Inside this issue
Disasters: Emerging Perspectives
With the global increase in frequency and intensity of disasters, the need to address diverse challenges in the field of disaster research and practice requires a perspective beyond the current hazard-centric one. The paper points to significance of structural, social, and political processes that define the relationship between communities, ecosystems and technologies in disaster research.
If the capacity of a community to face the perceived disasters is developed before the specialised responders arrive, many lives could be easily saved and infrastructural losses minimised.
Being prepared for disasters before they strike entails ensuring that the rescue teams have the necessary equipment, know where to take people from the affected area and, most importantly, how to keep themselves safe so that the rescue operation continues. By implementing geospatial techniques, emergency preparedness and response phase operations can be customised, and ready to use scenarios can be created to provide information on how to alert, prepare and train volunteers for emergencies.
The utility of disaster insurance, a relatively new concept for India, is still being debated. This insurance would perhaps be useful only if a foundation is laid for a social and physical disaster mitigation infrastructure.
Only in the last decade, 130 significant chemical accidents have been reported in India, which resulted in 259 deaths and 563 major injuries. Safety measures are thus required to be addressed by all stakeholders, in a sustained manner, for the prevention of chemical accidents.
The mechanism of an earthquake is very complex. The resultant liquefaction of soil is one of the prime causes of immense damage to life and property and has been discussed in the essay.
Mainstreaming corporate social responsibility in disaster management could support disaster preparedness and mitigation activities of the community and mobilise human, material, and financial resources of the company for utilisation during disaster situations.
Coastal populations, especially those of the east coast of India, are prone to frequent cyclonic calamities. Women’s participation in distribution, rebuilding, management and all other aspects of disaster is imperative for fostering responsive and sensitive partners who can mitigate the vulnerability status.
The ghost town of Dhanushkodi, Located on a tombolo a little beyond Rameswaram, used to be India’s furthest outpost in the Indian Ocean. However, the super cyclone OF 1964 not only wiped out India’s history but also its geography.
The fire in the Seshachalam forest in Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh destroyed 1300-1400 hectares of forest land belonging to Andhra Pradesh, and about 100 hectares of forest land belonging to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam.
With inadequate training, poor pest management, and lack of quality marketing facilities, the 60 million USD honey industry’s growth is hampered. With a potential for annual exports growth pegged at 20 per cent, honey can be a good income source for agriculturists.
In brief
Dear Readers In January this year, a score of letters, faxes and emails were sent out from our office requesting for success stories. Destination—state disaster management authorities—every single one of them. And guess what, even after confirming every communication, not one of them deigned it
