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Journey of CMDRR- Working with Communities and Government

Case from India

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+Presentation Outline

1. Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction: a. Return on Investment (Case study of Community

responded in Cyclone)

2. Engaging with Government at three levels/Private Sector

3. Challenges in Up-scaling

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“Thane Cyclone in South India”- 30th Dec 2011

How CMDRR pays back? And why should we invest?

+Difference in CMDRR and NON DRR villages

17 people died and several injured.

People took “Early warning” lightly and suffered loss.

Fight over “water” and even deaths.

No electricity for 30 days

People were waiting for Government to click pictures of damaged houses

People were “shouting, complaining”..

“ZERO” death in CMDRR village with almost no injury.

Timely evacuation of elderly, women and children by trained “task forces”.

Pre arrangement of food, water and medicine in rescue shelters.

Poles erected by volunteers in 3 days

Debris cleared with in 24 hours after disaster

People come up with damage assessment, solutions and next course of action.

Non DRR Village CMDRR Village

+ Huge loss of agriculture

“Village heads” run away out of fear and public pressure.

Non availability of “Safe place” for evacuation

No “fund” available at village level

Crops were insured.

Village heads were trained and remain with villagers from early warning dissemination till evacuation, rescue and relief.

Availability of “Rescue shelters” which was made by Community-Government-NGO contribution

Villagers were having “Emergency fund” to be used during disasters

Non DRR Village CMDRR Village

This all re-enforces the fact that it is WORTH investing in CMDRR

+Some Facts about India

1 Country

28 States

591 Districts

600,000 villages

Disaster Risk Reduction(Community Managed)

Policy and Guidelines

+2. Engaging with Government

Country/National level: National Disaster Management Authority

(NDMA)

State Level: State Disaster Management Authority (28)- partly exist

District Level: District Disaster Management Authority/Plan (591- supposed to be)

At Village/Panchayat level: There is a body called (Panchayat)/PRI but for Development work… not for Disaster Risk Reduction: LOCAL Governance

+Strengthening Institutions

Village level (DRR) plans made by villagers/DRR committees integrated into

“Panchayat Plans”… rather “Panchayat making DRR plans* Panchayat is MOST relevant institution at Village level

Linking Flagship programmes (rural poor housing, sanitation with DRR,

MGNREGA- 100 days employment with DRR)-Lobbying/Advocacy

Linkages with “Agriculture Centers” to promote livelihood/agriculture

Facilitating “District Disaster Management Plan” (model 2 districts) of Government.

+ Core group at NDMA level (Policy dialogue and

formulation) Role of community in disasters and characteristics of resilient community, Role of NGOs in Disasters

Strengthening “School safety”- demonstration and national Policy (with NDMA)

Membership with National forums like ‘SPHERE India”…. And chairing National level coordination for “Emergency Response”

Demonstrating “Hyogo Framework Action” at field level- practicing Global commitments in the field

+Private Sector role

Global Image: India Shining, which is “partly`’ true.

Private sector: Key stakeholder

Most of the private sector is medium and small enterprises

Government Law: As per Company Act, private companies to give 2% of profit for social sector

Mechanisms are yet to be in place: How/where/when?

Its an opportunity…

+Challenges in Up-scaling Non existence or functional:

Institutional arrangement especially at State and District level

Capacity of institutions (Knowledge gap/use of technology/Early warning)

Resource allocation- not priority always (Individual/family/Government)

Culture of “preparedness” still missing and “accountability”- Not there…. Still “response” oriented

Large country to operate.. Huge resources/time required

DRR Vs. private sector is a missing element. Private sector more for soft issues of education/health

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Thank you