Snet 89 DDMP (2) · 2012. 12. 31. · Dr. Kamal Lochan Mishra from the OSMDA mentioned the astonishing fact that the Odisha coast was the most hit (98 times) by cyclones and tsunamis

southasiadisasters.net December 20122

Soon after the Odisha Cyclone andthe Gujarat earthquake, the

Government of India (GoI) prioritiseda national policy on disastermanagement and advocated a changeof direction from a post-disasterreactive approach to a proactivestance before the occurrence ofdisasters. The GoI also provided anew legal framework and promotedthe greater harmonisation of disastermanagement efforts. The policy setforth principles (including thesignificance of community roles andactive civil society participation),objectives (including emphasis onprevention, DRR and promotingregional and national cooperation),strategies and provisions for promotinginter-sectorial complementarities.

The National Disaster ManagementAct 2005 mandated national, state anddistrict authorities to developpolicies, guidelines, and plans for theproper implementation of disastermanagement plans to reduce adverseimpacts on communities and tofacilitate the timely and effectiveresponses to disasters. It stressed theinclusion of mitigation,preparedness, and DRR measures intodevelopment activities. As a resultState Disaster ManagementAuthorities (SDMAs) in various statesinitiated the development of DistrictDisaster Management Plans(DDMPs). However, some plans weremerely a collection of contact phonenumbers of important authorities anddepartments from the district. Therewere significant gaps in theseoperational plans mainly due to thenon-availability of a standardplanning framework, lack of expertiseand dedicated resources. Lack ofcommunity participation and that ofrelevant stakeholders in thepreparation process also resulted inthe lack of ownership amongintended users and beneficiaries.

Disasters tend to happen to people atrisk. People are at risk because theyare vulnerable to hazards. Thisvulnerability can be best reduced by

PREFACE

People Led District Disaster Managementincreasing people's capacities to dealwith underlying social, cultural andphysical factors.

The key to successful disastermanagement plans is to ensure theinvolvement of people who are thevictims, who are at risk, or could bepotential victims. If this is notpracticed it is often unsustainable,costly and ineffective. Most DDMPsin the country lack participation fromaffected communities and civilsociety. A participatory community-level disaster management approachinvolves a cross-section of people inthe design and development processof the plan. When local peopledevelop these plans there is moreinterest, greater ownership andunderstanding, resulting in thesuccessful reduction of suffering andlosses. The key principles of thisapproach thus are:• Communities themselves are best

placed to prioritise threats and takeeffective risk-reducing actions.

• The best time to reduce the impactof disasters is before the nextdisaster occurs. Hence, preventiveactions should be an integral partof effective disaster managementplans.

• The identification and mapping ofhazards along with who and whatmay be affected is necessary beforerisk reduction plans can be made.

• Progress has to be well-publicisedto maintain interest and strengthenthe culture of disaster reduction.

An example of this is found in therecent NDMA/SDMA collaborationwith civil society to develop acommunity-led DDMP for theMadhubani district, Bihar. One of thekey highlights of the MadhubaniDDMP process is that though it isoriented towards response, it alsofocuses on risk reduction andprevention. Incidentally, preventionhas been recognised as an importantaspect of DDMPs and povertyreduction strategies by the districtand state disaster managementauthorities. As a result of the DDMP

several agencies/departments inMadhubani have shown willingnessto incorporate prevention measuresinto their regulations, such as thebuilding codes which are used bytown planners to regulate thedevelopment of settlements. It wasencouraging to note the high level ofcommitment from variousstakeholders to improving DRRmechanisms.

Tearfund has been working alongwith its partners to lobbygovernments at all levels for policiesto facilitate the development ofeffective people-friendly plans. TheMadhubani DRR project implementedby its partner organisation EFICORalong with support from Sphere Indiain 30 villages in Madhubani wasinstrumental in the development ofa pilot District Disaster ManagementPlan (DDMP). The strength of thispilot DDMP has been the process as itincorporates the involvement andparticipation of all levels ofstakeholders, from communities todistrict/state/national governmentauthorities. In view of the intensiveinvolvement from all relevantstakeholders, the pilot DDMP hasreceived good response andacceptance from the NDMA andSDMA. This is considered as the firstever attempt in developing a DDMPwhich has been based on the activeinvolvement from first respondentsin natural disasters.

