UNIT 15 DISASTER MITIGATION STRATEGIES

Structure
1 5.0 Learning Outcome
1 5.1 Introduction
15.2 Disaster Mitigation Approaches
15.3 Mitigation Strategies with Reference to Specific Disasters
15.4 Disaster Mitigation Strategies: Government of India-Initiatives
15.5 Conclusion
15.6 Key Concepts
1 5.7 References and Further Reading
15.8 Activities

15.0 LEARNING OUTCOME

After going through this Unit, you should be able to:
0 Explain the approaches to disaster mitigation
--
a Discuss the mitigation strategies with reference lo specific disasters; and
Highlight
,- the Government of India's initiatives in disaster mitigation.

15.1 INTRODUCTION -

Disaster mitigation strategies are the best and cost-effective methods of dealing with
disasters over the long term. Mitigation, as discussed in the previous Unit, involves a
combination of strategies including ~hysi&l/structuralarrangements, adherence to rules,
byelaws, generating awareness about risks amongst the community, strengthening their
capacities and so on. Incorporating disaster mitigation strategies in developmental planning
activities enables the population in protecting against disasters. In this Unit, we shall orient
you with disaster mitigation approaches and key strategies.

15.2 DISASTER MITIGATION APPROACHES

Mitigation, as we have discussed in the previous Unit, mainly facuses on minimising the
destruction and disruption by a hazard and offers long teim cost-effective methods of
dealing with or managing natural disasters. According to Carter (1991), there are two
I approaches to mitigation:
9 Structural Approach
ii) on-structural Approach
In fact, non-structural measures complemented by structural measures are the effective
means towards disaster mitigation. I - _ _
 Disaster Mitigation Stmtegies

Structural Approach
Structural approach for mitigation rnay refer to both:
a) Engineered Structures; and
b) Non-engineered Structures.
Engineered structures involve architects and engineers during the planning, designing and
construction of structures, including buildings, dams, ernbanltments, roads, bridges etc.
Many countries have rules and laws providing codes for engineered construction. These
codes provide guidelines for appropriate design and construction techniques in disaster
prone areas for specific disasters such as ea~thqualtesand cyclones. Such structures can
be constructed after collecting data for hazard vul~ierabilityand related meteorological
parameters (wind velocity, direction, rainfall, its duration etc.). Structural measures include
construction of cyclone shelters, coastal embanlcments that help protect coastal land fiom
inundation by tidal waves and storm surges, water harvesting facilities etc.
Non-engineered structures are generally constructed by people with the help of local
artisans like masons, carpenters etc., i~singlocally a\,ailable raw material. These struct~lres
can be made safer, if people are trained and given improved designs. These structures are
normally of low-cost but have less strengtli/resistance for a disaster. -
Non-structural Approach
Non-structural approacl~ encompasses those measi~res that attempt to bring about
coordination of efforts between all organisations and persons during all phases of disaster
management, training and public awareness, legislation, policy making, preparing of action
plans etc., Such appro.ach to mitigation colisists of positive actions through legislation, '

incentives, educating people, creating colnmunity awareness etc. Some of the non-
structural mitigation measures are:
i) Legal Framework
In some of the disasters lilte flood, cyclone, earthq~lakeetc., more casualties occur
because people either live in low flood plains or not follow building codes made for the
highly seismic zones or vulnerable cyclone areas. In case people are made to follow safe
.principles, byelaws and construction on unsafe areas is restricted, the disasters can be
mitigated. The Disaster Management Act 2005 includes provisions for institutional and
coordination mechanisms for undertaking the preparedness and mitigation measures and
strategies for ensuring preparedness and capacity bu i Id i ng.
ii) Incentives
By suitable incentives people could be encouraged to adopt safe measures. For example,
in highly se.ismic zones, if some incentives can be provided to construct earthquake
resistant houses in the form of grant or subsidy, people will adopt such mitigation
measures. The incentives can also be in terms of huge tax exemptions or providing
material required in earthquake-proof construction.
Efforts are being made by some institutions in the direction. For example, the I-lousing and
Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) has initiated steps to promote cyclone
resistant structure through incentives. The Eleventh Finance Cornlnission opined that a
feasible incentive mechanism could be, linking up the pal.ticipatior7 of people in mitigation
 196. Disaster ~r&aredness

