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southasiadisasters.net December 20152

Cities are complex centres of life, culture, innovation and economic growth.India's disaster profile is alarming with frequent incidents of natural hazards

like floods, droughts, cyclones, etc. Approximately 85 percent of Indian landmassis vulnerable to one or more natural hazards, with 68 percent vulnerable todrought, 57 percent to earthquakes, and 12 percent to floods. Estimates by theNational Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) suggest that in India, 50million people are affected by droughts and 30 million by floods annually. Thesocial, economic and environmental costs of hazards are exorbitant in view ofrapid urbanisation and unplanned development being witnessed by cities inIndia; often leaving them vulnerable. In January 2013 alone, India suffered a lossof over INR 10 billion plus due to the adverse winter weather (TERI, 2014). Inwake of various recent disaster events like Uttarakhand floods, Hud–Hud cyclonein Vishakhapatnam, Assam floods, earthquake shakes in the Himalayan region,safety concerns and disaster preparedness of our cities is put to question.

The Indian Government through its 'Smart Cities mission' is all geared to buildingnew smart cities which will turn urban centres into more energy efficient,environment friendly, and lively centres for living. However, cities can't be justsmart. They must be safe too. Several initiatives have been taken up by thegovernment in the past to strengthen disaster readiness and decrease vulnerabilityof cities. These include laying out a National Policy on Disaster Management,setting out building codes for earthquake prone areas, awareness generation,and creating a number of disaster management institutions/departments at bothnational and state levels to strengthen existing infrastructure in disaster–proneareas/states. However, there is still a huge gap in terms of the kind of preparednessthat is required given the magnitude of the potential dangers and costs of disasterevents in Indian cities. Lack of capacity of the city officials in terms of assessingthe risks at the local level and poor communication systems are some of themajor challenges faced by the city government in disaster management. Thehigh vulnerability of the cities also arises out of poor enforcement of rules andregulations and inadequate risk mitigation at the state/city levels.

In light of the high exposure to hazard risks and high vulnerability of our cities,it is important that disaster management becomes integral to developmentplanning and smart growth of our cities. Not each hazard must turn into a disaster.Cities must create a pool of data, which clearly show the history of disasterevents at each level and the destruction caused. Embedding new technologies forexample early warning systems, integrated infra monitoring systems, emergencyresponse systems and proper evacuation mechanisms can significantly help citymanagers to create an overall safe environment, safeguard city infrastructureand protect citizens in case of disaster events. By way of integrated city planning,capacity building, proper enforcement of the set land use and buildings regime,early warning and increased sensitisation of the communities on risk mitigation;cities can significantly help in reducing the social as well as economic lossesarising from such events and moving towards building safer and disaster resilientcities. Community participation and cooperation in times of disaster can also goa long way in mitigating the impacts of disaster events.

– Seema Singh, Research Associate, Sustainable Habitat Division,The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi

INTRODUCTION

Smart Cities Must beSafe Cities

ABOUT THIS ISSUE

As the second most populouscountry in the world,

India's has a greater share ofyoung people in its populationthan other countries. Almost 65%of India's population is under 35years of age, of which 39% is18years or below. Experts call thisa demographic dividend.However, the optimism of thisdividend is tempered by thedismal fact that more than 8million children under the ageof 6 years live in slums. Thisexposes a large number ofchildren to a variety of risks.These risks are greatly amplifiedin the event of disasters,emergencies and climateextremes.

If India is to reap the benefits ofthis demographic dividend thenthe rights of children and youngpeople need to be promoted andprotected. Urban developmentand regeneration has been arecurring agenda of successivegovernments. However, holisticurban development can only beachieved by embeddingchildren's rights to protectionand prosperity in India's cities.

This issue of Southasiadisasters.netfocuses on the theme of 'UrbanResilience and Children'sRights'. As Indian cities areconstantly embattled againstdisasters and emergencies, itschildren often find themselvesto be the victims of abuse,harassment and exploitation.This issue highlights the need formaking children's rights toprotection against theaforementioned risksindispensable in building 'SmartCities' that are sustainable andresilient. – Kshitij Gupta, AIDMI

southasiadisasters.netDecember 2015 3

The July 2011 monsoon rainscaused Thailand and especially

its capital, Bangkok, to experience theworst floods in the last fifty years1.The floods caused the death of morethan 800 people, 75 of which werechildren2. According to the UNFCCCthe major cause for the catastrophic2011 floods was climate change. Themost devastating consequences of thefloods were of course suffered by thepoorest and most marginalizedsegments of the population which, inan urban setting such as the city ofBangkok, mainly live in informalsettlements. These people face higherrisk as they live in spaces which arephysically more precarious andvulnerable, such as river banks, andare simultaneously less equipped torecover from the damages cased byfloods, which include inundatedhomes and disrupted livelihoods3.

