September 2017 southasiadisasters.net 1 INTRODUCTION School Safety and Security: ABOUT THIS ISSUE Reflections

chools are often defined as y the virtue of their special waves. Thus, there is a great need to Sthe cradles of leadership. Bphysical, social and address the challenges of school India is home to 15 lakh schools psychological characteristics, children safety and security in India. which are preparing the next bear a disproportionate burden of the generation of the country's adverse impacts of disasters and This issue of Southasiadisasters.net leadership. However, there are emergencies. Perhaps the most tries to analyse some of these multiple risks that schools and detrimental impact of such events is opportunities and challenges facing the children who attend them the disruption of a child's education. the country in this respect. are exposed to. Chief among Disasters and emergencies could these risks is that of disasters destroy schools and endanger the The insights presented in this issue and extreme events which not lives of their students, teachers and have not only been contributed by only threaten the physical other staff members. Apart from the sectoral experts but also seasoned welfare of children in school risk of death and injury, it could also practitioners from the field of disaster but also disrupt the continuity cause the closure of the schools for risk reduction (DRR). This of their education. It is also extended periods of time, thereby introduction tires to capture the key substantially disrupting the messages from each contributor to important to remember that education of children leading to this issue. children at schools are also adverse impacts on their learning exposed various forms of abuse, outcomes. Similarly, children are also For instance, Amrit Sangma from exploitation and neglect. at risk of abuse, exploitation, violence Caritas India has taken stock of the Therefore, to protect the and neglect in schools. All these major challenges facing school going country's children against all factors highlight the need for children face in Assam after the state these risks it is important to comprehensive school safety and was ravaged by devastating floods focus on School Safety and security in India. in 2017. The solutions suggested to Security. these problems can go a long way in The National Disaster Management protecting children and their learning This issue of Authority (NDMA) of Government environments. He even suggests that Southasiadisasters.net is titled of India celebrated its 13th Formation Assam has an active and able cohort "School Safety and Security: Day on September 28, 2017 in New of school children and teachers who Reflections" and deals with this Delhi, with singular focus on school can make school safety a reality in important theme in extensive safety and security. The event was a the state. detail. This issue highlights success and a long term view was how different stakeholders shared and owned by the participants Fatima Gay J. Molina and Jesusa including the government, who came from local schools, Grace J. Molina, Centre for Disaster teachers, students and various government authorities, national Preparedness, a regional resource civil society organizations institutions, UN agencies, and centre, Philippines opine that youth (CSOs) are coming up with international organisations. and adolescents are often overlooked various innovations to protect as leaders in disaster risk reduction India's large school going The event offered a national moment (DRR). According to them, any citizens. This issue contains to reflect on what has been achieved strategy of disaster resilience aimed articles from reputed and what can be achieved in the at youth can only succeed with the academics, practitioners and coming months to launch a national active participation as leaders and experts who have worked on initiative to make all the 15 lakh change makers. the theme of School Safety and schools of India safe and secure for Security. children. When in school, India's Drought, a slow-onset disaster is – Kshitij Gupta students are exposed to 18 hazards often overlooked in discussions on such as floods, droughts, and heat school safety and security. In the

2 southasiadisasters.net September 2017 popular imagination, disasters often Mr. Chandra Bhakuni, a noted schools can be protected against invoke the imagery of apocalyptic structural engineer from Ahmedabad, exploitation, abuse and neglect. Samir extreme events that are triggered in opines that building safer schools Porecha, District Child Protection a very short span of time. Drought achieves the dual purpose of Officer of Jamnagar in Gujarat does not neatly fit into this furthering education and risk highlights the need to make child perception. However, the debilitating reduction outcomes. In this regard, protection central to school safety and impacts of droughts and the he also remarked that it is a learning security activities. It is the most concomitant impacts that it has on and iterative process where all good urgent need in Sarva Siksha Abhiyan the education and welfare of the insights (lessons learnt) from activities across all states in India. children of families who migrate due previous efforts should be leveraged. to the droughts cannot be overlooked. Climate change has emerged as one Dr. R.P. Pandey of the National The links between uncertainty and of the leading causes to intensify the Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, and transformation have been explored severity and frequency of extreme Dr. Surya Prakash of National by D. Parthasarathy, Professor, weather events like heat waves. Institute of Disaster Management, A Humanities and Social Sciences from These heat waves are especially substantial part of school safety has Indian Institute of Technology, detrimental to the health of school to do with the actual safety of the Mumbai. In his incisive analysis, going children. Shakuntala Pratihary school building which houses the Prof. Parthasarthy notes that the of Utkal University, Bhubaneswar children during school hours. disaster management literature and has researched extensively on climate practice has an adequate focus on change. In this issue, she states that Netaji Basumatary, Regional unpredictability but not on children in schools must be made Manager, North-East India of IGSSS uncertainty. He also points to the aware of the risks of heat waves. This Guwahati states that floods should necessity of dealing with uncertainty would help children, especially the not only be viewed as disasters but at an early age by embedding it in younger ones to wrap their heads also an opportunity for students to school curriculum to make it central around a complex extreme event that learn ways to reduce risk and build to everyone's thinking. causes untold misery to human lives resilience in their day-to-day lives. and livelihoods. Thus, floods can be leveraged as an Child Protection forms an integral opportunity to build back better for part of comprehensive school safety Schools in cities are not safer than school safety and security in Assam and security. Through child schools in rural areas. Alka Bharat, and India. protection measures, children at Professor, Department of Architecture and Planning of MANIT Bhopal shows that schools in peri- urban areas have dual needs-urban and rural-which infact integrate safety and security challenges in to one. Far greater attention is needed on peri-urban areas as well as on schools in peri-urban areas to balance the role of natural ecosystems in reducing risk in cities.

As Kamol Taukitphaisarn, Expert of Better Rice Initiative Asia, Thailand suggests the distance between satellite and schools' must be a click away for the students and teachers learning DRR in South Asia. The geospatial data and information must not only be used in mega science projects but also in urban and rural schools for educational projects. Photo: AIDMI. East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh. – AIDMI Team

September 2017 southasiadisasters.net 3 A CONCEPT NOTE Hydrology and Drought: India's Priorities

ntroduction Drought frequency, severity and I Much of human settlements and In the end, the persistence are governed by regional economic activities are concentrated climatic factors. The frequency of in the mid-climatic regions of the knowledge of reducing occurrence, level of severity and earth which are largely exposed to floods and droughts prolongation of drought in successive droughts and floods. Compared to should be a part of years vary greatly in arid, semiarid, other natural disasters, drought sub-humid, and humid regions of affects the highest number of people school curriculum. India (Pandey and Ramasastri, 2002). and maximum land area for months Therefore, region specific drought and years causing severe water monitoring, assessment and shortage, crop loss and mass in India are either any one or a mitigation approaches are essentially migration, in different parts of the combination of: (i) less than normal required for effective drought world (Wilhite, 2000). Several rainfall in space and time, (ii) late management. Also, delineation of drought definitions have been arrival of monsoon, (iii) prolonged areas vulnerable to drought is proposed in relevant literature by dry-spells during monsoon, and (iv) imperative to prioritise the mitigation researchers of various disciplines but early withdrawal of monsoon. More actions. This article presents authors' no single one is acceptable to all. often, the occurrence of droughts in opinion on approach and Often, the term 'drought' and 'water arid, semi-arid and dry-sub-humid interventions required for effective scarcity' are used synonymously. regions is caused by the tendency of drought management in different Precise definitions of above terms are rainfed agriculture to go 'on' and 'off' climatic regions in India. given here for clarity of which ultimately leads to chronic understanding. poverty in these regions. Climate Regions and Drought Consequently, mass migration of Characteristics Drought is defined as a relative deficit people from rural areas of India has The drought characteristics, viz. in a given area compared to its emerged as one of the major frequency, severity and occurrence of average water availability, either in challenges. successive droughts, vary across the the form of rainfall, river flow, surface/ground water storages or due to combination of these for a certain period of time. Thus drought is a temporary phenomenon. Water scarcity refers to long-term unsustainable use of water resources; which water managers can influence. Or in other words, it is associated to over exploitation of water resources when demand for water is more than its availability. Thus, water scarcity is a human induced phenomenon.

In India, droughts are linked to erratic occurrence and distribution of rainfall during south-west monsoon season (June–Sept.) and north-east monsoon season (Oct.–Nov.) in case of Tamilnadu and Karnataka states. The causes of occurrence of droughts Figure 1: Spatial Distribution of Climatic Regions in India.

4 southasiadisasters.net September 2017 mitigation plans for different climatic region.

