Environmental Management Environmental Management and DRR in Indian Contextand DRR in Indian Context

Prof. Vinod K. SharmaProf. Vinod K. SharmaSr. Professor, Disaster Management, Indian Institute of Sr. Professor, Disaster Management, Indian Institute of

Public Administration, and Public Administration, and Executive Vice-Chair, Executive Vice-Chair,

Sikkim State Disaster Management AuthoritySikkim State Disaster Management Authority

Some National InitiativesSome National Initiatives The National Disaster Management Act-2005The National Disaster Management Act-2005 National Disaster Management Authority-2005National Disaster Management Authority-2005 National Action Plan on Climate ChangeNational Action Plan on Climate Change Many states taking up initiatives: Acts, Many states taking up initiatives: Acts,

Authorities, Plans, Capacity Building (Leading Authorities, Plans, Capacity Building (Leading states: Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar states: Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar Sikkim)Sikkim)

District level empowermentDistrict level empowerment Local level participation and actionLocal level participation and action

India’s Vulnerability

Floods Droughts Earthquakes Landslides Cyclones Forest Fire Cloud Burst Hail storms

Major Natural Disasters :

1990 - 2012

Earthquake, GujaratJanuary 26, 2001

1997Chamoli 1999KutchchhEarthquakesUttarkashi 1991Latur (Killari) 1993Jabalpur , Gujarat

2001J&K 2005

CyclonesEast & West Godavari 1992& dist.of Andhra Pradesh 1996Kutchchh, Gujarat 1998Orissa 1999

FloodsPunjab 1993Kerala 1994Punjab & Haryana 1996Mumbai 2005

TsunamiAndaman & Nicobar Islands & coastal areas 2004

TsunamiDec.26, 2004

Earthquake, J&KOct.8, 2005

Scientific initiatives in DRR

Vulnerability Atlas for each major hazard was prepared

High Powered Committee was set up by the Prime Minister in 1999

Focus was on Preparedness, Planning and Mitigation

National, State and District level authorities were prepared

Disaster Management Act came to force in 2005

Floods• Floods in the Indo-Gangetic-

Brahmaputra plains are an annual feature

• On an average, a few hundred lives are lost

• Millions are rendered homeless

Lakhs of hectares of crops are damaged every year

Case Studies

Mumbai 2005

Surat Flood 2006

Rajasthan Flood 2006, 2008, 2012

Uttarakhand Floods 2013

Wind and Cyclones During the Period 1877-2005 in a 50 km wide

strip following cyclonic activity have taken place:

• 283 cyclones (106 severe) on the East Coast • 35 cyclones (19 severe) on West Coast

• In the 19 severe cyclonic storms, death toll > 10,000 lives

In 21 cyclones in Bay of Bengal (India and Bangladesh) 1.25 million lives

have been lost

Orissa Cyclone  26-29 October, Orissa Cyclone  26-29 October, 19991999

Earthquakes• 10.79% land is liable to severe

earthquakes (intensity MSK IX or more)

• 17.49% land is liable to MSK VIII (similar to Latur/Uttarkashi)

• 30.79% land is liable to MSK VII (similar to Jabalpur earthquake)

Biggest quakes in Andamans, Kuchh, Himachal, Kashmir, Bihar and the North

Eastern States)

Sikkim

Brief information on Sikkim

Parameter Value

GEOGRAPHICAL AREA 7096 Sq.KM.

POPULATION (2011 CENCUS)

6.07 LAKHS

DISTRICTS 04 (EAST, WEST , NORTH & SOUTH)

MAIN DRAINAGES TISTA , RANGEET & ITS TRIBUTARIES

FOREST COVER 43% of the total area.

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

270 00’46” to 280 07’48” N latitude &880 00’58” to 880 55’25” E Longitude

ECONOMY MAINLY TOURISM, CASH CROPS, HYDEL POWER PROJECT

LITERACY RATE(2001 CENSUS)

82%

Earthquake details

Parameter Value

Magnitude 6.8

Date-Time 18:10 IST, 18th Sept, 2011, Sunday

Location 27.72°N, 88.06°E

Depth 19.7 km (shallow depth)

Duration 30-40 seconds

Extent In India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and ChinaIn India, in Sikkim and northeast, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, UP, Rajasthan, Chandigarh and Delhi

Source: USGS / IMD

Sikkim After Earthquake 2011Sikkim After Earthquake 2011

Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority EstablishedEstablished

Significant progress since Sikkim-Nepal Significant progress since Sikkim-Nepal Earthquake of September 2011Earthquake of September 2011

Environment-Disaster Link: India’s first fully Environment-Disaster Link: India’s first fully ORGANIC STATE and preparing for disastersORGANIC STATE and preparing for disasters

Establishing Himalayan Institute of Environment Establishing Himalayan Institute of Environment and Disaster Managementand Disaster Management

Taking community based approach, involving Taking community based approach, involving schools, voluntary organisations, local leadersschools, voluntary organisations, local leaders

Landslides• The Indian Subcontinent with diverse

physiographic, seismotectonic and climatologic conditions is subjected to varying degree of landslide hazards.