Although, in contrast with other citiesin the region, a significant proportionof slum dwellers in Bangkok pay rent,are connected to electricity and thuscan expect to be relatively permanentin their surroundings4 it is once againthe poorest families which face thebiggest challenges; many do notknow how to register themselves aspermanent residents, and many,especially "irregular" migrants,

CHILDREN’S RIGHTS AND DRR

Urban Resilience and Children's Rights inBangkok

choose not to do so for fear ofbecoming visible5 and hencedeportable. It is the poorest of thepoor which lack any kind of safetynet; as they cannot access publicservices and do not have permanentshelters, their vulnerability andprecariousness is exacerbated.

Within a household children areparticularly vulnerable to theconsequences of climate change.Extreme weather events, such as the2011 floods, kill many childrenimmediately, through drowning orelectrocution, and in the longer term,through diseases related tomalnutrition, poor water andsanitation6.

Thus climate change, understood as acause for heightened food insecurityand increased malnutrition especiallyin children, is an obstacle to children'sright to "survive and thrive"7; ithampers their right to life, survivaland their right to a standard of livingadequate to their health and well-being.

The 2011 floods in Bangkok not onlycaused the suspension of thousandsof children's right to healthcare, butalso to education. In the face of themagnitude of the devastation caused

by the floods over 3000 schools acrossthe country remained shut for over amonth8 so that even the children'sright to education was hindered.

Yet, children have the potential ofbecoming key actors in the strugglefor increasing resilience to climatechange and its related naturaldisasters. They can help theircommunities identify risks and, asUNICEF studies suggest, they havethe interest and capacity to engage inthe search for adaptation solutions.Children should thus be given spaceto actively participate in policymaking processes9. In this optic theglobal movement "Child FriendlyCities" emerged almost two decadesago10. The aim of the movement is toencourage the inclusion of children'svoices in the creation of livable citieswhere every citizen, young and old,can exercise their human rights.

Movements like "Child FriendlyCities" are a beacon of hope inimagining a future where everyone,including the most vulnerablechildren, may be secure andprotected in the face of naturaldisasters. A hope for Bangkok and theworld alike.

– Costanza Ragazzi,Bangkok

1 Taylor, Anne. (2011, October, 12). "Worst Flooding in Decades Swamps Thailand". In: The Atlantic. Retrieved at: http://www.theatlantic.com

2 World Vision Asia Pacific. (2013), Cities Prepare! Reducing Vulnerabilities for the urban poor. Retrieved at: http://www.preventionweb.net/files/42643_42643citiesprepare1.pdf

3 Berquist, Michelle et al. (2015). "Planning for global environmental change in Bangkok's informal settlements" In: Journal ofEnvironmental Planning and Management. 58(10). pp. 1712.

4 World Vision Asia Pacific., pp.50.5 ibid.6 UNICEF (2011) Children and Climate Change: Children's Vulnerability to Climate Change and Disaster Impacts in East Asia and

the Pacific. Retrieved at: http://www.unicef.org/eapro. pp. 7.7 UNICEF Convention of the Rights of the Child. Retrieved at: http://www.unicef.org/crc/ index_30160.html8 World Vision Asia Pacific., pp.50.9 UNICEF (2011) pp. 15-17.10 For more on this movement see http://childfriendlycities.org


Historically, individuals,communities and enterprises

have located themselves close toeconomically or socio-politicallyconvenient locations, with limitedknowledge of current or future risks.Some of these areas are particularlyexposed to risks by virtue of theirlocations, such as trading ports orfertile river beds. Many existingneighbourhoods are now known tobe exposed to high hazard risks, bothclimatic and tectonic, and in few casesdecisions are being taken to relocatethem (or themselves). Whileresettlement could provide atransformational opportunity forreducing long term risks (hazard andother socio-economic) for thesepeople, their neighbourhoods andcities at large, other political andlegal concerns often detract thedecision makers from this goal and aholistic approach for long termdevelopment is not achieved.