Demarcation of Areas Vulnerable to Drought Vulnerability to drought refers to the degree of susceptibility to hazard and depends on variation in exposure to water deficit and ability to cope with its impact. Areas exposed to frequent water deficits and low coping capabilities are highly vulnerable and vice-versa. The demarcation of areas with different degree of vulnerability to drought would lead to development and prioritization of effective drought mitigation plans. Various physical, climatic, hydrologic and social and regional economic factors have been used by various Figure 2: Average Drought Return Period Map of India. researchers for integrated assessment of vulnerability to drought (Wilhelmi climatic regions. The mean annual more consecutive years are more in and Wilhite, 2002; Pandey et al. 2010; precipitation, evapotranspiration, the arid regions followed semi-arid Vinit et al. 2015). A new method for length of wet season and annual and dry sub-humid regions and the integrated assessment of temperature variation are the impacts of drought are much higher vulnerability to drought using spatial governing factors for regional in these regions compared to other distribution of indicators like drought characteristics. climatic regions of India. The topography, land-use, soil, regional successive drought events for more climate, water demand, water The map showing climatic regions in than two years are much rare in sub- availability, irrigation support (if India is shown in Figure 1. The arid humid and humid regions. Since the any), socio-economic conditions, and semi-arid regions in India have drought attributes vary greatly across coping ability, etc., has been mean annual rainfall (MRF) between climatic region, therefore, it is proposed. Multiple factors have been 200-400 mm and 400-800 mm, important to devise specific drought integrated using a weighing scheme respectively. These regions face droughts with an average frequency of once in 3 to once in 4 years, respectively, covering the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, parts of UP, and interiors of Karnataka and Tamilnadu. The frequency (F) of drought in the dry- sub-humid (8001200), sub- humid (12001600) and humid regions (16003200) vary in the range of once in 5-6, 7-8 and more than 9 years, respectively. Figure 2 presents the distribution of drought return period (T=1/F) in various parts of the India. Similarly, the magnitude of severity varies in different climatic regions significantly. The occurrence of persistent drought events for two or Figure 3: Demarcation of Areas Vulnerable to Drought in Tel sub-basin.

September 2017 southasiadisasters.net 5 and Geographic Information system • Intensive water conservation/ specific proactive mitigation. There (GIS) for spatial and temporal rain water harvesting is a need to: (i) demarcate the areas depiction of integrated vulnerability • Groundwater Recharge vulnerable to drought using to drought (Pandey et al., 2010). The • Recycling of wastewater multidisciplinary indicators method has been applied in Tel sub- • Inter-basin water transfer including physical, climatic, basin (Figure 3) of Mahanadi river remains a better option for environmental, social and economic system and Ken basin in India to bringing prosperity in these factors. (ii) develop area specific demarcate zones vulnerable to areas. drought monitoring and mitigation drought. This method may bring iii. The Sub-humid areas face plans for different climatic regions to objectivity in decision making for drought with average frequency manage drought effectively including effective drought mitigation. of once in every 6-8 years and provisions for promotion of other the persistence drought events alternate livelihood options. Regional Drought Mitigation are not very common. The – Dr. R. P. Pandey, Scientist G, Strategies mitigation option for these areas National Institute of Hydrology, Demarcation of zones/areas may be: Roorkee, India and vulnerable to drought is important • Increase in water storages in Dr. Surya Parkash, Associate to prioritise the planning and tanks and reservoirs. Professor, National Institute of Disaster implementation of mitigation actions. • Water conservation/ in-situ Management, New Delhi Drought mitigation options for water retention through gully different climatic regions are listed checks and stop dams. References: below. • Intensive groundwater recharge 1. Jain Vinit, R.P. Pandey and M.K. i. The Arid areas face drought is an option to enhance Jain (2015). Spatio–Temporal with average frequency of once groundwater availability. Assessment of Vulnerability to in every 2 to 3 years with more • Within stream water storages Drought. Natural Hazards, Volume 76 Issue 1, Pp. 443–469. number of severe and extreme and water diversions be used to 2. Ministry of Agriculture and droughts than other regions. enhance both surface and Farmers Welfare (MoA & FW), Relatively more numbers of groundwater availability. Govt. of India (2016). Manual for droughts persist for two or more • Rejuvenation of tanks/pond and Drought Management–2016. consecutive years and these springs. Department of Agriculture, areas need priority attention. The iv. The Humid areas face drought Cooperation & Farmers Welfare, mitigation options for these with average frequency of once New Delhi areas may need: in 10 or more years and the 3. Pandey, R. P. and Ramasastri K. S. (2002) Incidence of droughts in • Inter-basin water transfer as an occurrence of severe drought are different climatic regions. effective alternative to bring much rare. The persistence Hydrological Sciences Journal, prosperity in the region. drought events are very rare. August especial issue 47(S), pp. • Intensive rain water harvesting There exist multiple options to S31-S40. / water conservation – can manage drought and enhance 4. Pandey, R.P., Ashish Pandey, Ravi moderate adverse impacts to water availability in lean period Galkate, Hi-Ryong Byun and B.C. limited extent only. through water conservation, Mal (2010) Integrating Hydro- • Recycling of waste water for rejuvenation of springs and meteorological and Physiographic Factors for Assessment of supplemental irrigation. lakes. Vulnerability to Drought. Water • Micro-irrigation (sprinkler/ drip Resources Management. Vol. 24, Concluding Remarks systems). No. 15 Pp.4199-4217. • Measures for evaporation The Ministry of Agriculture and 5. Wilhite Donalt A. (2000) Drought reduction form tanks/reservoirs. Farmers Welfare (MoA & FW), Govt. as a natural Hazard: concept and ii. The Semi-arid areas face of India has recently published definition. In drought: A Global drought with average frequency "Drought Manual 2016", which assessment, Natural Hazards and of once in every 4 years and includes common criteria of multiple Disaster Series, Vol. 1, Chapter 1, often encounter with severe indices for declaration of drought in WilhiteDonalt A (eds), Routledge Publisher, London, UK. events. The mitigation option for all regions of India. Drought 6. Wilhelmi Olga V. and Wilhite D. these areas may be: management approach in this A. (2002)., Assessing vulnerability • Creation of water storages in manual is yet steered towards relief/ to agricultural drought: A tanks and reservoirs crisis management rather than region Nebraska case study. Natural Hazards 25, 37-58. 6 southasiadisasters.net September 2017 SCHOOL SAFETY Assam is Reeling Under Floods Again, Here are 4 Key Problems faced by Children

Children having food at a temporary shelter.

