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January 29, 2008
Experts discuss ways to mitigate disasters -India
The following information was downloaded from the mailing list of "Disability and Development" with a cooperation of the publisher, Mr. Soya Mori.
Statesman News Service
BHUBANESWAR, Jan. 28: The frequency of natural calamities and disasters is bound to increase due to environmental degradation. A rise in sea levels would threaten the coastal population. The speakers at an international seminar on Disability and Disasters organised by Shanta Memorial Rehabilitation Centre here today emphasised on disaster mitigation projects and the need to adopt an affirmative action for the physically and mentally challenged people, who are worst hit during such occurrences.
Disaster management plans and funds should be specific and special strategies should be adopted for the disabled population, the speakers added. The poorer people always suffer the most during calamities. The chief guest general Mr NC Vij, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM (retd), who is the vice-chairman of the national disaster mitigation authority (NDMA) said that Rs 20,000 crore has been allocated for adoption of mitigation projects during the 11th plan period. Guidelines relating to disasters like earthquake, industrial calamity, mass casualty and medical preparedness and so on have already been formulated, while those for tsunami and trauma management are being worked out, Mr Vij said. Mr Vij said that a detailed project report of mitigation projects are being prepared and they would be put to place in a year's time.
Orissa is likely to get Rs 250 crore in terms of mitigation projects, he said, while adding that this more than funds which are released from the national calamity relief fund. Mr Vij emphasised on the community work and said that it should be the core area of operation.Communities should
be prepared to face crises during disasters. Mr Vij said that the army needs teach psycho-social training to handle disasters. This comes in handy when dealing with the traumatised or disabled
victims. There are 40 million disabled people in the country, Mr NVC Menon, member of NDMA said. He noted that the world has become more conscious ever since the tsunami. The government of India has earmarked Rs 1,800 crore in last year's budget for the disabled.
The panchayati raj institutions should be involved in conducting a survey to identify the number of disabled people living in an area and bring out a base line data. Mr Menon informed that states like Chhatisgarh and Karnataka have evolved a draft disability policy. The chief secretary, Mr Ajit Tripathy, urged the participants to evolve a separate code for disabled persons. Mr Tripathy quoted a few lines of a Hindi song~tum besahara ho to kisika sahara bano and also referred to the Amitabh Bachhan starrer Black. The secretary general of rehabilitation international, Mr Tomas Langerwall, said that environmental disasters are bound to increase and sea levels will rise. The government, NGOs and private sector should take responsibility in checking environmental damages.
Mr Aurobinda Behera, principal secretary, water resources department, said that Orissa has a well placed disaster mitigation mechanism in place and it was one of the first states to undertake a survey of the disabled population. He, however, felt that special funding, codes and a single window system for the disabled need to be evolved.
http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=9&theme=&usrsess=1&id=187754
Posted by jicafriends at January 29, 2008 01:54 PM