Location decisions in the context ofresettlements and relocations arebased on various market forces,including availability of adequate,acquirable and 'safe' land and currentvalue of the land in question foralternate uses. But each of thosedecisions have multiple sub-dimensions. Who defines adequate?What is the availability of subsidisedpublic land versus price one is willingto pay for private land? Safety itselfis a subjective term. The location maybe safe with respect to currentlyknown risk, but in the context ofincreasing and intensifying climaterisks, will it still be safe in the future?Is it safe for hazard risks versus allother everyday socio-economic risks,and in this context is it safe forindividuals versus its safety for thecity? Who perceives what risks and

CITIES AND RESILIENCE

Relocation, Resettlement, Rehabilitation: KeyChallenges and Opportunities for Cities

how do people's perceptions of risksdrive market outcomes and viceversa?

Often people move voluntarily. Whatmeasures are taken such that the newareas they inhabit are less exposed torisks? How can people take informeddecisions such that the cumulativeoutcome of such individual decisionsis still beneficial for the cities at large?What instruments can help people tobe more resilient to respond and copewith these risks that they could notbefore? In the context of resettlementsand relocations as a corrective or pre–emptive response to hazard risks,what regulations and planningpolicies can help avoid risk creation?What incentives and disincentivescould planning introduce to affectthese distortions in inequitable landmarkets?

Risk is also often used as a pretext tomove and evict people, especiallywhen the alternate use of the landthey are currently staying at is more

economically viable. Resettlementcould be very 'costly' (financially,economically and psycho-sociologically) and must be treatedas a last resort. Only when all otheralternatives are understood as more'costly', and less effective in reducingthe 'un-mitigable' risks, thatresettlement could be considered. Itis for these conditions that thereneeds to be a better understanding ofhow then to design suchinterventions, for most effective,sustainable and equitable outcomes.

Much has been learnt from theresettlement and relocations in thecontext of developmental projects(ADB, 1995; WB, 2001), the work onclimate or hazard related R&R is stillrecent and limited (de Sherbinin etal., 2011; Ferris, 2012, 2014; Oliver–Smith, 1996; Oliver–Smith & deSherbinin, 2014). Often the samepolicies are used for developmentrelated R&R are also used in thedisaster related R&R with limitedunderstanding of the differences

Open drains outside of relocation site in Sevanagar Madhurvada, Vizag, AndhraPradesh (November 2015).

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between them. There is a furtherpaucity of literature that examines theurban context of R&R. There needs tobe more research for the mostvulnerable urban centres, particularlyin small and medium sized towns,which are often the sites where themost vulnerable are forced to live.Land tenure also is understood verywell in the land acquisition contextfor development projects, but itsunderstanding within the riskdiscourse seems to be verydisjunctive.

India will be predominantly urbanby 2030 (World UrbanizationProspects, 2014) and is now shiftingits focus from being an agrariansociety to largely an urban centriceconomy with the new nationalpolicies on cities (e.g. Smart CityScheme, Atal Mission forRejuvenation and UrbanTransformation, etc.). But at the sametime, studies show, that about 76% ofthe Indian population is exposed tohigh to medium hazards, of which29% lives in the 468 cities withpopulation more than one lakh (Jainet al., 2015). In this context ofconcentrations of people andeconomy in cities, and growing risks,it is pertinent for the planningagencies to understand ways in whichfuture risk creation could be averted,and current risks are reduced for themost equitable and sustainableoutcome.

Acknowledgement: This note is part of anoutline of the research project funded byCDKN called "Reducing Relocation Risksin Urban areas" led by Garima Jain(Indian Institute for Human Settlements)along with Cassidy Johnson (The BartlerttDevelopment Planning Unit) and AllanLavelle (FLACSO). For more informationon the outputs and projects, please visit:https://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/reducing-relocation-risk/

– Garima Jain,Indian Institute for Human

Settlements, Karnataka

Sri Lanka has often been describedas a tropical paradise. As the

golden beaches, the mesmerizingheritage and the breathtaking wildlife vie for one's attention, we can saythat it is "The grand pageant of Asia".However, Sri Lanka is also plaguedby weather related hazards. Likefloods, landslides, lightning strikes,coastal erosion and much more. Ontop of that, Sri Lanka faces one of theworld's longest running armedconflicts, one that continues to causeimmense suffering and violations ofchildren's rights.

