southasiadisasters.net September 20142

HERITAGE CONSERVATION

The Need for DRR Sensitive HeritageConservation in the HimalayasThe Great Himalayan National

Park Conservation Area wasinscribed onto the World HeritageList as a natural site this past June2014. With such an inscription comes,an even greater need and humanresponsibility for disaster riskreduction sensitive heritageconservation practice. The Park is ofoutstanding natural beauty found inits forests, wildlife, biodiversity andsurrounding diversity of peoples andis facing pressure as its' naturalenvironment is under threat. Thesethreats are manmade (for instance,"international criminal networks areemptying forests of rare wildlife tofeed the voracious illegal market"creating habitat loss) and are alsooccurring as a result of the impact ofglobal climate change (meltingglaciers are reducing the mountainsgeological heritage and directlyaffecting water sources to peopleliving in the region).

As a preventative measure fromfurther disaster risk, be it man–made

or natural, several combinedstrategies are needed. A people –centered approach is one suchmethod to engage communities inlocal indigenous solutions toheritage protection. The impact ofcommunities making up civil society(including schools) surrounding theHimalayan mountain range can be apowerful tool because they can voiceand implement resolutions.Community based conservation inthe area is diverse as it is made up ofBuddhists, Hindus and Christiansadding to the spectrum of ideaspassed down from one generation tothe next regarding such innovativesolutions of natural heritage protection.

Children can learn about suchsolutions adding to their repertoireof ancient heritage knowledge,ultimately serving as educationalawareness mechanism. Bringing adiverse people together incommunity participation also aids infostering both a culture of disasterprevention awareness and a

resilience in the face of increasingserious threat.

An additional strategy for naturalheritage disaster reduction in the caseof the Himalayan National Park isto deepen non–profit/public sectorpartnerships and align pressingpriorities of threat with the privatesector. For instance, it would beimportant to consider organizationssuch as the World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and the International Unionfor Conservation of Nature (IUCN)and their partnerships with local,national and international businesses.Are such organizations willing toengage and extend relationshipbuilding with the private sector tosupport disaster risk reduction in theHimalayan region? Initiatives byGoogle technology for instance,currently provide researchers ofWWF with google glasses in the areato monitor wildlife. Can such aninitiative be extended to Googlemapping to, for instance, monitorchanges in the forest landscapes as aresult of man-made invasionschanging the environments? Suchtechnologies would be an add valuestrategy to improving such conditionswithin the boundaries of the Park.

Finally, as the need for disaster riskreduction as a mitigation, and,preventative strategy increases forthis area, it would be essential toengage journalists, and the media atlarge, including social media, toraise awareness of the Park at aninternational level. As this is aUNESCO world heritage site,educational awareness raising via,the media would intend to serve as abest practice in the case of theHimalayan National Park.

– Paola Jani,International Heritage ConsultantGreat Himalayan National Park.

Copyright: © IUCN/Graeme Worboys, Author: IUCN/Graeme Worboys

southasiadisasters.netSeptember 2014 3

HERITAGE ASSESSMENT

Assessment of Heritage Buildings in Contextof 2011 Earthquake: A Report by INTACH

The Indian state of Sikkim wasstruck by an earthquake on 18th

September, 2011 which measured 6.9on the Richter scale. The epicentre ofthis earthquake was located near theIndia-Nepal border about 68kmnorthwest of Gangtok. Threeaftershocks of magnitude 5.7, 5.1 and4.6 followed within 30 minutes. Thesetremors were felt across a wide regionincluding India, Nepal, China,Bhutan and Bangladesh. About 100deaths were reported from India withmore than 70 in the state of Sikkim.The losses and damage throughoutSikkim were disproportionately highas compared to the rather moderateintensity of shaking caused by theearthquake.

The poor design and constructionpractices followed in Sikkim werecited as the primary reason for thedisproportionately high damagesuffered by the built structures of theearthquake affected areas. Thisearthquake also exposed thevulnerability of heritage structures inSikkim that suffer from an absence ofprofessional conservationalknowledge on seismic resistantconstruction and retrofit.Consequently, the Indian NationalTrust for Art and Cultural Heritage(INTACH) undertook the tedious task

of preparing a list of damagedstructures based on an inventorycompiled by them in 2004 called'Cultural Properties of Sikkim'. Inthis list, a total of 287 heritage propertieswere documented includingprecincts, settlements, buildings,sacred structures, places of worship,open spaces and natural propertiessuch as lakes, forest and fields.

