Urban Risk Reduction Through Effective Disaster Management Plan-A Case Study of Shimla City, Himachal Pradesh, India
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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH VOLUME 4, ISSUE 02, FEBRUARY 2015 ISSN 2277-8616 Urban Risk Reduction Through Effective Disaster Management Plan-A Case Study Of Shimla City, Himachal Pradesh, India Bhavna Karki Abstract: By 2050, 70% of the world‘s population will live in urban areas. In India the urban population has increased from 217 million to 377 million in last two decades .With increasing population the associated risk and vulnerability has also increased. As cities continue to grow, there is increased pressure on resources; exposure of lives, livelihoods and economic, social and environmental assets to risk is set to increase exponentially. Recognised as one of the best cities for public services and one of the oldest Municipal Corporation in India, Shimla city is situated at the traverse spur of the Central Himalayas at 31004' N to 31010' N latitude and 77005' E to 77015' E longitude, at an altitude of 2397.59 m metres amsl. This paper aims at underlying the role of Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) as local government in managing disasters in the city along with effective planning and risk assessments. Key words: Shimla, governance, urban, disaster risk, exposure, vulnerability, plan ———————————————————— 1. Introduction In spite of knowing and acknowledging the vulnerabilities Population pressure on urban areas is increasing and increasing risks the administration has failed to address exponentially in India. The government and authorities are many other aspects of disaster management in similar facing challenges in managing cities and providing incidents that are frequent and regular. This paper aims to inhabitants the facilities, services as well as a safer look into the preparedness level of the city of Shimla for environment. Unplanned and haphazard development is risk, vulnerabilities and disaster management. Good urban posing as a threat to the cities. This risk is further enhanced governance is characterized by transparent decision in the changing climatic conditions. It is estimated that by making, sound financial management, public accountability, 2050, 70% of the world‘s population will live in urban areas. equitable resource allocation and probity, and should lead In India the urban population has increased from 217 million to sustainable improvements in most urban indicators (MC to 377 million in last two decades. This is expected to reach Shimla).The word sustainability could be linked to being 600 million, or 40 percent of the population by 20311 (New resilient. Shimla city is multi hazard prone and along with Climate Economy Report, 2014). The disaster in year 2013 demographic change the city seems to be struggling to in Kinnaur district Himachal and neighbouring state balance between development and sustainability. Apart Uttarakhand and 2014 Jammu and Kashmir floods exposed from the city‘s population a floating population of close to our unpreparedness in managing disasters. In Shimla too 75000 also demands the basic facilities. With limited 1 preparedness at city level was exposed in the response to resources, limited workforce and limited expertise, the the recent caved in road segment (Picture 1). The New Climate Economy Report by the Global Commission vulnerability of the city is also evident from some incidents on the Economy and Climate, 2014 at like caving in of portion of road of about 40 m in length on http://newclimateeconomy.report/ the ridge in front of ‗Gaiety Theatre‘ Shimla, caved in by about 1.8 m in monsoon in 2010, or the June 2012 heavy rain collapsing a dozen houses in Krishna Nagar ward. As per 2011 Census, Shimla is the only Class I City in the State of Himachal Pradesh and is registering almost 20% extra growth rate compared to similar other cities in India, which is resulting in rapid development of real estates, housing, complexes, shopping malls etc. Picture 1: Cart Road Damage, Shimla ______________________________ (Source: Himachal Watchers) Bhavna Karki, Environment and Disaster city administration has been working with experts and Management Professional. Address: E-30-D, MIG consultants to work with them in better planning in all the Flats,Street E,G-8 , Rajouri Graden ,Mayapuri,New important spheres in making the city better, safer and more Delhi-110064(India). resilient. The city administration to some extent has started Email Id: [email protected] to recognize the issue of climate induced risks, safety and 67 IJSTR©2015 www.ijstr.org INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH VOLUME 4, ISSUE 02, FEBRUARY 2015 ISSN 2277-8616 response especially in view of the high vulnerability of the and Bypasses city to several hazards. However