and preparedness initiatives to insurance schemes. The government it felt, can bear the
costs of premium towards insuring their lives and property against losses caused by
disasters. A part of Calamity Relief Fund can be used for giving such incentives.
i i Insurance
Insurance of crops, buildings and other infrastructure in disaster-prone area is another
measure. Insurance companies may provide soft loans for disaster-resistant structures and
buildings. Alternately, the insurance premium for houses in unsafe or less safe areas could
be kept high. The Eleventh Finance Commission proposed extending the National
Agricultural Insurance Scheme to all crops in States. The Panchayati Raj Institutions can
be assigned the responsibility of assessment of crop losses along with monitoring by higher
authorities regularly in all the states.
iv) Training, Education and Public Awareness
Training of the public officials at different levels is an essential part of disaster management.
Separate training for technical people, and NGOs is also required for specific disaster
mitigation. The general public shoi~ldbe made aware and kept informed about the nature
of hazards to which they are exposed, their vulnerability and available protection
measures. Training and education need to target various categories of personnel including
school children, crafts persons, technical personnel etc. There is a need to orient not only
about the various facets of disaster management, but also about the link between disaster
management and development.
v) Institution Building
To increase the disaster mitigation capacity of a country, institution building is of great
importance. Government bodies, departments, NGOs and people should be careful to
avoid actions that will further increase a society's vulnerability. By increasing self -sufficiency,
agencies may improve the ability of individuals, families and communities to cope with
disaster. The strengthening of a country's and community's institutional capacity can be
done through three possible ways. First, through institution building, organisations that
serve as coping instruments can be identified and strengthened. A deliberate effort can be
made to increase their institutional capacities and skills thus enhancing their ability to deal
with a crisis. Second, through increasing the number of coping mechanisms within a
country or community. Third, through encouraging actions that promote cooperation
among different groups within society (NCDM, 2000).
vii) Warning System
A reliable and timely warning of disasters can save a lot of liulnan lives. In Andhra
Pradesh, where cyclones are more frequent, death toll has been considerably minimised,
because of effective warning system and people's response. The Eleventh Finance
Commission recommended the constitution of groups of 200-300 personnel drawn from !
different government departments associated with the services for rescue and relief in each f
f

1
state, which in turn would constitute a national force of 3000 to 4000 personnel. The
teams can be rnobilised and deployed anywhere in the country in a disaster situation. I
i

These personnel need training exercises every year for a high degree of preparedness.
*
Gradually, the approach towards disaster mitigation is undergoing a change. A mix of
structural and non-structural measures to disaster mitigation is being followed. In conventional i.
disaster management literature, disaster mitigation refers to activities that will minimise the I
impact of disaster. Traditionally, ihese are flood embankments and earthquake-resistant ' b
1
6
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 Disaster Mitigation Strategies 197

