July 2015 southasiadisasters.net 1 OVERLOOKED PERSPECTIVES IN INNOVATION Alternative Research to Capture ABOUT THIS ISSUE Humanitarian Innovation

nnovations play a major role in ntroduction Collaborating Evidence Based Ihelping the global humanitarian I Innovation and research are the Research with Local Knowledge system address newer challenges driving forces behind the Local and traditional knowledge or effectively respond to existing improvement in the standard of systems are a rich repository of tried ones. Innovations, in the form of living of society at large. Especially and tested solutions/ innovations. new ideas or modifications in in humanitarian contexts, research However, due to the prevalence of existing strategies, approaches and and innovation play a great role in evidenced based research in the methods have a great transforming lives. However, most humanitarian sector many such emancipatory potential. of the innovations that lead to social traditional innovations are often transformation are largely explained overlooked. Evidence for what does Innovations such as advanced by formalized systems of research. not exist is hard to get. There is a need technologies and new tools/ This tendency precludes the capturing to collaborate local knowledge strategies help in increasing the of innovations at the local level that systems with evidence based research reach and scope of the are hinged on traditional or to captures such potential but humanitarian system by making community knowledge systems. overlooked innovations. it more inclusive, effective and Thus, an informal flowering of timely. Thus, through innovations innovation from day-to-day action Publishing and Dissemination the humanitarian system can help and reflection is bypassed. To promote a greater degree of in transforming the lives of people innovation within the humanitarian and communities in distress. New Tools and Methods context, there is a need to disseminate Given its importance, There are several instances where existing innovations beyond the 'Transformation through innovations that cannot be explained scope of formalized systems of Innovation' is one of the themes of by formalized systems of research research. This can be achieved by the upcoming World have successfully addressed critical capturing such innovations Humanitarian Summit. humanitarian challenges. Newer (empirically or otherwise) and tools and methods of research are publishing them to reach out to the This issue of Southasiadisasters.net needed to capture and upscale such maximum number of practitioners focuses on the theme of 'Disaster innovations. In fact existing ways of and researchers. Microinsurance: An Innovation for thinking about innovations needs to – Mihir R. Bhatt Transformation'. It highlights the be opened up. findings from AIDMI's ongoing project 'Disaster Microinsurance for Local Market Recovery'. This issue also contains insights from several other humanitarian practitioners that highlight different innovative concepts in the humanitarian system. Smart cities, community resilience, instant cities, relocation risks, etc. are just some of the innovative ideas explored in this issue. This issue is a must read for all interested in the themes of disaster microinsurance and humanitarian innovation. Photo: AIDMI.

2 southasiadisasters.net July 2015 INNOVATION IN RISK TRANSFER Urban Small Businesses: Risk Reduction through Disaster Insurance for Street Vendors

n today's scenario vending I provides an important source of livelihood for the urban poor. It needs less formal education, low skill levels and also small financial input. In most cases, vendors have temporary structure or mobile stalls. In major cities, street vendors basically occupy the public spaces such as pavements, roadsides and parks for their structure. However, these vendors play an important part in meeting the daily needs of the urban residents and constitute an essential socio- economic aspect of the recovery phase in post-disaster situations. Street vendors and urban space for micro business interact with each other in complex ways to influence selling Photo: AIDMI. behavior, survival of the business, A local vegetable market in Ulubari area of Guwahati where street vegetable vendors and the speed of local market are doing their business. recovery in the aftermath of a disaster. Vending) Act, 2014: It is an act of the support for urban street vendors. The All these issues make urban space a Parliament of India, which was objective of the component is to highly political and contentious enacted to regulate street vendors in address the vulnerabilities of the issue. Public areas and protect their rights. urban street vendor. This includes It was introduced in Loksabha on surveys of the street vendor, A street vendor is broadly defined as September 2013 and by Rajya Sabha development plans and a person who offers goods for sale to on 19th February 2014. It received infrastructure, training and skill the public without having a assent by the President on 4th March development, financial inclusion, permanent built up structure, but 2014. The bill came into Action on access credit and working capital. with a temporary static structure or May 1, 2015. This bill provides social Through social security schemes, they mobile stall or even head load. Street security to the street vendors, facilitate enrollment of health and life vendors may be stationary by regulation of urban street vending or insurance scheme for street vendors. occupying space on the pavements or incidental thereto. Also, 5% of state allocation fund is used other public and private areas, or may for the support of urban street vendors.2 be mobile in the sense that they move National Urban Livelihood Mission: from place to place carrying their The National Urban Livelihoods In addition to MHUPA (Ministry of wares on push carts or in cycles or Mission addresses livelihood Housing and Urban Poverty baskets, or may sell their wares in concerns of the urban street vendors Alleviation), MSME (Micro, Small moving trains, bus etc.1 by facilitating access to suitable and Medium Enterprises) is also spaces, institutional credit, social working towards street vendor after Protection of Street Vendors security and skills to the urban street the enacted law, keeping in view the Street Vendors (Protection of vendors for accessing emerging livelihood aspect of the micro- Livelihood and Regulation of Street market opportunities through enterprises.

