along with strong political will. However, in most of the cases, a major disaster is the wake up call for the authorities, but not before the loss and destruction caused by the disaster.

Formulation of below given processes, keeping in mind its contribution towards risk reduction and disaster preparedness will help to build an atmosphere of prevention and preparedness:

1) Land use maps: Clear demarcation of land use considering the risks /hazards of the area 2) Hazard zones: Guidelines for development in hazard zones 3) Development control Regulations: DCR in line with disaster preparedness plan. Regularization of structures, which are not compatible with DCR including encroachment, slums and squatters. This will help reduce vulnerability and strengthen disaster preparedness. 4) Building by laws: Modification and enforcement of building by laws to minimize structural vulnerability. 5) Restricted developments: Identifying safe shelters: Identification and awareness on safe shelters in time of emergency 6) Shelf of projects for disaster preparedness: for rural areas, a shelf of projects that can help to build the capacity of community to cope disasters should be envisaged and designed. These projects can be implemented in phases 7) Ear marked funds for disaster preparedness projects: at ULB level also, there should be earmarked funds for projects, which will help in building coping capacities of the community and reducing the risk of disasters. 8) Phased implementation to model Disaster Preparedness Plan: To give enough time and effort so that people can internalize the need, create demand and work towards behavior change if needed. 9) Insurance: Comprehensive and mass insurance for areas prone to multiple and recurring hazard should be promoted. Agriculture, livestock, assets and life and health insurance – all should be covered under various schemes or one comprehensive scheme.



7.2.3 Strengthening Local Government Bodies (PRIs) for incorporating Development Plan with Disaster Mitigation:

The Need of PRIs in disaster mitigation: ♣In India, Panchayat is the main institutuin at village level. The constitution of India recommend for an important role to the PRIs (Panchayati Raj Institutions) in respect of 29 important subjects such as education, health, agriculture, housing, land reforms, social and farm forestry, drinking water, poverty alleviation programmes etc. which play very important and strategic role in the filed of disaster management. These subjects if dealt effectively at local level taking into consideration the local needs and conditions may be very effective in reducing vulnerability of the land and the society and make it resilient to the adverse impact of the natural hazards.

Panchayat can plat effective role to enhance organising community, forming village level disaster response committees, developing early warning systems, organising rescue teams and diversifying livelihood sources. Such community based disaster preparedness solutions also focus on special efforts to ensure livelihood security.

PRIs working in harmony with state government can be an effective instrument to tackle the disaster through early warning systems. PRIs are regarded as central agencies to implement various rural development schemes/programmes. So PRIS can play a major role in integrating disaster mitigation features with on-going developmental activities undertaken at local level.

The Role of PRIs in disaster mitigation:

o Formulating Mitigation Strategy o Carrying out risk assessment o Carrying out vulnerability analysis, including identification of vulnerable groups o Early warning systems (modern and traditional) o Creating response plan that reflects actions to be taken, including an evacuation plan

after receiving the warning. Chart 7.1 represents the Role of PRI’s in disaster mitigation.

♣ Source: Sustainable Rural Development for Disaster Mitigation by Dr. Satendra I.F.S and Prof Vinod K. Sharma, India. ISBN 81-80690-071-7



Better link in rural

development and disaster mitigation

Effective monitoring

and evaluation

Timely rescue

and relief

Create own fund

Effective in training people

Relief as per need

More care for vulnerable

group

Easy propagation

of new research to

people

Effective in environment conservation

Effective in mobilizing

local resources

Effective in using local

wisdom and tradition

Encourage NGO

participation

PRIs Role in Disaster Mitigation

Chart 7.1 Role of Panchayats in Disaster Mitigation



7.2.3.1 Strengthening the role of PRIs for Rural Disaster Mitigation: Current Scenario in India Modifications Required State Level • State Relief Measures are observed and

supervised by relief commissioner/chief secretary.

• State Government prepares contingency plan to follow a framework laid down nationally.

• Relief measures are reviewed by district level relief committee consisting of official and non-official members, including local legislators and members of Parliament.

• In case of natural calamity, control room is set up at district headquarters for day to day monitoring and relief operations

• The chief secretary or an officer equivalent should be designated as Development of Disaster Management Commissioner (DMC) of the state rather than relief commissioner.

• DMC should have full responsibility for planning, monitoring and concurrent evaluation of all the developmental and disaster management plans. He will ensure that all the developmental plans give due consideration to reducing vulnerability of the region.

• One state Development and Disaster Management Council is to be established at the state level under the chairmanship of chief minister. Existing state crisis management council may be merged with it. To ensure Panchayat representation, the chairman of District Panchayat should be made its members.

• This council can take care of emergency planning, long term disaster management plans, check on all developmental activities to ensure disaster mitigation.

District Level • District Magistrate or deputy commissioner or collector is the focal point for directing, monitoring and supervising all disaster management and development activities. They work with sub division officers at village and block level.