' public buildings. But tlie Grain Vikas approach, an NGO in Orissa, focuses on preparing
for disaster long before it starts. It begins with building a consensus within communities,
so that everyone involved accepts the idea and agrees to contribute. Gram Vikas then
proceeds to help build sanitary blocks, housing and water supply which can withstand the
ravages of cyclones. This is a unique experience in the area of disaster mitigation and
holds the potential for wider dissemination to other disaster-prone communities (Johnson,
2003).
Church's Auxiliary for Social Action(CASA) has set up a Disaster Mitigation Training
Centre at Banamalipur in Khurda district in Orissa. Over a year, it provides a seven-
phase training programme to its members including disaster awareness, Disaster Mitigation
Task Force formation, capacity building, income generation programmes, measures for
disaster mitigation, advocacy, lobbying, creation and upkeep o f data banks. The members
on completion of training set up Disaster Mitigation Task Forces in their villages, which
in turn run training programmes on disaster warning, at~drescue and evacuation. Villagers
are also taught first aid and medical help, sanitation, relief operations, and are given
counselling. They are also ta~lghtto draw up village contingency plans and to develop
procedures for assessing damages (Keve and Mohanty, 2003).
In the aftermath of Gujarat earthquake, in some districts, efforts led to development of
a pool of trained masons, developing awareness alnongst co~nmunityabout advantages of
low-cost, earthquake resistant construction. For example in Patanlca, in Gujal-at with 250
families, collaborative efTorts between comn~uriity,United Nations Centre for Regional
Development, Eartliquake Disaster Mitigation Research Centre, Japan, a consortium of
I NGOs, yielded wide range of lessons. These included the following:
!
I
1 I) Safe Iiouses do not have to be expensive. Safe construction technologies do not have
to be heavily dependent on cement and steel, but can work with minimal amounts
of these material.
1
I
2) Hands-on training for masons is more effective than classroom~sessions.
3) Jnvolvement of communities in the processes leads to greater ownership (Shama and
Tom Palaltudiyil, 2003).

15.3 MITIGATION STRATEGIES WITH REFERENCE TO

SPECIFIC DISASTERS
The increasing emphasis being given to disaster mitigation to reduce the destructive and
disruptive effects of a hazard is malting several co~intriesintegrate these with the
developmental policies and programmes. While we have discussed the stritctural and non-
structural mitigation strategies, these valy with the type of disaster about which we shall
be discussing now:
Cyclones
. Cyclones, which generally affect the coastal areas have an effect on weak houses, light
weight structures, telecommunication infrastritcture, etc. The mitigation strategies include:
e Suitable engineered structures
* Incorporating building codes
L

Better arcliitect~~ral
design of buildings
 Disaster. Preparedness

0 .Cyclone shelters.
Drought
Drought severely affects the livelihoods of people, as it has impact on land, livestock and
physical infrastructure. In extreme cases, it leads to migration of people to other areas.
The drought mitigation strategies as such include:
-
* Water preservation
* Watershed management
* Alternate cropping and farming patterns
Red~~cing
deforestation and fire wood cutting
Tackling soil erosion through check dams, leveling, planting, etc.
0 Promoting alternative livelihood practices
Repair and upkeep of existing water storage facilities
0 Cultivation, storage and distribution of fodder
0 Promoting rainwater harvesting, groundwater re-charge.
Floods
Floods cause inundation which is destructive and injurious. The following mitigation
measures can help in reducing the losses caused by floods:
* Land-use planning and control
. 0 Construction of dams, dykes, embankments, dukes, reservoirs
9 Diversion of flood water through a bypass
Prevention of construction in riverbeds and other waterways
r Maintenance of drains and canals to ensure free flow of water.
Earthquakes
Earthquakes, as you all are aware, cause extensive damage to human lives, livestock and
property. Its intensity can be reduced tllrough making provision for:
* Seismic building codes
Retrofitting of existing buildings
Seismic zonation
* Appropriate location planriing and land-use regulations.
The mitigation strategies need to be not only structural but non-structural, involving people
at various levels. Training, education and incentives are to be built into this process. Also
we need to make use of certain traditional practices to mitigate the disaster effects. For
example, in Rajasthan, earthen check dams are being built. In Gujarat, step wells are in
use. Rainwater harvesting is also becoming popular. Development programmes should aim
 Disaster Mitigation' Strategies 199

at decreasing vulnerability by rejuvenating lifeline services. Conservation and management

of nature should become the top most priority of every development programme. A
precautionary and proactive approach to disasters need to be cultivated. Economic goals
haveTtobe clubbed with the environmental goals. Sensitivity to environmental consetvation
needs to be built so that a combination of humanism and scientific innovation finds its due
place. The objective should be to let the traditional and modern approaches coverage, in
order to form a humanistic paradigm of development (Dhame-ja, 2001).