During the period 1974-2004, 2,964,655people in Sri Lanka were affected byfloods, highlighting the country'svulnerability to low-frequency buthigh impact events.1 With more thanhalf its population likely to live incities by the year 2020, Urban Resilienceis becoming an increasinglyimportant concept in the present era.The Sri Lankan government — withthe help of the United Nations — istaking a serious measures andinitiatives towards urban resilience.Overcoming the flood problem, thegovernment has undertaken severalstrategies like improving thedrainage infrastructure through the'Metro Colombo UrbanDevelopment Project'2. One of theforemost urban developmentinitiatives of the government inrecent years has been the uplifting ofunderserved settlements through theprovision of new housing. This is toensure that there will be minimaldisruption to peoples' lives. Theurban development plans beingdrawn up for many of other cities willensure that they are all greatlyimproved in the times to come.

Studies show that over two decadesof armed conflict has meant that

CHILDREN'S RIGHTS AND DRR

Urban Resilience andChildren's Rights in Sri Lanka

today's children have grown upexperiencing only a conflict situationwith insecurity, violence, physicaland emotional trauma and materialdeprivation.3 A situation of violenceand insecurity often disregards therights of children as an affected group.The Government of Sri Lankarecognizes that the quality ofchildhood has tremendous influenceon the development of the individual.Therefore, it is implementing theNational Child Protection Policy4

which will aim to create a protectiveand caring environment, where girlsand boys are free from violence,exploitation, and unnecessaryseparation from family.

At last, we all know that the SriLankan government has madestrenuous efforts towards urbanresilience. They are also trying tochange the way children are viewedand treated. But as Albert Einsteinonce said "All that is valuable in humansociety depends upon the opportunity fordevelopment accorded to the individual."Since, the achievements of a nationare nothing but the combined effortsof each individual, therefore it isimperative to provide each child withthe opportunity to realize his or herfullest potential as an individual.

– Alaa Sagaa, Sri Lanka

1 Ministry of disaster management-reports-hazard profile of Sri Lanka

2 The Metro Colombo UrbanDevelopment Project, http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P122735/metro-colombo-urban-development-project?lang=en

3 AMARAKOON, L., 2002. ArmedConflict and Sri Lankan Children.Colombo: Save the Children.

4 National Child Protection AuthorityMinistry of Child Development andWomen's Affairs October 2013,20Child%20Protection%20Policy%20-%20final%20-%202013.10.4.pdf


ENTERPRISE AND DRR

Protecting Small Businesses in Urban Areas:From Disaster Response to Risk Reduction

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A Round Table discussion on'Linking Disaster Risk

Reduction with Risk Transfer' washeld on 21st July, 2015 at theconference hall of Assam StateDisaster Management Authority(ASDMA). Various stakeholdersincluding humanitarian agencies,government officials, insurancecompanies and small businesses ofGuwahati participated in thediscussion. Assam, which has activelyaddressed the priorities of HyogoFramework for Action (HFA) forDisaster Risk Reduction (DRR) at thelocal level, is now moving further forlinking disaster risk reduction withrisk transfer. "The biggest challengein disaster response for us has beenlack of coordination and contributionfrom all stakeholders. There is a needto work towards bridging this gap.The issues and challenges must beresolved with initiative andcommitment from all stakeholders",said by Mr. A. K. Chetia, Deputy ChiefExecutive Officer, ASDMA during theopening remarks.

"The overlap between disaster risk andclimate risk cannot be ignored. Thefrequency of climatic events and rapidand uncontrolled urban developmentneeds to be addressed by allstakeholders together. It is high timefor climate compatible development,said Mrs. Nandita Hazarika, ASDMA.The discussion moved ahead towardsa concrete action plan that considersthe linkages of climate risk in contextof Guwahati city.

"We have been a strong advocate forthe protection of street vendors andurban risk reduction cannot bevisualized without involving them",said Mr. Simanta Sarmah, head of aGuwahati based NGO called sSTEP(society for Social Transformationand Environment Protection). Smallbusinesses shared the experience ofdealing with climate risk and thecoping mechanisms that they haveadapted.