• The himalayas including Northeastern mountain regions being the worst affected followed by a section of the Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats and Vindhyas.

Accounts for considerable loss of life and damage to communication routes, human

settlements, agricultural fields and forest lands.

Recent Trends and ConcernsRecent Trends and Concerns

Unusual and unexpected weather events Unusual and unexpected weather events – Heavy rainHeavy rain– Early or delayed rainEarly or delayed rain– Hail, snowHail, snow– Unseasonal windstormsUnseasonal windstorms– Excessive heatExcessive heat– Excessive coldExcessive cold

Resultant change in water and crop patternsResultant change in water and crop patterns

Direct Impact on Coastal AreasDirect Impact on Coastal Areas

Rise in sea level – loss of coastal lands and Rise in sea level – loss of coastal lands and small islandssmall islands– Relevance to all coastal areasRelevance to all coastal areas– Islands along coastal states (Eg. Andhra Islands along coastal states (Eg. Andhra

Pradesh, West Bengal)Pradesh, West Bengal)– A&N IslandsA&N Islands– Lakshadweep IslandsLakshadweep Islands

Direct Impact on All AreasDirect Impact on All Areas

Increased frequency, increased severity, and Increased frequency, increased severity, and less predictability of :less predictability of :– Storms Storms – FloodsFloods– Flash floodsFlash floods– Cloud burstsCloud bursts– Rain caused landslidesRain caused landslides– Snow fallSnow fall– Heat wavesHeat waves

Current Trends to watchCurrent Trends to watch

Increased cloud bursts in Himachal Pradesh, Increased cloud bursts in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and J&K (2010 flashfloods), and Sikkim Uttarakhand and J&K (2010 flashfloods), and Sikkim in 2012, Uttarakhand 2013in 2012, Uttarakhand 2013

Rising temperature trends in Orissa (Talcher 52 Rising temperature trends in Orissa (Talcher 52 degrees Celsius)degrees Celsius)

Freak floods in drought prone RajasthanFreak floods in drought prone Rajasthan Drought in flood prone AssamDrought in flood prone Assam Glacier depletion along Himalayan BeltGlacier depletion along Himalayan Belt Crop failure due to rainfall variationsCrop failure due to rainfall variations Increased migration to large cities in search for workIncreased migration to large cities in search for work

Trends to Expect in FutureTrends to Expect in Future

Increased flooding and droughts due to rainfall Increased flooding and droughts due to rainfall variationsvariations

Increased flooding for some years due to snow Increased flooding for some years due to snow meltmelt

Droughts after some year due to depleting water Droughts after some year due to depleting water sourcessources

Severe cyclones, specially in WB, Orissa, AP, TN, Severe cyclones, specially in WB, Orissa, AP, TN, GujaratGujarat

Crop failures, depletion in fish catchCrop failures, depletion in fish catch

Who is at Risk?Who is at Risk?

Particularly the poorParticularly the poor Inhabitants of towns and villages in fragile Inhabitants of towns and villages in fragile

ecosystems (mountains, coasts, arid areas..)ecosystems (mountains, coasts, arid areas..) Farming communities dependent on rainfed Farming communities dependent on rainfed

agricultureagriculture Hill communities dependent on natural water Hill communities dependent on natural water

sourcessources Megacities with high water demandMegacities with high water demand

What can be done to stop the trendWhat can be done to stop the trend

Reduce glasshouse gas emissions:Reduce glasshouse gas emissions:– Clean technologies in industriesClean technologies in industries– Improved refrigeration and transportation systemsImproved refrigeration and transportation systems

Reduce energy consumption at all levelsReduce energy consumption at all levels– Switch to greener energy sourcesSwitch to greener energy sources– Reduce energy consumption through efficiency and Reduce energy consumption through efficiency and

austerityausterity– Adopt renewable energy sources in disaggregated Adopt renewable energy sources in disaggregated

mannermanner– Invest in improvement of technologies and their Invest in improvement of technologies and their

disseminationdissemination

Climate Change AdaptationClimate Change Adaptation

Adaptive Agriculture Adaptive Agriculture – Switch to crops that can yield within changed durations Switch to crops that can yield within changed durations

of rainfall seasonof rainfall season

Adaptive Water ManagementAdaptive Water Management– Manage water sources and increase water harvesting Manage water sources and increase water harvesting

and water recycling at local leveland water recycling at local level

Adaptive SettlementsAdaptive Settlements– Plan cities and villages to be away from path of Plan cities and villages to be away from path of

predictable disasters predictable disasters – Go GreenGo Green

Prevailing Planning PracticePrevailing Planning Practice

prescriptive Land-use prescriptive Land-use zoning (20 year zoning (20 year horizon)horizon)

disaster prone and disaster prone and environmentally environmentally sensitive areas are sensitive areas are declared unsuitable for declared unsuitable for development, but development, but economic pressures economic pressures prevailprevail

Human Settlements - Human Settlements - this is not what we had planned !this is not what we had planned !

