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Environment

Climate Change Community

DDii ssaasstteerr MM aannaaggeemmeenntt CCoommmm uunn ii ttyy

SSoo lluutt iioonn EExx cchhaannggee BBhhuuttaann

SSoo lluutt iioonn EExx cchhaannggee ffoorr tthhee CCll iimmaattee CChhaannggeeCCoommmmuunnii ttyy SSoolluutt iioonn EExx cchhaannggee ffoorr tthhee DDiissaasstteerr MM aannaaggeemmeenntt CCoommmmuunnii ttyy SSoo lluutt iioonn EExx cchhaannggee BBhhuuttaann

CCoonnssooll iiddaatteedd RReepp llyy

Query: Climate Change in the Hindu Kush Himalayas -

Experiences, Examples

Compiled by Ramesh Jalan, G Padmanabhan and Mamta katwal, Resource Personsand Jai Kumar Gaurav and Nupur Gupta, Research Associates

Issue Date: 11 January 2011

From Krishna S. Vatsa, Bureau of Crisis Prevention and Recovery-UNDP, New DelhiPosted 14 December 2010

Dear Members,

The Regional Climate Risk Reduction Project (RCRRP), supported by European CommissionHumanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) and implemented by UNDPs Bureau for Crisis Prevention andRecovery (BCPR) through respective UNDP Country Offices in Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistanaims to develop and implement climate risk management strategies to reduce therisks faced by mountain communities and to mitigate impacts of hydro-meteorological hazards. The geographical coverage of the project spans selected communitiesacross four countries in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region, viz. Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan.

mailto:se-clmt@solutionexchange-un.net.inmailto:se-drm@soultionexchange-un.net.inmailto:se-bhutan@solutionexchange-un.net.btmailto:se-clmt@solutionexchange-un.net.inmailto:se-drm@soultionexchange-un.net.inmailto:krishan.vatsa@undp.orgmailto:krishan.vatsa@undp.orgmailto:se-drm@soultionexchange-un.net.inmailto:se-clmt@solutionexchange-un.net.inmailto:se-bhutan@solutionexchange-un.net.btmailto:se-drm@soultionexchange-un.net.inmailto:se-clmt@solutionexchange-un.net.in

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With a view to understand and assess the whole gamut of issues related to climate-induced risks,their impacts and adaptation and mitigation issues practitioners from the fields of disastermanagement, climate change, environment management, development planning, NGOs,

community-based organizations, local representative institutions, technical agencies andresearch/academic institutions are invited to share their knowledge, experiences andobservations on the subject.

We request members to respond to the following:

What are the existing Early Warning Systems being used for tackling climate

change/climate variability? What is the level of understanding of Climate Change Adaptation among the people,

policy makers and Panchayati Raj institutions and how can these be enhanced? What are the mitigation efforts being taken at the regional level to combat climate

change?

In addition members may kindly share case studies, documents and related literature, relevant tothe above areas.

The experience and knowledge generated through the implementation of pilot initiatives underthe RCRRP would contribute towards establishing a sustainable model to link climate changeadaptation and DRR measures at the community level. The technical inputs, knowledgeresources, experiences and learning shared would be compiled with due acknowledgement in theform of a report. The process will culminate into an exhaustive knowledge bank on inter-relatedissues.

The information and experience shared will contribute towards building a knowledge base toinform and feed into the programmatic interventions. We look forward to your inputs,comments, experiences and learnings on the subject.

Responses were received, with thank s, from

1. Chicu Lokgariwar, PSI, Dehradun2. Phurba Lhendup, WW F Bhutan, Thimpu3. Farasat Ali, Gilgit Conservation and Information Center, WWF Pakistan4. Mohinder Slariya , Chamba, Himachal Pradesh5. Arvind Kumar Sinha , Regional Climate Risk R eduction Project, UNDP BCPR South

and South West Asia, New Delhi

6. Amber M asud , UNDP , Paki stan7. J.P.Maithani , Alakanada Ghaati Shilpi Federation (AAGAAS FEDERATION),

Pipalkoti, Chamoli, Uttarakhand8. K N Vajpai, Climate Himalaya Initiative, Dehradun, Uttarakhand9. Aditi Umrao , UNDP, New DelhiFurther contributions are w elcome!

Summary of ResponsesComparative ExperiencesRelated Resources

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Responses in Full

Summary of Responses

Climate Change and Climate Variability has led to an increase in the frequency and intensity of

hydro-meteorological hazards in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region, putting at risk not onlyinfrastructure, services, assets, environment and livelihoods but also lives of the numerousmountain communities of this region. Though many communities have adopted copingmechanisms to deal with these changes, their vulnerabilities are further aggravated by poverty,and extreme pressure on resources. Effective climate risk management would require a strongpolicy framework for Himalayan region that supports community-based preparedness andmitigation measures and is complemented by information sharing, awareness, andtraining/capacity building to cope with disasters.

One of the key components of an effective climate risk management system is an Early WarningSystem (EWS) built on indigenous knowledge of climate/environmental systems. Early warningsmostly originate from meteorological departments who then communicate the warning to localsthrough local administrators at the District level. In Gilgit Baltistan (GB) region of Pakistan,

meteorological stations, and river flow detectors constitute vital components of the early warningsystem. They are complemented by various telecommunication channels, print and digital media(including CCTV, Radio, and local newspapers) and internet platforms. While these modernmeans of hazard monitoring and communication are keys to EWS, less technology intensive andtraditional community-based systems of observation, monitoring anddissemination/communication also need to be recognized, strengthened and integrated into thesystem. In GB region of Pakistan indigenous methods of observation of precipitation andtemperature changes, other weather and seasonal hazards and issuance of warnings usingloudspeakers, fire signals/torches, beating of drums, gunshots, announcements inmosques/religious/community buildings, by going on foot in the village etc. are practiced.

Establishing and improving multi-hazard early warning system for timely warnings has been

identified as a priority in the National Disaster Management Framework (NDMF-2007) in Pakistan.Strengthening such systems is also one of the five priority areas under the Hyogo Framework for Action, 2005. However, governments often lack financial and technical resources to buildtechnical capacities of relevant institutions and have necessary equipments or informationregarding the hazard-prone areas in the absence of systematic hazard and vulnerabilityassessment.

The Indian Metrology Department (IMD) in September 2010 launched a major project onIntegrated Forecasting and Communication system given the critical situation in Leh andUttarakhand. The Integrated Forecasting and Communication system includes setting up ofautomatic weather stations, Doppler radars etc. but challenge is efficient, timely and effectivecommunication to the local communities in disaster like situations. Communities unwillingness toevacuate even when the warnings are issued due to reluctance to leave behind their land

holdings and other immovable assets poses additional challenge to governments. Hence, itscritical that early warning systems to be effective should involve communities and be built oninherent qualities of mountain communities such as unity and volunteerism. Equally important aremonitoring of climate behavior, development of climate and hydrological models and analysis ofdifferent scenarios of climate change that could be used to assess impacts on natural resourcesbased livelihoods and develop effective strategies for disaster risk mitigation and management.