ow attendance: While the Transliterating an old English Having an inadequate level of L enrolment percentage of children proverb to describe this situation will preparedness adversely affects in LP school remains high at read like "All work and no play, children's study with serious approximately 80%, the attendance makes Janki a dull girl". Post the consequences for their future. on the other hand has been severely flood, it takes months before children affected by the floods. It has been can enjoy the comfort of a home and What can be done to help these observed that the attendance of it is not until the parents would have children? children goes down right before and toiled hard to repair the damages To answer the question, we must ask after the floods. The reason behind their little village huts would have a few more relative questions. Is it this is the displacement that floods succumbed to. possible to safeguard the dreams of cause internally in the state among these children, ensure that they grow families. Lack of preparedness: For families like and at par with other children that are living on the bank of river in our country? Is it possible protect Loss of learning time: During floods, Brahamaputra, flood is an annual their right to education and dignity schools remain closed for weeks phenomenon, "at least for the last 20 of life, while ensuring them together, which sometimes become years" as described by villagers uninterrupted learning even during months, depending on the degree of around here. Despite the fact that the and after the flood? the flood. Parents become clueless on villagers are aware of the annual how to keep their children engaged frequency of floods, children still end And, if the answer to all these with the syllabus. The teachers also up losing their valuable books and questions is a YES, the next question have no plan for the children to cope other study material to floods every would be HOW? up with the loss of learning time. year. This is because families in most instances are interested in saving Caritas India, a national non-profit Lack of play-space: Reduced living edible goods and other valuables organization based in Delhi has space in the flood relief camps leaves during contingent times. Children's joined hands with HCL foundation almost no recreational room, essential books and study materials do not to answer these questions in affirmative for children to grow normally. figure high on the list of priorities. find a solution to these problems. September 2017 southasiadisasters.net 7 The team have identified 12 flood norms of the State and Centre. The Highlight of the response and relief prone villages in Lakhimpur of state of Odisha, during cyclone in 2017 so far by Caritas India in Assam. Each village will work on a Phailin did notify the compensation collaboration with HCL, Start concept call "My Evening School for coverage to share croppers in 2013 Network, Caritas Germany, CAFOD resilience building". as a good practice. However, this and SCIAF. precedence has not been popularised These schools will conduct syllabus and followed by the Centre or the Relief done based regular classes with special state governments. 1. Hygiene kits to 1000 families in lessons on disaster preparedness. A Assam total of 1000 school children will Coming back to Assam floods, Ms. 2. Hygiene kits to 1000 families in benefit from this innovative project Lee says that the humanitarian Mizoram within a period of six months. agencies are delivering their mandate 3. Medicated bed nets to 2000 of reaching much needed lifesaving families in Assam Besides regular studies, extra- relief materials to the flood victims, 4. Cash support to 300 families in curricular activities will also keep prioritising the most vulnerable in Mizoram children fruitfully engaged with the terms of their capacity to survive 5. Medical support to over 800 help of experts and trained without aid. Yet, this will be based flood hit people in Assam personnel. These villages have on the limited resources available and already been part of the relief and accessible to the aid agencies only to Ongoing relief flood response program carried out compliment Government response. 1. Hygiene kits to 1600 families in by Caritas India and HCL Foundation The state being duty bound to protect Assam and this project is the continuation its citizens, and the humanitarian 2. Cash support to 1600 families in with focussed on education. stakeholders now need to seriously Assam think about pre-disaster actions, in 3. Evening school for 1000 affected "Besides the children, their parents, areas that are prone to annual students with special lessons on teachers and their care givers will flooding and cyclones. disaster preparedness also be counselled," informed Anjan 4. Assessment of Manipur situation Bag, person heading the project at The pre-monsoon preparedness of for response Caritas India. He said that interested the system and the people in youth from the area will be identified vulnerable locations need to be in History of Emergency responses and motivated to work as volunteers. place; and disaster mitigation plans Looking back in the last 5 years, need to be set much ahead of the Caritas India has responded to almost Analyses monsoons. Logistically, this will save every emergency in the Northeast Natural disasters, particularly the much loss to life and property; while befitting a population of 1.2 lakhs phenomenon of overflowing safety measures and early warning approximately. The table below Brahmaputra river is an annual systems need to be strengthened for showcases a few major ones with occurrence in Assam. Obviously, those communities living closer to the river number of benefiting families in the residing along the river bank or closer bank to make alternative sectors of health, cash support, to the river are the first and worst arrangements. Most important will be temporary shelter, education, WASH, hit, Ms. Lee Paul, advocacy manager seeing to their economic recovery, to livelihood, livestock and food. at Caritas India wrote in her analyses. help them rebuild their lives. No. Emergency No. of benefiting She says that the people's locational Well thought and thoroughly response and year families vulnerability is directly linked with planned pre-monsoon actions are far 1. Assam Floods 2012 10500 the social and economic position they better than being pressed into 2. Assam Ethnic Conflict 2012 1725 occupy within the local society. And reactive actions to live up to real 3. Assam Ethnic this can be corroborated from the fact Disaster Risk reduction (DRR) as Conflict 2012 (2) 1000 that most affected and being reached committed under the Sendai 4. Assam Ethnic Conflict 2014 300 out to by Caritas India in Lakhimpur Framework of Disaster Risk Reduction. 5. Assam Flood 2016 2250 district, are those who are marginal 6. Assam Flood 2017 7360 farmers or daily wage earners. Assam has an active and 7. Mizoram Flash Flood 2017 1300

Unfortunately, the undocumented able cohort of teachers and – Amrit Sangma, Officer-PR & losses of the daily wagers and those students who can and have Communications, Caritas India, New Delhi into lease farming goes unrecognised made lives safer. even in the official compensation

8 southasiadisasters.net September 2017 YOUTH LEADERSHIP IN DRR Children and Youth as Game Changers in DRR and CCA in the Philippines1

he World Risk Index released by CCA projects such as trainings, Tthe Institute for Human and Youth and children should not workshops, and awareness raising Environment Security of the United only be viewed as victims of events for vulnerable communities to Nations University ranked the disaster risk but also realize the importance of DRRM and Philippines as the 3rd out of 171 changemakers who transform these child participation. countries in the world in terms of challenges into opportunities. exposure and vulnerability to natural Some of the select activities of CDP hazards, including earthquakes, (aged 5 to 24 years3 old), which is and its partners that highlighted the floods, and storms in 2016. It was also also composed of the youth sector4. leadership of children and youth over identified as one of the countries the years are as follows: most challenged by disaster risk in Over the years, the Center for the Global Assessment Report Disaster Preparedness has closely From 2005 until 2008, two action prepared by the United Nations collaborated with children and youth researches was supported by Office for Disaster Risk Reduction through its various projects to ProVention Consortium that enabled (UNISDR) in 2015. United Nations provide an enabling environment for CDP to develop a participatory Children's Fund (UNICEF) noted that them to lead initiatives on DRR and toolkit on identifying various disaster children are the most affected in any Climate Change Adaptation (CCA). risks and solutions with children and disaster. With this, children's The institution's most recent youth and organize Buklod-ng participation in disaster risk reduction engagement that enabled children to Kabataan, a core group of children (DRR) is imperative for them to be lead initiatives on DRR and CCA is and youth living in high risk areas able to articulate their needs, become entitled, "Strengthening Resilience to to serve as allies of Buklod Tao, an advocates to advance and better Disasters among Targeted Vulnerable organization actively engaged in support their welfare, and serve as Urban Poor Communities in Metro community-based DRRM. The agents of change for the promotion Manila", implemented in partnership children and youth elected their set of resilience not just among their with Plan International Philippines of officers in the organization that fellow children and youth2 but across and supported by Department of empowered them to facilitate and different sectors from the community Foreign Affairs and Trade of the lead their DRR advocacy through up to the global level. Australian Government. In this theater performance, showcasing project, children and youth from their multi–faceted vulnerabilities as As of 2010, half of the household three cities in Metro Manila namely: well as their solutions to address population in the Philippines was Quezon, Valenzuela, and San Juan, them, emphasizing the importance of younger or below 23.4 years (median including six (6) barangays (villages): collective action. They are recognized age), which is higher than in 2000 at Bagong Silangan, Sta. Lucia, Arkong not just in their community but are 21.3 years. It was tabulated in 2010 Bato, Ugong, West Crame, and also known within and outside the that 38.5 million (41.8%) of the Corazon de Jesus were given the Philippines given the extensive country's population was comprised authority to conceptualize, implement researches written about their of the country's school-age sector and facilitate their own DRR and commitment in DRR and CCA.

1 Prepared by Fatima Gay J. Molina and Jesusa Grace J. Molina of Center for Disaster Preparedness, a regional resource center known in the Philippines and in the Asia-Pacific Region as one of the pioneers in the field of community-based disaster risk reduction and management (CBDRRM) and climate change adaptation (CCA) working with non-government organizations, people's organization, communities, and government agencies at all levels to enhance their capacities in disaster prevention and mitigation, preparedness, emergency response, and rehabilitation and recovery. 2 In the Philippines, child is defined as a person below eighteen (18) years of age or those over but are unable to fully take care of themselves or protect themselves from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or condition under Republic Act (RA) 7610, also known as the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act. The ones aged fifteen (15) up to thirty (30) years old are classified as "Filipino Youth" under the definition of RA 8044 or the Youth in Nation-Building Act. However, this was further subdivided based on the nature of their development and needs as follows: child youth (15-18 years old), core youth (19 to 24 years old), and young adults (25-30 years old) as per Philippine Youth Development Index in 2013. 3 Philippine Commission on Women. (2014). Population, families and household statistics. http://www.pcw.gov.ph/statistics/ 201405/population-families-and-household-statistics, accessed 20 April 2017. 4 Ibid. September 2017 southasiadisasters.net 9 Presently, there are 23 active community up to the municipal level painting. These actions led by members that continued what it agencies of the Philippine children and youth, with the support started 10 years ago. government and national and of CDP, international, national and international non- government community level organizations and In 2008, a two-year research project organizations. sectors demonstrated that children that advanced the Child–centered and youth are capable actors in Disaster Risk Reduction (CCDRR) Then in 2010, CDP also taught the promoting a culture of safety and agenda in the Philippines and across children and youth to be the preparedness. Recognizing the right the world was implemented by CDP forerunner of their own research on of children and youth to participation with Institute of Development the impacts of climate change to offers an opportunity for them to Studies (IDS) and Plan International- children and communities in express their voices in planning and Philippines. This engagement is in Thailand and the Philippines. decision–making processes. line with the children in a changing Elementary school children and Furthermore, allowing the children climate coalition to examine secondary students from six villages and youth to engage in DRRM and opportunities for children's voice to in the Philippines and Thailand were CCA agenda helps in nurturing a contribute in DRR policy–making involved in the development of sense of commitment among them to and underscore the role of young research tools, actual research, and take part in community development individuals as risk communicators data analysis. undertakings. Truly, children and and implementers of projects on DRR youth can also be front liners in the and CCA. This research discovered Moreover, in 2014, CDP with journey toward achieving disaster that children and youth were able to UNICEF led a two–year project that and climate resilience and sustainable develop their own programs and gave children and youth the chance development. projects and put them into action to partake in CCDRRM trainings, – Fatima Gay J. Molina and when extended with proper guidance hazard mapping, early warning Jesusa Grace J. Molina, Centre for and support beginning with their system development, DRRM Disaster Preparedness, a regional respective families, school personnel, planning, theater, and mural resource centre, Philippines Photo courtesy: Center for Disaster Preparedness Disaster for courtesy: Center Photo Gen. T. De Leon's Youth Emergency Response Team facilitating a training on Basic Life Support and First Aid last April 19 until 21, 2017 in Valenzuela City, Philippines. 10 southasiadisasters.net September 2017 BUILDING BACK BETTER Flood Durable Shelters in Assam