Local informal economiesLocal informal economies pressure in centrally located vacant pressure in centrally located vacant

landland

Unhealthy villages and cities

Severe environmental degradation

Compounded risksCompounded risks

DISASTER - DISASTER - annual ritualannual ritual

Illegal settlements… Illegal settlements… cannot be recognized cannot be recognized or catered toor catered to

Informal settlements represent a vast human population living in temporary and unsafe structures with little or no facilities……

Even hazards of low intensity Even hazards of low intensity attain disastrous proportions attain disastrous proportions

when they strike such when they strike such vulnerable communitiesvulnerable communities

and degraded environmentsand degraded environments

Disaster-Environment Impact MatrixDisaster-Environment Impact MatrixAirAir WaterWater LandLand CropsCrops WildlifeWildlife LivestockLivestock ForestsForests WasteWaste

FloodFlood SS DD DD DD DD DD DD DD

CycloneCyclone DD DD DD DD DD DD DD DD

DroughtDrought II DD DD DD DD DD DD II

EarthquakeEarthquake S, CS, C I, CI, C II ---- LL DD ---- DD

LandslideLandslide ---- SS DD ---- II ---- DD DD

ChemicalChemical DD DD DD DD D, CD, C DD D, CD, C DD

NuclearNuclear DD D, SD, S DD D, SD, S DD DD D, LD, L DD

BiologicalBiological SS D, CD, C SS CC CC CC CC DD

CivilCivil CC CC C, IC, I ---- ---- ---- ---- CC

TransportTransport CC CC CC LL ---- ---- ---- DD

D=Direct, I=Indirect, S=Secondary, L=Less, C=Case specific

From sectoral to holistic planningFrom sectoral to holistic planning

Concerned Concerned agenciesagencies

&&

CommunitiesCommunities

Disaster Risk ManagementDisaster Risk ManagementDisaster Management Vehicle

COMMAND

Prevention

Vulnerability Reduction

Hazard / RiskReduction

RISK MANAGEMENT EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Operation centric

Em

erg

en

cy

Ris

k

Assessm

en

t

Mitigation

Monitoring

Evaluation

ENVIRONMENTcommunity

Planning

Response

Relief

Rehabilitation

Reconstruction

PreparednessPlanning

Governance

Management centric

Concept of Disaster Risk Concept of Disaster Risk ReductionReduction

Risk Reduction:Risk Reduction: Event minimizationEvent minimization Loss minimizationLoss minimization

Quick recovery (Resilience)Quick recovery (Resilience)

Approach:Approach: Visualizing hazardsVisualizing hazards Reducing vulnerabilityReducing vulnerability Increasing coping capacitiesIncreasing coping capacities

DM Paradigm ShiftDM Paradigm Shift

Response Centric Response Centric Relief Centric Relief Centric

– Mitigation centricMitigation centric– Preparedness centricPreparedness centric– Disaster CentricDisaster Centric

Hazard CentricHazard CentricVulnerability CentricVulnerability CentricEnvironment CentricEnvironment Centric

Adaptation

DRR Strategy Design – DRR Strategy Design – ComponentsComponents

What is the riskWhat is the riskhazard - event hazard - event xx damageabilitydamageability

What is at risk What is at risk – – – Life, Structures, Life, Structures, ResourcesResources, Infrastructure, Infrastructure

ResistResist ResilienceResilience

– AvoidAvoid– TolerateTolerate– ManageManage

ProgrammesProgrammes– DirectDirect– IndirectIndirect– InfusedInfused

EffectsWasteCoral Reef DamagesCoastal Zone ImpactsGround water contaminationSiltationissueEffect on agriculture land

EffectsWasteCoral Reef DamagesCoastal Zone ImpactsGround water contaminationSiltationissueEffect on agriculture land

CausesImmediate/ Long-termPopulationDe-forestationHigh ConsumptionClimate Change

CausesImmediate/ Long-termPopulationDe-forestationHigh ConsumptionClimate ChangeCauses