Adaptation measures at the local level have been shaped by observations of diminishingproductivity of crops and subsequent impacts on livelihoods, along with changes in behavior of

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wild life indicating reduced forest produces that force these animals to enter the human inhabitedareas. In certain cases communities adopt traditional ways of dealing with the climate relatedchanges, including traditional water conservation techniques as used in Himachal Pradesh, India.

Communities in Kangra district use a traditional structure for conserving and harnessing water inthe mountains known as the Khatri, a 10x10x10 percolation tank dug in the mountain requiringspecial skills, the water of which is used for household and drinking purposes. Similarly in

Uttarakhand AAGAAS (Alaknanda Ghaati Shilpi Federation) is transplanting Bamboo and Arjunaspecies in higher altitudes and is keeping record of the incidences.

In Pakistan, communities have adopted local level adaptation measures that include: protectionof the pastures, shift in farming patterns and techniques, planting of new crops which give higheryields, local level conservation committees for protection of forests and pastures, plantingseabuck thorn as a soil binder for minimizing soil erosion, and local soil management techniquesfor better production of crops and security of food.

Further, people construct their houses using indigenous material and techniques to accommodatetemperature and precipitation changes. Diversifications of livelihood options using alternatecrops/varieties, livestock and fish species, and modified input management are employed tomanage small changes in climatic parameters. Though risk reduction measures are evolving with

time and changing weather and climate, local communities still need assistance from governmentauthorities and other major stakeholders.

Despite the understanding of impacts of climate change/variability as well as adaptationmeasures among communities, policy makers and Panchayati Raj institutions, there is a growingneed to enhance the knowledge, information and skill among local communities, as well asinstitutions of local governance on climate change issues. This would include identification,documentation and analysis of changes that are currently visible in the mountain regions,

education and awareness programs and assistance to local communities to adapt to them.Despite efforts made at national levels in various countries of the HKH region, includingdevelopment of respective National Adaptation Plan of Action (NAPA) and declarations at SouthAsia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC Thimpu Declaration 2010), local governanceinstitutions including Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) in India while responsible for the

implementation of various government schemes often lack sufficient understanding and funds toaddress the issue of climate change and variability.

Adaptation planning means planning for greater uncertainty, which in turn means more flexibilityand less prescriptive forms of planning. In countries such as Nepal and Bhutan, building adaptivecapacity or resilience could be the most effective adaptation strategy if community based

institutions such as community forestry user groups and alpine herders groups with a proventrack record of adaptation to the changing climate are actively involved. Decision-makingpertaining to adaptation should be based on interactions across sectors and levels (fromcommunities to various levels of governance upto the national level and across national borders)so that policies, development planning and local processes are better linked.

Building adaptive capacity or resilience of community based institutions could be the first steptowards adaptation planning. Encouraging farmers in the mountains to increase the vegetationcover on their lands through farm forestry, to adapt to heavy rainfall events and increased flashfloods; provision of credit and other incentives to farmers and communities to build farm-levelponds, dug outs; storage tanks and other multi-purpose reservoirs on local lands should helpachieve the water efficiency and are important for adaptation to climate change.

Provision of credit for watershed protection and management will also help reduce the silting ofthe dams, soil erosion and landslides. Programmes on risk reduction and preparedness for

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climate risk management need to be based on climate change vulnerability assessment (CCVA),involving local communities in the policy/programme development and implementationprocesses, and should integrate climate risk reduction into development planning and

implementation.

Comparative Experiences

Pakistan

From Farasat Ali, Gilgit Conservation and Information Center, WWF Pakistan

Early Warning M echanisms in Gilgit-Baltistan, Gilgit Baltistan RegionIn Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), there are Metrological Stations and River Flow detectors at variouslocations. The Media is involved in supporting the Early Warning dissemination. The DisasterManagement Authority has a strong communications network and there are Intra linedepartmental Dialogue set communications for police and line agencies for emergency response.

Mitigat ing the risk of climate variability at local level, Gilgit Baltistan Region

In Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), adaptation and risk reduction efforts include protection of the pastures,shift in farming pattern and techniques, planting of new crops which give higher yields,plantation of seabuck thorn as a soil binder for minimizing soil erosion, Local Trappe croppingsystems to minimized pest witness and attacks and Local Soil management techniques for betterproduction of crops and security of food.

Community Based Early Warning System, Gilgit Baltistan Region(from Amber Masud,UNDP, Pakistan)The Community Based Early Warning Systems are different in different areas e.g. lighting torchesat night, gun fires, announcements in mosques, by going around in village, beating the drumsand by telecommunications means. In the Ismailia community areas, village councils haverecruited community volunteers and scouts to observe and inform the volunteer captain aboutunusual changes e.g. color and load of streams and rivers before flash floods, floods and GLOFs.

Himachal Pradesh

Traditional structures for conserving and harnessing water in the mountains, Kangra (from Arvind Kumar Sinha , Regional Climate Risk Reduction Project, UNDP BCPR South and

South West Asia, New Delhi )Kangra has very distributed rainfall pattern. The communities are using Khatri a kind ofpercolation tank, dug in the mountains for water storage. Water from the mountain toppercolates down in the Khatri. Communities have also developed kitchen gardens to grow somevegetables with help of water from Kharti. It was very helpful for fulfilling their daily needs ofvegetables for a family of 5 members.

Uttarakhand

Transplantation of Bamboo and Arjuna at higher Altitudes, Pipalkoti Chamoli (fromJ.P.Maithani , Alaknanda Ghaati Shilpi Federation (AAGAAS FEDERATION), Pipalkoti, Chamoli,Uttarakhand ) AAGAAS Federation transplanted Bamboo and Arjuna terminalia plants at altitude of 1259 m.though these plants were not suitable for this altitude as they generally grow at the altitude ofupto 700 m only it is observed in the Biotourism Park at Pipalkoti Chamoli that these plants aregrowing well. A center at Pipalkoti Chamoli is keeping record of similar incidences.

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Leh and Uttarakhand

Integrated Forecasting and Comm unication System, (from KN Vajpai, Climate HimalayaInitiative, Dehradun, Uttarakhand )The India Meteorology Department (IMD) in September 2010 launched a major project on

Integrated Forecasting and Communication System given the critical situation in Leh andUttarakhand to understand the complex phenomena of meteorological disasters. It includedsetting up of automatic weather stations, Doppler radars, connecting them with most high speeddigital interconnecting systems and network as well as buying super computers etc.