Rescue shelter constructed by Indo-Global Social Service Society (IGSSS).

now feel secure because even if flood situation like the Mishing tribe living Floods should also be "Ioccurs it will not affect us much, as on stilt houses, so the normal flood we have now have house, toilet and hand viewed as an opportunity with less water current and water pump on an elevated platform" says Mr. for students to learn level as high as 6 feet do not affect Premananda Saikia, a 61 years old ways to reduce risk and their habitat. Other communities farmer, resident of Pachim Kharkati living on non-stilt houses have to village, North-Lakhimpur District, build ways. leave their habitat when flood water Assam. Misfortune always comes reaches 2 to 3 feet high. uninformed hell broke upon the washed away. This situation is people of Paschim Kharkati village common to many villages in Assam. IGSSS garnering experiences of on the fateful night of 14th August working on shelter in the flood prone 2014, when the people were fast Indo-Global Social Service Society area has been painstakingly asleep, the Ranganadi River breached (IGSSS) has been part of the promoting flood resilient durable the embankment at around 11:30 pm. community in one cluster of North- shelters. Locally available bamboos The entire village was submerged by Lakhimpur district since 2012 are used to make walls and roof flood water for more than a week organizing and enabling to adapt to frames and this technologies are not forcing people take refuge on high the flood. The area witnesses flood alien to the community, the value lands and embankments. People were almost every monsoon with variant addition in these types of shelters are taken aback by the havoc created by intensity. The community with concert pillar and Iron-hook that hold the river, like houses of Mr. accumulated experiences gradually the steel sheet roof. The cement Premananda Saikia were completed learning adaptive skills to the concert pillars last longer compared September 2017 southasiadisasters.net 11 Premananda Saikia. The Mishing tribe through Pradhan Matri Gramin Awaas Yojana (PMGAY) have constructed stilt houses of similar type in the flood prone area. IGSSS is also promoting High Raised Platform (HRP) model as flood rescue shelter, raised toilets and raised hand pumps that are resilient to flood hazards. Communities are also capacitated as first responders with ability to carry out search and rescue and provide First Aid. In the recent flood of August 2017 community took active part and supported National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in the search and rescue work in Kokrajhar and Dhemaji district of Assam. One of the Hazard resilient toilet and safe drinking water. trained community members Mr. to the Bamboo or wooden pillar and of shelters are recommended Prakash Das from Adhorsho village, the normal water flood current considering the beliefs and culture of Dhemaji District said "I understood cannot easily erode way being the local community. the importance of getting trained on erected on strong foundation. The search and rescue this year (2017) Iron-hooks strengthen the roof to Starving to promote the flood flood, I used different techniques reduce the vulnerability of blowing resilient shelter IGSSS had learned during the training to rescue way house roof by storm and wind. constructed 133 shelters since 2012 many people in my village. The non-stilt houses are made on in Assam for those families who had – Mr. Netaji Basumatary, Regional high raised land to make it habitable lost their shelters in devastating Manager, North-East India, IGSSS, Guwahati, Assam till 4-5 feet flood water. The design floods like the one of Mr.

SAFE ENVIRONMENT IN SCHOOLS Disaster Risk Resilience through Sustainable Development — A Case of Building Construction Materials

t well recognized fact today that as a by-product. The building sector development in any built Iany construction activity — also involves livelihoods of environment project —whether these whether it is on a large industrious populations in a large scale and has are mitigation and reconstruction scale or is a simple decentralized social equity concerns attached with activities — has become ever activity of building a single home — it. In other words, applying the important with the subject of has global impacts on our ecosystem. principles of sustainable community disaster resilience in Any construction activity and perspective. subsequent operations in any building facility require resources Building safer schools In recent times, policy and regulatory and materials. These building accomplishes the dual instruments such as Sendai material resources are finite, and use outcomes of education framework, recent green building a significant amount of energy in codes which are new generation their production and deployment, and risk reduction. codes and country specific and also create polluting emissions frameworks are the noteworthy 12 southasiadisasters.net September 2017 developments in this field. The recognition of principles of resilient design which identifies new characteristics of modularity, redundancy, waste reduction to name a few, can be incorporated into our newer constructions, designs, systems and perhaps even the building materials we decide to use.

Any construction activity has simply two components. One, the material required for construction and secondly, the effort required in building with them i.e. the processes and techniques which are adopted. Any construction material is essentially an earth based material with its ingredients ideally found easily- such as collecting clay from A tribal artisan weaving in the Dang region of Gujarat, India. the natural water bodies, or extracted by mining (or digging), or cultivation and waste. With modern times, a nutshell, over time, the materials of suitable trees. These materials are improvement in transportation, we use in our building structures usually clayey, fibrous or extracted building materials became more have become more energy intensive metal ore; and stabilized to fitness sophisticated. Bricks and concrete because of their sourcing, for purpose. became common materials widely manufacturing and use. They are also available. Now, with further distributed more equitably to a wider It can be assumed that first civilized advancements in science and the population in larger quantities- human beings perhaps started living society, these building materials are mechanization and now automation in homes indigenously built by becoming lighter and stronger. It is becoming a norm. sculpting earth and using other not uncommon to see materials such natural materials by evolving as low density plastics and high alloy Therefore, it becomes important to patterns. Indigenous methods also steels being available commonly as view available construction building deprived us of unnecessary pollution household products and furniture. In materials as a concern towards sustainable development and disaster resilience. Avoiding unnecessary pollution and waste, and that our structures are designed more accurately according to their function over an intended period of time is the way forward. In this regard, knowledge of the life cycle of the building material, and factors which consider resilient design principles other than only cost shall be considered in choosing an appropriate building material. Alternative methods of construction and collective conscious actions in sourcing our construction materials is therefore the need of the hour, it appears. – Mr. Chandra Bhakuni, Structural Engineer, Ahmedabad, Gujarat A house constructed with timber and bamboo at the Dang region of Gujarat, India.

September 2017 southasiadisasters.net 13 EVOLUTION OF DRR Links between Uncertainty and Transformation

here are two sets of issues that I ideas of uncertainty and what is transformative about the Twish to address / offer for transformation. Having said this, in projects which seek to reduce discussion in terms of linking the context of climate change and uncertainties, and seek to bring about uncertainty to transformation. increasing disasters, some kind of structural changes with respect to 'emergent norms' develop around different 'fields' of operation – Prior to that however, from a discourses and debates relating to development, urban planning, Weberian / Nietzschean perspective, specific events, and it is possible that infrastructure, transport, energy, we need to pay attention to how there is both convergence and water, and so forth. meanings of uncertainty and divergence in meanings of transformation tend to be socially uncertainty and transformation. We From a sociological perspective, one constructed by different classes who need to theoretically (from a of the things I would like to not only have different perceptions grounded theory) perspective understand (and this has implications of these notions, but are also develop these local understandings for the success or failure of differently affected, and have and constructs of U and T, and how transformation) is a) the convergence different relations to the state and to they relate to broader around a set of comprehensions power, affecting both their conceptualizations. regarding U and T among a range of imaginations of transformative actors, agents and stakeholders, designs, and their ability to Once we get an understanding of across classes, and groups, and b) the implement these strategies. Thus, how U and T are locally and at the exact nature of transformational middle class, diverse marginalized regional / national levels understood, alliances (in terms of power relations, groups, the state, media, judiciary, neglected, ignored or strategized, we participation, knowledge, and capital may all have different can begin to ask questions about technologies, finance).