This comprehensive accountprovided the required constructionand material related information as

well as knowledge of the historicbackground of the site. The primeobjective of this study was to evaluatethe degree and kinds of damage tothe cultural heritage properties ofSikkim caused by the 2011earthquake, and subsequently bylong term damages evolved over timedue to multiple earthquakes. Asecondary motive was to do acomparative study of variousconstruction methodologies beingused in the hilly areas, and how wellthey performed during earthquakes.

Collapse of wall portion, reinforcement introduced after 1988 earthquake, StateArchives and Museum, Gangtok.

ABO

UT

THIS

ISSU

E The destructive potential of disasters to human life and property is known to all. However, what is notknown is the detrimental impact that disasters have on the heritage of the areas they strike. Heritage

monuments and structures are repositories of centuries of history, culture and tradition and are therefore anintegral part of the identity of an area and its inhabitants. However, the damage and destruction of suchheritage sites due to disasters often goes unnoticed and is not properly addressed.

This issue of Southasiadisasters.net focuses upon the important theme of the 'Need for DRR Sensitive HeritageConservation in the Himalayas'. The Himalayan states of India are home to a lot of heritage sites andstructures, which include palaces, temples (gompas), monasteries, stupas and old neighbourhoods. The highrisk profile of the Himalayas makes a disaster risk reduction (DRR) sensitive approach to conservation ofsuch heritage sites and structures imperative. This issue of Southasiadisasters.net highlights such effortsfrom Sikkim and other Himalayan states of India.

Full of information on information on good practices and projects that have promoted DRR sensitive heritageconservation in the Himalayas, this issue is must read for all those interested in this important theme.

southasiadisasters.net September 20144

The rationale behind carrying outthis study was to emphasise resistantearthquake performance of certainstructures and to prove deficiency inretrofitting of historic buildings.Three main kinds of constructiontechnology were assessed fordamages to suggest retrofittingtechniques for them. They were.1. Stone Buildings: Stone masonry is

strong in compression but weakin tension. This leads the walls ofstone buildings to develophorizontal cracks along the jointsdue to seismic exposure. Thestrength of the masonry isdetermined by its bond, which inturn, depends upon the compositionof the wall and the mortar used.Generally, there is no continuousconnection between the twowithes. Thus, due to seismic forcesor long term stress such asoverloading the leaves are likelyto delaminate and bulge outwards.

2. Buildings with a Stone Plinth andWooden Frame: 'Ekra Style', thelocal wood and stone constructionstyle also known as Tshe-Khim,have a stone plinth level and awooden frame with wattle anddaub panels at the upper mainlevel. Local materials such as redsoil, cow dung, straw and piecesof wood are used for the panels.This widely used constructionsystem varies slightly within thetypes set up by the local Lepchaand Bhutia tribes.

3. RCC structures: Many of theheritage buildings in Sikkim wererebuilt using modern materialssuch as the RCC. ReinforcedCement Concrete (RCC) isconsidered to show goodearthquake resistance due to thehighly ductile behaviour in caseof seismic vibrations, which is thecapacity of deformation withoutcollapsing suddenly. If thedetailing of connections betweenthe beams, columns and floor slabsis carried out according toprescribed standards, theconstruction as a whole will be ableto resist lateral and vertical forces.

Retrofitting Interventions:1. For stone buildings: Use of

horizontal reinforcement in formof steel bands or wooden beamsthat can be used at various levels.A band on plinth level is proposedwhen dealing with unstableground so it is highlyrecommended for the SikkimHimalayan region. Avoid verticalbonds in stone masonry, whichcan be achieved by inserting athrough stone that will hold theentire width of wall. Whilepreparing mortar use oftraditional materials like straw, orchaff and even modern materialslike epoxy and cement are effectivein improving the strength of bond.

2. For buildings with woodenmembers: The seismic resistance

Room of Tengyur-Kangyur manuscripts; cracks in wall and detachedplaster, Dubdi Gompa, Yuksom, West Sikkim.

of wooden framed structures isremarkably good and the damagein the walls will be onlysuperficial, without damaging theentire structure. The only majorproblem with wood is rotting andageing. Wherever the woodenmembers are not in propercondition they should be replacedor reinforced with metal strapsespecially at structural importantjoints such as those of struts orcolumns.

3. For RCC structures: The resistanceof the structural members can beimproved by increasing thereinforcement through attachmentof new bars with existing the onesand additional stirrups. Theground floor of large 'Gompa'buildings holds several wall bayswithout windows or doors wherex- or v-shaped steel braces can beapplied to add to the stability ofthe whole structure.