1 National policy on urban street vendors, available at http://www.nasvinet.org/userfiles/file/National%20Policy-2004.pdf 2 http://mhupa.gov.in/NULM_Mission/docs/Regional/USV-1.pdf.

July 2015 southasiadisasters.net 3 Civil Society for Street Vendors: integral part of the city. The BDA has remain uncovered in the post disaster Besides Government department, reserved three percent of public space assessment of loss and damage nor certain other organizations are as commercial zone. Space also reserve in compensation mostly. However, working for the improvement of on the pavement and street vendors. seeing their contribution in local street vendors. National Association As per Manipur Town Planning and recovery and overall total production of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) Country Planning Act, there should and as a service provider, it is huge. established in 1998 to bring together be a provision for four to six shops The vulnerability of street vendors is the street vendor organizations in and ten hawkers for every 1000 persons.3 increasing due to different disasters, India so as to collectively struggle for especially climatic extreme events policies, practices. NASVI is a Though there are tools and protection such as heat waves, , floods, coalition of Trade Unions, Community measures in the visible domain, but heavy rain. This frequently affects the Based Organizations (CBOs), Non the outreach has been very limited. daily income, risk of health Government Organizations (NGOs) More or less every city has its own (waterborne diseases) and loss and and professionals like Lawyers, local concerns and when cities are damage to their little but life long Teachers, Doctors, Social activists exposed to different hazards, assets. Research is required to study who have been working for the especially climate related and the impact of climatic stressors on empowerment and development of especially in urban areas, the street vendors which also require for the street vendors. challenges are even more. The current different efforts for smart scattered existence of the present cities and resilience cities by different The policy is at the national level and protection tools is not sufficient to actors. The All India Disaster implementation at the state level has address the different development Mitigation Institute (AIDMI) is been a challenge. So different needs of these vendors who are also studying the aspects of street vendors municipality corporation follows extremely vulnerable to disasters. with a focus on the need and demand different legislation. Bhubaneswar is related to insurance to protect their among the first cities in India to These small businesses are involved small businesses. acknowledge street vendors as an in the informal industry and thus – Vishal Pathak

3 Street vendors in India, available at http://wiego.org/informal_economy_law/street-vendors-india Photo: AIDMI. The place is situated near by Ulubari. It is a daily market of basically vegetables. As it is situated in open place, storm vulnerability is there.

4 southasiadisasters.net July 2015 HUMANITARIAN INNOVATION Disaster Microinsurance: An Innovation for Transforming Humanitarian Assistance

ver the years, the scope of these locations for identifying the borrow from money lenders. O humanitarian assistance has needs of the target group to design Problematically, the informal considerably increased to address the an appropriate microinsurance credit through money lenders changing contexts and emerging scheme. The demand survey at Puri cost these petty businesses yearly challenges of our times. Innovations district, which was completed with interest as high as 360% (30% per in the form of new ideas or 1561 participants in February 2015 month). improvements to existing strategies highlighted the expectations and fears • The awareness and uptake of and approaches have improved the of the small and informal businesses disaster insurance among the effectiveness of humanitarian there. The demand survey at businesses surveyed so far is nil response. Several humanitarian Guwahati has been finished recently and there are no such examples innovations have led to and just like the one at Puri, this of initiatives or efforts to include transformative changes in the lives demand survey too has revealed this segment under the umbrella of people and communities in interesting information about the of disaster insurance in the distress. Given its importance, expectations of the target group in localities covered so far. 'Transformation through Innovation' Guwahati. The major findings of this • The respondents have shown is one of the themes of the upcoming survey include: both interest as well as inability World Humanitarian Summit (WHS). • A very large segment of small to purchase an insurance scheme. and marginal businesses belong There is limited understanding Disaster microinsurance for local to the poor migrant population on how insurance works and market recovery is one such with the majority of them hailing often due to ignorance, innovation that has great from neighboring districts like insurance is confused with transformative potential. The All Nalbari, Mongoldoi, Barpeta, similar financial products like India Disaster Mitigation Institute Goalpara, Dhubri and Nagaon. micro-lending, informal savings (AIDMI) along with Humanitarian Since these districts are affected groups, etc. Innovation Fund (HIF) and Stanford by recurrent floods and have University is piloting a project on inadequate livelihood options, The next step in the project is to promoting disaster microinsurance most people from these districts organize a stakeholders' consultation for poor and small enterprises. These have migrated to Guwahati, in both Puri and Guwahati to discuss poor and small scale businesses are where they now operate micro the findings of the demand surveys defined as informal and unregistered businesses to earn their conducted in their respective cities. businesses operating as street vendors livelihoods. The stakeholders will include and in home businesses, by family • The majority of these marginal representatives from state and district members or/and a small local businesses generate very little disaster management authorities; group/s established on both revenue which is again affected insurance companies; partner residential sites and local market by incessant rainfall and organizations; regional sites. The objective of this project is resultant floods. Though the humanitarian agencies and a group to promote disaster microinsurance most informal have no structure of small and informal business among such small and informal to lose, the loss of the working owners. The agenda of the enterprises and map out the way such days during heavy rainfall even consultation will be to agree upon risk transfer approaches help in for two to three days causes and finalize an insurance scheme that reducing disaster related economic severe problems for households addresses the needs identified in the losses. that live on this subsistence surveys. The hitherto progress of the income. project has been promising and it is The geographical scope of the project • Those who have some sort of a hoped that disaster microinsurance lies in three urban locations of India structure and suffer damages or proves to be that innovation which (Puri, Guwahati and Cuddalore). A loss of inventory are either transforms the microenterprise demand survey will be carried out at dependent on their savings or ecosystem for the better. – Kshitij Gupta