As mentioned above, the thrust of theDDMP is that it is being developedinvolving affected communities. Theapproach has been bottom-up but atthe same time inclusive of all relevantstakeholders, be it governmentdepartments or NGOs, at all stages ofdeveloping the plan. This is truly aplan developed by the people and forthe people. This plan has alsoinfluenced many other civil societiesto take up similar preparations forother districts and states with thesupport of the NDMA.

– John Samuel, Country ProgramSpecialist for Tearfund UK.

southasiadisasters.netDecember 2012 3

MAKING DISTRICT DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLAN PROCESS

Puri District Disaster ManagementPlan

Roundtable conference on 'Making Inclusive DDMPs for Puri District'.

The conference location, justwalking distance away from

Puri beach which has witnessedtsunamis, floods and cyclones inthe past, was most appropriate tostart the process of developingPuri's District DisasterManagement Plan (DDMP). Theround table conference conductedsaw the District Collector of Puri,Shri N.K. Nayak inaugurate theconference and many otherstakeholders participate in it,including Deputy Collectors,Tehsildars, BDOs (BlockDevelopment Officers), Dr. KamalLochan Mishra from the OSDMA(Odisha State DisasterManagement Authority), ShriMihir R. Bhatt from AIDMI (AllIndia Disaster MitigationInstitute), and Shri MunishKaushik, from Cordaid. Some keyinternational and local NGOs, aswell as rural managementstudents, also were at the event. Itwas convened by CENDERET,XIMB.

The District Collector, Shri N.K.Nayak, in his inaugural speechtalked about the widespread lossof life and property that disasterscreate and how disasterprevention has always beenneglected. He said that whileresponse mechanisms haveimproved considerably since the1999 super- cyclone, a lot of workneeds to be put into preparing acomprehensive disaster planwhich includes better preparationand response mechanisms inaccordance with the kind oftechnology that exists today. Hepointed out that while we arepushed to take action in times ofdisasters, a lot more needs to bedone when there are no crises.

Dr. Kamal Lochan Mishra from theOSMDA mentioned the astonishing factthat the Odisha coast was the most hit (98times) by cyclones and tsunamis in thehistory of India for the period 1891-2000.Based on past trends, he made theimportant observation that Puri districtmay be affected 3 times in a season, i.e.in the first week of July, the second weekof August and the 4th week of September.He said that a study showed that the Indo-Burmese tectonic plates were weak andcould become a cause of another tsunamion the Odisha coast. Even the riverMahandi had low capacity and that couldmean increased flood duration. Dr.Mishra also stated that when coastlinesare hit by cyclones or tsunamis, orderlyrehabilitation in 3 layers (0.5 km, 1 km,1.5 km) based on the distances from thesea is needed. It was mentioned that thereare 90 villages which fall within 2 kms ofthe coastline and hence are extremelyvulnerable.

Shri Mihir Bhatt from AIDMI stated thatthe DDMP initiative is the third of its kindwhich emphasises communityparticipation in the planning phases. Hegave an overview of the entire plan andwhat parameters they are looking at in

its development. He encouragedparticipants to give their suggestionsand one attendee, a traffic policeinspector, drew upon his ownexperience to bring up the veryimportant point that it is essential tohave fully dedicated people to managethe crisis response.

Later on, a few NGOs that includedthe Society for Women ActionDevelopment, Practical Action andSave the Children gave presentationswhich discussed their perspectivesand the work they had done whichcan be used for this project.

Finally, as the session drew to a close,the District Collector of Puri said thatwhile involvement of field staff inplanning processes would bebeneficial, there was a need to havethe right team of committed peoplewho showed interest to deliver whenthe need was greatest. He called uponhis team of BDOs to show moresensitivity when addressing thisissue.

– Jaya Krishna Behera, Coordinator,Eastern Odisha Resource Centre (EORC)

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The Bihar Inter-Agency Group(BIAG), along with the All India

Disaster Mitigation Institute(AIDMI) and Caritas India, with thesupport of the District DisasterManagement Authority (DDMA) willrevise the District DisasterManagement Plan (DDMP) for WestChamparan, Bihar. The NationalDisaster Management Authority(NDMA) had also requested NGOs topilot the revision of DDMPs for a fewdistricts across the country. TheDDMPs had never been reviewedbefore by the NDMA, despite theexisting guidelines of the NationalInstitute of Disaster Management(NIDM) and offer of support from theUnited Nations DevelopmentProgramme (UNDP).