15.4 DISASTER MITIGATION STRATEGIES:

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA INITIATIVES
The Yokohama Strategy that emerged from the International Decade for Natural Disaster
Reduction brought out the need for an emphatic shift in the strategy for disaster mitigation.
It emphasised that disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness are better than disaster
response in achieving the goal of vulnerability reduction. Accordingly, the Tenth Five Year
Plan (2002-2007) made a case for integrating mitigation into the developmental process
to bring about sustainable development. Each state is expected to prepare a disaster
mitigation plan scheme in accordance with the approach outlined in the plan. As discussed
earlier, the Twelfth Finance Commission has been giveti a memorandum by the centrat
government for creation of a disaster mitigation fund that will assist the states in taking
mitigation measures such as retrofitting of lifeline buildings, coastal shelter tree plantation
etc.
The Government of lndia has also issued guidelines indicating that priority will be given
to projects addressing mitigation. We shall now discuss in brief the initiatives of
Government of lndia in the area of disaster mitigation. These shall be categorised into
structural and non-structural strategies.
Structural Strategies
a) Flood Mitigation
Flood mitigation measures have been in place since 1950s, in the form of embankments,
dams and barrages etc. In order to respond effectively to floods, the Ministry of Home
Affairs has initiated measures such as drawing up mitigation plans at the state, district,
block, village levels, training of elected representatives and officials in flood management .
etc.

I b) Earthquake Risk Mitigation

A comprehensive programme for earthquake risk mitigation is being taken up. This
includes incorporation of Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) Codes ir-r building regulations, -
town and country planning Acts etc. Especially states in earthquake- prone zones have
been requested to incorporate BIS Seismic Codes for construction in the concerned
zones. An Expert Committee appointed by the National Core Group for Earthquake Risk
Mitigation, has submitted its report covering appropriate amendments to the existing Town
and Country Planning Acts, Land-use Zoning Regulation, Development Control Regulations
and Building Byelaws. The Model Building Byelaws also cover the aspect of ensuring
technical ilnplementation of the safety aspects in all new constructions and upgrading the
strength of existing structurally vulnerable constructions,
I .
 200 Disaster Preparetfness

c) Constitution of Hazard Safety Cells in States

The states have been advised to constit~~te Hazard Safety Cells (HSC) headed by Chief
Engineer, State Public Works Department with necessary engineering staff so as to
establish mechanism for proper implementation of the building codes in all fiture government
constructions and to ensure safety of buildings and structures from various hazards.
d) Retrofitting of Lifeline Buildings
The Ministries of Civil Aviation, Railways, Telecommunications, Power, Health and Family
Welfare have been advised to take appropriate action for detailed evaluation of retrofitting
of lifeline buildings located in seismically vulnerable zones to comply with BIS norms.
e) Mainstreaming Mitigation in Rural Development Schemes I

Rural housing and community assets for vulnerable sections of the population are created
on a fairly large scale by the Ministry of Rural Development under the lndira Awaas
Yojna (IAY), Sampooran Grameen Rojgar Yojna (SGRY). This includes construction of
compact housing units, community assets such as community centres, recreation centres,
anganwadi centres etc. Efforts are being made to ensure that buildings constructed under
this scheme are disaster-resistant.
t
g) National Cyclone Mitigation Project I
!
This project drawn up in consultation with the cyclone-prone states envisages constr~~ction
of cyclone shelters, coastal shelter belt plantation, strengthening of warning systems etc.
h) Landslide Hazard Mitigation i
A National Group has been constituted under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Border
Management, with the collabor~ltionof Department of Science and Technology, Road
Transport and Highways, Geological Survey of India, National Remote Sensing Agency,
to examine several aspects of landslide mitigation, including landslide hazard zonation, early
warning system etc.
Non-structural Strategies
a) Human Resource Development
Human resource development at all levels is critical for institutionalising disaster rnitigation
strategy. The National Centre for Disaster Management (NCDM) at the national level has
been upgsaded and designated as the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM).
This is entrusted with the task of developing training modules at different levels, ,
~lndertakingtraining of trainers, organising training programmes, developing national level I

information base on disaster management policies, prevention mechanism, mitigation measures

etc. Disaster management has been incorporated in the training curricula of All India
Services with effect from 2004-2005. There is a separate faculty in the area of Disaster . I

management in 29 State level training institutes.