Related Resources

Recommended Documentation

Enhancing Adaptive Capacity in Bhutan and Nepal (fromPhurba Lhendup, Freshwater andClimate Change Program, WWF Bhutan program Office, Thimphu)

Policy Research Brief; Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), UNEP Regional Resource Centre forAsia and the Pacific (UNEP RRCAP), World Wildlife Fund (WWF Bhutan); 2010Available at: http://www.sendspace.com/file/0epqxp[/url (PDF, Size: 16.3 MB)

Outlines steps for Bhutan and Nepal to advance with adaptation planning in respectivecontext of socio-economic, political and climate changes.

Documenting Climate Change in Uttarakhand (from Chicu Lokgariwar , PSI, Dehradun,India)Report; Peoples Science Institute (PSI), Dehradun, India; June 2009-May 2010 Available at: http://www.peoplesscienceinstitute.com/activities/rcg/cc%20final%20may2010-2.pdf(PDF, Size: 4.07 MB)

Baseline study of the impact of climate change in the mid-Himalayan valleys ofUttarakhand to help mountain communities develop resilience to climate change.

National Disaster Management Framework(fromAmber Masud, UNDP Pakistan)Document; National Disaster Management Authority, Pakistan; March 2007Available at: http://www.ndma.gov.pk/BooksPublications.html (Doc, size: 3.12 MB)

Guidebook for disaster risk management; has identified multi-hazard early warningsystem (EWS) as a priority to reducing disaster losses.

FromKN Vajpai, Climate Himalaya Initiative, Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Floods caught the govt unpreparedNews; Daily News and Analysis (DNA), Mumbai; 21 September 2010

Available at: http://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/editorial_floods-caught-the-govt

unprepared_1440801Highlights the unpreparedness of the government stating that government need toupdate its knowledge and information as a part of its preparedness.

Cloudsburst in Leh (I ndia) may be due to climate changeNews; Climate Himalayan Initiative; 26 August 2010 Available at: http://chimalaya.org/2010/08/26/cloudburst-in-leh-india-may-be-due-to-climate-change/

http://www.sendspace.com/file/0epqxp%5b/urlhttp://www.peoplesscienceinstitute.com/activities/rcg/cc%20final%20may2010-2.pdfhttp://www.peoplesscienceinstitute.com/activities/rcg/cc%20final%20may2010-2.pdfhttp://www.ndma.gov.pk/BooksPublications.htmlhttp://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/editorial_floods-caught-the-govt%20unprepared_1440801http://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/editorial_floods-caught-the-govt%20unprepared_1440801http://chimalaya.org/2010/08/26/cloudburst-in-leh-india-may-be-due-to-climate-change/http://chimalaya.org/2010/08/26/cloudburst-in-leh-india-may-be-due-to-climate-change/http://chimalaya.org/2010/08/26/cloudburst-in-leh-india-may-be-due-to-climate-change/http://chimalaya.org/2010/08/26/cloudburst-in-leh-india-may-be-due-to-climate-change/http://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/editorial_floods-caught-the-govt%20unprepared_1440801http://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/editorial_floods-caught-the-govt%20unprepared_1440801http://www.ndma.gov.pk/BooksPublications.htmlhttp://www.peoplesscienceinstitute.com/activities/rcg/cc%20final%20may2010-2.pdfhttp://www.peoplesscienceinstitute.com/activities/rcg/cc%20final%20may2010-2.pdfhttp://www.sendspace.com/file/0epqxp%5b/url

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Indicates prolonged winters as a probable cause for the unnatural cloudburst in Ladakh,which is a rain shadow area.

Integrated Weather Forecasting System LaunchedNews; Zee News; September 23 2010Available at: http://www.zeenews.com/news657109.html

Highlights the launching of the Integrated Weather Forecasting System by the IndianMetrological Department for more accurate metrological predictions.

Recomm ended Organizations and Programmes

Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT) (fromChicu Lokgariwar, PSI, Dehradun, India)Bombay House, Homi Mody Street, Mumbai 400 001, India; 91-22-6665 8282; 91-22-6665 8013;srtt@tata.com;

http://www.srtt.org/institutional_grants/rural_livelihoods_communities/himmothan_pariyojana.htm

Initiated the Himmotthan Pariyojana (HMP) in Uttarakhand which funded the projectDocumenting Climate Change in Uttarakhand-a study on the impact of climate change.

FromFarasat Ali, Gilgit Conservation and Information Center, WWF Pakistan

Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA), Government of P akistan,Pakistan

A new set up, works on disaster risk management and institutional capacity building andtoward strengthening the early warning systems in the Gilgit-Baltistan region.

Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Government of Pakistan,

Pakistan

WAPDA House, Sharah-e-Quaid-e-Azam, Lahore; 44869 WAPDA PK & 47305, WAPDA PK;

9202454; http://www.wapda.gov.pk/htmls/auth-index.html

Responsible for water and hydropower development. Main source of data for hydrological

forecasts and plays a major role in flood management using early warning systems.

Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA), Government of P akistan, PakistanHQs Civil Aviation Authority, JIAP, Karachi, Pakistan; 92-21 9248173; Dops@caapakistan.com.pk;www.caapakistan.com.pk

Recommended for its Early Warning Systems stations installed in the Gilgit-Baltistanregion.

National Disaster Management Authority (NDM A), Government of Pakistan, Pakistan051-9215412; 0300 5278981, 0331-5657779; maf@ndma.gov.pk;

http://www.ndma.gov.pk/AboutNDMA.html Apex policy making body for disasters working toward achieving sustainable social,

economic and environmental development through reducing risks and vulnerabilities.

FromAmber Masud, UNDP, Pakistan

Pakistan M eteorological Department, Government of Pakistan, PakistanHeadquarter Office Sector H-8/2, Islamabad; 92-51-92503601; 92-51-9250368;pakmet_islamabad@yahoo.com; http://www.pakmet.com.pk/rnd/rndweb/index2.htm

Institute for research work on climate change and subsequent increase in disasters;NDMA working toward strengthening its technical capacity.

http://www.zeenews.com/news657109.htmlmailto:srtt@tata.comhttp://www.srtt.org/institutional_grants/rural_livelihoods_communities/himmothan_pariyojana.htmhttp://www.srtt.org/institutional_grants/rural_livelihoods_communities/himmothan_pariyojana.htmhttp://www.wapda.gov.pk/htmls/auth-index.htmlmailto:Dops@caapakistan.com.pkhttp://www.caapakistan.com.pk/mailto:maf@ndma.gov.pkhttp://www.ndma.gov.pk/AboutNDMA.htmlmailto:pakmet_islamabad@yahoo.comhttp://www.pakmet.com.pk/rnd/rndweb/index2.htmhttp://www.pakmet.com.pk/rnd/rndweb/index2.htmmailto:pakmet_islamabad@yahoo.comhttp://www.ndma.gov.pk/AboutNDMA.htmlmailto:maf@ndma.gov.pkhttp://www.caapakistan.com.pk/mailto:Dops@caapakistan.com.pkhttp://www.wapda.gov.pk/htmls/auth-index.htmlhttp://www.srtt.org/institutional_grants/rural_livelihoods_communities/himmothan_pariyojana.htmhttp://www.srtt.org/institutional_grants/rural_livelihoods_communities/himmothan_pariyojana.htmmailto:srtt@tata.comhttp://www.zeenews.com/news657109.html

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Federal Flood Commission, Government of Pakistan, Pakistanhttp://www.ffc.gov.pk/

Responsible for planning and execution of flood protection work receiving technicalcapacity advancement from NDMA.