This revision process acts as a movetowards making inclusive DDMPs.The process was initiated in May 2012when the concept of 'inclusiveDDMPs' was shared with ShriShridhar, District Magistrate of WestChamparan. Several meetings withthe BIAG, Sphere India, and the BiharState Disaster Management Authority(BSDMA) Patna, were conducted onrevising the DDMP. It was quite aherculean task to bring on board thedifferent stakeholders to jointly takethe required actions.

All the relevant stakeholders of WestChamparan were consulted on thedraft Hazard, Vulnerability andCapacity (HVC) analysis of thedistrict. The analysis was one of themost important parts of the plan asthe entire planning process was basedon its outcome. Utmost care was takenin this process, as any error inidentifying the frequency, magnitudeand projected impacts would lead to

THEMATIC

District Disaster Management Planof West Champaran

the erroneous identification of majorhazards and an erroneous plan.

Another round of consultations washeld on the framework for the WestChamparan DDMP. The draftframework provided by the NDMAwas used as a base for theconsultation. The DDMA of WestChamparan took the lead in theseconsultations whereas agencies suchas AIDMI, the BIAG, and Caritas Indiasupported the initiative. District-level block level officials, PRImembers, communityrepresentatives and local NGOs wereactively involved in this initiative.The District Magistrate and theAdditional District Magistrate of WestChamparan took personal interest ininviting stakeholders and organisingthese consultations.

Following a marathon ofdeliberations to finalise the DDMP, afinal consultation was held on 5September, 2012 at the Bettiah districtheadquarters in West Champaran.The final framework of the DDMP for

West Champaran was presented byShri Shridhar, Chairman of theDDMA for West Champaran in thepresence of Shri Anil Sinha, ViceChairman of the BSDMA.

The process of this revision was veryunique, as the DDMA was presentduring the first phase of DDMPrevision process. Shri Shridhar,Chairman of the DDMA, agreed totake this process forward in thesecond phase and will take thenecessary actions for its follow-up.

The second phase will include amicro-analysis of the hazards,vulnerabilities, and capacities ofsome sample panchayats. Section-wise drafting committees which willbe headed by members of the DDMAwill be formed. Agencies such asCaritas India, AIDMI and BIAG willwork as technical agencies and willprovide support to the DDMA of WestChamparan as and when required inthe second phase.

– Girish PeterState Officer, Caritas India, Bihar

District-level stakeholder's consultation with line departments on Hazard,

Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment (HVCA) in West Champaran.


Along with the enactment of theGujarat Sta te Disaster

Management Act in 2003, a DisasterMa nagement (DM) Pl an wasdeveloped for all the districts, talukasand panchayats by the Gujarat stategovernment in collaboration with theUNDP. It was the first such effort inIndia to develop and link state,district, taluka and panchayat-levelhazard assessments, action plans andinstitutional a rrangements forresponding to disasters. In the DMplans, efforts were made to assess thepotential risks and vulnerability todifferent hazar ds a nd devel opresponse mechanisms in accordancewith the human and technologicalcapacities available at these differentlevels. To support the r esponsemechanisms, Incident CommandSystems (ICS), resource inventories,Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)were put into place.

In the last ten years, the DM planningprocess has provided many lessons.On top of this, there has been apar adig m shift in the overa llunderstandi ng of di sasters, inparticular the mainstreaming of riskreduction concerns into thedevelopment process, and in workingon disaster mitigation, preparedness,and capacity-building issues. Thisparadigm shift has also led to a betterunderstanding of the importance inmaking the DM plan include the needsof the poor, socially excluded groupslike dalits, tribals and minorities, andthe most vulnerable groups likechi ldren wi thout adult carers,women, persons with disabilities,elderly, migrants, homeless, refugeesetc. Against this context the GujaratState Disaster Management Authority(GSDMA) assigned Unnati, a Gujarat-based civil society agency to developa second g ener ati on DM pl anframework.