14 southasiadisasters.net September 2017 Coming to the two sets of issues: Marx and other 19th century of growth and development. It 1. For some years, I have been greats, seek to make sense of the appears from media reports on following Weberian and great social transformations and flooding disasters (which Weberian inspired institutional transitions happening as a result especially I have been following), discourse in the disaster of industrialization, and to map there are similarities in how the management and governance the changes from 'tradition' to poor are affected whether in literature. There is a lack of modernity'. Perhaps we can be Mumbai, Dhaka or Texas. There explicit focus on uncertainty in ambitious and posit the current are similarities as well as this literature, but a definite climate change led alterations as differences in how the poor are focus on unpredictability. There equally challenging for accounted for in disaster tends to be a preference for scholarship, and hence any mitigation strategies. There are bureaucratic, rational, Transformation to Sustainability similarities in how urban institutionalized, and has to come up with planning and infrastructure technocratic approaches among methodological and development pay so little Weberian scholars, purely from epistemological contributions. attention to new kinds of an 'efficiency' perspective. They However we will in some ways uncertainty, hazards and risks. try to address the reverse the science based There is an abjectness to how unpredictability issue, by assurance of 19th century certain classed, gendered, seeking to balance bureaucratic theorization, and try and ethnicized, and racialized groups norms, with what is referred to develop a sense of how the surrender to and suffer from as 'emergent norms' – a distilled certainty of uncertainty needs a uncertainty, and which appears output from public responses, new epistemology and ontology to have deprived such groups of emerging from reflection, for sustainable transformation. all hope of a transformation. This dialogue, debate, and criticism Hence, the uncertainty - is happening even as states and after an extreme even has transformation linkage will be societies are getting better at occurred. There is also a small both epistemological predicting, preparing for, and but significant literature on the (conceptual, methodological, mitigating disasters and disaster role of 'emergent groups', empirical), as well as ontological risks. Hence while we are informal local and (our world views of becoming better at reducing neighbourhood groups that development, planning, disaster unpredictability, and thereby respond in multiple ways to mitigation, climate change reacting to uncertain events, this disasters, and that eventually management, institutions). does not translate into less begin to influence public and 2. Following media reports on suffering, losses, and state response to disasters and flooding and other disasters precariousness for the extreme events. Theoretically it around the world (across the marginalized. Amidst this, there will be useful to understand global north and global south), appear to be signs of hope, that uncertainty as a) perceived, some ideas about disaster relate to Haraway's idea of operationalized and strategized governance in the Anthropocene Chthulucene - new networks, by the state (or failure to (and Donna Haraway's tentacles, webs, that lead to new perceive, neglected, etc.); Chthulucene!) have been floating alliances across classes and perceived, understood and acted around in my mind. Present categories of peoples, across upon by emergent groups ideas about transformation are species, across knowledge including civil society yet linked to and draw from groups, and across relations of organizations, NGOs, activists, conventional ideas and power and dominance. There is environmentalists, and local ideologies of development, even immense possibility here of how groups (spread across the if we are critical of neo-liberal, individuals and groups of people spectrum of the above, middle, and capital accumulative modes are re-imagining uncertainty and and below); and c) how in the process re-engineering the uncertainty is reflected in Ways of dealing with idea of transformation through 'emergent norms'. We can then uncertainty should be new social alliances. I can see proceed to link these ideas of made a part of the some signs of these in Mumbai, uncertainty to specific projects, school's curriculum so inclusive of the cases we propose plans, and strategies of / for to take up. transformation. In general, that it becomes central to – D. Parthasarathy, Professor Weberian ideas like those of everyone's thinking. Humanities and Social Sciences Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai September 2017 southasiadisasters.net 15 CHILD PROTECTION Child Protection in India

t is often said that children are the specific schemes for institutional Ifuture of a nation. This is because There is an urgent need (residential) and non-institutional when children grow up in a healthy, make child protection (non-residential) care of children in protected, nurturing environment difficult circumstances. they transform into productive central to school safety citizens of the country. It is estimated and security in India. In Constitution of India children also that around 170 million or 40%1 of have rights as equal citizens of India, India's children are vulnerable to or street children, Integrated Child Just as any other adult male or experiencing difficult circumstances. Protection Scheme, CHILDLINE female. Right to equality (Article 14), The neglect of child protection issues Service (1098), Scheme for assistance Right against discrimination (Article results in outright violation of the to homes for children (Shishu Greha/ 15), Right to personal liberty and due rights of the children and increases Child Care Institute), Scheme for process of law (Article 21), Right to their vulnerability to abuse, neglect working children in Need and care being protected from being trafficked and exploitation. India has adopted and protection, Rajiv Gandhi and forced into bonded labor (Article a number of laws and formulated a National Crèche Scheme for the 23), Right of minorities for protection range of policies to ensure children's children of working mothers, Combat of their interests (Article 29, Right of protection and improvement in their the trafficking of women and weaker sections of the people to be situation. children for commercial sexual protected from social injustice and all exploitation, Central Adoption forms of exploitation (Article), Right "Child Protection" is about protecting Resource Authority, National Child to nutrition and standard of living and children from or against any Labor Project etc. State Government improved public health (Article 47). perceived or real danger or risk to scheme; various state governments – Samir Porecha, District Child their lives, their personhood and are also running different state Protection Officer, Jamnagar, Gujarat childhood. It is about reducing their vulnerability to any kind of harm and protecting them in harmful Protecting Environment situations. Failure to ensure children's right to protection adversely affects all other rights of the child. It is highly important that child protection become an integral part of overall Laws, essential services and government development actions – programmes, strategies, and plans. Failure to commitment to child protection. protect children has serious consequences for the physical, mental, emotional and social Social attitudes support child protection, children development of the child as well as have life skills, and families and communities have consequences of loss in productivity the capacity to care for and protect children. and quality of human capital for the nation.

The existing institutions and Child friendly participation in programs for child protection in India development process. primarily stem the provisions under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of children) Act. These comprise several programmers' like, Open discussion on child protection issues, and An Integrated Programmers' for monitoring and reporting of issues.

1 Status of Children in 14–18 Years: Review of Policy, Programme and Legislative Framework 2012-2013. http://ncpcr.gov.in/ view_file.php?fid=466. 16 southasiadisasters.net September 2017 CLIMATE CHANGE AND SCHOOL SAFETY Heat Wave and Human Suffering: Building a Case for Further Research and Policy Debate