Geological Survey of Pakistan, Government of Pakistan, PakistanP.B 15; Sariab Road, Quetta, 081-9211032; 081-9211018;qta@gsp.gov.pk;http://www.gsp.gov.pk/

Responsible for the study of environmental geology, hydrological studies and naturalhazards.

FromKN Vajpai, Climate Himalaya Initiative, Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Indian Meteorological Department, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India,IndiaMausam Bhavan, Lodi Road, New Delhi 110003, India; http://www.imd.gov.in/; Contact: Mr.Kamal Singh, Publication Section 91-11-4382-403

Launched theIntegrated Forecasting and Communication Systemon 23 September 2010

Disaster M itigation and Management Centre, Uttarakhand, India0135-2710334, 2710335, 2710233; http://gov.ua.nic.in/dmmc/about.aspx

Works under the aegis of DDM as the apex centre in the field of disaster mitigation andmanagement

Related Consolidated Replies

Disaster Risk Reduction in the Hindu Kush Himalayas, from Krishna S. Vatsa, Bureauof Crisis Prevention and Recovery-UNDP, New Delhi (Experiences). DisasterManagement Community, Climate Change Community, Solution Exchange Bhutan,New Delhi and Bhutan,

Issued 21/December/2010. Available at ftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/drm/cr/cr-se-

drm-clmt-16111001.pdf(PDF,276 KB)It is a compilation of experiences regarding disaster risk reduction in Hindu KushHimalayas.

Developing a Training Module for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change, fromSarat Panda, UNDP, Thimphu (Advice; Experiences). Solution Exchange Bhutan; Issued 26May 2010 Available at: http://www.solutionexchange-un.net.bt/cr/cr-se-bhutan-26051002.pdf (PDF, Size:143 KB)

Offers inputs for a training module on disaster risk reduction and climate changeadaptation through natural resource management

Developing a PPP Framework for Climate Change Adaptations and DRR Efforts -

Advice; Examples from Tanvi Patel, Centre for Integrated Development, Ahmedabad,GujaratClimate Change and Disaster Management CommunityAvailable at:ftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/clmt/cr/cr-se-clmt-drm-27071001.pdf(PDF;Size: 147 KB)

Elaborates on possible frameworks that could be effectively used in order to includepublic/private partnerships in climate change adaptation and DRR

http://www.ffc.gov.pk/mailto:qta@gsp.gov.pkhttp://www.gsp.gov.pk/http://www.imd.gov.in/http://gov.ua.nic.in/dmmc/about.aspxftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/drm/cr/cr-se-drm-clmt-16111001.pdfftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/drm/cr/cr-se-drm-clmt-16111001.pdfhttp://www.solutionexchange-un.net.bt/cr/cr-se-bhutan-26051002.pdfftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/clmt/cr/cr-se-clmt-drm-27071001.pdfftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/clmt/cr/cr-se-clmt-drm-27071001.pdfhttp://www.solutionexchange-un.net.bt/cr/cr-se-bhutan-26051002.pdfftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/drm/cr/cr-se-drm-clmt-16111001.pdfftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/drm/cr/cr-se-drm-clmt-16111001.pdfhttp://gov.ua.nic.in/dmmc/about.aspxhttp://www.imd.gov.in/http://www.gsp.gov.pk/mailto:qta@gsp.gov.pkhttp://www.ffc.gov.pk/

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Developing Climate Responsive Approaches to Managing Disaster Risk from AmitTuteja, SEEDS, New Delhi for Alliance for Adaptation and Disaster R isk ReductionDisaster Management and Climate Change Community

Available at: ftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/clmt/cr/cr-se-drm-clmt-28051001.pdf (PDFSize: 276 KB)

Shares experiences of adaptation to Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction

Programmes, and identifies key challenges faced in implementing such adaptationprogrammes

Responses in Full

Chicu Lokgariwar, PSI, Dehradun

We have recently completed a study on people's perceptions of climate change in mid-altitudevillages in the Uttarakhand Himalayas. The economy of the mountain communities ofUttarakhand is largely dependent on its natural resource base and climate-sensitive livelihoodslike subsistence agriculture, pastoralism and forestry. However, the impacts of climate changeare visible in mid- and high- altitude regions in the shape of changes in ecosystems and changes

in seasons. These changes have both positive and negative effects on resource-basedlivelihoods. There is a need to identify the changes that are currently visible in the mountainregions, analyze them and help the local communities to adapt to them.

This project Documenting Climate Change in Uttarakhand is funded by Himmothan and hascollected information from local communities about possible climate related changes and helpincrease their resilience to climate change. Its stated objectives are:

To document evidence of possible climate related changes in Uttarakhands mid-Himalayan mountain region.

To assess the likely impact of the observed changes on natural resources basedlivelihoods.

To outline the possible scope for adaptation

The study focused on participatory assessment, but these perceptions were corroborated bybotanical surveys and analysis of weather data. The climate-led changes that most impactedmountain communities and livelihoods were:

Increasing aridity (especially winter precipitation) Lack of freezing temperatures

Increase in extreme weather events.

The report details the above changes, community reactions, corroborative data, and adaptationstrategies. In addition, other changes that are experienced by communities such as changes in

ecosystemic composition, increase in pests, etc are also noted. The report is available here as aPDF document; I hope you find it useful.

Phurba Lhendup, WWF Butan, Thimpu

This is really a good initiative from UNDP-BPCR. WWF and the Stockholm Environment Institutehas recently come up with a new document Enhancing Adaptive Capacity in Bhutan and Nepaland I have uploaded at this link for download:

ftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/clmt/cr/cr-se-drm-clmt-28051001.pdfmailto:chicu.l@gmail.comhttp://www.peoplesscienceinstitute.com/activities/rcg/project_5.htmlhttp://www.srtt.org/institutional_grants/rural_livelihoods_communities/himmothan_pariyojana.htmhttp://www.peoplesscienceinstitute.com/activities/rcg/cc%20final%20may2010-2.pdfmailto:se-clmt_se-drm@solutionexchange-un.net.inmailto:se-clmt_se-drm@solutionexchange-un.net.inhttp://www.peoplesscienceinstitute.com/activities/rcg/cc%20final%20may2010-2.pdfhttp://www.srtt.org/institutional_grants/rural_livelihoods_communities/himmothan_pariyojana.htmhttp://www.peoplesscienceinstitute.com/activities/rcg/project_5.htmlmailto:chicu.l@gmail.comftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/clmt/cr/cr-se-drm-clmt-28051001.pdf

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http://www.sendspace.com/file/0epqxp[/url

The above document mentions efforts taken by Nepal and Bhutan separately as well as jointly

including the development of respective National Adaptation Plan of Action (NAPA) anddeclarations at South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC Thimpu Declaration2010) adaptation needs to be seen as complementary to, an integral part of, development

planning. Adaptation planning means planning for greater uncertainty, which in turn means moreflexibility and less prescriptive forms of planning.