INFORMATION SHARING

Revision of Disaster Management PlanFramework and Process in Gujarat

State Level Consultation on Framework of Disaster Management Plan, Gujarat,2012.

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“It has been very challenging to take the peoplefrom community to sub district, district, state andnational level together but my conviction to findsustainable solutions through such a principlebased continuously evolving people's process hasstr engthened a lot with the Madhuba niexperience.”

– Vikrant MahajanSphere India

The fr amework was developedthrough a review of the processesbeing practiced and consultationswith a wide range of stakeholdersfrom government, UN agencies andcivil society org anisations. Bestdisaster management practices fromother states were also documented.The processes followed by SphereIndia to develop a pilot DM planfr amework with multi-agencyparticipati on in the Madhubanidistrict of Bihar were also taken intoconsideration. It may be noted herethat the proposed DM framework inGujarat is currently focused at the sub-district (Taluka) level. The frameworkwill subsequently cover the village,taluka and district levels with abottom-up approach. It is also aimedthat the DM plans at the taluka anddistrict levels will contain detailedmaps for effective use.

The new taluka-level DM plan ishazard-specific and contains clearsequenti al response actions and

incident response systems for eachtask force. It contains provisions onincluding multi-stakeholderparticipation and responsibilities forcoordinated actions. The plan also hassections on reviewing stakeholders'capacities to respond to differenthazards. There are provisions oncapacity-building activities,incorporating stakeholder perspectiveson matters such as social inclusion andgender justice, and on giving specialattention to the needs of differentvulnerable groups. The plan has asection on both structural and non-str uctural disa ster mitigationmeasures and on converging thesewith developmental programmes.

The development of the new DM planframework is a 'work in progress'. Ithas not yet covered industrial hazardslike chemical leakages. The GSDMAis currently developing a separateplanning instrument for these.

– Binoy AcharyaUnnati, Gujarat


ADVOCACY

Making District Disaster ManagementPlan in LadakhHow to enhance the voices of the most poor in the DDMP process, How Ladakh isspecial, its need are special and the recovery from the cloudburst has given a specialview on the way DDMP are Planned.

"The devastation caused by theflash flood of 2010 in Leh Districtwas extensive as well asunprecedented (as evidenced in thephotographs attached). Despitethis, the response from both insideand outside the district was quickand overwhelming. As a result, thework on rescue, relief,rehabilitation, land reclamationand, to an extent, recovery andrestoration of economy took placereasonably effectively. However,the coordination of the entireexercise posed several challenges.Key reasons included: (a) theabsence of a proper framework fordisaster preparedness, (b) the scaleof havoc caused (affecting around71 villages and 9,000 people in an

LAHDC Leh: DRRM in Leh District- An Overview (June 2012)

Leh is one of the two districts inthe Ladakh region (Leh and

Kargil) in the state of Jammu andKashmir, India. It is situated at anelevation of 2900m to 5900m between32° - 36° North latitude and 75° - 80°East longitude. Leh town, the capitalof Leh district is located at a height of3500 meters above sea level. With apopulation of 117,232 people (Census2001) living in 112 inhabited villages,it is one of the most sparselypopulated and remote regions inIndia. It has unique geo-climaticfeatures such as extremely ruggedterrain, cold and prolonged winters(up to -30°C), heavy snow, and scantyrainfall. The two main roads to Lehare only open on a seasonal basis dueto heavy snowfall and frequent

landslides, however, the districtremains connected to the outsideworld through aerial routes. Itseconomy mainly depends on tourismin the seasonal months as well assubsistence agriculture and animalhusbandry activities. Agriculturalproductivity remains low due toprolonged winters with shortsummers. As most of the materialshave to come from outside the district,and given the district's high altitude,incredibly challenging terrain, andremoteness, this makes thecommunities in Leh extremelyvulnerable during disaster situations.