July 2015 southasiadisasters.net 5 INNOVATION IN COMMUNITY RESILIENCE Community Resilience: 's Response to Disasters and Climate Change

isasters in Odisha are not new. DThe history of the coastal state is full of devastating disasters. Yes, being a coastal state, Odisha is exposed to all sorts of hazards originating from sea. Moreover, there are several rivers including the Mahandi system which have made Odisha historically prone to flooding. The influence of changes in climate has increased the vulnerability of the state manifold as well. The frequency and severity of coastal hazards like coastal flooding, coastal erosion due to increased sea water level etc have resulted in a lot of devastation. The point worth noting here is what lessons can Odisha, due to its frequent exposure to hazards, offer to communities which are newly experiencing such hazards? What Shelter level task force members evacuating differently abled person to Koithakala positive changes have been brought shelter in Bhadrak district during Cyclone Phailin. (Photo: www.osdma.org) in governance and administration which are affecting reduced loss and adverse impacts of "Cyclone Phailin" effective response which minimized damage due to the hazards? The which was not visible in case of the death toll significantly more than answer lies in the term resilience. If "Super Cyclone". The major changes 10,000 people during "Super Cyclone" we take community resilience as the between the responses to these two to 21 during "Cyclone Phailin" and an ability of a community to utilize incidents of cyclones were seen in the additional 23 lives due to severe flash available resources to respond to, way the early warning system was flooding in the aftermath of the withstand, and recover from adverse developed, the warnings cyclone which jointly puts the total impacts and situations induced by disseminated by the government and to 44.2 This response was effectively disasters and climate change, ample responded by the communities, the coordinated by the Government of examples in form of many successful construction of multi-purpose Odisha lead by the Odisha State stories will emerge from Odisha. cyclone and flood shelters by Odisha Disaster Management Authority State Disaster Management (OSDMA) which was the first ever The much talked about change in Authority (OSDMA), adoption of specialized agency established in terms of community resilience that alternative communication systems India in the aftermath of Super was in the lime light, was the and technologies for emergencies, Cyclone. The response was supported difference in the results of two similar better preparedness for effective by a host of UN agencies and other forms of Cyclones i.e., "Super Cyclone response through trained and International Agencies including the (1999)" and "Cyclone Phailin (2013)". equipped manpower (Odisha Rapid IFRC. Though the efforts of The communities in Odisha have Action Force), better planning and government were appreciated at showcased their ability to respond, coordination at the level of different platforms, communities withstand and recover from the administration etc.1 This case of have also been recognized for

1 Behera Meghanad, Odisha Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy, available at http://www.teriin.org/projects/apn/pdf/ orissa/day3/Odisha_Disaster_Risk.pdf 2 Cyclone Phailin in India: Early warning and timely actions saved lives, UNEP, November 2013 http://na.unep.net/geas/ getUNEPPageWithArticleIDScript.php?article_id=106

6 southasiadisasters.net July 2015 effectively dealing with the impacts. However, community resilience is planning for capacity building Though the loss of life was not a process with a defined end, it is programme for Government minimized, the loss and damage to ongoing and evolving with changes Officials/DM/DRR Practitioner/ assets and properties, livelihood etc in nature, magnitude and possibilities Youth volunteers at various levels were severe. of disasters and climate change. based on the recent Training Needs OSDMA is moving ahead with the Assessment (TNA) on Disaster Risk There were also a few useful small implementation of GOI-UNDP Reduction and Climate Change scale innovations demonstrated project on "Enhancing Institutional Adaptation under GoI-UNDP project which have contributed to a rise of and Community Resilience to initiated by AIDMI with OSDMA5. communities’ resilience in Odisha. Disasters and Climate Change (2013- The TNA is focusing on capacity For example, UNDP demonstrated 2017)" in three Cyclone Phailin building and linking community low cost multi-hazard resilient affected districts i.e. Kendrapara, resilience area at different levels. The constructions after the Super Cyclone Ganjam, Puri and one urban city i.e successful ownership of resilience known as Technology Demonstration Bhubaneswar of Odisha. This project showcased by communities in Odisha Units which lead to the construction is designed to provide technical is an encouraging sign for various of over 4000 public utility buildings, support to strengthen capacities of agencies to chip in with resources and houses and offices etc.3 UNDP has also government, communities and technology for strengthening the demonstrated sustainable water institutions to fast-track same and target the reduction in loss management practices for resilient implementation of the planning and damage to assets, properties, agriculture in the villages of Puri frameworks on Disaster Risk livelihoods and the economy. which were successful on ground to Reduction and Climate Change – Seema Mohanty, State Project deal with the menace of flood and Adaptation. Further, OSDMA is Officer, UNDP, OSDMA, Odisha water logging.4

3 A roof still standing: Building Disaster Resilience in Odisha (Part of a UNDP Report), published at Relief Web on 15 Jan 2015 available at http://reliefweb.int/report/india/roof-still-standing-building-disaster-resilience-odisha 4 Enhancing Institutional and Community Resilience to Disasters and Climate Change, available at http:// www.in.undp.org/content/india/en/home/operations/projects/crisis_prevention_and_recovery/enhancing-institutional- and-community-resilience-to-disasters-an.html 5 The Response, Volume XIV, Annual Issue, October 2014, OSDMA, Government of Odisha.