Building adaptive capacity or resilience could be the most effective adaptation strategy for thetwo countries where community based institutions such as community forestry user groups andalpine herders groups have a proven track record of adaptation to the changing climate.

This research brief outlines how Bhutan and Nepal can advance with adaptation planning inrespective context of socio-economic, political and climatic changes. Some main policyimplications that have been drawn are:

1)Adaptation is not about crafting something new but it is about building on experiences andscaling up those resilience-building activities that are already happening.

2)The use of both climate models and vulnerability approach would help to better understandand integrate climate into development planning processes.

3)Understanding the potential utility of the concepts of exposure, sensitivity and adaptivecapacity is vital for these countries where there has been a greater concern about proactiveplanning for adaptation activities. Building adaptive capacity or resilience of communitybased institutions could be the first step towards adaptation planning.

4) Adaptation decision-making requires cross-sectoral and cross-level interactions so thatpolicy actions, development planning and local processes are better linked.

5)The national level focus may create mal-adaptations across borders especially given thatecosystems do not lie within sovereign national boundaries therefore landscape approach toplanning is essential.

This document may perhaps answer your second question. To me conducting climate changevulnerability assessment (CCVA) prior to any climate adaptation activities would provide betterplatform to make strategies and implement appropriate activities. I think CCVA has not beendone in any part of Bhutan, so the understanding of climate change among people may varyacross the Himalayas.

Farasat Ali, Gilgit Conservation and Informat ion Center, WW F Pakistan

What are the present early Warning Systems being used for tackling climate

change/climate variabil ity?

The early warning systems used in the Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) are mostly Stations established by

Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Pakistan Air force, Civil Aviation Authority

and Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority in the locations given below:

Metrolog ical stations located at Gilgit, Gupis, Skardu, Bunji, Naltar, Rama Astore

and Karimabad

River Flow Detectors at Bunji and Danyore

Media

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CCTV cameras in Ataabad to monitor the landslide dammed lake

Radio Pakistan Gilgit

Radio Pakistan Skardu

Local news papers

National and international TV channels

Internet plate forms Communication network

Emergencies response SMS from GBDMA

Telephones

Mobile services

Intra l ine departmental Dialogue set communications

Police and line agencies for emergencies response

Police and Gilgit-Baltistan public works department

Indigenous systems

Loudspeakers

Fire in signals and gun shots

Weather predication Seasonal hazards predications

The Gilgit-Baltistan disaster management authority (GBDMA) is a new setup and they areworking on disaster risk management strategies and institutional capacity building. However

recent disasters have been a driving force for the GBDMA to strengthen the existing earlywarning and DRM systems in the region. Many organizations are working on the same now,including the NDMA. The interests of government also include investment in capacity building ofcommunities in strengthening community based disaster risk management systems but there aremany financial constraints.

What is the level of understanding of Climate Change Adaptation among the people,

policy makers and local governments (Panchayats, municipalities, etc.) and how can

these be enhanced?The level of understanding regarding the climate change is fair enough and a focus ofdiscussions these days but the area of adaptation mechanisms and response strategies stillremains a gap in local development plans and policies. It needs to be strengthened considerablyto the level of actions. There is a strong need to enhance understanding of climate riskmanagement. Following need to be developed for building the same:

Communication awareness strategy regarding climate change for all stakeholders

programmes/ projects on climate risk management

Sustainable development plan for Gilgit-Baltistan, including CRM mitigation strategies

Seminars for policy makers and communities

Lobbing and enhanced role of media

Research on climate change in high altitude areas of the Gilgit-Baltistan

Community based early warning systems need to be strengthened Knowledge net working programmes should be initiated

Environmental clubs should established involving youth and students

What are the adaptation and risk reduction efforts being taken at the local level to

combat climate change/ climate variability?

Some recorded efforts during field investigations were found as given below : Protection of the pastures in some parts of the GB

Shift in farming pattern and techniques.

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Planting of new crops which give higher yields

In some areas there are local level conservation committees for protection of forests and

pastures

Plantation of seabuck thorn as a soil binder for minimizing soil erosion

Local Trappe cropping systems in lower Hunza to minimized pest witness and attacks

Local Soil management techniques in Gudyai and Bubin for better production of cropsand security of food

Mohinder Slariya, Chamba , Himachal Pradesh

I am working on such issues in Himachal Himalayas. Brief write up of my study on Eco-PsychoPerception of the People regarding the Viability of Micro Hydroelectric Power Projects-A Study ofChanju basin in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh is given below:

Over the past decade, the profile of mountains on the global sustainable development agendahas increased, first with the inclusion of mountains as Chapter 13 entitled "Managing FragileEcosystems: Sustainable Mountain Development" in Agenda 21 and more recently by the

declaration of 2002 as International Year of Mountains. With these developments, the resourcesin mountains are being mostly exploited for energy generation. Energy from mountains in theform of hydroelectricity and wood has been essential for economic development of the countryconcerned as well as for the local economy. Yet often, mountain people gain little from largeenergy developments as they have received little compensation for the use of their resources,and have been sidelined in national energy policies.

In search of better living, to accelerate economic growth and to achieve self-reliance on everyfront, man has made considerable intrusions in the name of development in the physicalenvironment. Developmental activities of all sorts can be traced out since the inception of humancivilization, whose nature, content has been changed over the period and need of time. For thesake of comforts the mountains, rivers, agricultural land, forests have been disturbed orreconstituted, which has altered the ecology of the globe and led to a number of considerable

environmental changes and these changes are threatening the lives of living organisms andposing a question mark on survival. Speaking specifically, the hydroelectric power developmentalprojects along with their many positive aspects have also got some negative aspects which arenot taken up in any study or in any developmental project.

Along with other states of India, the developmental activities in Himachal Pradesh were startedafter independence in the name of self reliance and Green Revolution with the construction ofPong dam and Bhakhra dam on Beas and Satluj rivers and commissioned in 1962 and 1963respectively. After these in 1970s, two major cement factories were installed i.e. CementCorporation of India (CCI) in Ponta Sahib in Sirmour district and the second was in Barmana inBilaspur district installed by Associated Cement Companies (ACC).