Ladakh is prone to multiple hazardslike earthquakes, snow avalanches,floods, cloud bursts, droughts,

landslides and locust infestations. Acloud burst followed by flashfloodsin 2010 was unprecedented and itsimpact was widespread. A total of 40villages spread over 28 HalqaPanchayats were affected causingheavy damage to property andinfrastructure. The biggest loss washuman life. A total of 257 persons losttheir lives to the flash flood.However, the relief and recoveryefforts in the aftermath of the disasterwere immediate and witnessedremarkable progress. The DistrictDisaster Management Plan providedthe institutional arrangements forcoordinating response and recoveryefforts and its guidelines providedmuch-needed assistance to thesectoral agencies. Moreover, the local

area characterised by long distancesand lack of accessibility) and (c)having to deal with a large numberof actors with different priorities onhow relief and rehabilitation workwas to be carried out. Therefore, inthe post-disaster scenario, the needfor an effective Disaster RiskReduction Management (DRRM) Planwas strongly felt by the LAHDC ofLeh and the District Administration.

As a result, a draft DisasterManagement Plan for Leh district hasbeen developed. This plan identifiesareas of potential vulnerabilities,proposes institutional arrangementsat the district and block levels, andspells out roles and responsibilitiesof various govt. agencies and other

stakeholders in disaster preparednessand response. However, the plan isyet to effectively integrate villagecommunities and their institutions.In a later development, followinginteractions with the NDMA, theLAHDC has decided to put acommunity-based DRRM plan inplace (and this has been reflected inthe Perspective Plan in the PlanningCommission's 12th Five Year Plan -refer to the 'District Plan' section).This is where inputs and supportfrom institutions like NDMA /AIDMI will be needed. Currently,we are in the process of reviewingour District DRRM Plan to focus onvillage communities and to startimplementing the plan from 2012-13 onwards."


community took a prominent role inthe response and recovery stages. Thevillage leaders in close coordinationwith the district administrationarranged for the care of displacedpeople by establishing relief campswhich provided shelter and food.During the recovery phasesindividual families were assisted byneighbours and volunteers inrecovering their assets. Villagecommunities got together to recoveressential community assets likeirrigation channels. The army, localadministration and various otherorganisations took on the task ofrestoring roads and bridges. Essentialservices e.g. schools, ICDS centres,telephone lines, electricity anddrinking water were restored withthe help of the community.

The flash flood recovery experiencehighlighted the need for effectivemulti-hazard disaster managementplan/strategies to be in place. TheLadakh Autonomous HillDevelopment Council (LAHDC), Lehrecognised the role of individuals,families, neighbourhoods andcommunities as the first responder toany disaster and that they play apivotal role in all stages of the

recovery and rehabilitation process.Interactions with staff from the AllIndia Disaster Mitigation Instituteduring their visit to Leh and also withthe National Disaster ManagementAuthority (NDMA) crystallised therealisation that disaster managementor risk reduction is most effective ifdone at the community level wherethe local people are at the heart of allactivities.

The LAHDC, in partnership with theTata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)and the NDMA, has therefore adopteda Community-Based DisasterManagement (CBDM) approach underthe NDMA's Disaster Risk Reduction

Management framework. Emphasiswill be laid on using a Community-based Disaster Risk Reductionapproach (CBDRR) to strengthen theinstitutional mechanisms at thedistrict, block, and community levels.This will be achieved through the useof village Panchayats as the key playerand various CBOs and grassrootsinstitutions as the key stakeholdersin both rural and urban settings. Aconscious and deliberate decision hasalso been taken by the LAHDC thatthe planning process will adopt aparticipatory community approach -this will involve ensuring theparticipation of the community in allstages of disaster planning(preparedness, mitigation, relief andrecovery), especially its mostmarginalised and vulnerablemembers. The community-levelplanning will be reflected in theDDMP. It is believed that theapproach will ensure the betterlinking of mitigation plans withdistrict development plans, and inmeeting the needs of the marginalisedand the vulnerable.

Overall, by enabling the participationof the community in DM plans, it isanticipated that this will increase theefficacy of the plans and the resilienceof poor communities to disasters.

– Rigzin SpalbarChief Executive Councilor,

LAHDC, Leh

Stakeholder's consultation on the DDMP framework in Leh.

“In the ultimate analysis it is the communitywhich is indeed the first responder in any disasterand this makes community based DRR as thecore of District Disaster Management Plan(DDMP). I am happy that AIDMI is initiatingcommunity based performance monitor formaking DDMP more inclusive and people-centric. I am also delighted that West Champarandistrict in Bihar has been selected to carry outthis important pilot project. BSDMA extends its

best wishes and cooperation to ensure success of this process.”– Anil K. Sinha, IAS (retd.)