ntroduction to be more than 45°C consecutively Heat Wave: A Silent Disaster I The world is experiencing for two days, it is called a heat wave Temperature beyond a certain significant increase in extreme heat condition. There will be no harm to threshold limit along with high that can be attributed to increase in the human body if the environmental humidity rate is the main reason average global surface temperature. temperature remains at 37oC. behind the sufferings. In the coastal Within a period of 150 years the Whenever the environmental area humidity is high during the global surface temperature has temperature increases above 37oC, summer season. Tremendously high increased about 0.3 to 0.6oC and the the human body starts gaining heat temperature and high humidity leads increase of temperature has fastened from the atmosphere. If humidity is to excessive sweating in the human in post 1975 years. Data confirms that high, a person can suffer from heat body. The sweat won't be drying on the frequency and duration of heat stress disorders even with the the skin to give it a cooling effect; on waves has increased significantly temperature at 37oC or 38oC. the contrary it gets vaporized due to over the last 50 years. There has been atmospheric temperature leading to a remarkable run of record-shattering Heat waves are formed when high dehydration of the body. It is not heat waves in recent years, from the pressure aloft (from 10,000–25,000 only the high temperature but the Russian heat wave of 2010 that set feet (3,000–7,600 meters)) strengthens combination of heat and humidity forests ablaze to the historic heat and remains over a region for several that makes the matters worse. wave in Texas leading to critical days up to several weeks. This is Sometimes the condition proves to be drought condition claiming huge common in summer (in both fatal. economic and resource loss in 2011. Northern and Southern 2003 European Heat wave claiming Hemispheres) as the jet stream The systems in the human body that 70,000 lives from all over Europe to 'follows the sun'. On the equator side enable it to adapt to heat become chronicle heat waves shattering the of the jet stream, in the upper layers overwhelmed. When a person is life and economy of Indian of the atmosphere, is the high exposed to heat for a very long time, subcontinent within last 25 years is a pressure area. Summertime weather the first thing that shuts down is the matter of great concern. Economically patterns are generally slower to ability to sweat. It is known that poor and marginalized sections of change than in winter. As a result, when perspiration is dried by the air India are the worst victims of heat this upper level high pressure also there is a cooling effect on the body. waves. Extreme temperatures moves slowly. Under high pressure, Once a person stops perspiring, in generating number of ripple effects the air subsides (sinks) toward the very short order a person can move like heat waves, droughts, forest fires, surface, warming and drying from heat exhaustion to heat stroke. drying up the water bodies to adiabatically. This warmer sinking mention few have a tremendous air creates a high level inversion that During the transition from heat impact on the life and economy of acts as a dome capping the exhaustion to heat stroke the body the country. atmosphere, inhibiting convection, begins perspiring profusely, and thereby trapping high humidity when that shuts down, the body Heat wave is an atmospheric warm air below it. Typically, becomes very hot. Eventually that condition in which hot and humid convection is present along the begins to affect the brain, and that's days consecutively prevail for a long periphery of the cap where the when people begin to get confused period of time. World Meteorological pressure becomes less. This and can lose consciousness. As the Organization defines a heat wave as peripheral convection, however, can body temperature increases very five or more consecutive days during add to the high pressure dome by rapidly, the central nervous system which the daily maximum ventilating the upper level outflow and circulatory system are impacted. temperature exceeds the average of the thunderstorms into it. The end In places where there have been maximum temperature by five result is a continual build-up of heat prolonged heat exposures, there is degrees Celsius. If the maximum at the surface that people experience probably a broad impact on many temperature of any place continues as a heat wave. organ systems. High temperature not September 2017 southasiadisasters.net 17 only increase the risk of mortality it more than the recorded death. The also increase the incidence of Children must study in health care mechanism is not morbidity. schools heat wave and its sophisticated enough to deal the heat impact on human life so wave affected enormous patient and Impacts of Heat Wave: A Global thus under report the causalities. The Experience as to internalise the need poor worker, daily labourer forced Heat waves are the most lethal type to find solutions. to do the heavy exercise work under of weather phenomenon. Between the scorching heat of the sun without 1992 and 2001, deaths from excessive month in which many people, any precautionary measure being heat in the United States numbered including government ministers and followed by the labour contractor are 2,190, compared with 880 deaths physicians, are on holiday. The very much vulnerable to the heat from floods and 150 from hurricanes. victims were mostly the elderly waves. The death of workers during The average annual number of people who couldn't calculate the the working hour or post working fatalities directly attributed to heat in change in weather pattern and make hour due to chronic dehydrations the United States is about 400. The the necessary adaptation technique to goes unreported. Similarly death of 1995 Chicago heat wave, one of the survive. homeless vulnerable people draws no worst in US history, led to attention of record keeping. Small approximately 739 heat-related Heat wave is proving to be of serious vendors, fruits and vegetable sellers deaths over a period of five days. Eric in nature in the Asian and South East and many kinds of small job where Klinenberg has noted that in the Asian countries. Countries of the the person has to move around to United States, "the loss of human life Indian subcontinent, Thailand, earn his livelihood are very much in hot spells in summer exceeds that Malaysia, Vietnam, and China, Japan, vulnerable to succumb to the heat caused by all other weather events Russia are affected by the heat wave wave but most of the time their death combined, including lightning, rain, spell. Asia Heat Wave 2007 get unreported. The women who floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes". negatively affected the lives and cover long distance to fetch drinking The Chicago heat wave in the livelihoods of poor daily laborers and water for the families, their fatalities summer of 1995 killed an estimated the homeless in Bangladesh, India, also not covered in the report. The 692 people and sent at least 3,300 Pakistan and Nepal. According to elderly people remaining inside people to the emergency room. An Ministry of Health, Labour and home succumb to the high observational study of some of those Welfare in Japan 923 people died due temperature, but remain unreported. patients revealed that 28 percent who to hyperthermia by heat wave in were diagnosed at the time with Japan. In China, heat set off The hot weather of India in 1995 severe heat stroke had died within a explosives at chemical plant in Shanxi caused 1,677 persons to die. The year of being admitted to the and injured a number of people. summer of 1998 claimed 3028 lives hospital, and most who initially Russian zoo animal found it hard to inclusive of 2048 deaths reported survived the high temperatures had keep themselves cool in order to from Odisha. In the year 2005 the "permanent loss of independent survive the Asian Heat Wave 2007. heat related death was 236 in Odisha. function," according to a 1998 study In the same year more than 700 Most of the deaths were concentrated of the heat wave, published in peacocks died in Central India due in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, "Archives of Internal Medicine". In to the extreme heat condition. The Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and India heat-wave caused 22562 deaths milk collection reduced by 160,000 Bihar. The temperature has forced since 1992 to 2015 at various states. liters in Punjab and Haryana. The Indian officials in some parts of state Death toll in all over India was 3028 cotton famers of Punjab experienced of Bihar and Odisha to ban daytime claiming 2048 lives from Odisha significant reduction in their farm cooking in order to prevent alone in 1998. output due to the heat wave. accidental fires, after a fire in the village killed 79 people. In 2013, the European heat wave 2003 claimed India is experiencing the wrath of severe heat wave conditions killed around 70,000 lives all across Europe. heat wave in a profound manner. 1,443 people, of which the unified In France alone 14,802 heat-related Within a period of 25 years from Andhra Pradesh state registered deaths occurred during the heat 1992-2017, heat wave has claimed 1,393 casualties. 2015 witnessed 2,081 wave, according to the French close to 25,000 lives. This is according deaths due to severe heat wave while National Institute of Health. The to the government records but the 549 people died in 2014. According catastrophe occurred in August, a actual death toll may be many times to the ministry of earth sciences, in

18 southasiadisasters.net September 2017 2016, nearly 1,600 people died due was set at Yashkul, which lies The state projects distinct yet to erratic weather conditions, of between the Black and Caspian Seas. homogeneous features of which 557 casualties were to severe topography. With a blend of several heat wave. The 2011 North American heat wave physiographical features in Odisha, was a deadly summer 2011 heat wave the state exhibits three broad distinct Economic Loss arising out of Heat that affected the Southern Plains, morphological features: coastal Wave Midwestern United States, Eastern plains, southern mountainous and Heat wave has tremendous impact Canada, North-eastern United States, plateau, western rolling uplands. The on the economy by affecting the and much of the Eastern Seaboard. summer season in Odisha agriculture, health, roadways and On a national basis, the heat wave commences in March and stretches railway tracks. The 2003 European was the hottest in 75 years. The till June. The temperatures are quite heat wave contributed to the warmest continuing heat and drought resulted high during this time and the sun summer across the continent since in several lakes dropping to record very harsh. The temperature of 1540. The heat is said to have claimed lows, particularly in Texas and Odisha, in the summer season, goes the lives of more than 70,000 people. Oklahoma According to researchers well above 40 degree Celsius in most The extreme drought and heat wave at Texas A&M in 2011 a crippling of the places. Places like Jharsuguda, that hit Europe in the summer of 2003 drought in Texas cost the state $5.2 Titlagarh, are known as summer hot had enormous adverse social, billion in agricultural losses. Pastures spot of the country. Titlagarh economic and environmental effects. dried out and cattle died off in large recorded more than 48 degree Celsius The heat wave destroyed large areas numbers, leading to the lowest cattle in April 2016, disrupting life and of forests by fire, and affected water count in 60 years at the start of 2012. livelihood of the local. The pattern ecosystems and glaciers. It caused Beef prices climbed accordingly, of Heat wave is different in different power cuts and transport restrictions jumping 5.4% between May 2011 and parts of the state, like coastal area and a decreased agricultural May 2012, overall food prices experiences humid heat, whereas production. The losses were increased by 2.8%. Cotton crops were western part experiences more dry estimated to exceed 13 billion Euros. also ravaged in 2011 with more than heat. The humidity factor in the costal The extreme weather conditions 50% of the harvest being lost. In the belt compel more mortality whereas decreased the quantity and quality successive year the same fate received in the western part of the state face of the harvests, particularly in Central by corn grower. Prices grew higher. high morbidity due to heat wave. and Southern European agricultural Three-quarters of the country faced areas; threatening a large proportion some form of drought, affecting other Heat wave poses a great challenge of harvests, and increasing crops, such as soybeans. when extreme heat events linger for production costs. prolonged periods. When a large India is facing a series of heat waves population of Odisha is working in The 2010 heat wave broke all records since 1998. Heat wave induced unorganized, informal sectors, their for Russia – temperatures in the disaster is affecting agriculture and economic conditions impede them to central region of the country, the people related to this sector in a avoid the manual labour during the including Moscow, were around 10oC major way. The loss to the state day time. The enforcement above what they should have been exchequer in terms of subsidy, crop mechanism is not vigilant enough to for the time of year. More than 50,000 failure causing loss to farmer, loss of ensure precautionary measure along people died from respiratory illnesses work for agricultural worker, with insufficient resources of state and heat stress during that time. The migration of labour to earn their government to pay compensation for temperatures also had a substantial livelihood deserting the village and the income loss due to heat wave. impact on that year's Russian wheat many more aspect has not been harvest, leading to economic losses properly calculated. The heat wave The above factors necessitate of more than $15bn. The heat wave having predominance in India since exploring alternate options for poor of 2010 was particularly badly felt in last twenty five years has not been and vulnerable population for income Ukraine, and in Russia which properly rated in terms of economic generation to sustain a healthy life. experienced its worst drought for 40 loss. The government intervention is years. The country lost nine million shifting from preventive measures to hectares of crops and tens of Odisha and Heat Wave adaptive mechanism to build a thousands of people died as a The state has 480km of coastline resilient economy. Prolonged national temperature record of 44oC along the Bay of Bengal on its east. summer periods, increased