In 1980s National Hydroelectric Power Corporation limited (NHPC) has entered in the state andinstalled first hydroelectric power project named as Baira Suil Hydroelectric power project of 198MW. After this, NHPC has taken Chamera series of major dams i.e. Chamera-I, II and III in Ravibasin. In 1990s another cement factory by Gujarat Ambuja was constructed at Daldaghat inSolan district. At present, 6 cement factories have been identified and MoUs have been signed for

one factory, which is proposed to be installed in Mandi district. Because of these planneddevelopmental initiatives over the last 50 years, no doubt the need of the economy has been metbut the lives and livelihood of the people have been affected adversely.

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Himachal Pradesh is a mountainous state having about thousand perennial streams which form adiverse drainage system in the state. It has five perennial rivers of Indus basins i.e. Chenab,Yamuna, Ravi, Satluj and Beas. Out of these basins Beas, Satluj and Ravi basins contributes more

than 72 % potential capacity out of 25000 MW assessed potential capacity of hydroelectric powergeneration in Himachal Pradesh. Power generation in Himachal Pradesh can be divided in twocategories i.e. major/medium power projects, being executed by national and international level

power producers companies. And the second category is of small, mini and micro power projects,which are being executed by Him Urja.

The state has received maximum number of power projects for execution in both categories i.e.major as well as small, micro and mini. In the first category there are 115 power projects whichhave been either allotted for execution or in DPR or survey stage. In the second category 286power projects which are either in execution or allotment stage. At present, 33 major and 64small, mini or micro power projects have been producing 6050 MW electricity in the state. Themassive exploitation of these basins is putting a question mark on the existence of these basinsand lives of thousands of people, who have been living in the vicinity of these basins. To agreater extent natural route of these rivers have been re-routed and diverted by constructingtunnels and impounding the natural flow of water, which has been there since ages.

Undoubtedly, so much of developmental activities either executed or proposed have played avital role in the development of states economy, but these developments are not free ofcontradictions. It has brought a considerable change in the existing weather pattern of the stateand environmental concerns of the area.

Out of five river basins of the state, Chenab and Ravi flows in Chamba district. Ravi is a perennialsnow fed river, rises from Bara Bhangal branch of lesser Himalayas in Kangra district and flowsdown along with its tributaries travel 728 km journey before entering into Pakistan near Amritsar.There are 49 small rivulets which can be categorized in 13 sub-basins streams in three maintributaries of Ravi.

The people of the Chanju sub-basin are very poor and mostly depend on the rivulets/ nallas fortheir livelihood, which are the main sources of ecosystem services and these services, are rearing6000 people of the valley since ages. The water mills, who are serving the people of the valleyare being threaten by the installation of these power projects and putting a question mark on thelivelihood of the people for 67 MW power. This basin has eight perennial small and big rivuletswhose installation capacity has been assessed 80 MW. On these rivulets there are more than 55water mills that are serving the valley since ages and are the carrier of Hatt and Gharat Cultureof Indian village community and at present rearing more than 6000 people of the valley.

Currently, hydroelectricity is the world's overwhelming renewable energy of choice. According tothe most recent statistics from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), in 2006hydroelectricity contributed 2,997 billion kilowatt hours of electricity to states around the worldwhile all other renewable energy sources such as geothermal, solar, wind, contributed 414.31billion kilowatt hours of electricity.

Along with this, the fact remains that livelihood cannot be replaced by compensation. How canthe socio-economic, cultural as well as psychological deprivation be compensated in monetaryterms? The life of affected people particularly, those living in the vicinity of riverbeds/ reservoirshave been traumatized by this lobbyist pressurized development, which neither is of any worthfor poor people nor justified (WCD (World Commission on Dams), 2006). The profit earned by

the executing agency must be shared and a provision must be there for sharing a considerableamount of the profit with the local people, as they are the real sufferers of such developmentalinitiatives (Roy, 2005).

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All these can be included in the Benefit Sharing Model (BSM) proposed by the researcher. Thismodel advocates the inclusion of LIA (Livelihood Impact assessment), SIA (Social Impact

Assessment), HIA (Health Impact Assessment) along with EIA in RR (Resettlement andRehabilitation) plan, so that the prevailing conflict in any developmental initiative/ project can besolved. This model advocates the inclusion of the approach dominated by the principle:

Development should be for Man and Man should not be for Development. This needs only properand honest preparation of TEFR (Techno-Economic Feasibility Report) and its inclusion in the RRplan. The RR plan should be prepared by involving all the stakeholders and must be rehabilitatednot in theory, but in practical as per the schedule IV notification and after execution, someportion of income must be used for their welfare because they have sacrificed everything(Slariya, 2008).

Arvind Kum ar Sinha , Regional Climate Risk R eduction Project, UNDP BCP R South andSouth West Asia, New Delhi

We are in process of discussing very pertinent issue of climate change and perception of the

community. I am sharing some of the views of the community about the understanding ofclimate change. It may not have the documents and research paper by the academic institution

for establishing the relationship with climate change and visual impacts, but community hasperceived it. I am trying to answer the 2nd bullet from the set of questions. We say the level ofunderstanding about climate change at the community level. It is visualized in the followingways:

Decrease in rainfall, shorter span of rainy season, untimely and unseasonal rain and

shifting of geographical location of rain fall which has caused a major disaster in Kinnaurdistrict of Himachal Pradesh in India. It is known as cold desert and receives very lessrain for shorter period of rainfall. It received a lot of rain this year for extended periodand it has impacted badly on the topography. District headquarter of Kinnaur hasdeveloped lots of cracks in the land mass and buildings. Communities see it as an impact

of climate change, which has brought more rain to this cold desert and it has resulted insinking of Rekang Peo. Scientific study is being commissioned to understand the facts.

Community also relates it with the diminishing of crops and livelihood options. Few yearsago, Sonali village in Chamoli district was having very good amount of oranges and othercitrus fruits as one of the sources of food. Its production went down year by year andnow it is not available in the village. It is also perceived by the community that itsproduction reduced and diminished due to climate change.

Community also perceives that behavior of wild life has also changed in recent past dueto climate change. Most of the districts in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have beenexperiencing the attack of wild life on the crops. It has been perceived that there is notmuch forest produce available in the forest for wild animals to eat. Wild life is nowattracted towards the agriculture produce. Crops are being ruined by monkeys and bearsto a large extent. It is also related to climate change as perceived by the community.

Forest cover is reduced and it is inviting the wild life to invade in the human settlements.If the trends continue, it would create food insecurity in the mountains. However, nofund is available to address the issue of climate related problems, so panchayat has veryless understanding about climate change and its variability. Government developmentprogrammes and policies do not include issues related to climate change.

