At any one time, some natural disaster has just struck or about to strike somewhere in the worlds cities taking a toll of human lives and material losses. The world no more lives in rural nor the disaster; urbanization has surpassed rural population. For the first time in the history of mankind, more people live in an urban environment than a rural one and in just 20 years, over 60 per cent of the world’s population will live in cities and towns (UN HABITAT)
A fortunate individual will live in places like Amsterdam, Tokyo or Singapore having better access to clean water inside the home, lifting of garbage on time, connected to sewerage and good mobility. Same time if you faced a disaster like situation i.e fire, earth quake or floods, you can call for emergency assistance and also get post insurance coverage. But everyone may not be fortunate to have all this with living in cities not given propriety of understanding disaster cycle or lives in war zones (slums), where every day survival is a struggle.
According to World Disasters Report (WDR) 2010 “2.57 billion urban dwellers living in low and middle income nations are exposed to unacceptable levels of risk fuelled by rapid urbanization, poor local governance, population growth, poor health services and, in many instances, the rising tide of urban violence, much of this urban population is also particularly exposed to climate change.”
South Asia is experiencing a major demographic transition. During the last fifty years, India's total population more than doubled, while the urban population grew by more than five times. In 1996, the urban population in Bangladesh was 23 million. By 2020, it will increase to 58 million. The urban population in Nepal, during the same period, will grow from 2.6 million to 7.7 million, and in Sri Lanka it will double to more than 8 million. A cyclone striking, large scale inundation of dense urban population, or the wiping out of a poor houses due to heavy rain fall or storm surge or a earthquake in waiting are parts of serious simulation exercises of South Asia.
"I call for the need of world leaders to address climate change and reduce the increasing risk of disasters- and world leaders must include Mayors, townships and community leaders" UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the opening of the Incheon Conference "Building an Alliance of Local Governments for Disaster Risk Reduction", August 2009
The indications from the region’s history of disasters are a grim reminder of what could be in store. South Asia is one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world. From Orissa (India) super cyclone in 1999, Gujarat (India) Earthquake in 2001, the 2004 tsunami in India, Sri Lanka, and Maldives to devastating earthquakes in Pakistan to recurring floods in Bangladesh making South Asia Bubbling over Disasters.
A South Asian city Bhubaneswar despite being located at one of the poorest states in India has been teetering from one extreme weather condition to another: from heat waves to cyclones, and from drought to floods. Since 1965, these calamities have not only become more frequent, they have struck areas that have never experienced such conditions before. A heat wave killed around 2,200 people in 1998 -- most of the casualties were from coastal Orissa, a region known for its moderate climate. In 1999, a cyclone passing through Orissa left 20,000 people dead including 20 million people homeless, 5 million farmers out of work and hectares of cropland destroyed amounting to a total loss of £1.5 Billion.
By 2030, India can expect a 1 to 1.5 degree Celsius rise in temperature and more intense spells of rain Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM). Bhubaneswar city is not exceptional the change in temperature pattern reflects, as every summer is getting hotter surpassing mid of monsoon, night temperature is getting hotter; winter is becoming colder and reduction in rainy days with more rainfall due to cyclone than monsoon. Similarly the city is under Seismic Zone III similar to that of Latur and Ahmedabad, which has already seen earthquakes in past.
This City is highly becoming vulnerable to disasters induced by natural hazards & climatic factors with frequent and severe during the last decades. Like heat wave in 1998, super cyclone 1999 and catastrophic flooding in 2001 took the city by surprise. The Times of India in its 4th Nov 1999 issues described Bhubaneswar as Ghost City - Streets were deserted as a thick blanket of darkness descends added to the gloom of the shocked citizens. There is a say in this part of the world is that
“we move five steps then one disasters pushes back ten steps”.
The outcomes of risk assessment become very important component for all developmental activities of the city. The risk assessment realized that even a good infrastructure might not be good always, until unless a backup system. The first step city took was updated Master Plan along with revisited the regulatory mechanisms for building byelaws, integration of risk assessment with land use mapping using Geographic Information System (GIS) database. Second, the city undertook massive awareness & capacity building programmes with support of national, state and bilateral agencies. Third, upgrading its infrastructure i.e. road, sewerage, fire safety, drainage, sanitation and introduced public transport system. Fourth, being the capital city received appropriate institutional mechanism support from both state & national government for setting actions both for mitigation as well as for post disaster situation.
The message is clear to the world that despite its location in a poorest state of India has emerged as the hub of industries, education and tourist destination for many. In recent studies World Bank ranked Bhubaneswar as 3rd best city in India to do business 2009 and Confederation of Indian Industries identified within 37 most livable cities in India. This all compliments progress that Bhubaneswar has made last one decade emerging from a disastrous to progressive city of this part of the world.
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| Source: UNISDR, My city is Getting Ready Campaign |
The Mayors of South Asia are also committing themselves making their cities more resilient to multiple hazards, by signing up to the UNISDR “Making Cities Resilient” campaign to monitor building construction by-laws, raising awareness on the need to safeguard the environment and enhancing school and hospital safety. Similarly, Local Governance Network and City Managers’ Association Orissa in India initiated joint local campaign to support UNISDR effort, as “We are Getting Ready, How about you?” The actions include investing more in disaster reduction, preparing & sharing risk assessments, ensuring early warning systems are in place and protecting ecosystems to reduce floods, cyclones and storm surge impacts. Today South Asian cities are Bubbling in addressing all odds in making their cities march towards development from Post recovery to mainstreaming DRR.
Views expressed in this paper are of the Author and not that of organisation he represents or belongs.piyushbbsr@yahoo.com