Conclusion:From the study carried out, there twomajor categories of damagedproperties were identified. The firstone was the old stone masonrybuildings such as Buddhistmonasteries and Kothis which are anintegral part of Sikkim's heritage. Thesecond major group of damaged thebuildings are recently built religiousstructures such as Gompas andMandirs and institutional buildingsmade up of RCC. To preserveSikkim's remaining built heritage intraditional material, this assessmentprovided valuable findings in termsof retrofitting and restorationpossibilities. In the long termhowever awareness of the highseismic risk has to be raised throughsensitising all participants to decreasethe vulnerability of heritage and newbuildings: Preparedness is alwaysbetter than recovery.

– Aditya Jain

Reference: Earthquake DamageAssessment – Vulnerability of Sikkim'sBuilt Heritage, INTACH (March 2013)

http://www.intach.org/pdf/sikkim-earthquake-damage.pdf

southasiadisasters.netSeptember 2014 5

RISK REDUCTION

Conservation of the Wall-Paintings in theGangtok Tsuklakhang in SikkimThe Indian state of Sikkim is home

to a lot of serene and elegantmonasteries. The Tsuklakhangmonastery is one such place ofreverence. Built around 1920, thismonastery is located in the complexof the Royal Palace in Gangtok and isan important place of worship for theBuddhists. Built in a style which isquintessentially Sikkimese, the wallsof the Tsuklakhang monastery areadorned with splendid murals of thedeities of the Buddhist pantheon.However, with the passage of time,these beautiful murals had becomequite dark.

To restore back the alluring charm ofthese murals, HRH Princess HopeLeezum Namgyal, daughter of thelast reigning Chogyal, PaldenTondup Namgyal, invited AndreAlexander and his team ofconservationists from the TibetHeritage Fund (THF). This was thefirst time that any attempt at heritageconservation was undertaken inSikkim. For, prior to this, thedamaged structures were simplyrebuilt, without considering theaesthetic and heritage consistency ofthose structures.

This is how the project titled'Conservation of the Wall-Paintingsin the Gangtok Tsuklakhang inSikkim' started in 2011. This projectwas funded by the cultural section ofthe German Embassy in New Delhi,Shelly and Donald Rubin Foundation,the Tsuklakhang Trust and thePrivate Estate of the Chogyal ofSikkim. Through this initiative themurals and paintings in theTsuklakhang monastery wererestored.

The Tsuklakhang Monastery is builtin traditional Tibetan style templearchitecture, east-facing, four-storeystall with a typical gabled roof, white-washed stone walls, mud plaster andan internal timber frame. The groundfloor has a large assembly hall andaltar, on level 2 is another large hall.

There are also two smaller shrinerooms, and private rooms for visitingreligious dignitaries on the top,including quarters for the FourteenthDalai Lama who stayed here in 1954and visited in 2011.

In November 2011, a small team fromTHF inspected the temple and foundit structurally sound. The wallpaintings had darkened, with somecracks and losses of plaster due to anearthquake decades ago. For theconservation work, the expertise wasprovided by THF and several artconservation experts were called into take care of the proceedings.During the course of this project too,an earthquake struck Sikkim but themonastery and its murals remainedunharmed due to all the restorationwork done by the team.

The project started with thepreparation of the measureddrawings of the entire structure todemarcate the areas of intervention.

southasiadisasters.net September 20146

It was concluded by the experts thatthe paintings were covered by sootand dust on the surface, and that thevarnish applied probably soon aftercompletion of the paintings in the1920s had darkened and peeled off inmany areas being improper as qualityand way of application (unevenly,leaking..). The soot could be cleanedwith special restoration soap(potassium hydroxide), and thevarnish had to be removed with analcohol-based solution.

At many places, the paint layer wasflaking out, which first needed to bestabilised to carry out any cleaningprocess. Even the plaster layer at a

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

Cost of Disasters to India UnknownWe do not know what the

weather related disasters costto citizens of India or its economy.And this cost, we must know as it isgoing to go up and up. Globally,extreme weather and climate changeare already shaving 1.6 percent offworldwide Gross Domestic Product(GDP) — or about $1.2 trillion peryear — according to a study byDARA. By 2030, it will be up 3.2percent of global GDP, costing theUnited States over 2 percent of itsGDP and India over 5 percent1. Thisyear, meteorological researchers inIndia suspect that climate change isa contributory factor to the changingweather patterns that have caused thelate arrival of the monsoon after a

summer of swelteringly dry heatthat has broken temperaturerecords2.