There is an urgent need to enhance the knowledge, information and skill among localcommunities, Panchayats and government agencies on climate change. Following strategies to beadopted to enhance understanding about climate related issues:

mailto:arvind.sinha@undp.orgmailto:arvind.sinha@undp.org

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Engage different scientific and research institutions in developing people centric

awareness strategies on climate change adaptation for common people. Establish and strengthen the institutional mechanism to develop different innovative

knowledge products on climate related issues to impart knowledge to governmentinstitutions and panchayats.

Develop and impart training courses on climate change to policy makers and orientationfor executives in government organizations.

Create and enabling environment at home, public and work place by writing slogans,

instructions and using eco friendly materials at work. Inclusion of climate related issues and knowledge in the curriculum of schools and

colleges.

I would like to share one initiative for water conservation measures in Kangra district of HimachalPradesh. There are several processes that have been adopted to conserve water in traditionalways. Communities are using lots of traditional methods and structures for conserving andharnessing water in the mountains. Khatri is a kind of percolation tank, which is dug in themountains. It has dimension of 10x10x10 and could be more depending upon the spaceavailable. It requires special skill to dig and select the place for kharti. Community in Kagra

district is using this structure for storage of water from the mountain top, which percolates downin the Khatri. Community was using stored water for their house hold work and drinking purpose.Kangra has very different distribution of rain. Few places in Kagra are known as changer (It islocal name, meaning desert). Most of the Khatri are present in this changer location. People havestarted realizing the change in rainfall in this area. It has also begun impacting agriculture andvegetable produce of this area.

Community thought about some value addition in the process of harnessing water from Khatri forsustaining their agriculture produce, unfortunately, Kharti does not store that much water so thatlarger agriculture produced could be sustained. Consequently the Community took a mid path bydeveloping some kitchen garden in their home to grow some vegetable with help of little waterfrom Kharti. It was very helpful for fulfilling their daily needs of vegetables for a family of 5

members. It could be considered as one of the examples of adaptation in context of climatechange and change in rainfall pattern.

Amber M asud , UNDP , Pakist an

What are the present Early Warning Systems being used for tackling climate change/climate

variability?

There isnt any specific early warning system in the Gilgit Baltistan region within the governmentsystem. Early warnings mostly originate from met office which has limited stations in the GBregion and the warning is communicated to locals through District Commissioners (DC) office.However the indigenous observation, monitoring and dissemination system adopted by localcommunities is quite good although it needs further improvements. Hazard vulnerability

assessment and hazard zonation has not been done for any of the districts in the region exceptfor Gilgit which was recently completed under the RCRRP. This is one of the areas identified bythe northern areas government where they require support and assistance. They believe multi-hazard zonation will enable the government authorities to warn vulnerable communities inadvance of a likely disaster. The population in the Gilgit- Baltistan region is ethnically divided inthree main groups (Shia, Suni and Ismaili) and spread over the seven districts. The communitieshave rights of the land holdings in their villages and surrounding pastures. Therefore they do notwant to relocate incase they are forewarned and this issue is one of the most challenging. This

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had been the case in Attabad landslide disaster, where slope failure was predicted much inadvance but government authorities were unable to evacuate people because of their reluctance.

Community Based Early Warning SystemGilgit Baltistan region is susceptible to a number of natural hazards; however detailed informationis missing, even at the government level. The hazards put at risk not only infrastructure,

services, environment and livelihoods but also lives. The vulnerabilities of the community arefurther augmented by poverty, extreme pressure on resources and almost non-existing copingcapacities. However mountain communities are an excellent example of unity and volunteerism.Communities have a system of observing various natural changes followed by prediction ofhazardous events, and it is most certainly better then what the government authorities have tooffer.

They observe precipitation and temperature changes and warn people about likely disasters byvarious means. The warning mechanism is different in different areas e.g. lighting torches atnight, gun fires, announcements in mosques, by going around in village, beating the drums andnow by telecommunications means. In the Ismailia community areas, village level councils exist.The council has recruited community volunteers and scouts to observe and inform the volunteercaptain about unusual changes e.g. color and load of streams and rivers before flash floods,

floods and GLOFs. People tend to be more vigilant in March, April, July and August because mostof the disaster events occur during these periods. This indigenous warning system has beendeveloped by communities, based on their knowledge and experience. The system has evolvedwith time but it still needs refinement.

It has also been observed that the communities are well aware of mitigation strategies such asrelocation, plantation or check damn construction. However they can not initiate mitigation workon their own because of lack of resources. It would be best to work with the local communities inimproving their indigenous Early Warning Systems. However a communication link should beestablished between the government and communities so that it is possible for the governmentto provide timely assistance.

Establishing and improving multi-hazard early warning system (EWS) for timely warnings hasbeen identified as a priority in the National Disaster Management Framework (NDMF-2007).However, Government lacks financial and technical resources to have advanced early warningsystems placed in the region. The NDMA has been striving to build technical capacities ofrelevant institutions such as Pakistan Meteorological Department, Federal Flood Commission(FFC), Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP), and Ministry of Health (MOH) in this regard. It hasalso provided necessary equipment in some areas e.g. for cyclone EW in the coastal areas.Nonetheless it is going to take a considerable time to achieve the desired goal.

What is the level of understanding of Climate Change Adaptation among the people, policymakers and local governments (Panchayats, municipalities, etc.) and how can these beenhanced?

The level of understanding of Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) has increased many folds in thelast few years but a lot of work still needs to be done on the various levels, including policy andadvocacy. There is a strong need for enhancing understanding of CCA & DRM through variouseducation and awareness programmes, among the decision makers and vulnerable communities.

What are the adaptation and risk reduction efforts being taken at the local level to combat

climate change/ climate variability?

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Local communities have been naturally adapting to various changes resulting from climatevariability and change. They have been changing their agricultural practices according totemperature and precipitation regimes. For example, in many areas people have abandoned

cultivation of barely and maize and shifted to wheat and potato plantation. Similarly peopleconstruct their houses using indigenous materials and techniques to accommodate temperatureand precipitation changes. Risk reduction measures are evolving with time and changing weather

and climate but local communities still need support and assistance of government authoritiesand other major stakeholders for augmenting the same.

J.P.Maithani, Alaknanda Ghaati Shilpi Federation (AAGAAS FEDERATION)

Pipalkoti,Chamoli, Uttarakhand

We are experiencing Climate Change/Global warming in the Himalayas. We have noticed thefollowing changes:The Citrus fruit belt which was earlier in between the altitude of 900 m to 1450 have shiftedupwards upto 1700 to 1850 m because earlier the Citrus fruit belt was giving very good yield upto 1998 and nowadays the production of the Citrus plants have decreased rapidly. The plants atthis altitude are dying or mortality of the plant has increased, fruit size decreased.