disaster management Internal Roads SMC SMC SMC requires an effective planning and management and there Himachal Pradesh State HPSEB/ could be two focus area to start with: Street Lighting SMC Electricity Board SMC a) Planning and management – This is to plan and (HPSEB)/SMC manage today .Every development plan should SMC/Fire Fire Services SMC/Fire Dept SMC/Fire Dept integrate disaster management concern in their Dept planning. Town and Open Country b) Actions to mitigate the impact of any disaster in SMC SMC case of any disaster-This would include institutional Spaces/Parks Planning(TCP) strengthening and capacity building of concerned Department Himachal authorities for quick response. Pradesh Road Transport Any disaster impacts infrastructure, physical settlement, Corporation(HRT C) / HP Bus HRTC/ HRTC/ failure of communication system, electricity supply, Transportation drainage system etc. In the absence of a well- defined Stand HPBMDA HPBMDA implementable disaster management plan a disaster can Management and Development create mass destruction. The plan should thus achieve the Authority following objectives: (HPBMDA) Vertical Public Works Resource inventory. Tourism Transport Department PWD Integration with other stakeholders and departments. Department Allocation of specific responsibilities to the various (Elevator) (PWD) Himachal agencies involved. Pradesh housing Response plan and designated responsibilities & Urban Housing HIMUDA HIMUDA during, before and after disasters. development Effective management of the available resources. authority (HIMUDA) Developing the standard operating procedure for Basic Services DoUD/SMC SMC SMC perfect co-ordination among various department and to Urban Poor relief agencies involved. Forest Forest Forest Urban Forest Department Department Department The above mentioned components fulfill the primary criteria Public I&PH/SMC NGO NGO of drafting a plan. The concept behind the formulation of Conveniences city disaster management action plan is to save the lives, Source: Municipal Corporation, Shimla properties and environment: provided quick relief to the affected area and restore the normalcy. The city has a For the human resource apart from the employees and disaster management plan which was passed by General workers Municipal Corporation has the councillors who are house of the Municipal Corporation in year 2012. This is the elected public representatives to look after their wards. good start to work on because municipal corporation is the So the role and responsibility of Municipal Corporation is nodal body that looks after the city and is responsible for foremost and it is the nodal agency for city level responses water supply, sewerage, waste disposal, health, planning, to disaster situation and depending on the size of disaster roads and maintenance of other amenities in the city (Table and if required the help of district authorities should be 1). It also contains the record of people, kind and type of sought later on. The present case study looks into the housing, water supply connections, commercial settlements existing plan to show that the city district disaster and so on. management plan is a multi response plan and outlines the essential things required for managing any disaster Table1: Institutional Framework for Planning & Design, situation. The plan is a step towards building resiliency. Construction and Operation & Maintenance Resiliency here could be understood by the following definitions: Planning & Services Implementing Agency Design ―The ability of a system, community or society exposed to Operations & Construction *City SanitationPlan Shimla city, 2012 Management Hazards to resist, absorb, accommodate to and recover Irrigation and Bulk Water from the effects of a hazard in a timely and efficient Public Health I&PH I&PH Supply (I&PH) manner‖ (United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Water Supply Shimla Municipal Reduction) and Corporation SMC SMC ―The ability of a social or ecological system to absorb Distribution (SMC) disturbances while retaining the same basic structure and Sewerage I&PH/SMC I&PH/SMC I&PH/SMC ways of functioning, the capacity for self-organisation, and Drainage I&PH/SMC I&PH/SMC SMC the capacity to adapt to stress and change‖ Storm Water I&PH/SMC I&PH/SMC SMC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Drainage ―The capacity of a system to absorb disturbance and Solid Waste SMC SMC SMC Management reorganize while undergoing change‖ (The Resilience Main Roads PWD PWD PWD Alliance ) 68 IJSTR©2015 www.ijstr.org INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH VOLUME 4, ISSUE 02, FEBRUARY 2015 ISSN 2277-8616 Shimla city has an interesting history of its origin. Termed of 19.55 square kilometres and has 25 municipal wards as Summer capital of India by British, it was planned for a (Map