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INTRODUCTION ABOUT THIS ISSUE Towards Understanding he Andaman and Nicobar T Islands is a union territory of Recovery India that spans across 500 km in the Bay of Bengal. It is an aledictory Address flows and actions are taken. And archipelago that is composed of 572 V I am honored to be speaking at yet tsunami recovery remains an islands which are categorised under the Tata Institute of Social Science under-studied and under- two island groups, viz. Andaman (TISS) on the occasion of this round researched area in AIDMI's Islands and Nicobar Islands. Known table. TISS is one of the few opinion. This round table by JTSDS, for their beautiful and fragile institutes in the country that has Mumbai and King's College, ecosystems, these islands are also had a tremendous impact on London addresses this gap by home to many indigenous tribal India's development story and focusing on island recovery, the groups like the Sentinelese people, trajectory. The institute has been recovery process, and recovery-to- a pristine tribe that still lives at the firmly devoted to all aspects of development links. Paleolithic level of technology. development studies including However, the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004 led to widespread disaster studies. It has also Ever since its inception, AIDMI has devastation in these islands. More consistently churned out graduates been associated with multiple than 2,000 people lost their lives, who drive and achieve positive disaster recoveries. The experience more than 4,000 children were social change in their respective of working on multiple disaster orphaned or suffered the loss of one fields. Some of these graduates recoveries across 12 regions spread parent, and a minimum of 40,000 work with us and the bring best across India, South Asia and Asia people were rendered homeless. ideas to the table and help achieve Pacific has been quite rewarding More than 46,000 people were results for the All India Disaster and enriching. Based on these injured as well. Following the Mitigation Institute (AIDMI). experiences and my review of 10 Tsunami, major recovery efforts years of recovery in the report were taken up by state and non-state AIDMI was established in 1995 and titled ''South Asia Disaster Report actors in these islands. within a year or so started 2016: Are We Building Back experiencing a very real gap Better?'' let me point to five Nearly 14 years after that devastating between social science research and directions for further research and Tsunami, it is warranted to assess the practice of disaster studies. the extent and sustainability of management in India. The way in these recovery efforts. This issue of which the Jamsetji Tata School of One, when does recovery start, Southasiadisasters.net is titled, after a disaster or before it? Is "Understanding Recovery in the Disaster Studies (JTSDS) has filled Andaman and Nicobar Islands" and in the gap is both unique and recovery distinct from ongoing highlights the various aspects of the innovative. Generating new development work or do we make post-tsumani recovery process knowledge and research around it distinct with funds and project there. This issue focuses on many disasters has opened up newer labels? What kind of social base is themes related with the recovery opportunities across India and required to make recovery robust process in the islands such as the beyond. and sustainable? What are the new importance of understanding the theoretical considerations? Is there underlying factors of vulnerability, Tsunami recovery has brought in a scope for demand driven the role of international some of the most exciting studies recovery as against needs humanitarian agencies in assisting and reports, including the reports assessment on supply driven the recovery, civil-military by Disasters Emergency recovery? What about plurality in cooperation in the response efforts, Committee (DEC), Tsunami recovery to move from a recovery importance of housing, food and Evaluation Coalition (TEC), Active to many recoveries? Can recovery nutrition for a sustainable recovery Learning Network for process bring about financial and rehabilitation, etc. Most Accountability and Performance in inclusion of citizens such as those importantly, this issue highlights Humanitarian Action (ALNAP), of Andaman and Nicobar Islands the nature of vulnerability and risk reduction in these beautiful and several universities. These (ANI)? islands. – Kshitij Gupta studies have impacted the way aid 2 southasiadisasters.net October 2018 Two, how can recovery become transformative, that is, move on towards clean, green and "new" development work? Dr. Lyla Mehta and Dr. Lars Otto remind us that there is a long way to go in defining transformation. What was the environmental impact of tsunami recovery on islands' water, vegetation, air, settlements, society, coastal ecosystem, and economy? Did ANI recovery miss out on transforming local economy into "green" or "low carbon" or "circular" economy? How can we, in the future, introduce the ideas of "happy money" or "social enterprise" in recovery? Are we making investments in research and innovation to make recovery faster, Singhji called for "Collaborative In the above five directions for better and sustainable? Federalism" as India's approach to further research and studies I have disaster recovery at Sendai in 2015? tried to mop up many of the insights Three, what is this idea of a Is there a case for use of new we have gained here today in this "community" in recovery? Currently, technologies such as drones in round table, as well as open up Terry Cannon is asking us again and humanitarian recovery in such windows for us to have a better and again this question about limits to distant and difficult locations in clearer view of recovery in ANI, as community based approaches. Does India? well as recovery in India, perhaps community work in islands situation in recovery per se. better than the mainland? As there Five, do we know any more now on are limited Self Help Group (SHGs) "how" and "what" of accountability Let me suggest, Dr. Mahesh Kumble, or unions or cooperatives or Small of recovery process and its results? to capture the discussions of the and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) To whom is recovery process round table into a book. We all owe in Andaman and Nicobar Islands accountable to? Humanitarian a book on recovery to ANI after this (ANI) is community agency more sector? Development? Both? And round table. Let me suggest possible? Do at least in some cases, how best to govern the recovery to considering this round table as a first community based approaches make it more accountable to the of the regular annual series of Round penalise the poor and weak citizens? citizens? And what do we do with Tables on Recovery in ANI. We owe And did the Japanese occupation of what John C. Mutter calls disaster it to the recovery studies and action. ANI in World War II make any profiteers in relief and recovery? And difference to the idea of recovering is there a role for surveillance and Let me welcome the support from community? Were there punishment in the accountability National Institute of Disaster extraordinary local leaders in process that can take such Management (NIDM) to Jawaharlal recovery and what is their legacy? profiteering? Was Right to Nehru University (JNU) and suggest Information used, or can be used, to to General N.C. Marwah to kindly Four, how is the nature of recovery open up a new space for repeat the timely action by requesting different in islands from recovery in accountability of the administration National Disaster Management the mainland? Do islands offer a to the citizens? Is there a need for Authority (NDMA) to support JTSDS geography that makes recovery third party monitoring of future for a recovery studies programme. I more cohesive? Or does it depend recovery? Is recovery inevitably hope Dr. Janaki Andharia agrees on the distances between the two Centre-driven as recovery money with me in these suggestions. islands? What does ANI recovery tell flows from the Centre? us about the changing Centre-State Thank you. relations? Especially since Rajnath – Mihir R. Bhatt October 2018 southasiadisasters.net 3 REDIFING DISASTER RECOVERY The Multidimesionality of the Idea of Recovery recovery programme provides as also in many south Asian regions, Aan opportunity to "build back it is essential to focus on issues of better" and improve living equity, social justice and ecological conditions and overall well-being of security in the recovery process. the people who are assisted. It Therefore, a post disaster situation integrates disaster risk reduction must also be viewed as a context for through structural measures, policies introducing sustainable housing, and regulations and reduces livelihoods and energy solutions vulnerabilities of the communities. through recovery interventions The notion of "recovery" in disaster which can contribute to improved discourse comes from a bio-medical development practices. A recovery model of illness that implies programme is more than bringing Janki Andharia. reverting back to normalcy after an the community back to its feet; it is response of rescue and relief, which ailment which disrupts homeostatic also about ensuring sustainability. is to meet the emergency needs of functioning of the body. However, community in the immediate societal conditions in a pre-disaster Post-disaster recovery commences aftermath of a disaster. A critical context are not always optimal as immediately after a disaster event, objective of the recovery process is this notion of recovery suggests and and programatically it is to restore infrastructure and to that extent post disaster implemented over a period of two livelihoods in a way that reduces programmes must be more forward to five years, under the leadership vulnerability and makes looking and developmental in their of the national government.