Issue 30, December 2011

FIELD BULLETIN Natural Disaster Challenges in Rukum District Background is a disaster prone country with 49 of its 75 districts assessed as prone to floods and landslides, 23 to wildfires, and one to windstorm 1. Further indicating the vulnerability of Nepal, the National Strategy for Disaster Risk Management notes that out of 2,315 glacial lakes of Nepal, 22 are in imminent danger of outburst 2 due to increasing glacial melt.

Natural disaster is an unavoidable and increasing phenomenon, especially with the growing threat of climate change. 3 The Climate Change Risk Atlas 2010 ranks Nepal as the fourth most vulnerable country worldwide, 4 20 th on the global hazard map, 30 th in terms of water-induced hazards such as landslides and floods 5 and 11 th most at-risk country to earthquakes 6. Nepal’s National Assessment Report for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (2002) notes the link between the climate and the risk of landslides7. Government Policies to address Disaster Risk and Relief The ’s (GoN) Natural Calamity (Relief) Act (1982) recognized earthquakes, fires, storms, floods, landslides, heavy rainfall, droughts, famines and epidemics as disasters 8. Focusing on the response to a disaster, the Act created responsible institutions at the central, regional and district levels, with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) as the Ministry responsible for disaster management in the country.

The GoN signed the Convention of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992 and became a party to it two years later. As part of its commitments the GoN issued a Climate Change Policy in 2011, which includes a number of policies to address the impact of climate change and ensure that development is climate-friendly and resilient 9.

Four years later, in 1996, the National Action Plan10 for managing disaster in Nepal was introduced and the GoN adopted a series of important policies in the areas of water resources, agriculture, physical planning,

1 Nepal Disaster Report 2009: http://www.undp.org.np/uploads/publication/2010031509022499.pdf 2 National Strategy for Disaster Risk Management, 2009: http://www.undp.org.np/pdf/NSDRMFinalDraft.pdf 3 Disaster Preparedness for Natural Hazards- Current Status in Nepal: http://books.icimod.org/index.php/search/publication/287 4 Ministry of Environment Strengthening National Capacity on Climate Change: http://moenv.gov.np/newwebsite/moe_admin/download/ToR%20Final%20for%20CC%20Strategy%20and%20Fund .pdf 5 Ibid. 2 6 Disaster Risk Reduction in Nepal: http://www.undp.org.np/programs/details.php?i=108 7 Environment Directorate Development Co-Operation Directorate: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/6/51/19742202.pdf 8 Natural Calamity (Relief) Act 1982: http://www.undp.org.np/drm/pdf/calamity.pdf 9 Ibid. 1 10 National Action Plan on Disaster Management in Nepal, 1996: http://disasterpreparedness.icimod.org/viewdoc.php?link_id=288e1b0aea02418d6326bc7f0fd5fdea

Page 1 of 4 Natural Disaster Challenges in Rukum District mines and geology, and health to reduce the risk of hazards, in addition to distributing guidelines on relief 11 . In 2009 the GoN developed an integrated National Strategy for Disaster Risk Management 12 which introduced risk reduction as a cross-cutting approach to development planning. This has led to a shift from emergency response to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in both the government and non-government sectors 13 . In 2011 MoHA established a National Emergency Operations Centre and 11 District Emergency Operations Centres to ensure better preparedness to disaster responses.

Although there has been considerable progress in the field of DRR, there remains a need to increase activities and awareness on issues related to climate change. For example, whilst most districts have developed Disaster Preparedness and Response Plans (DPRP), engaging many actors in the process 14 , much remains to be done on the issue of climate change.

This field bulletin explores the factors contributing to vulnerability in Rukum district in the Mid-West, a district severely affected by landslides in recent years. Factors triggering landslide in Rukum Rukum district experienced a number of serious landslides during the period July-September 2011, with 25 people losing their lives, seven going missing and 212 families being displaced during the first three quarters of 2011 15 . Purtimkanda, Choukhabang and Khara were the worst affected VDCs but with others, such as , Syalapakha and Bafikot, also badly hit.

Most of the interlocutors in Rukum district noted that the landslides were triggered by heavy rainfall 16 and excessive use of excavators for road construction conducted without proper Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) 17 . Photo 1: A house in Rukum DHQ vulnerable to landslide. Contractors are mining the cliff using excavator for stones and pebbles used as raw material for construction.