Vice Chairman, Bihar State Disaster Management Authority (BSDMA)


I have prepared the following articlebased of the existing legal framework

in India. There is a need to implement theNational Disaster Management Act 2005('DM Act') and to further strengthen thecapacities of District DisasterManagement Authorities (DDMAs) inorder to effectively perform their functionsas described in the statute. The DM Acthas given enormous scope to the DDMAsfor planning and managing resourcesavailable locally to meet any exigencies.Even the District Magistrate, theChairman of the DDMA has inherentpowers to coordinate and mobilise any kindof resources from other departments,agencies and organisation in the hour ofneed.

The Government of India (GoI)-UNDPDisaster Risk Management Programme(2009-2012) aims to strengthen thecapacities of existing SDMAs and selectedDDMAs in the country to performvarious functions as mandated under theDM Act. As I am supporting the BiharState Disaster Management Authority asthe State Project Officer, District Disaster

INFORMATION SHARING

Role of State Disaster ManagementAuthority in Making DDMPs

Project Officers have been provided tothree selected DDMAs in Patna,Sitamarhi and Madhubani on a trial basis.

It is now a recognised fact that whilenatural disasters are primarily due toimbalances in nature, the lossessuffered are due to human failings.Human suffering and misery from alarge number of natural disasters can

be mitigated by taking timely action,prevention mechanisms andundertaking medium to long-termcapital works. The social andeconomic losses of disasters are highand often immeasurable. Usually thehardest hit are the poor and themarginalised sections in the society,such as the small and landless farmers,and the agricultural labourers.

District-level workshop organised in Patna district under the GoI-UNDP DRR Programme for developing the DDMP. Photos:

BSDMA.

“The District Disaster Management Planprocess would definitely initiate a publicdiscourse on "People's Right to Plan",which would not be confined toemergencies only but will pave the wayto initiate rights based approach todevelopment. In this context, it would beessential to build the capacities of thecommunities and institutions to deepenthe democratic process at all levels. Theauthorities and humanitarians shouldplay a facilitating role, so that the poor and marginalised communitieswould come forward to participate in the process and make the world asafer place to live one's life with dignity.”

– Dr. Ambika PrasadState Programme Officer

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)


The need to prevent loss of lives andproperty is the driving force behinddisaster management planning at anylevel. A decentralised, participatory,people -oriented and transparentdisaster management systemincluding not only post-disasterresponse but also pre-disasterprevention and preparedness actionscould play a great role in reducingthe disasters and their impact.

Pre-disaster planning is crucial forensuring an efficient response duringa disaster. A well-planned and well-rehearsed response system can dealwith the exigencies of calamities andcan also be a resilient copingmechanism. Optimal utilisation ofscarce resources for rescue, relief andrehabilitation during times of crisisis possible only with detailedplanning and preparation. Keepingin view the nodal role of the districtadministration in disastermanagement, preparation of DistrictDisaster Management Plans (DDMP)is imperative. Section 30 of theNational Disaster Management Act 2005(the 'DM Act') prescribes the powersand functions of the District Disaster

Management Authority (DDMA) andrequires them to prepare DistrictDisaster Management Plans on thebasis of the vulnerability of thedistrict to various disasters and theresources available.

The State Disaster ManagementAuthority (SDMA) being the apexauthority at state level, as per the DMact, has to lay down guidelines to befollowed by the State governmentdepartments for integrating disasterprevention and mitigation measuresinto their development plans. TheSDMA has the roles of reviewing the

development plans of different Statedepartments and ensuring that theprevention and mitigation measuresare integrated therein.

But when we talk about the DistrictDisaster Management Plan (DDMPs),it is the State Executive Committee(SEC) constituted under section 14(1)of the DM Act, which has to ensurethat the district-level plans areprepared, reviewed and updated. TheState Executive Committee wasconstituted to assist the SDMA withperforming its functions andcoordinating activities in accordancewith the SDMA's guidelines ondeveloping DDMPs. The SEC is alsoto ensure that the DDMPs areprepared by respective DDMAs onthe basis of the district'svulnerabilities to various disastersand the resources available. The roleof the SEC for preparation andupdating DDMPs should therefore besupervisory rather than facilitatory.