HUMANITARIAN INNOVATION IN ACTION Disaster Micro Insurance: A Protective Tool for the Street Vendors of Guwahati

uwahati- the economic capital of either due to lack of opportunities or Some of the challenges are; GNorth East India is a fast natural and man-made disasters, had 1. Eviction drives carried out by the developing and expanding city with opted to live in the peripheries of this Metropolitan Development tremendous potential for economic city and earn their livelihood through Authority and Municipal development of the region. The petty trading as street vendors. Corporation of the city which Corridor to the south-east Asia and had already relinquished many the heart of the Centre's look east While most of these street vendors such locations where these policy passes through this city and is are migrants from nearby districts, vendors used to set up their the visionary gateway for some are native to Guwahati. business for survival. development of India's ties with However, all of them had hoped to 2. Unprecedented rainfall in the countries like Bhutan, , and earn a living by relying upon the fast summers when the streets of Bangladesh etc. In the past few growth and expansion of the city and Guwahati are seen locked with decades the city has grown and its economic activities. But many drain water overflowing on the accommodated many. The rural poor erstwhile challenges now impede streets; street vendors lose their migrants who had lost hopes of their growth. livelihood days as well as earning a livelihood in their villages

July 2015 southasiadisasters.net 7 inventories too. The irony is that there is no such policy protection or relief measures from government which can cover such losses. 3. Seasonal storms often take away the basic infrastructure with which these vendors sustain their livelihood. It causes widespread damage across the city but for these vendors who do businesses with temporary infrastructure and live in vulnerable structures, the impacts of such storms are far more devastating. 4. Many incidents of fire have also caused serious damage to the assets of the vendors. Theft and burglary also pose a severe threat to this vulnerable section.

Considering these challenges, the existing protection measures through the National Street Vendors Act, 2014 are yet to see the full light of the day in terms of results in the city. So, far the constitution of Town Vending Committee and conduct of survey are a few steps taken. The documentation of the survey is still in progress and many hopes are on the post survey actions in terms of issuance of license and other protective measures. Photo: AIDMI. These measures if implemented The place is near Beltola bus stand. All shopkeepers are using polythene as effectively, can address some of the temporary roof. But due to storm many times the roof was damaged. risks and challenges mentioned no existing mechanism which can need of the same is also very limited. above but not all. If the entire address these aspects. It is in this Civil society in this regard have scenario is looked at from the view context, the importance of the Risk become very important in creating point of loss and damage that these Transfer mechanisms like insurance awareness and lobbying with the street vendors are suffering, there is comes into play. The present level of Insurance companies as well as local awareness and uptake of insurance government to ensure that the needs CHALLENGES LIKE EVICTION coverage is not even near to be of this vulnerable segment are DRIVES, UNSEASONAL sufficient. Moreover, it will be addressed sufficiently at different RAINS, ETC. HAVE difficult to find out which insurance platforms. Society for Social product addresses all these risks Transformation and Environment JEOPARDISED THE under one umbrella. There is a need protection which has a decade long LIVELIHOOD SECURITY OF to evolve a need-based product which history of struggle for protecting the STREET VENDORS IN can cover the entirety of risks under rights of these street vendors is GUWAHATI. RISK TRANSFER one umbrella and provides adequate leaving no stone unturned in this MECHANISMS CAN coverage in a cost effective manner. direction. It is to be considered here that the – Mr. Simanta Sarma, Coordinator, ADDRESS THESE capacity of such vendors is very Society for Social Transformation and CHALLENGES. limited to buy a product with high Environment Protection (sSTEP), cost and level of awareness for the Guwahati 8 southasiadisasters.net July 2015 BEST PRACTICES Rising to the Call – Stories of Spectacular Adaptation to Climate Change in Different Parts of India

limate change is real, a thing of Cthe present, and extreme weather events have started to hurt the world around. India is in the grip of climate change too. Cyclone Phailin in 2013 alone led to a loss of more than Rs. 20,000 crore. in 2014 is estimated to have caused damages of about Rs 1,00,000 crore and so did the 2014 J&K floods. The government of India estimates that expenditure on adaptation to climate variability exceeds 2.6 per cent of the GDP or about 70,000 Crores. These costs will only rise with increasing Bhima Singh of Jethuka Village keeps his field (right in the picture) ready for frequency of extreme weather events. transplanting paddy saplings (from left) by June 15, the legal date for beginning transplantation. In this dismal scenario, there are stories of change – of adaptation and change, so that they can lead the a natural dye in textiles, food and response. Rising to the Call is a change in their spheres of influence. cosmetic industries. is one collection of some of these inspiring of the largest producers of lac but had stories of change that, we hope, will Some stories of successful adaptation been witnessing a decline in its inspire governments, policy–makers, presented in Rising to the Call production due to rising legislators, mediapersons and others temperatures. Lac gets a new life to take note of the resilience of individuals, communities and Lac is a scarlet resin secreted by an In a bid to arrest the decreasing agencies that spearheaded this insect that lives on trees. It is used as production of lac, scientists at the Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums (IINRG) in zeroed in on the new host plant, the Semialata, which grows faster and better adapted to changing climate conditions. IINRG scientists have also added a few modern farming techniques that ensure better production on Semialata plants, thereby increasing the farmers' profits.