11 http://www.moha.gov.np/uploads/document/file/Existing%20Rahat%20Mapdanda_20110916030916.pdf 12 Ibid. 2 13 Disaster Risk Reduction in Nepal : Some good practices: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/66774030/Disaster-Risk- Reduction-in-Nepal-Some-Good-Practices-Final 14 Ibid. 10 15 Based on the information provided by the District Administration Office in Rukum on 21 Sep 2011 16 Climate Change Vulnerability Mapping of Nepal, MoE/NAPA, September 2010, pg.31-34 http://www.napanepal.gov.np/pdf_reports/CLIMATE%20CHANGE%20VULNERABILITY%20MAPPING%20FOR%20NE PAL%20INNER.pdf 17 The local infrastructure development policy (2061) of MoLD prioritizes construction of roads and bridges based on participatory, labour-intensive and environment-friendly and abide contracting to the extent possible. The policy also calls for preliminary environment impact analysis (EIA) of development activities. Additionally, the circular of MoLD on 6 July 2010 calls for construction of roads to be based on technical and environment analysis and warns to

Page 2 of 4 Natural Disaster Challenges in Rukum District According to the Assistant CDO in Rukum a landslide in Purtimkanda VDC was the result of almost nine hours of continuous rainfall. The landslide claimed 13 lives and displaced 749 people (111 families). The District Forest Officer in Rukum, highlighted a recent concern with of people settling in landslide prone areas. He stated that “These areas were used only for grazing in the past. However, people started constructing houses and settle permanently and as such become very vulnerable to landslides.”

Local residents and representatives of development organizations 18 in Rukum district noted that contrary to policy and circular from MoLD 19 , excavators are used almost exclusively to construct rural roads without an EIA having been conducted, which in their assessment has further increased the numbers and seriousness of landslides in recent years. Local residents in Khara VDC stated that “The road constructed last year using excavators has already been damaged in many places whereas the green-road 20 constructed a year before this road remains largely intact.”

In addition to worrying about the use of excavators increasing the risk of landslides, local residents also expressed concern about the loss of opportunity for local employment which is made available during manual road constructions. Interlocutors mentioned that “the use of excavators benefit only the owners of excavators, political parties and some government officials.” Political parties in Rukum refuted these statements by stating that “People want rapid development, for example roads, which requires the use of excavators”. Some interlocutors also mentioned that, even when EIAs are conducted “Pressure is put on the District Development Committee (DDC) and Village Development Committees (VDC) by political parties to deviate road constructions from the original plans to benefit their constituencies.” Responses by the local authorities Rukum has developed effective district coordination and response mechanisms to landslides. According to the CDO, “Immediately upon getting reports of landslides we mobilized the Nepal Police and Army for search and rescue activities. With the help of partners we assess the situation and provide support to victims, including compensation for the families of those deceased”. 21 The Assistant CDO added that assistance is also normally provided by the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) and recently, a Chinese company. In response to this year’s landslides, the DDRC has submitted a 17-pages action plan to the Prime Minister’s Fund requesting NRPs. 5.6 million for relief material, education and rehabilitation for landslide victims. However, to date no funds have been received.

The District Public Health Officer stated that the District Health Office conducted a one-month health camp in Purtimkanda VDC to provide free health check-up and distribute medicines to the displaced landslide victims. UCPN-M leaders 22 in Rukum district explained that “Despite political differences, there is good coordination between the political parties and the local administration in the district when it comes to responding to natural disasters.” The sentiment was echoed by the NC Chairperson in Rukum.

take action if machinery is used for the labour-intensive project. http://mld.gov.np/mld/uploadedFiles/allFiles/local_infrastructure_development.doc ; http://mld.gov.np/mld/uploadedFiles/allFiles/local_bodies_38_bulled_directives.pdf 18 Name and organization are not disclosed for the sake of anonymity. 19 Ibid. 17 20 The ‘green road’ concept is an approach that refers to an environmentally sound, participatory, technically appropriate, labour-based rural road construction/maintenance without use of heavy equipment. (Economic Analysis of Local Government Investment in Rural Roads in Nepal 2011: LGCDP/UNDP): http://www.lgcdp.gov.np/home/pdf/RuralRoadReport.pdf 21 Ibid. 10 22 Megh Bahadur Budha Magar (UCPN-M) and Ganesh KC (NC) interviewed in Rukum district on 22 Sep 2011.

Page 3 of 4 Natural Disaster Challenges in Rukum District Constraints for disaster response in the district Despite the good coordination and response to landslides in the district, the Assistant CDO pointed out that the District Disaster Response Plan (DDRP) is not yet finalized and that the capacity of district level humanitarian actors, including civil servants, needs to be improved. He also mentioned that although MoHA selected Rukum district as one of the pilot districts for the establishment of a district Emergency Operation Centre (EOC), and although the EOC has received some search and rescue materials and equipment, it is not yet completely functional due to lack of communication equipments.

All the stakeholders spoken to, including the CDO, highlighted the need for a ‘basket fund’ which can be utilized for immediate response during disasters, as well as the need to stock-pile essential medicine, food and non-food items in disaster-prone areas.

Disclaimer: This field bulletin is prepared following a brief field study and also uses secondary data. The information presented in this field bulletin does not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations. Although the RCHCO aims to confirm all information independently, occasional factual inaccuracies can occur .

United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator’s Office (UN RCHCO) GPO Box: 107, UN House, Pulchowk, Email: [email protected] Phone: +977 1 5523200, Fax: +977 1 5523991 Visit the UN Nepal Information Platform at http://www.un.org.np

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