• In the District Deputy commissioner (DDC) office, a separate committee can be constituted to look after the disaster management under the leadership of DDC.

• Chairman of district level panchayat can be executive director. • Technical head of various departments can be formed who will take care of

disaster mitigation activities in each development planning programme. • The panchayat can be asked to formulate their development ad district

management plan under guidance of the chairman-district panchayat. With inclusion of Chairman of District Panchayat in DDC office and state disaster management council, local needs in term of development planning with reduced vulnerability can be addressed more effectively as he is a representative of local government bodies. This will bridge the gap between policy makers and local government bodies and community.


Conclusion

This chapter summarizes the outcomes of the study and lessons learnt during the study. It also explains the efforts to share the outcomes of the study with various organizations and help to make sustainable disaster preparedness plans for Kutch region. 8.1 Observations of the study8.2 Lessons Learnt 8.3 Suggestions 8.2 Forward Linkages


80

Conclusion


8.1 OBSERVATIONS OF THE STUDY

This chapter shares overall atmosphere of disaster preparedness in the state community response to increasing hazards in study region after the earthquake 2001. Research study shows that although awareness regarding disaster preparedness is growing among communities, civil society organizations, NGOs, development agencies and government machinery; there is still a wide gap in integrating the efforts of various agencies.

Awareness amongst community for disaster and its preparedness has definitely increased in the region after earthquake 2001 and people have become more sensitized about the issues of disaster preparedness. People also have become more responsive to donation appeals made by Government. Civil society has become more sensitive to grief in time of disaster and have begun to take initiatives in helping out the victims in the beat possible way, they can. PProactive role of Gujarat NGOs and civil society to respond to tsunami affected areas in late 2004 and earthquake victims of Kashmir in 2005 are the glaring examples of growing awareness and responsiveness in the state. Also the experience of such a large scale disaster of earthquake have made them confident to manage similar situations and act in coordination. At the same time, there is a need to integrate the efforts done by various agencies on disaster preparedness to enhance the output of their respective programmes. It was shocking to know that some of the agencies working in same geography (in some cases same villages) have not integrated their programmes to provide better output and benefit the community. Lately there were some efforts by NGOs to come together to respond to the emergency situation. During the floods in Gujarat in 2005, four major donor agencies came together for assessment of the situation and presented their findings to the Government, which was quite useful in articulating the relief programmes in the region which were really in need.

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Brief of disaster preparedness initiatives by various agencies

UNDP and GSDMA initiated disaster preparedness programme in all the villages of Kachchh in 2003, under which disaster preparedness plans of all the villages were made in consultation with community and Panchayat. Sajjata Sena and Sajjata Kaksh (preparedness room) were made in all the villages. Members of Sajjata Sena were assigned different responsibilities and trained for various activities as search and rescue, first aid etc. A brief of programmes of other agencies

CBDP by GSDMA and UNDP: all 1200 villages in Kachchh have this Community based disaster preparedness plans. GSDMA in coordination with UNDP have developed the plans along with setting up of village task force (VTF) and training VTF.

OLDP by Oxfam (I) Trust: A comprehensive database of NGOs, experts, institutions and other agencies working all over Gujarat. It also comprises database of supplier of goods essential in responding any emergency and details of quantity, quality, mode of payment etc.

CBDP by Unnati and other organizations: CBDP initiated by some of the organizations try to integrate development plans with disaster preparedness.

Risk assessment and mitigation plan by GSDMA for cyclone, flood- A detailed technical document with scientific assessment and mitigation measures.

School safety initiatives by SEEDS, NGO and GSDMA and Urban Earthquake Safety Initiatives by SEEDS in partnership with Geohazard International and UNCRD Japan

Mahiti Mitra: Project by ISRO intends to set up highly equipped information centers for governance and weather related information to villagers. It will play key role in future to disseminate information and warnings to remote areas. SETU is one of the partners in implementation.

Conclusion


8.2 LESSONS LEARNT

Disaster preparedness needs long term planning and consistent work for long period of time. As in case of many other programmes, it is observed that initial fizz evaporates as time passes and as the activity no longer is in need of immediate action. Development works in normal time can enhance the disaster preparedness of the region to a great extent if the components of preparedness are involved in the process. This study provided valuable insights into the processes, dynamics and stakeholders involved in disaster preparedness.

Some of the major learnings of the research are:

8.2.1 Approach to the study

Process of evolving tools for the study was instrumental to collect the information in a structured manner. It gave an insight for extent of data to be collected, how to articulate sensitive issues in the village and schedule the visits to have maximum interaction with villagers.

8.2.2 Behaviour change and building culture of prevention

• The culture of prevention needs to be developed among the community to foster disaster preparedness.

• Demand within the community needs to be generated to have safe shelters and insurance for disasters.