One possible step ahead can be fromthe Indian MeteorologicalDepartment (IMD) to help citizensfind out how costly extreme weatherevents could be. For example, whilethe Odisha Super Cyclone killed10,000 and caused damage worth $4.5billion; fourteen years later, CyclonePhailin, another storm almost asstrong, killed only 40 people (stillvery sad) with economic losses ofabout $700 million. The reason forthis dramatic turnaround was yearsof disaster risk prevention andpreparedness resulting in a concerted

effort by the state to build resilienceagainst extreme weather3.

Extreme events that India facesinclude flood, drought, storms andlandslides, and heat waves. Thoughthe costs of these events are oftenenlisted and calculated for relief andcompensation purposes, the method,tools and mechanisms are notsystematic and do not take intoaccount full range of losses anddamages for effectively dealing andcoping with future impacts4. As aresult, the overall all loss anddamage picture, is not yet accurate,systematic or system wide. Multipleimpacts of several disaster eventsinteract and collide. Successive

1 National Journal Warns The Economic Price Of Climate Change Is Already Here, And Growing by Jeff Spross Posted onFebruary 9, 2013 at 12:00 pm Updated: February 9, 2013 at 8:40 am. Available at: http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/02/09/1563101/national-journal-warns-the-economic-price-of-climate-change-is-already-here-and-growing/

2 By Shiba Nanda Basu (2014) India counts human and economic cost of late monsoon: Record temperatures have left manyIndians suffering, causing scientists to explore possible climate link. Available at: http://www.rtcc.org/2014/06/24/india-counts-human-and-economic-cost-of-late-monsoon/

3 The World Bank. Weather-Related Loss & Damage Rising as Climate Warms, November 18, 2013. Available at: http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2013/11/18/disaster-climate-resilience-in-a-changing-world

4 Mihir Bhatt, All India Disaster Mitigation Institute (AIDMI) Asia Pacific Forum on Loss and Damage (2014) Why India MustFocus on Loss and Damage? Available at: http://www.google.co.in/ url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=30&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0 CFEQFjAJOBQ&url= http%3A%2F%2 Freliefweb.int%2Fsites%2Freliefweb.int%2Ffiles%2Fresources%2FAsia %2520Pacific%2520Forum%2520on%2520Loss%2520and%2520Damage_%2520April%2520Newsletter%25202014.pdf&ei= 20vRU5fIPIq3u ATV84GgAQ&usg= AFQjCNGk1yfzxxD9 AefbNy66u PsQekRqhw&bvm=bv.71667212,d.c2E

few places was coming out thatneeded to be fixed before the piecesstart to fall off completely. Once thefixing part was done the cleaningprocess took nearly eight months tocomplete. It was a delicate process asthe cleaning required carefullyhandling of existing paintings,identifying the problems associatedand then to suggest appropriatemethods of intervention.

During the entire project several localinterested restorers were trained incarrying out the process. Manymonks from the temple also triedtheir hands on restoration andcleaning of the paintings and received

basic training, as did Princess HopeLeezum and her family members.

This conservation project elicited a lotof positive response in the press andthe local community. Such a responseis a testament of the love andreverence of the people to theirheritage. Since heritage is an integralpart of our identities, projects likethese that preserve and conserve itshould be promoted andencouraged.

– Aditya JainReference: Conservation of the Wall-

Paintings in the Gangtok Tsuklakhang inSikkim, 2011 Work Report.

southasiadisasters.netSeptember 2014 7

Finance Commissions have tried tocapture this cost with rigor overdecades. But the total always remainsa step away from conclusive.

India is facing rapid economic andpopulation growth, especially inareas that are hotspots for disasters.Look at India's coastal areas that areaffected by sea level rise in additionto heat waves, storms, cyclones andcoastal floods. And the same areasare facing rapid economic growth.Cost of extreme events in terms offood security, health loss, access todrinking water, and education aregoing up. A recent report by theWorld Bank looking at the likelyimpact of warming on agriculturalproduction, water resources, coastalecosystems and cities across threeregions – South Asia, Sub-SaharanAfrica, and South East Asia has foundIndia's food security, water resourcesand health at risk from warmingclimate5. Also, cost estimates forcities and trans-boundary losses arehard to calculate, and therefore gounaccounted. Continuing failure toplan ahead for more extreme weatherin India's cities could lead to hugeeconomic and health costs, and hitIndia's most vulnerable citizensparticularly hard6.

