Disaster mitigation, a collective effort:
Barnala
Saturday April 2 2005 09:11 IST
Governor Surjit Singh Barnala hands over a copy
of the book titled `Disaster Psychosocial Response’ to the
Relief Commissioner. Author of the book U Gouthamadas looks
on.
CHENNAI: Disaster management, which was solely a
governmental obligation earlier, has become a multi-pronged
government-people response after the Tsunamis, Governor Surjit Singh
Barnala said.
Inaugurating the Asia-Pacific Congress on
Disaster Mitigation: Capacity Building for Effective Intervention,
organised by the Academy for Disaster Management Education Planning
and Training (ADEPT) here on Friday, Barnala said the government was
now regulating and streamlining NGO participation in disaster
management. ‘‘Mechanisms to intelligently channel resources and
ensure parity in distribution are now being researched. Government
alone cannot cope with raising the huge amounts required. It is a
collective effort under the stewardship of the government,’’ he
added.
A proper cost-benefit analysis would show that
expenditure on disaster mitigation reduced to a very great extent
the losses suffered due to the calamity. Sufficient emphasis should
be laid on strengthening of institutions and developing emergency
response plans, he further said.
The impact of disasters,
whether natural or manmade, had human and environmental dimensions.
Environmental conditions aggravate the impact of a disaster and vice
versa. Managing natural resources would ensure sustainable living
for future generations.
Effective disaster prevention was
better than disaster response and the need to sensitise people in
vulnerable areas, enhance their awareness of environmental
situations and their capabilities to detect warning signals had
become imperative. Early warning systems and public awareness
campaigns would help a great deal, Barnala further said.
After the Tsunami, immediate distress was mitigated by
combined citizens’ initiative and documentation was needed of such
individual grassroots efforts, Relief Commissioner for Cuddalore, C
K Gariyali said.
Some major issues that needed to be
addressed in times of disaster were psycho-social support, meeting
physical needs like food and shelter and providing financial
assistance for protecting livelihoods. Five of the important
components that had to be involved during such times were community
leaders, SHGs, panchayats, local institutions and NGOs. A body of
knowledge had to be created to assist further intervention, she
added.
Dr K Rajarathinam, chairman of the National Lutheran
Health and Medical Board (NLHMB) said the lessons hitherto learned
had to be learned all over again for long-term development and
planning. Networking of resource agencies will enhance disaster
mitigation efforts and would improve development dynamics, he added.
Dr K M Shyamaprasad, director, NLHMB, and Dr U Gautam Das,
director, ADEPT, also spoke. A book written by the latter on
disaster mitigation was released by Barnala and was received by C K
Gariyali. |
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