8.2.3 Refining the process for sustainability

• Repetition of same activities by various agencies has faded out the interest of people from the activities of disaster preparedness.

• Overall development including economic development and safeguards is the key to achieve sustainable disaster preparedness

• Focus on marginalized and vulnerable group of society should be in mind while formulating overall plan.

• Though whole process and document on disaster preparedness along with some training was competed in all the three villages, in none of the village, the task force members were aware of their role during disaster.

• Very general and superficial planning does not help the cause.

• Concentrated efforts on some demonstration sites will help others to follow the model. Thinly spread resources over large area have not given desired result.

• Task forces made for disaster preparedness needs to be involved in development work in normal time; otherwise the group disintegrates with time and when needed, no one would be there.

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Conclusion


8.3 SUGGESTIONS

8.3.1 Policy level improvisations

The efforts made by Government; National, State and International NGO’s; and the community during earthquake 2001 have been a trendsetter. However, some lessons can also be leant from the whole rehabilitation process:

• Setting up a common vision, goal and strategies by all implementing agencies over the region in consultation with local government bodies, to reduce duplication and perplexity in the region and amongst community.

• Development is an inextricable component of disaster management which is universally applicable but it is more relevant in the areas with recurrent threat. In such areas, disaster management activities are to be considered as developmental activities and vice-versa.

• A common guideline should be prepared in consultation with all Government agencies, NGO’s and other agencies for preparation of community based disaster preparedness plan at regional level. This guideline should enable local level government body and community to prepared their own plans and strategies with some guidance

8.3.2 Integration of processes adopted by various agencies

As discussed earlier in this chapter, there is a great need to synergize the processes adopted by various government and non government agencies for betterment of the region. Together, all the agencies and community have tremendous potential and capacity to build a safe and progressive environment in the region. It will also help in achieving common goals and working on a vision of development and preparedness.

8.3.3 Role of research and support organizations

One of the important observations of the study was that, the research and support organizations in and around Kachchh like Gujarat Agriculture University (GAU), Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Pajarapole etc can play very crucial role in reducing the vulnerability of the village on fronts like drought and crop failure these agencies have not been in the loop of so called ‘disaster management framework’, but there is great potential to be tapped here. Also other research and training institutions, insurance and micro credit agencies, construction and manufacturing companies, industries in and around the village, transport agencies etc. can fit to the role as required; to enhance the community level coping mechanisms and building a culture of prevention.

83

Conclusion


8.4 FORWARD LINKAGES

The findings of the research were shared with Unnati NGO. Unnati, which has its long presence in Bhachau region and undertaking programmes on disaster preparedness, livelihood and strengthening local self-governance in two villages included in the study. There is a plan to share the report with PRIs and villagers to get their feedback. The study will help Unnati to articulate their programmes in a better way. This will help in building culture of prevention amongst the communities and build their capacities to cope with disasters.

Some of the information was also shared with one of the consultants to GSDMA. They have agreed to consider the conditions of vulnerable group of fisher folks which reside just on sea shore, while preparing action plan for Cyclone preparedness.

Research will also be shared with UNDP, GSDMA and various other NGOs working in Kachchh region.

Moreover, the research will be provide valuable insights into the process, stakeholders and dynamics between them which will enable interested agencies, NGOs and institutions in understanding the process of disaster preparedness.

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1. Appati Jokham Vyavasthapan Karyakram; Ministry of Home Affairs, GSDMA,

UNDP.

2. Bildan Lolita; Disaster Management in Southeast Asia- An overview; ADPC.

3. Building Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia: A way Forward; ADPC.

4. Carter Nick W., Disaster Management- A Disaster Manager’s Handbook, Asian

Development Bank.

5. Chiwaka Ethlet et al; Participatory Vulnerability Assessment, Action Aid

International.

6. Demeter Kataline et al; The Role of Local Governments in Reducing the Risk of Disasters, The World Bank.

7. Disaster Management in India; Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

8. Disaster Mitigation in Asia and the Pacific, Asian Development Bank.

9. Dr. Satendra & Prof Vinod K Sharma; Sustainable Rural Development for Disaster Mitigation.

10. Hazards, Disasters and your Community- A primer for Parliamentarians;

Government of India, National Disaster Management Division.

11. Kapur Anu et al; Disasters in India-Studies of grim reality. 12. Living with Risk: A Global Review of Disaster Reduction Initiatives; ISDR 2002

13. Margdarshika, Gram Appati Vyavasthapan Yojana; Ministry of Home Affairs,

GSDMA, UNDP.

14. Plain Truth- GSDMA News letter March 2002; GSDMA.

15. SPHERE Standards 2004.

16. http://www.undp.org.in

17. http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu


Annexure 1

Annexure 1: Village Resource Maps

Village: Amardi


Annexure 1

Village: Morgar


Annexure 1

Village: Desalpar (Part of Village Morgar)


Annexure 1

Village: Nani Chirai


2137ind final report

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