According to the annual release ofBritish risk consultancy Maplecroft's'Climate Change and EnvironmentalRisk Atlas', by 2025, China's GDP isestimated to treble from currentlevels to USD 28 trillion, whileIndia's forecast is to rise to USD 5trillion7. As India's economy

globalizes, each disaster event willhave far wider economic impact thanit had in the past.

Cost of Gujarat earthquake today,may God forbid, will be three timesmore than in 2001 because of growthof income and assets in the impactregion. A flood around Delhi cancause millions and around Mumbaimay reach billions. Kolkata andMumbai are among the cities wherethe economic exposure to the impactsof extreme climate related eventswill be highest over the next 30years8. Still, there are no sectoral orsub-national cost estimates that aresystematic and system wide.

The estimates are even more difficultto make as disaster reporting is notalways uniform or up to date. TheNational Disaster ManagementAuthority (NDMA) has made initialefforts, and with success, the workon its hand is yet to be completed.

For example, CATDAT DamagingEarthquakes Database 2011 —Annual Review has noted that "theSikkim earthquake on 18th

September 2011 was deemed to havecaused at least 1 lakh crore rupees(1000 billion rupees or $22.3 billionUS) damage in Sikkim, as estimatedearly after the disaster (SikkimMinistry on 21st September 2011).However, as the net capital stock isat the most approximately $3.9billion US (about 200 billion rupees)in Sikkim according to CATDAT, itis hard to believe the initialassessment of the ministry; thus thisvalue has been ignored. However, amore reliable estimate isapproximately US $1.7 billiondamage for total damage in India"9.

Reporting loss and damage is evenless reliable due to delay in makingestimates, lack of coordination,limited tools, still developingmethodologies and availability of

5 The World Bank (2013) India: New report finds India's food security, water resources and health at risk from warming climate.Available at: http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2013/06/19/india-new-report-finds-indias-food-security-water-resources-and-health-at-risk-from-warming-climate

6 Samuel Mintz (2014) Indian cities face 'huge' risks without climate planning. Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation - Wed, 5Mar 2014 16:00 GMT. Available at: http://www.trust.org/item/20140305152832-lvni2

7 The Times of India (2013. India among world economies at risk of climate change impact, PTI | Oct 30, 2013, 04.52PM IS.Available at http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/global-warming/India-among-world-economies-at-risk-of-climate-change-impact/articleshow/24938473.cms

8 The Times of India (2013. India among world economies at risk of climate change impact, PTI | Oct 30, 2013, 04.52PM IS.Available at http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/global-warming/India-among-world-economies-at-risk-of-climate-change-impact/articleshow/24938473.cms

9 James Daniell & Armand Vervaeck (2011) CATDAT Damaging Earthquakes Database 2011 - Annual Review, Last update:January 30, 2012 at 9:41 pm by Armand Vervaeck and James Daniell. Available at: http://earthquake-report.com/2012/01/09/catdat-damaging-earthquakes-database-2011-annual-review/

southasiadisasters.net September 20148

1 0 UNFCCC (2012) Current knowledge on relevant methodologies and data requirements as well as lessons learned and gapsidentified at different levels. Available at: http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2012/tp/01.pdf

11 CDKN. 2012. Loss and Damage: From Defining to Understanding to Action. Available at: http://cdkn.org/2012/09/loss-and-damage-from-defining-to-understanding-to-action/ (accessed on December 10, 2013)

1 2 Times of India (2013) Cyclone Phailin: IMD vindicated, proves foreign forecasters wrong TNN | Oct 14, 2013, 04.57AM IST.Available at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Cyclone-Phailin-IMD-vindicated-proves-foreign-forecasters-wrong/articleshow/24118617.cms

1 3 For more information please visit CDKN (2014) REPORT: Addressing heat-related health risks in urban India: Ahmedabad'sHeat Action Plan. Available at: http://cdkn.org/2014/05/addressing-heat-related-risk-india/

1 4 Bloomberg (2014) Bond Bull Looks for Dark Clouds to Salvage Monsoon: India Credit By Shikhar Balwani Jul 18, 2014 12:01AM GMT+0530 Available at: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-17/bond-bull-looks-for-dark-clouds-to-salvage-monsoon-india-credit.html