In light of this situation, the BiharState Disaster Management Authorityhas initiated the process fordeveloping guidelines to build thecapacity of District Authorities andprepare DDMPs.

– Simanchal PattnaikState Project Officer,

GoI-UNDP DRR Programme,Bihar State Disaster Management

Authority (BSDMA),BiharDistrict-level stakeholder's consultation on the DDMP for West Champaran.

"District Disaster Management Plan isenvisaged as a dynamic and livedocument incorporating scientificinformation and local knowledge. ThePlan is expected to significantly reducethe impact of hazards particularly on thepoorer people. It is important to ensureas much people's participation as possiblein the finalisation of these plans to makethe effort more meaningful and relevant."

– Dr. T. Nanda KumarMember, National Disaster

Management Authority (NDMA)


Background

The district of Madhubani islocated in the north -east part of Bihar,at the foothills of Nepal. The KosiRiver is one of the most dynamicrivers in the district. It is also one ofthe most volatile as its course andgeographical distribution changesevery year due to the uncertainamount of rain fall and landmorphology. The drainage pattern ofthe rivers and morphologyaltogether brings a lot of threat tolocal habitats. Due to unorganisedmanagement, random actions,inadequate relief materials,insufficient manpower, and poorcoordination of actions, countlessnumbers of people have becomehomeless and have lost their lives.

After doing an in-depth study oflocal-level problems, and a macro-and micro-analysis of hazards anddisaster history, a group ofhumanitarian agencies led by Sphere

India initiated dialogue with theNational Disaster ManagementAuthority (NDMA) and the BiharState Disaster Management Authority(BSDMA) to develop a model pilotDDMP for the Madhubani district.

What is it, the Model DDMP?

Because this plan is being developedfor the Madhubani district which hasexperienced different types ofdisasters every year, it is called a'multi-hazards plan'. As it includesthe involvement of national-level tovillage-level stakeholders, it is alsocalled a multi-stakeholder plan. It isinclusive and transparent becausethroughout the plan's development,each stakeholder has been consultedand given opportunities to discussand participate in the decision-making process.

Each stakeholder has control over theDDMP's contents as everyone hasbeen consulted. In the processes of

doing so, each has found their role toapparently be different from theother.

How is it Different?

Several disaster management plansare already in existence. All of themare well- developed and abundantwith basic information. A fewcomponents which are not to be foundin them have been added to theMadhubani model DDMP. So far thisplan has been developed bycollaborative efforts and divided intoa few smaller sub-plans. There is aspecific plan for each stakeholder.This specific plan has further dividedinto two plans: 1) Response plan (RedColor), which deals with aspects likereceiving early warning anddeactivating the unified responsestrategy and 2) 'MainstreamingDisaster Risk Reduction' plan (GreenColor), which sets out how allgovernmental development schemesare to be linked with DRR. Both thered color and green color plans arefor those who are consideredultimately first responder to thedisaster.

In addition to this, for the DDMAthere are special response andmainstreaming DRR plans. There aretwo more plans about contextanalysis and institutionalmechanisms. Overall the wholeDDMP has been divided intostakeholder-specific and action-oriented plans.

– Narendra Singh KachhotiyaFocal Point – Information Knowledge

and Learning Management (GIS & RS),Sphere India

KNOWLEDGE SHARING

Development of a Model District DisasterManagement Plan in Madhubani

District-level stakeholder consultations with communities and PRIs in West

Champaran.


Odisha is vulnerable to multipletypes of disasters. Due to its sub-

tropical littoral location, the state isprone to tropical cyclones, stormsurges, and tsunamis. Its denselypopulated coastal plains are thealluvial deposits of its river systems.Puri is a coastal district in Odisha. Purihas a long coastline of nearly 150 kms.The sandy ridges along the sea coaststretch up from Jagatsingpur toGanjam.