b) Capacity Building of Engineers and Architects in Earthquake Risk Mitigation
This activity is being initiated under two national programmes for Capacity Building for
1:
Earthquake Risk Miligation. Around 10,000 engineers and 10,000 architects in the states ,

will be imparted training in seismically safe building designs and related techno-legal
requirements. Seven National Resource Institutions have been designated as National
Resource Institutions for imparting training to faculty of select State Engineering and
Disaster Mitigation Strategies 20 1

Architecture colleges, and also put in place a framework for mandatory registration and
compulsory competency assessment of the practicing architects.
Training of Rural Masons
A programme to assist the statelunion territories in training and certification of rural
masons has been formulated in consultation with Housing and Llrban Development
Corporation (HUDCO) and the Ministry of Rural Development. Efforts are on to
introduce the curric~~lum
in tlie vocational training programme of Ministry of Human
Resource Development.
Information, ducati ion and Communication (IEC)
As we have discr~ssedin Unit 7 of this Course, several strategies are being devised and
implemented in this area. The Ministry of Honle Affairs has compiled a set of resource
materials developed by various organisations covering several aspects such as construction
toolkit, IEC tool kit, model byelaws, training modules etc. The material and strategies
used by various states and international organisations have been incorporated. This
voluminous material is being translated into local languages. As yo11 are aware, disaster
awareness component is being introduced in school curriculum. The Central Board of
Secondary Education (CBSE) is working towards inclusion of disaster management in
school education in all 39 school boards in the country.

CONCLUSION
Disaster Mitigation is a complex process and a challenging task. As we have discussed
in the Unit, structural infrastructure helps a lot in mitigation but is not sufficient to meet
all the requirements of disaster-affected population 1 area. There is a need also for non-
structured approach which is flexible, innovative and even dedicated to meeting the needs
of disaster-affected peoplelarea. We can thus conclude that both structured and non-
structured measures supplement each other i.e., both are indispensable.

15.6 KEY CONCEPTS

Retrofitting : It means strengthening or reinforcing buildings and
physical structure to make them more resilient and
resistant to disasters.
Seismic Zonation : It is the geographic delineation of areas having similar
potentials for hazardous effects kern future earthquake
as distinct from areas having a different potential.
Seismic zonation can be completed at national, regional
and local scales. It is also tlie process of subdividing
a region into areas classitied as having similar
characteristics.
(www.net matrix,com).

REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING

Carter, Nick W, 1991, Disaster Management: A Disaster Manager's Handbook, Asian
Development Bank, Manila.
 Disa.rler Preparedness

Das, Subrata and Nadan Kumar Jha, 2004, Natural Disasters and Relief P~ovisionsin
India: Commitments and Ground Reactiol~s (Draji Report), National Centre for
~ d v o c a cStudies,
~ New Delhi.
National Centre for Disaster Management, 2000, India: IDNDR & Beyond, New Delhi.
Palakudiyil, Tom and Mary Todd, 2003, Facing up to the Storm: How Local
Communities Can Cope with Disaster: Lessons from Orissa and Gujarat, Christian
I
Aid, New Delhi. 1

'15.8 ACTMTIES
1) Prepare a Report outlining the structural and non-structural strategies pertaining to !
any one specific disaster.
2) Prepare a matrix showing non-structural measures taken by the states of Gujarat,
Orissa and Andhra Pradesh to mitigate cyclone impact.