15 S. D. Attri and Ajit Tyagi, Government of India Ministry of Earth Sciences. India Meteorological Department (2010) ClimateProfile of India. Available at: http://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&sou rce=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB0QFjAA&url=http%3A% 2F%2Fwww.imd.gov.in % 2Fdoc%2Fclimat e_profile. pdf&ei=a5HSU7ilC8yMuAT Gu4LoDg&usg= AFQjCNFerXkfrpQ4xAqqw6 WrAxa_a3nFnA&bvm= bv.71892024,d.c2E

skills. The concept of loss anddamage is yet to be clearly definedand comprehensive models forassessing loss and damage do not yetexist10. The All India DisasterMitigation Institute (AIDMI)'songoing study on regional disasterauthorities in the region shows thatskills and capacities to estimate lossand damage remains a bottleneck totheir effectiveness. Another keychallenge is that there is no systemto estimate the full range of losses inmonetary or economic terms, forexample how to put a dollar figureon the 'cost' of loss of human life orcultural heritage (CDKN.2012)11. Ifwhat is lost is not known how canIndia know what was its cost? Andwithout knowing economic costs,cost to human security is even lesslikely to be known.

The IMD has taken leaps ahead in therecent past in informing India'scitizens. Cyclone Phailin on Odishacoast in October 2013 was one suchexample where advance noticereached the last person as the cyclonemoved, and as a result thousands oflives were saved. In fact, accuracy ofIMD predictions, which provedforeign forecasters wrong on theintensity and timing of CyclonePhailin12. The Indian Red Cross,United Nations DevelopmentProgramme, local NGOs andRevenue Department of Governmentof Odisha moved mountains to savelives. However cost of loss of incomeand assets remained a struggle.

Similarly the heat wave in Ahmedabadin May 2014 was predicted on dailybasis giving citizens and agilemunicipal authority time to plan andtake suitable actions. Hardly ever,before such mitigative actions werepossible in India. Collaborativework of Public Health Foundationof India, Climate DevelopmentKnowledge Network and others13

made this possible. However, thecost of heat wave to the citizens andmunicipal authority remains aguess. Costs of heat wave to thepoorest such as street vendor womenor the excluded such as Dalit streetsweepers remain unknown.

Drought remains a big challenge anddrought related early warning fromIMD unfolds in different manner indifferent districts of India. Districtsin middle Gujarat rapidly respondto early warning while districts ineast Maharashtra say, take far moretime. Though we can be almostcertain that India can avoid faminewe have got to be more sure onpredicting cost of drought and usingearly warning to avoid hunger andmalnutrition among the rural andurban poor. Seasonal showers willbe 7 percent below average in Indiathis year because of the potentialemergence of an El Nino, the IndiaMeteorological Department predicts.In 2009, the last time India experiencedthe weather pattern, rainfall fellshort by 22 percent, reducing grainoutput and leading to faster inflation,official data show14.

In view of growing operationalrequirements from various useragencies, IMD has embarked on aseamless forecasting systemcovering short range to extendedrange and long range forecasts15. TheIMD plans are forward looking andsoon India will have almost seamlessclimate and weather forecast in allits districts. Weekly and even hourlyforecast to the targeted citizens —farmers, and landless labourers,commuters, street vendors, businesses,or tourists—at risk will be a realitysoon. Not many countries in Asia areable to boast of such a seamless forecast.

As climate changes, the likelihoodof extreme events will increase.Intergovernmental Panel on ClimateChange (IPCC)'s Fifth AssessmentReport (AR5) also points to thisdirection. Climate change may soonflood India's harbours, some morethan others, causing loss of new andold investments in ports andshipping. Possible cost of tsunami tothese ports and harbours remains aguess. As massive domestic andglobal investments are poised to bemade in ports, and coastal roads,highways, bridges and transport,India must find more accurate costestimates of disasters it faces.

Stronger tropical cyclones, extreme heat,and precipitation patterns will push upclimate change related risks. Economicdevelopment overlooking these trendscan slow down the march towards astronger and prosperous India.– Mihir R. Bhatt and Mehul Pandya

southasiadisasters.netSeptember 2014 9

BEST PRACTICES IN DRR

Heritage Hazard Vulnerability and CapacityAssessment Tool for Hilly RegionsHeritage sites are embodied in extremely fragile environments, and needs to be looked after with immense

care. This is particularly true of the hilly areas of India and Sikkim. For, the state Sikkim alone has 3051

unprotected monuments. Hazard vulnerability assessment of such cultural sites provides necessary data for requiredagencies during the process of planning. One of the major threats to the heritage sites and the visitors themselves isthe crowd which flocks these sites. It requires professional management interventions to cater the requirements ofvisitors, as well as to make sure the integrity of site is also kept preserved.

Factors Indicator Level of Remarkvulnerability

• Is the monument protected by ASI?• Does the ASI law of prohibited and

regulated zones around a monumentapply here?