September 2017 southasiadisasters.net 19 temperature and climatic changes are years government role was to 3. Christidis, N., P.A. Stott, and S. becoming the reality of the present disseminate information to the public Brown, 2011: The role of human day. This requires designing adaptive and make them aware about the activity in the recent warming of extremely warm daytime measures and building resilience in situation. The Special Relief temperatures. Journal of Climate the informal economy sector. Commissioner a nodal agency in doi:10.1175/2011JCLI4150.1 http:// Vulnerability assessment and dealing with heat wave action plan journals.ametsoc.org/doi/abs/ alternate livelihood generation of the and implementation along with 10.1175/2011JCLI4150.1 vulnerable population along with the Odisha State Disaster Mitigation 4. Dai, A.: 2011: Drought under global preventive actions are the way Authority take various precautionary warming: a review. Wiley towards building resilient economy. measures to bring awareness among Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Under these circumstances, adaptation the people. Each year the action plan Change, 2: 45-65. doi: 10.1002/wcc.81 5. Ding, T., Qian, W. and Yan, Z. is a key response strategy to is revised considering the previous (2010), Changes in hot days and heat minimize potential deaths and other year experience. Scanty of literature waves in China during 1961-2007. adverse health effects of Heat Waves. on heat wave in tropical zone compel International Journal of Climatology, the government to rely on the own 30: 1452-1462. doi: 10.1002/joc.1989 Particularly, in view of Odisha's experience. The state government 6. Hansen, J., 2011: Perceptions of distinct geophysical region, it is along with its various department Climate Change. March 27, 2011. important to determine region keen to change its strategy from http://www.columbia.edu/~jeh1/ specific thresholds combining prevention to adaptation so to mailings/ 7. Hoerling, M., J. Eischeid, X. Quan, temperature and humidity (thermo- minimize the impact on its population. and T. Xu, 2007: Explaining the hygrometric index) causing Heat record 2006 US warmth. Geophys. Wave related morbidity and Conclusion Res. Letters, 34, doi:10.1029/ consequent mortality. At the same This paper makes an account of the 2007GL030643. http://www. time, there is a need to assess human sufferings arising out of publicaffairs.noaa.gov/releases2007/ community vulnerability for Heat extreme weather conditions and has aug07/noaa07-045.html Wave. Accordingly, suitable focused on the heat waves. It also 8. Karl, T.R., G.A. Meehl, and T.C. strategies can be designed to prevent highlights the fact that there is hardly Peterson, 2009: Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States. and mitigate the problem. Limited any research done on this topic and Cambridge University Press, 2009. attention has been given to availability of data to help the 9. Katherine Harmon. How Does a community vulnerability assessment academicians and the policymakers Heat Wave Affect the Human Body; as well as creating mechanisms for to make appropriate decisions. While July 23, 2010, Scientific American; building community resilience in the the country is making strides in https://www. context of Heat Wave. digital and service industries, it is yet scientificamerican.com/article/heat- to recognize the necessity of relevant wave-health/ Heat Action Plan investment to gather data and initiate 10. Lott N., T. Ross, A. Smith, T. Houston and K. Shein, 2011: Billion The state government of Odisha has further research to save the life and Dollar U.S. Weather Disasters, 1980- come up with heat wave action plan livelihoods of millions of people. 2010. National Climatic Data Center. since 1999 successive year of the – Ms. Shakuntala Pratihary, PhD Jan. 18, 2011. http:// dreaded 1998 summer which claimed Scholar, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/reports/ 2048 lives. In the history of Odisha's Odisha billionz.html summer temperature a record height 11. McVicar, T. and Roderick, M. References: of 45 degree Celsius force the Atmospheric Science: Winds of 1. Antonio Gasparrini, Ben Armstrong. government to come up with Change. Nature Geoscience 3, 747-748 The Impact of Heat Waves on (2010) doi:10.1038/ngeo1002 http:// preventive measures in order to Mortality. Epidemiology 22(1); 68- www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/v3/ avoid the mortality in the successive 73, Jan2011 doi: 10.1097/ n11/full/ngeo1002.html years. The initiative is praise worthy. EDE.0b013e3181fdcd99 https:// 12. Victor Lcukerson, How the Heat The temperature of the state in the www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ Waves affecting your Wallet, Your summer season in the succeeding articles/PMC3324776/ Food and Your Holiday Weekend, years crossed even 48 degree Celsius 2. Christidis N, P.A. Stott, F.W. Zwiers, July 03, 2012, Time. H. Shiogama, and T. Nozawa, 2009: in some places, but the death toll was 13. Valleron A, Boumendil A. Probabilistic estimates of recent restricted to double digit only. Baring Epidemiology and heat waves: analysis changes in temperature: a multi- of the 2003 episode in France, C R Biol, the summer of 2005, when the death scale attributions analysis. Climate 2004, vol. 327 (pg. 1125-41) toll reached 236, throughout all the Dynamics 2009.

20 southasiadisasters.net September 2017 PLANNING FOR SCHOOL SAFETY Need for Peri—Urban Planning Course in South—Asia

ith 54 percentage of world's centripetal forces that is pulling rural Wpopulation residing in urban Schools in Peri-urban areas towards urban and pushing areas in 2014, which was, 30 percent area have dual needs – urban areas towards rural. Urban in 1950 and which will reach 66 rural interface (Rurban) is inducing percent by 2050, it is safe to say that urban and rural – which enormous organic growth which can the world is urbanizing at an infact integrate safety be associated to very weak regulation astonishing pace. As the world and security challenges. and governance, to name a few continues to urbanise, sustainable (Bharat A, ACCRN Scoping Project development challenges will Report, 2017). increasingly concentrate in cities, The concerns and socio-economic particularly in the lower-middle- scenario have shifted from primary, Cities morphology has also seen a income countries where the pace of secondary, tertiary to quaternary drastic change from core to sprawl urbanization is the fastest. Integrated activities and so has the context of to fragmented character in behavior policies to improve the lives of both settlement planning. Approaches to and working. City could be urban and rural dwellers are needed handle city have a paradigm shift notionally seen as three bands of (World urbanization from mono-disciplinary approach, core, intermediate band and prospects_highlights_ 2014 revision, multi-disciplinary approach to inter- periphery. Similarly, regional UN). disciplinary approach. fragmentation is city, peri-urban and Rural. Settlement development concerns With spatial and growth dynamism have shifted from design, plan, settlements are getting gentrified, Cities in all parts of the world are administer, manage, man governed also. With improvement in affected by new dimensions and to technology governed. Accordingly technology and services there is no forces that drive us to question how the actions took their course from physical disconnect between different cities are managed and should be curative to preventive, reactive to settlements (Bharat A, NUA conference, managed. During this period of proactive, deterministic, Melbourne May 2017). All settlements technical advancement it is not comprehensive, equity, inclusive to have continuous flow of people, justified to handle different parts of humanitarian, state-led to market-led transport, information, commerce city with same knowledge, expertise economy. which is inducing centrifugal and and tools.