Effects

Causes

Effects

The Environment cause-effect cycle

Building disaster capacity

Reduced through multi-stakeholder

cooperation

Reduced through awareness,

policies & action

Environ-disaster interfaceEnviron-disaster interface

Environmental Hazards Complex

Population Growth

Losses Poverty

Low coping capacity

High Exposure

to Hazard

Locations

High Disaster RiskHazard / Trigger event

Major Disaster Losses

Source: 2008(5) Publication

IMPACTS OF DISASTERSIMPACTS OF DISASTERS

PhysicalPhysical (buildings, structures, physical property, industry, roads, bridges, etc.) (buildings, structures, physical property, industry, roads, bridges, etc.) EnvironmentalEnvironmental (water, land/soil, land-use, landscape, crops, lake/rivers / (water, land/soil, land-use, landscape, crops, lake/rivers /

estuaries, aquaculture, forests, animals/livestock, wildlife, atmosphere, energy, estuaries, aquaculture, forests, animals/livestock, wildlife, atmosphere, energy, etc.)etc.)

Social Social (life, health, employment, relations, security, peace, etc.)(life, health, employment, relations, security, peace, etc.) EconomicEconomic (assets, deposits, reserves, income, commerce, production, (assets, deposits, reserves, income, commerce, production,

guarantee/insurance, etc.)guarantee/insurance, etc.)

Physical Environmental

Disaster Event

SOCIAL

Economic

DRR Interventions - RoutesDRR Interventions - Routes Direct : DM Act, Rules, Policy…Direct : DM Act, Rules, Policy…

DM Programmes – NCRM, Capacity building programme of DM Programmes – NCRM, Capacity building programme of Engineers/ArchitectsEngineers/Architects

Environmental Resources:Environmental Resources: Land/soil/land-useLand/soil/land-use Water/water bodies, watershedsWater/water bodies, watersheds Wetlands, RiversWetlands, Rivers Air/atmosphereAir/atmosphere Habitat/vegetation-forests, plantation, orchards, agriculture - agroforestry, Habitat/vegetation-forests, plantation, orchards, agriculture - agroforestry,

aquacultureaquaculture Livestock, wild animalsLivestock, wild animals Environmental supplies – water, PHE, sanitation, waste mgmt,Environmental supplies – water, PHE, sanitation, waste mgmt, Chemicals / mineralsChemicals / minerals

Welfare programmesWelfare programmes Family, child, youth, sports, NREGS, RTI, ….Family, child, youth, sports, NREGS, RTI, ….

Service programmesService programmes Transport, health, communication, housing, aviation, navigation, fire, industryTransport, health, communication, housing, aviation, navigation, fire, industry

Rural Environmental ProgrammeRural Environmental Programme

KEY ISSUES: KEY ISSUES: All rural programmesAll rural programmes Natural ResourcesNatural Resources

LandLand WaterWater EnergyEnergy VegetationVegetation

– AgricultureAgriculture– ForestryForestry– HorticultureHorticulture– AquacultureAquaculture

AnimalsAnimals– FisheriesFisheries– LivestockLivestock– WildlifeWildlife

Env. HealthEnv. Health– SanitationSanitation– SuppliesSupplies

Climate Change ImpactsClimate Change Impacts

Climate change is considered as an environmental Climate change is considered as an environmental phenomena.phenomena.

Climate change impacts are seen in the form of natural Climate change impacts are seen in the form of natural disasters like drought, flood etc.disasters like drought, flood etc.

Livelihoods of the rural communities are directly affected by Livelihoods of the rural communities are directly affected by the climate change impacts the climate change impacts

Adaptation to climate change is becoming increasingly Adaptation to climate change is becoming increasingly recognized as the key issue (as opposed to mitigation), and it recognized as the key issue (as opposed to mitigation), and it is considered as the pre-disaster preparedness measures.is considered as the pre-disaster preparedness measures.

When people plan...When people plan...

Participatory appraisals and Participatory appraisals and stakeholder sensitizationstakeholder sensitization

Community Action Planning - bottoms up!

Local action

oriented

For a safer tomorrow..For a safer tomorrow..

Preventing mushrooming of NEW development projects Preventing mushrooming of NEW development projects and settlements in environmentally sensitive areasand settlements in environmentally sensitive areas

Reducing socio-economic inequalities in the population Reducing socio-economic inequalities in the population and providing for safe & healthy livingand providing for safe & healthy living

Adopting conservation and development in an Adopting conservation and development in an ECOSYSTEM SENSITIVE mannerECOSYSTEM SENSITIVE manner

Prevention Pays…!!Prevention Pays…!!

New Challenges

Multiple agencies working in DRR and Environment– Ministry of Environment and Forests– Ministry of Home affairs– National Disaster management Authority– Ministry of Science and Technology– Ministry of Agriculture– Ministry of Water Resources– Planning Commission of India

University research is not linked with development planning

Thank You!Thank You!