Factors Indicator Sub-Indicator Level of Remarkvulnerability

1. Geographic i. Soil characteristics Type of Soiland i. SandyTopographic ii. Clayeyconditions iii. Rocks

ii. Ground water i. Hardii. softiii. saltyiv. high chemical conc.

iii. Physical attributes i. Plainsii. hillsiii. river edgeiv. slopev. sea shorevi. island

2. Weather Extreme conditions i. Dryii. rainfalliii. hotiv. coldv. snow

3. Natural Risk from natural hazards Flood, storms, Earthquake, heavy rains,Risks land slide, flash floods, volcanic actions

4. Risk from Effect on Heritage Smoke, air quality, water quality,Pollution Structure effect on site

5. Distance to Risk from floods and River, lake, pond, sea, canalwater body Tsunami

6. Human Physical damages Vandalism, riots, conflicts, urbanisation,induced risks to structure crowd

7. Site Assessment: Site Assessment (with surroundings): Any monument or a building under observation have tobe seen in the larger context of immediate surroundings and the fabric it's been embedded within. The followingexercise will give an overview of immediate surroundings of the monument and the kind of problems it may faceduring any emergency or disaster situation.

Yes/No

1 http://isikkim.com/2011-05-sikkim-has-305-unprotected-monuments-041/

southasiadisasters.net September 201410

Factors Indicator Level of Remarkvulnerability

• What kind of fabric surrounds themonument

• What kind of management takes care ofthe site surrounding?

• What is the level of coordinationamongst the various stakeholders?

• Is there any site management plan inplace, if yes, then what are its parameters

• What are the emergency responsemeasures from the local authorities forthe site and its surroundings (hospitalswith capacity, fire house, volunteers)?

• Are the current management systemseffective/ sufficient enough to handleany adverse situation?

• What is the status of traffic, crowd andvehicular movement around the site(traffic police/private guards/regulation of crowd)?

• If the site is close to sea prone area, somespecial assessment need to be made.

• Previous year's flood and disasterrecords, its spread and impact.

(dense urban/ town/ small village/ seashore/ natural forest)(ASI/ Trust body/ Temple ManagementAuthority/local authorities/ municipality)(Managing authority/ local govt./Communities/ tourist)(the areas of concern for disaster planninginfrastructure, crowd, emergency response)?

i. Distance from sea shoreii. Is there existing embankment or

protective wallsiii. Effect of sea breeze on the structure

(deterioration of surface, stability)iv. Earthquake and Tsunami preparednessv. In case of flooding, what are the existing

response measures(early warning,evacuation of people from the site, floodwater drainage)

8. Monument Assessment: The monument complex/ heritage structure itself plays a very important role for theassessment and preventive measures to be undertaken for the disaster situations. A lot of parameters are to betaken into consideration and evaluation to ensure the well being of people who come to visit the monument.

• Is there any management plan for the?

• Who takes care of the monument

• Is the monument having enclosurewalls?

• Is there any special provision formanaging large crowds on specialoccasions and important festival?

• Is there a emergency medical help unitin the vicinity?

• General Signals for visitors around themonument? (Entry-Exits, publicutilities, toilet, medical assistance,Emergency exits, barricading)

monument (structural /tourist /traffic flow/crowd /disaster)(ASI/ Trust body/ Temple ManagementAuthority)(if Yes, its height, and approach inside thecomplex/evacuation planning foremergencies)

southasiadisasters.netSeptember 2014 11

9. Visitor Statistics: A thorough analysis of these statistics will help in planning out the strategies for managingcrowds at any particular give time in the year, and when is the maximum requirement of such management.• Average number of visitors for any

particular day• Total number of visitors for any

particular month (mean average)• Important occasions when there are

probabilities of excess crowd likepurnima, ekadashi, festivals

• What is the average footfall on theseimportant occasions?

Factors Indicator Level of Remarkvulnerability

10. Staff Statistics: These data will be helpful in assessing the actual resource that can be deployed immediately incase of any disaster like situation, and the best possible way to plan for further assistance required at higher levellike city administration or the emergency response teams from the authorities.

• Total number of staff employed forvarious tasks in the monumentcomplex?

• Under whose direct monitoring theycome under?

• What kind of jobs they are employedfor?

• Their complete profile and any specialskills which can come handy inemergency situations

• Are they trained to manage suddencrowd fall out?