September 2017 southasiadisasters.net 21 Cities in South Asia largely bear an educational enterprise in measures in keeping with the cultural colonial influence, exhibit contrasting turbulence in the 1970's but in the dictates and the availability of characteristics of urban growth in 2010s we are in the midst of chaos technological and financial resources recent time (ADB, Review paper of and change is the widely recognized of various social systems (Rahmaan urban planning curricula of leading as the only constant. (Andrea I Frank, A.U, Towards a prospective physical national planning schools, NIUA, 2015). Christopher Silver (Ed.), Urban planning development planning education, 2005). Hence, needs and roles of education: Beginnings, Global movement professionals are changing. and future prospects, 2017). Need of Planning Courses in General and Specialized Courses in Particular History and present scenario of The evolution of planning education UN has adopted the Quito planning education programs specially in developing Declaration setting forth a New Emergence of planning education regions has not been accompanied by Urban Agenda for the future of cities dates back to later part of the 19th comprehensive critical assessment of worldwide. It calls for integrative, century (UN–Habitat, 2009) in UK how we are preparing planners. inclusive, evidence-based urban and (1909) and US (1912) with standalone (Andrea I Frank, Christopher Silver territorial planning to achieve planning education programs. (Ed.), Urban planning education: compact, equitable, resilient, safe and Beginnings, Global movement and future sustainable cities. This has made the In South-Asia, School of Planning prospects, 2017). task of planning education more and Architecture (SPA), Delhi was challenging, complex, comprehensive the first to start in 1955. Since then To understand the diverse issue of and demanding (Andrea I Frank, many schools in different countries modern cities, especially in the Christopher Silver (Ed.), Urban planning have been opened but are not developing world, there is a need for education: Beginnings, Global movement sufficient to supply planners as per a multi-disciplinary approach and and future prospects, 2017). demand (Table 1). perspective to widen the subject horizon of planning education (ADB, There are only 5000 registered Table 1: Planning schools in South- Review paper of urban planning planners, too little number to deal Asian countries curricula of leading national planning with the existing demand for schools, NIUA, 2015). planning professionals. It needs 1, Sr. Country No. of 60,000 planners by 2031 (committee of No. Institutes Lack of social equity/ justice, experts in Town planning and 1. Afganistan* Nil participatory planning tools & Architecture for policy on education, 2. Bangladesh** 7 techniques, deliberative and India, chaired by Mr. E.F.N. Riberio, 3. Bhutan* Nil communication skills are to be added 2010). 4. India*** 21 to the curricula to better equip the 5. Iran* 5 planning professionals for the 21st As per Mckinsey Global Report (2011) 6. Maldives* Nil century planning Agenda (UN- Ministry of Urban Development, 7. Nepal* 1 Habitat, 2009). Government of India, estimates that 8. Pakistan* 2 India needs 30,000 to 40,000 planners, 9. Sri Lanka* 1 The challenge involved in keeping but presently it is too short. This education relevant and contextual could be augmented by starting new Compiled: * Revisiting Urban Planning requires continuous reviewing of planning courses with very specific in South Asia , Ansari J, Global report curriculum with adding of relevant skills. on Human settlements, 2009, ***Kumar contents and dropping obsolete ones. A, et al., Urban and Regional Planning For better or worse there is no During formative years, the curricula education, 2016, **Andrea I Frank, common planning education model of planning schools were heavily Christopher Silver (Ed.), Urban planning (Frank et al. 2014). loaded with architecture and civic education : Beginnings, Global movement design oriented subjects. It appears and future prospects, 2017) Although, the education in the field that a mismatch has developed of physical development planning between the kind of graduates The Challenge has been undergoing significant planning schools are producing and A planning schools’ movement had changes and innovations during the the nature of demand generated by fostered a worldwide dialogue about last few decades, the forthcoming the fast changing spatial, social, how best to plan and how best to global city era would call for much economic, socio-economic, educate planners. We may have been faster reorientation and innovative governance and technological

22 southasiadisasters.net September 2017 scenario (ADB, Review paper of Urban About the Course art requirements, identify gaps and planning curricula of leading national The Programme would facilitate and help formulation of specific systems, planning schools, NIUA, 2015). articulate more technical experts tools, policy and regulations. which can understand and foster The planning schools are therefore planning interventions, technically The programme will help to required to re-orient their education and scientifically. It will help in articulate and groom prospective programme to address new grooming experts who could identify professionals to understand physical, challenges and issues. Looking into and address specific issues of peri demographic, environmental, social, the dynamism, complexity and its -urban areas and propose contextual economical, socio-economic, technical specificity ignored from epoch. A practices and tools of good dynamism and behavior. It will help timely academic programme tailored governance, proper financial them to develop knowledge, skills and to enhance the skills of planners to management, efficient services & capacity building of handling address issues of Peri-urban needs to management and effective conflict fragmented part of city with exclusive be designed and floated. Generalist resolution and develop decision – tools including environmental justice versus Specialist model of making support system. It will also and Humanitarian response to it. programme has to be followed. help in following and understanding – Alka Bharat, Professor, Department policy, knowledge, legislation, social, of Architecture & Planning, MANIT, environmental economic and state-of- Bhopal, India

TECHNOLOGY FOR DRR Harnessing Satellite Technology for Smart Climate Risk Transfer Solutions he livelihood of smallholder Farmers may reduce agricultural purposes, or requesting assistance T farmers living in rural areas risks through various measures such from international donors. This drain depends heavily on agriculture and as diversification, crop insurance, on resources can damage a country's natural resources and farmers face contract farming, adopting new longer-term economic and social different types of risk in each day. technologies, forming farmer groups development, impacting the The major sources of agricultural risk or cooperatives, compliance with achievements made in pursuit of the can be broadly categorized as international standards, etc. economic growth. follows: • Production risk that may be However, farmers remain vulnerable The financial impact of climate associated with weather, pests, to natural catastrophes such as change will continue to represent a diseases, technology, farm floods, droughts and other climate growing financial burden for societies management, genetics, related risks. Asia is a disaster-prone across Asia and that climate risk equipment, factor inputs which area in the world and natural transfer solutions such as insurance impact production quantity and disasters cause large economic, social is one promising option for quality and financial losses, borne by governments to address this • Price/market risk caused by individuals, companies or worrying situation and financially changes in the prices of governments. In developing cushion against those very strong agricultural inputs and outputs countries, governments may respond disasters, according to Dr. Alexander • Financial risk or the method to reactively by reallocating budget and Jaeger, project leader of "Strategic acquire and finance capital and funds for relief and reconstruction Alliance on Climate Risk Transfer a farmer's ability to pay financial Solutions" (Strategic Alliance), a obligations The distance between public-private-partnership project • Institutional risk resulting from between GIZ and the international changes in governmental and satellite and schools' reinsurer Swiss Re. legal policies and standards must be a click away for • Personal risk due to human the students and teachers Crop insurance not only protects capacity and capabilities of against losses but also offers the farmers and the willingness of learning disaster risk opportunity for more consistent the young generation to continue reduction in South Asia. gains. Remote sensing technology can the farming business. be effectively applied in crop September 2017 southasiadisasters.net 23 insurance as a key agricultural risk assessing various damages and about in-season losses and end-of- management tool for governments offered compensation to farmers season yields to the Department of and actors in the agricultural value under the prevented sowing feature Agriculture, Government of Tamil chain including smallholder farmers. of the 2.8 bn USD-heavy national Nadu for the first time during this That technological excellence can crop insurance programme. Under season after testing the use of remote map rice areas, monitor rice this prevented or failed sowing cover, sensing technology in previous years cultivation and estimate expected famers received an average pay-out and delivering accuracy rates of yields during and at the end of the of around 200 EUR if in their village around 90% when compared to either season. In case of natural disasters, rice could only be sown in less than official data or own measurements. yield losses can be mapped and 25% of the rice growing area because estimated. This kind of information of too little or too much rain. The RIICE–Remote Sensing technology can better support decision-making technology use was made possible from TNAU helps the state related to food planning and food through the Swiss and German government to obtain objective and security, targeting of resources, crop donor-funded programme RIICE transparent data on actual rice yields insurance, and disaster mitigation (Remote-sensing-based Information so that farmers, impacted by adverse and response in both public and and Insurance for Crops in Emerging weather events, can be indemnified private sectors. Economies). quickly. – Kamol Taukitphaisarn, Expert, For the first time in Tamil Nadu, in The Tamil Nadu Agricultural Better Rice Initiative Asia (BRIA), the south of India, a state government University in Coimbatore (TNAU) Thailand has made use of satellite data in has been delivering information

Editorial Advisors: Denis Nkala Madhavi Malalgoda Ariyabandu Regional Coordinator, South-South Cooperation and Sub-Regional Coordinator, Central Asia & South Country Support (Asia-Pacific), United Nations Caucasus, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Development Programme, New York Reduction (UNISDR), Kazakhstan

Ian Davis Mihir R. Bhatt Visiting Professor in Disaster Risk Management in All India Disaster Mitigation Institute, India Copenhagen, Lund, Kyoto and Oxford Brookes Dr. Satchit Balsari, MD, MPH Universities The University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell, New York, USA Dr. John Twigg Senior Research Associate, Department of Civil, T. Nanda Kumar Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, Chairman, Institute of Rural Management Anand University College London, London (IRMA), Anand, Gujarat, India

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