On the other hand the Apple orchards which were in between the altitude of 1650 to 1950 m arenot fruiting well and mortality is increasing. We observed that there is a shift of Horticulture cropaltitude wise. It reflects that the temperature and climate is related to plant life cycle and habitat.If we are growing Guava, Mango, on the farm of Citrus fruits they are growing well (at the Citrusfruit altitude) On the other hand the Citrus fruit belt has shifted towards Apple fruit belt which isa clear indication of rising temperature in Uttarakhand Himalayas.We transplanted few of the Bamboo spp. and Arjuna terminalia plant at the altitude of 1259 m.though these plants were not suitable for this altitude as they generally grow at the altitude ofupto 700 m only. But I personally observed in our Biotourism Park at Pipalkoti Chamoli that theseplants though are not the native of the region but in last in three years I have seen a significantgrowth in these plants. This proves that there is an inter-relation of temperature with the livingorganism and their Habitat.Further, the snow line has shifted upwards and the frequency of snow fall is decreasing.

The early flowering in wild and horticulture crops such as Rhododendron, Peach, Plum, andApricot are also indicators of climate change in our region.

We have developed a small center in Pipalkoti Chamoli, Uttarakhand for keeping such records,incidence, indicators etc.

K N Vajpai, Climate Himalaya Initiative, Dehradun, Uttarakhand

The vision of Indias National Disaster Management Authority-NDMAhttp://ndma.gov.in/ndma/index.htm is to build a safer and disaster resilient India by developinga holistic, pro-active, multi-disaster and technology-driven strategy for disaster management

through collective efforts of all Government Agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations.

Sometimes one wonders on the disaster preparedness of our national level authority and itsactions on the ground, which clearly reflects that, it is no more than the conglomeration oferstwhile administrators. For example, since the enactment of National Disaster Management Act,2005, and ratification of state Act by Uttarakhand Government for State Disaster ManagementAuthority, the authorities never met.

The floods in North India during September 2010, clearly indicated that the Government of Indiawas unprepared (http://bit.ly/9uQ5R5) to control the situation in affected states like Uttarakhand,Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi and Haryana. Here more than 3 million people were affected due to

mailto:jpmaithani@gmail.commailto:knvajpai@prakriti-india.orghttp://ndma.gov.in/ndma/index.htmhttp://bit.ly/9uQ5R5http://bit.ly/9uQ5R5http://ndma.gov.in/ndma/index.htmmailto:knvajpai@prakriti-india.orgmailto:jpmaithani@gmail.com

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floods, that washed away their homes, damaged crops by ravaging 5,00,000 hectares of farmland in Uttar Pradesh alone. In Uttarakhand about 200 people were killed. The UNICEF estimatedthat 1.7 million people were affected in Uttar Pradesh and 1 million in Bihar. The flood situation

was that, the harnessing of rivers through construction of dams did not help, as claimedgenerally by Hydro-power authorities in the Himalayan region.

Similarly, the cloudburst, which led to flash floods and mudslides, claimed about 180 lives andinjured about 400 people, besides causing widespread damage to public and private property inLeh region ( http://bit.ly/gnDYpe ).

On this situation, one of India's News daily writes that, Politicians and educationists talk aboutrelevant and appropriate local knowledge, but there is no evidence of it in what happens in ouruniversities and research institutions. A modern society needs to constantly update its knowledgeand information. It is part of the preparedness of a government (http://bit.ly/9uQ5R5 ).

The India Meteorology Department (IMD) in September 2010 launched a major project onIntegrated Forecasting and Communication System given the critical situation in Leh andUttarakhand to understand the complex phenomena of meteorological disasters. It was claimedthat the dynamic weather prediction models using super computers and very highly sophisticated

software will start giving more and more accurate data on various meteorological hazards likedrought, heat waves, monsoon, floods, thunderstorms, or tropical cyclone. The government of

India took it as one of our priorities and Rs 1000 crore programme was sanctioned by PlanningCommission in 2007. It included setting up of automatic weather stations, Doppler radars,connecting them with most high speed digital interconnecting systems and network as well asbuying super computers for numerical weather prediction etc.

The challenge here is that, how the scientific data is efficiently, timely and effectively

communicated to the local communities in disaster like situations. In the mountains, one needs tounderstand the topographical barriers, availability of communication channels and electricity. Asan example during floods in Uttarakhand, people were completely disconnected for weeks fromany type of communication means due to no electricity, and there was no food supply, while thetourists visiting the region remained stranded in places due to major land slides along the road

network.

There is an urgent need to look at the following aspects:

Reviewing the preparedness of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA)

generally headed by the District Magistrate and the preparation process of DistrictDisaster Response Plan (DDRP) in each district of the mountain region.

Review the linkages between District Planning Committee and District EnvironmentCommittee in lieu of coordination and planning with DDMA.

Reviewing the effectiveness of communication between NDMA and State level DisasterManagement Authorities.

Implementation of DDRP, mock drills and availability of staff as per state provisions and

central guidelines.

The implementation of plan for identification of high risk areas in the region andavailability of all relevant information at one place for policy and planning purposes.

The status of training to the local community on various disaster related issues andinclusiveness in such efforts.

Review the effectiveness of communication channels during disaster like situation and

preparedness of DDMA. Availability of resources (human and financial) with state and DDMA and Urban local

bodies.

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Reviewing the JNNURM and other Urban Development plans in view of disaster

preparedness with regard to water, waste, sanitation, flood, etc. The provisions for Dam Break Analysis in mountainous regions of India, where in

situation like cloud burst and flash floods, the authorities have appropriate disastermanagement plans in place.

The efforts towards awareness building and knowledge sharing by various entrusted

departments in a state and districts and support by national level agencies.

Aditi Umrao , UNDP, New Delhi

The Hindu Kush-Himalayan region is one of the most complex, dynamic, and intensive riskhotspots with earthquakes, floods, flash floods and landslides as the main hazards. This is due tothe physical and socio-economic characteristics of the Himalayan region combined with thechanging risk factors such as environmental and climate change, population growth, andeconomic globalization.

The effect of global warming on weather patterns may be responsible for an apparent increase inthe frequency and intensity of weather-related disasters in Himalayan region. The frequency of

disasters has increased manifold in last few decades. There is a clear indication that not only thefrequency of such hazards is increasing with time but also their intensity and impact on the livesand livelihood of people, living in the area, is increasing. The vulnerability of people getsincreased as rescue or support operation requires more time and resources to reach to thecommunity living in that area during disaster.

There is a need to develop a comprehensive policy where local community is a part of the policydevelopment process. Over a period of time nature of disasters have changed so capacitydevelopment of community for managing varying disasters & sustainable development in theregion may be given high priority.

Many thanks to all w ho contributed to this query!

If you have further information to share on this topic, please send it to Solution Exchange for theClimate Change Community in India atse-clmt@solutionexchange.net.in and se-drm@solutionexchange.net.inwith the subject heading Re: [se-clmt] Query: Climate Change inthe Hindu Kush Himalayas - Experiences, Examples. Additional Reply.

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