Presentation

by

Thimphu City Corporation

Bhutan

GLOBAL CAMPAIGN ON MAKING CITIES RESILIENT

June 8 and 9, 2010

Bhutan

Presentation Content• Inclusion and Exclusion

• The Thimphu City

• Natural Hazards & Urban Concerns for the City– Earthquake

– Landslide

– Cyclone

– Flood

– Fire

– Draught

– Climate change

• Land use planning

• Challenges/Issues

• National Disaster Management Framework

Exclusion and Inclusion • Inclusion

– Physical (tangible) dimensions of natural hazards and Urban concerns such as• Earthquake

• Landslide

• Cyclone

• Flood

• Fire

• Drought

• Climate change

• Exclusion – Intangible dimensions such as

• Air quality

• Noise

• Conviviality

• Psychological wellbeing and happiness

The City at a Glance • Area = 26 sq km

• Population = 79,185 (2005) - 672,000 (overall) - 40% of 40% of

Nat. Urban, 12.5 % Nat. PopulationNat. Urban, 12.5 % Nat. Population

• Density - 3,030 people/SqKM

• Growth rate = 7- 10 %

• The 1st Comprehensive Plan approved in 2003

The City at a Glance

The C ity at a Glance

Parliament

Local Government

(Urban/Municipal Government)

6 Zones/Ward - LAPs

National Assembly National Council

Engineerin

g

Dev. C

ontro

l

Ur. P

lanning

Enviro

nmen

t AFD

Projects

Social

Sector

Organization & Governance

The City at a Glance

Natural Hazards & Urban Concern EARTHQUAKES• Experiences

– 1890, 1960, 1982, 1988

– Sept 2009 earthquake in the east was the most severe

• Damages – Few lives lost but many buildings were

damaged

– Thimphu was spared

• Preparedness – stringent design requirements based on Zone

IV & V

– Structures built after 1997 are earthquake safe

– advocacy campaigns are also being carried out

• Issues – monitoring construction activities

– deviation during constructions

– Increased cost of construction

Natural Hazards & Urban Concern

LANDSLIDES

• Experiences

– Menace at national level

– OK at City level

– But no complacency

• Damages

– 2009 cyclone Aila

• Preparedness

– Strict Development control

– Limit density and coverage

– Buffer protection

• Issues

– Monitoring construction activities

– Pressure from property owners to relax

the rules

Natural Hazards & Urban Concern C Y C LONE

• Experiences– C yclone Aila – May 2009

– 75 mm rainfall

• Damages – 13 lives lost

– Nu. 722 million

• Preparedness

– Building designs should meet wind load standards

– Drains around properties are-must

– Buffer along rivers & streams

• Issues

– Surface runoff ever increasing

– C urrently working on a drainage master plan

Natural Hazards & Urban Concern

FLOOD

• Experiences

– Menace at the national level

– 1968 – the first major flood in the city

• Preparedness

– No construction within 30 m on either side

of river and 15 m for streams

– Soil stabilization and watershed

management zones identified

• Issues

– No clear responsibility between the District

and Municipality to manage watershed

areas

– Land fragmentation and speculation

immediately outside urban area

Natural Hazards & Urban Concern

FIRE

• Experiences

– 803 forest fires (94-04) – national

– Few Isolated fire incidences - city

• Preparedness

– Fire hydrants

– Enforcement of fire safety codes

• Issues

– Only three fire brigades (RBP)

– Water supply

– May need to educate the public

Natural Hazards & Urban Concern

DROUGHT

• Experiences

– Poverty rate at national lvl = 23%

– Urban poverty = 2%

– Thimphu’s growth at 7-10%

– Problems: housing, job, water, crime

• Preparedness

– Currently implementing 6 LAPs

– Sites for low income housing

• Issues

– Need for comprehensive survey, study

and establish a proper database

– Lack of professionally trained

manpower

Natural Hazards & Urban Concern Crime/ violence • Experiences

– 15 categories of crime

– 2007 = 1773 instances

– 2008 = 1758 instances

– 2009 = 2368 instances

• Preparedness – Establishment of Woman and Child Protection Unit (WCPU)

– Patrolling

– Police Youth Partnership Program (PYPP )

– Police Parent Partnership Program (PPPP)

– School sensitization program

– Road show

– Door to door visit

– Live television panel discussion to create awareness

– Response mechanism – Toll free line & emergency patrol vehicles

• Issues – Increase in crime faster than the police strength

– Increase in involvement of youth and educated people

– Rise in involvement of women and girls in crime

– Armed violence

– Cyber crime

– Rise in social and economic offences.