Puri is always vulnerable to cyclonesin April-May and September-November. High winds cause majordamage to infrastructure andhousing. Heavy rains and floodsgenerally follow them. Once everyfew decades a super- cyclone strikesOdisha. Recent super-cyclones thathave hit Puri in the last century werein 1942, 1971 and 1999.1 Each cyclonecauses detrimental immediate andlong-term impacts on the livelihoods

RISK ASSESSMENT

Hazard and Vulnerability Capacity Analysisof Odisha

of the poor people in Puri.Vulnerability to disastersis a function of humanaction and behavior. Itdescribes the degree towhich a socio- economicsystem or physical assetare either susceptible orresilient to the impact ofnatural hazards.2

Natural calamities haveseriously affectedlivelihoods in the stateand the income level ofhouseholds. They alsopresent a serious setbackto the capital formation processes inthe economy. The impact of disasterson the district economy is evident.3

Capacity may include physical,institutional, social, or economicmeans as well as skilled personal orcollective attributes such as

leadership andmanagement. TheGovernment of Odisha willconsciously promoteprogrammes and projectsto augment the capacity ofthe State and the people tobe better prepared to facedisasters. Community-Based DisasterManagement Plans andmock drills will beundertaken to ensurebetter preparedness.

The Odisha DistrictDisaster Management Planinvolved sensitising andcapability-building at theblock, Gram Panchayat andvillage levels in disasterpreparedness and

mitigation to install a local leveldisaster management system whichis integrated in the developmentplanning processes. CommunityContingency Plans (CCP) andmitigation solutions were developedin 1,603 villages after participatoryrisk assessment and mapping. Thesewould strengthen the capacity ofcitizens to demand informationthrough a consultative process andcampaigning. They would alsosupport the systematic managementof information that enables easieraccess to information anddissemination through thedevelopment of data collectionmethods.

– Arpan Abinash

1 Oxfam report2 United Nations International

Strategy for Disaster Reduction'Disaster Reduction and SustainableDevelopment: Understanding thelinks between vulnerability and riskto disasters related to environmentand development', January 2003,p.21 Available at: < http://www.osn.cz/soubory/dr-and-sd-english.pdf>

3 http://v3.osdma.org

“DDMP require adetailed riskassessment in field andof context. This needsto be done engagingcommunity mainlythrough bodies suchDRR committees orPanchayati Raj Institutes (PRIs). Equallyimportant is to involve local governance andline department. This is time taking, processoriented, challenging but extremely desirableto ensure involvement of all stakeholders fromcommunity or from governance.”

– Munish KaushikCordaid Advisor, CMDRR India Programme

“All humanitarianassistance needs to beprovided withcommunity taking leadand being responsiblefor own well-being. Theintervening agenciesneed to be in a"facilitator's" rather than

"Doer" role. To achieve this, one has to "trust"in capacities of people. Rather than"suggestions" there need to be more and moreopen ended questions to make communitythink and weigh the "Options" and take wisedecisions. Agencies need to provideinformation, make community aware,motivate them to act and if needed, challengethem.”

– Khilesh Chaturvedi,Deputy Director,

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Most districts in India do not have disaster management plans and those who do have DDMPs havenot made them pro-poor. The Bihar State Disaster Management Authority (BSDMA) and District

Administration of West Champaran in Bihar in India organised a district-level stakeholders' consultationon 'District Disaster Management Plan: A Pilot for West Champaran' on September 5, 2012 at Vikas Bhawan,Office of the District Magistrate, Bettiah. The process of making the District Disaster Management Plan(DDMP) was facilitated by All India Disaster Mitigation Institute (AIDMI) and led by Caritas India withsupport from Cordaid and the Bihar Inter-Agency Group. The National Disaster Management Authority(NDMA) is chairing the advisory group at the national level to make DDMPs pro-poor in various districtsof India. A total of 106 participants from the BSDMA, government line departments, INGOs, local NGOs,the private sector, the media, PRIs and communities participated in the consultation. The District Magistrate,Mr. Sridhar C, discussed the final framework of the DDMP for West Champaran and detailed the processahead. Shri Anil Sinha, Vice-Chair of the BSDMA, said, "It is the quality of DDMPs that in the end make thedistricts safer". This district-level local exercise has South Asia-wide relevance to the way disaster riskreduction is rolled out in the region.

Snet 89 DDMP (2) · 2012. 12. 31. · Dr. Kamal Lochan Mishra from the OSMDA mentioned the astonishing fact that the Odisha coast was the most hit (98 times) by cyclones and tsunamis

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