• Are the personnel equipped withemergency response kit like

• A central monitoring Setup to utilize allthe resources

(Medical training, mechanical knowledge(generator, water pump, driving)

(First Aid, whistle, torch, oxygen mask,walkie talkie, loud speaker)(human & equipment)

This conference on South-Southhumanitarianism aims to

bring together academics, policymakers, practitioners, and otherrelevant stake-holders in a multi-disciplinary conversation about thenature, implications, and future ofsouth-south humanitarianpartnerships.

Conference on South-South Humanitarianism

ANNOUNCEMENT: CALL FOR PAPERS

26 and 27 November 2014 | Jindal School of International Affairs (JSIA)OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat Narela Road, Near Jagdishpur Village, NCR of Delhi, Haryana, India.

We invite individual paperproposals, full panel proposals, andsuggestions for alternative formats(e.g. film, debate, workshop etc.)exploring one or more of thefollowing themes:1. Many Humanitarianisms2. Policies And Practices3. Effects And Outcomes4. Humanitarian Governance And

International Society

For submit paper, panel and otherproposals to:southernhumanitarianism@gmail.comFor any further enquires:Conference Convener:Dr Urvashi Aneja,uaneja@jgu.edu.inCo-convener: Dr. Samrat Sinha,ssinha@jgu.edu.in

For more information:http://www.jsia.edu.in

southasiadisasters.net September 201412

RAINFALL INSURANCE

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Editorial Advisors:

Anshuman SaikiaRegional Programme Support CoordinatorARO, IUCN (International Union for Conservation ofNature), Thailand

Denis NkalaRegional Coordinator, South-South Cooperation andCountry Support (Asia-Pacific), United NationsDevelopment Programme, New York

Ian DavisVisiting Professor in Disaster Risk Management inCopenhagen, Lund, Kyoto and Oxford BrookesUniversities

Madhavi Malalgoda AriyabanduInternational Strategy for Risk Reduction (ISDR) –South Asia, Sri Lanka

Mihir R. BhattAll India Disaster Mitigation Institute, India

Dr. Satchit Balsari, MD, MPHThe University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell,New York, USA

T. Nanda KumarChairman, National Dairy Development Board(NDDB), Anand, Gujarat, India

ALL INDIA DISASTER MITIGATION INSTITUTE411 Sakar Five, Near Natraj Cinema, Ashram Road, Ahmedabad–380 009 India. Tele/Fax: +91-79-2658 2962E-mail: bestteam@aidmi.org, Website: http://www.aidmi.org, www.southasiadisasters.net

Update on Rainfall Insurance at SEWA

In continuing the rainfallinsurance provided by SEWA to

its members, SEWA has continuedits collaboration with AgricultureInsurance Company of India for theRainfall Insurance. Since 2012,SEWA has been recommendingsome changes in policy featuresfollowing the feedback of thefarmers and the rainfall pattern.These changes included covering therisk throughout the dry day andconstant heavy rain days. Thesechanges were incorporated and thepolicy was revised.

The main advantage of the RainfallInsurance is the transparent process,but since last 3–4 years thegovernment and Insurance Companydo not want to change their workingpattern. It takes a long time to collectthe information of rainfall from theGSDMA. This is because at times theinformation for all the days is notuploaded on the site. Also there is ahierarchy with the InsuranceCompany which further delays thecalculation of the payout.

On the other hand, the researchorganizations conducting theresearch on feasibility focus more onthe research and the results. There isno information on the hand holdingmechanism and the continuation ofthe Project. This makes it difficult tocontinue the Project for long termand in a sustainable manner.

Recently in the year 2014, ResearchOrganization has completed itsresearch and stopped the financialsupport for Implementation. Due toSEWA's work with an integratedapproach for the members, we wereable to continue to provide theRainfall Insurance to the members.However, we could not provide anydiscount or promotional schemes tothe members.

From this year, the CentralGovernment has stopped the cropInsurance and is more focused onWeather based Insurance. But due tolack of coordination andcommunication between Centraland State Government, AIC did not

provide the policy on time. Theyprovided the policy just before 7days of the due date. Also, lack offinancial support, promotionalevent from government andInsurance Company SEWA was ableto reach only 200 farmers.

The overall observations are asbelow:• Insurance Company should

provide promotional event andmaterial for marketing support.

• Government should considerInsurance as necessary riskmitigation tools and it shouldbe included in subsidy form

• There is also huge requirementto establish the Rain gaugemachine as per the lowestdistance, preferably at villagelevel.

• Research Organization shouldinvolve for long period or itshould include the handholding procedure for anyproject.

– Reema Nanavaty,SEWA, Ahmedabad