Paddy Dilemma For many years, the water table in Punjab had been falling due to rice cultivation. Already at breaking point, Punjab's water resources were Santosh Horo on his lac farm in Kharsidag village. Horo can now grow lac on being further stretched on account of smaller plants – and does not need to clamber up tall trees thanks to groundbreaking research by Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums (IINRG). varying weather conditions – lower

July 2015 southasiadisasters.net 9 frequency of droughts and inadequate water for drinking and agriculture in recent years. A local NGO responded by introducing a water–harvesting strategy.

As part of the plan, wells were deepened and measures taken to increase absorption and recharge of ground water. The boundary walls of fields were raised, helping better absorption of water and stopping erosion of the fertile top soil. Feeder channels were dug to divert the water into a village pond which acted as a recharge point and provided water for livestock. These and other measures brought about a What Biphur needed was water conservation. Hence, rainwater harvesting transformation for the village and structures were built, such as the boundary wall here which was made with clay seasonal migration rates came down around fields so the water does not run off. drastically. number of rainy days, heavier ordinance which set dates for sowing Read Rising to the Call for a large number precipitation, higher run–off and and transplantation of paddy. The of these inspiring stories which document insufficient recharge of the water order was implemented, and as a the nature of climate variability, how tables. result, dependence on ground water it is affecting lives and livelihoods, reduced leading to improvement in and how communities are The common practice was to sow the water table. responding and adapting successfully early – well before the rain – and use to the changes. only ground water for irrigation. In Dormant to Green – Arjuna Srinidhi, 2008, after heated arguments and a Village Biphur in Tonk district of Programme Manager, Climate Change, long–drawn legislation process, the Rajasthan was a typical water–scarce CSE, New Delhi For more information visit: state government passed an village which was facing increased http://www.cseindia.org/

INNOVATION IN HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE Banda Aceh Today: What Has Worked? he ten years after the Tsunami in humanitarian aid. It might be a useful happened was a relief that comes TAceh is a long time to leverage input for disaster management usually very late. Aid in billions of the lessons drawn from one of the elsewhere in the future. dollars, coming from all across the biggest disasters ever witnessed. globe is delayed from reaching the It is not about how big but how fast intended beneficiaries as it gets stuck This disaster claimed the lives of no is the assistance being delivered. The in complex bureaucratic labyrinths. less than 170,000 people and led to biggest challenge in the post–tsunami This results in improper and delayed estimated losses of more than US $9 disaster in Aceh was how quickly response. In reality, humanitarian aid billion in economic and assistance should be provided to from person to person and also from infrastructural assets. It is only after survivors in need. The survivors in small and medium scale social and ten years of this catastrophe, that life an emergency situation need of help religious organizations may is staggering towards normality. In as soon as possible to be able to intervene relatively faster, better and this short article I just wanted to share continue their life. These include, the in a very cheaper way compared to my experiences and observations in basic needs of food, shelter and a big scale aid organizations in Aceh's relation to the post–tsunami decent temporary shelter. But what case. Yet, military organizations were

10 southasiadisasters.net July 2015 also among those which took ground, was unable to meet the basic operations. Instead, the approach in response and action very fast in needs of survivors of the tsunami and the distribution of aid in post- helping tsunami survivors. They in some cases even created conflicts disaster situations should rest as were very organized and reliable within the community groups. much as possible on using existing during evacuation process of dead local resources, including human and bodies and cleaning the tsunami The groups which effectively should be sensitive to the local debris immediately after 2004 Boxing delivered aid in those exigent times culture. For example, in trauma Day tsunami. To be fair, there were were those who came immediately healing treatment, for Acehnese many large scale and international to work and stay with the tsunami culture using incense or relaxation organizations which also delivered survivors to help the victims. Many music to heal the psychological effective assistances particularly of them did not come from large– feelings of the victims is contrary to when dealing with big infrastructure scale organizations or big their cultural and religious values. and construction projects such as international organizations. They This way of meditation would even building permanent houses, public worked hand–in–hand with the make them feel worse and it can be roads and other public utilities. community, more like people–to– perceived as cultural harassment people approach rather than a big and actions from the outside. Optimizing existing resources and local massive project. Psychological and cultural conditions wisdoms as this could not be understood if it Many post-tsunami relief assistances On the other hand, those from large does not involve local resources or were often routed through a rigid and organizations couldn’t move quickly local wisdoms in planning and complicated process called 'need in response to the needs of disaster organizing community programs. assessment' conducted and applied victims, as they were tied to a very This involvement of local people by so-called ' international experts' rigid and complex bureaucratic should not be limited to the lower– who actually do not understand local structure . While the situation after middle level within the project such conditions and culture. These 'expert the disaster needs extremely fast as drivers, guards or project officers recommendations' can be rather response and require adjustments to only, but also they should be pursued absurd or 'cut and paste' the program to meet local needs and at high level of project management interventions copied verbatim from conditions, international experts structure or another word, they must other disaster situations failing to depend upon interpreters which often be actively involved in policy decision- capture the needs of local community. cause misunderstanding between the making. As a result, the aid did not address project staff and lead to frustrations – Azwar Hasan, Founder, Forum the challenges at the local level in day to day management Bangun Aceh (FBA), Banda Aceh, Indonesia Photo: http://www.fba.or.id Photo:

July 2015 southasiadisasters.net 11 INNOVATION IN URBAN RESILIENCE Reducing Urban Risk: Who Needs to Know?

t is now commonly known that the safer construction. Whilst that may should aim to fill through local Iurban poor suffer most when be important, it is often insufficient. surveys, ideally together, in order to natural hazards strike their city. The Building safer, but often far more develop realistic options for safer reasons for that are complex. They expensive houses, may be a solution building. include poverty that prevents them in the short term thanks to aid from building better houses or subsidies, but becomes unsustainable Most commonly failures are caused acquiring a safer plot. They may also when beneficiaries and their offspring by: dangerous location, e.g. risk of include a lack of knowledge of how cannot afford to continue building in flooding, landslides or liquefaction, to build safer or what the risks are of the same ways, or have not received or exposure to strong winds; use of particular locations. In reality, they adequate knowledge to do so. And poor materials (due to poverty, but invariably face several vulnerabilities, where relocation becomes part of such also to insufficient knowledge to and do not have the resources to pay safer construction, that often negatively produce or select better ones); poor these equal attention. Several affects beneficiaries' livelihoods. This design, e.g. too many large openings researchers have found the urban is the most important knowledge gap or irregular shapes; poor poor settling on dangerous sites, in agencies need to fill: they need to construction, e.g. poor bond in the full knowledge that a disaster develop a fuller understanding of masonry; and insufficient could affect them there; nevertheless, poor people's vulnerabilities, in order maintenance or repairs. Whilst some they did so, because those sites were to develop more holistic ways of of these are due to poverty, others close to income opportunities or the reconstruction and recovery. are caused by knowledge gaps. Poor only ones accessible with their people are not always aware of all resources. Day–to–day survival is Most of the housing destroyed or risks of their location, and their often more pressing than the potential damaged by urban disasters in knowledge of materials, design and risk of a disaster in a distant future. developing countries was built by the construction is often limited to a few poor themselves or their local locally common options. They may This is where agencies dealing with builders. It is important, soon after a not know better alternatives, nor DRR or reconstruction often fail: They disaster occurs, to find out what the where to get information on those. do not understand the complexities reasons for failures were. This is a Better building does not have to be of poor people's vulnerabilities, and knowledge gap for both agencies and unnecessarily expensive; one can find as a result solve only one of those, those involved in building that they several examples in the literature, e.g. the work by Development Workshop on cyclone–resistant construction in , where 10– 15% extra expenditure on construction hugely increased a building's disaster resistance. Making limited improvements to vernacular construction can be an appropriate option, as it builds on existing skills at no great cost. This is a knowledge gap that agencies can help beneficiaries and their local builders to fill, with appropriate training, information, and support on site. Ideally, they should complement this with a revolving fund for small home improvement loans. Newcomers in Lima, Peru, construct unstable terraces on dangerous slopes in – Theo Schilderman, Head of Practical the outskirts of the city, as no other land is accessible to them. © Theo Schilderman Action's Infrastructure Programme,UK

12 southasiadisasters.net July 2015 INNOVATION IN URBAN PLANNING Disasters and Instant Cities

isasters destroy places, but they Dalso make places, and the new places they make can be worse or better than the old ones.

A disaster, whether natural or man- made, uproots people from their homes. Hundreds, thousands, even millions of people suddenly migrate in masses, in many directions, searching for another place to 'settle'. When they arrive at a stopping point, and the relief agencies arrive, the new location is universally called a 'camp'. With the urgency of delivering food, water, shelter, and other survival needs to highly dense and brand-new to believe that the world's current cultures. It raises difficult questions. spots, the camps almost immediately shelter and settlement strategies – How can camps be more become both overcrowded and standardized, homogenous, and economically and socially productive under-supported. They have limited emphasizing immediate externally for the host country? Do the reasons or no infrastructure, and virtually provided goods rather than enabling for displacement influence how immediate humanitarian, political, displaced persons-led development – camps should be built? How much operational, economic, and environ- are failing the challenge. We have the should the typical shelter-structure be mental challenges. This suddenly capacity to design better responses adapted for different climates, created place we call not a camp but a and to respond better to disasters cultures, and topographies? Are new urban form, the Instant City. existing and yet to come. In addition refugees treated worse than to the efforts lavished on providing internally displaced persons(IDPs) in Though the city may be created in an relief materials, a portion of the effort their legal status and host community instant, it often persists for years. should be dedicated to planning and interaction, and if they are, should Today, worldwide, over 50 million creating the enabling conditions for this change and how? If a camp is displaced persons – more than the the Instant City to grow into a city. destined to become an Instant City, world has ever seen at one time when and how should it be before – live in these instant cities, Shifting the paradigm from 'relief formalized? What happens when typically displaced for an average of camp' to 'Instant City' will lead to people go 'home'? 17 years – an interval that in some better internal dynamics in these cultures is more than a generation. communities, resulting in more stable At AHI, we are actively engaged in societies, better and more sustainable the larger dialogue and practice on Meanwhile, those in the Instant City living conditions, and a system by issues of post-disaster resettlement face challenges that go far beyond which humanitarian settlements and reconstruction. With the support immediate food and shelter. Modern evolve into instant cities where of some terrific Harvard GSD students, displaced people are far from being residents can gain a sense of AHI recently published a book, helpless; often they are well educated, normalcy. By critically analyzing our Za'atari: The Instant City1, curating the highly skilled, and motivated; they current approaches to manmade or experience of creating a city of more could build an Instant City, and an natural disasters, we can identify than 100,000 displaced Syrians out of instant economy along with it, if better international best practices for the harshest desert in Jordan. given even the simplest of shelter and settlement strategies in – Vidhee Garg, Project Manager, foundational support, including law, different regions and different Affordable Housing Institute, Boston, U.S. urban planning, and acknowledg- conflict typologies. ment of their validity as newcomers. 1 Available for free download at http:// www.affordablehousinginstitute.org/ The challenge is much less one of storage/images/AHI-Publication- The emergence of Instant City engineering or coordination than it Zaatari-The-Instant-City-Low-Res- responses, even sporadically, leads us is of politics and host country PDF-141120.pdf. July 2015 southasiadisasters.net 13 INNOVATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY Sustainable and Smart Urban India: Locating Disaster Risk Reduction

n June 25th, The Prime Minister to the topographical features, climate integrating and mainstreaming Oof India officially launched three and environmental considerations climate resilient systems into its flagship Missions of the Ministry of will have to be included in the planning framework and functioning Urban Development and Ministry of planning parameters on a mechanisms. Housing and Urban Poverty compulsory basis. Also, the building Alleviation – The Smart Cities Mission, codes and bye-laws of a specific As it looks at present, the immediate The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation region will have to be attuned to these requirement for cities that prepare and Urban Transformation(AMRUT), requirements. Environmental their plans for smart cities challenge and The Housing for All (Urban) sustainability is also required to be would be to draw out lessons from scheme. The launch of the three viewed at a larger scale and must the recent extreme events and schemes sets in motion the virtuous include clean and green environment, consider bringing in climate concerns cycle of growth and development in as well as climate proofing city in development planning. A review urban areas of the country to enhance systems and disaster proof of the Master Plan and CDP could be economic growth and provide for construction and land use planning carried out with the purpose of quality of life to all its citizens in an under its purview. The inter-linkages revising some of the development equitable manner. with project planning, master norms on the basis of vulnerability planning and CDP preparations at to climate impacts. Identification of The Smart Cities Mission approaches planning level, bringing in clear various city and district level this vision through interventions that mandates for disaster resilient cities departments and state line range from retrofit, redevelopment, at policy level are equally required departments and drawing up green field development and pan city at this stage. institutional synergies between them initiatives. These initiatives will be with the focus on planning for climate designed and implemented with an The recent cyclone on the east coast resilience would go a long way in overall objective of providing core of India, the Hudhud – third in a year's integrating climate concerns into the infrastructure, giving a decent quality span (after Phailin and Helen) that has development practice. A city level of life to its citizens, a clean and hit the Indian coast, is a case in time disaster management plan is the need sustainable environment and that has lot of lessons and take aways of the hour and the city government application of Smart Solutions. for the way we implement the new could look at preparing the same or Missions in urban areas, particularly integrating these components in the Given the fact that Smart Cities looking at the goal of disaster resilience. smart cities plans or state level annual Mission is intending a long term and plans as envisaged in the AMRUT definitive change in the way we plan Other similar and recent events with scheme. This plan document should and manage our cities and also the similar effects have been the floods also inform the long to medium term overall economic development of the in Mumbai, Uttrakhand, and Jammu objectives of the Master Plan and CDP country, it is essential that the and Kashmir. Significantly, these of the city to ensure integrated principles of sustainability are extreme events have been recurrent climate and disaster resilient embedded in the core of the Smart and reflect on our lack of development. Cities Mission. The Mission preparedness and planning. It is guidelines acknowledge the essential to understand here that, the The three Missions launched by the importance of sustainable urban way infrastructure are located and Ministry of Urban Development development and imbibe energy built in the city plays a significant role opens up a world of opportunities efficiency, sustainable transport, in the reducing the damage caused. only to be realized by the state disaster resilience and other similar Considering the increasing governments and city governments parameters into its objectives. vulnerability of cities to climate and the entire league of smart city However, while core infrastructure impacts and hazards, we should consulting Firms and hand holding provision can be planned and design stringent development norms organizations and institutes. implemented on a project basis, issues and land use planning practices that – Divya Sharma, Fellow and Area like disaster resilience will have to are cognizant of vulnerable locations Convener, Centre for Research in be gradually inbuilt into the urban and climate related design and Sustainable Urban Development and systems and its functions. For construction parameters. Cities Transport Systems, Sustainable example, land use planning attuned should slowly but strictly start Habitat Division, TERI, New Delhi 14 southasiadisasters.net July 2015 INNOVATION FOR RELOCATION Reducing Relocation Risk in Urban India

ities in India are growing faster Cthan planners are able to cope with. People move in first, then planning follows, if at all. According to an analysis done by the Indian Institute for Human Settlements, more than 30 per cent of people living in urban areas in India are exposed to multiple hazards. When a hazard strikes, the impacts are usually felt most by the urban poor who live in unplanned, 'informal' settlements. Precarious livelihoods, coupled with limited access to resources and basic services, make it difficult to cope. Climate change is making this situation worse, as climate extremes become more intense and frequent.

People living in such exposed areas the challenges of disaster-risk related distance from the original location, are often forced to move by city or resettlement and relocation. The diversifying livelihoods and state authorities. Most resettlement project examines many of the national, including women in both planning and relocation takes place as part of state and local level disaster-related and implementation. wider developmental projects or land resettlement programmes in India acquisitions, and in India more than and their varying degrees of success. Although urban resettlement 60 million people have been displaced programmes are widespread in India and relocated by development The Jawaharlal Nehru Urban and beyond, the full extent of social initiatives since the country's Renewal Mission, for example, and economic impacts of resettlement Independence. Planned post-disaster relocated many people but failed to policies on individuals and societies and other risk-related relocations are address the new risks created by the are not well understood, either by a lot less common. Governments relocation. It worsened people's experts or by those enacting them. The make case-by-case decisions on who access to livelihood opportunities combined pressures of climate change to relocate, where to move them and and other important social and urbanisation will lead to more the level of compensation. However, infrastructure, such as schools, and more people being resettled so governments likely see risks differently hospitals and markets. Rajiv Awaas further research is needed in this area. to individuals and households. Without Yojna is often lauded for its The IIHS-DPU-FLACSO project, a full understanding of peoples' comprehensive approach towards funded by the Climate and realities, needs and priorities, resettlement, but in some cases has Development Knowledge Network resettlement programmes may fail or failed to assess and address hazard (CDKN), aims to arm planners with even increase poverty and risks in relocation destinations, the knowledge and tools to secure the vulnerability to extreme events. particularly in hilly areas. Some good most beneficial outcomes from examples include, the World Bank's resettlement and relocation The Indian Institute for Human Odisha Disaster Recovery Project programmes. This research will help Settlements (IIHS), in partnership which was undertaken as a to ensure that resettlement policies with University College London's partnership between the Odisha and programmes enacted to reduce Bartlett Development Planning Unit Disaster Management Authority and climate-related disaster risk do not (DPU) and the Latin American Social Gram Vikas, a local NGO. Measures inadvertently undermine development Science Faculty (FLACSO), has were taken to reduce risks in the new progress for the people they are launched a new research project to settlement, including structural trying to help. – Garima Jain (IIHS), help city planners and other measures for safe construction, Amy Kirbyshire (ODI/CDKN), and authorities understand and address providing land tenure, minimising Emily Wilkinson (ODI/CDKN)

July 2015 southasiadisasters.net 15 ABOUT HIF

his issue of Southasiadisasters.net has been produced under the project ‘Innovating Disaster Micro-Insurance for TLocal Market Recovery’. This project is supported by the Humanitarian Innovation Fund, a programme managed by ELRHA (Enhancing Learning and Research for Humanitarian Assistance). AIDMI is delighted to receive generous support of Humanitarian Innovation Fund towards this issue.

The Humanitarian Innovation Fund (HIF) is a non-profit grant making facility supporting organisations and individuals to identify, nurture and share innovative and scalable solutions to the challenges facing effective humanitarian assistance. Visit www.humanitarianinnovation.org for more information.

The Humanitarian Innovation Fund is managed by ELRHA (Enhancing Learning and Research for Humanitarian Assistance), in partnership with ALNAP (Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Action). ELRHA is hosted by Save the Children UK. Visit www.elrha.org for more information.

The Humanitarian Innovation Fund is co-funded by UK and Canadian aid from the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The views expressed in this document are not necessarily those of DFID, or CIDA.

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Editorial Advisors:

Anshuman Saikia Madhavi Malalgoda Ariyabandu Regional Programme Support Coordinator International Strategy for Risk Reduction (ISDR) – ARO, IUCN (International Union for Conservation of South Asia, Sri Lanka Nature), Mihir R. Bhatt Denis Nkala All India Disaster Mitigation Institute, India Regional Coordinator, South-South Cooperation and Dr. Satchit Balsari, MD, MPH Country Support (Asia-Pacific), United Nations The University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell, Development Programme, New York New York, USA Ian Davis T. Nanda Kumar Visiting Professor in Disaster Risk Management in Chairman, National Dairy Development Board Copenhagen, Lund, Kyoto and Oxford Brookes (NDDB), Anand, Gujarat, India Universities

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