The round table discussion also had aspecial session on findings from a

recent survey on the effect of disasterson small businesses with focus ondisaster response and adaptation toclimate change in Guwahati. Thesurvey revealed some interestingfacts about their coping mechanisms:like 53% of the respondents use theirsavings; 37% sell their assets and 9%take loans to recover from anydisaster. This fact reflects the lack ofprotection measures for small(informal) businesses. This is incontrast to the contribution — 56% inGDP — by informal economy atnational level. Also in post-disastersituations, these small informalbusinesses contribute to the recoveryof the local economy. This is basedon the stories shared by smallbusinesses. "The round tablediscussion has given an opportunityto raise issues and arrive at anagreeable solution for reducing riskof the urban poor particularly theurban small businesses in Guwahati”,said Mr. Vishal Pathak, representativefrom Gujarat based All India DisasterMitigation Institute.

– Vishal Pathak, AIDMI


CLIMATE CHANGE AND DRR

The Impact of Heat Waves on VulnerableCommunities of AhmedabadThe All India Disaster Mitigation

Institute (AIDMI) has carried outresearch to measure the impacts ofthe 2014 heat waves on the vulnerableindividuals of Ahmedabad, Gujarat,India. The study looks at vulnerabilityon a small scale, with 42 informants;the study provides an insight in tothe thoughts and concerns into someof the most vulnerable to heat waves.

Despite claiming many lives andcausing countless people to becomeill, heat waves in India have rarelybeen taken seriously. Therefore thepurpose of this report was to exposehow powerful these heat waves canbe and highlight their deadly impacton the welfare of cities andcommunities. The data was collectedfrom people who work in professionsthat require constant exposure to heat.These include vegetable vendors,auto repair mechanics, cab drivers,construction workers, road side kioskowners etc. This report exposed howsocio–economic status is intrinsicallylinked with vulnerability to climateextremes and hazards.

The data from the aforementionedgroup was collected through adetailed questionnaire. The analysis

of the data reveals several interestingand enlightening facts about howheat waves are perceived by therespondent group, how they impactthem and what the respondents deemas the best measures to counteract theill-effects of a heat wave.

Results: The questionnaire producedsome fascinating data about thevulnerable perception of heat waves.

One of the most interesting resultswas when respondents were askedwhether heat waves affected theirincome a massive 38% respondedwith a yes. This is hugelydisconcerting as the respondentsalready belong to the informal sectorwith infamously low incomes. It alsoexposes that even when heat wavesdo occur, people such as therespondents in this study, would stillcontinue to expose themselves to theheat as a matter of survival. Thisresult highlights the importance oftaking the impact of heat waves onlivelihoods seriously. For peoplewho are barely surviving, thepredicted increased heat in the verynear future could have horrificconsequences. It is arguably not justthe heat directly that will damagelives but also the direct damage tolivelihoods.

The research also revealed that everysingle respondent had felt an impact

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on health. Of all the health hazardssweating and weakness wasidentified as the health impact withthe highest incidence (19%) followedby heat rashes and cramps (17%). Thisis a startling statistic as it is clear thatnot enough precautions are beingtaken to protect their health.

Heat Wave PlanAlong with primary data collectionthe study also looked into the HeatWave plan created by the AhmedabadMunicipal Corporation (AMC). Thisplan, which is the first of its kind inSouth Asia, is founded on theprinciple of 'Awareness Generation'to combat the adverse effects of a heatwave. It rests on raising publicawareness of extreme heat. Thisawareness raising exercise iscomplemented by training medicalstaff and community workers in thecity to effectively respond to heatrelated illnesses. This plan stronglyadvocates and entails an interagencyresponse effort when heat waves hit.One of the most interesting featuresof this Heat Action Plan of the AMCis that people will be issued weatheralerts through mobile phones.Through this plan, the AMC hopes toraise the awareness of the people onheat strokes and their precautions.

Similarly, as per the findings of asurvey by the Indian Institute ofPublic Heath during the last heatwave, 10% of all constructionworkers were hospitalised due toheat related sickness. The slums ofAhmedabad also reeled under thespell of heat wave in 2010 and as aresult have emerged a focus grouptargeted by this plan.

Key Lessons and Recommendations

Recognize Heat Wave as a majorHealth Risk: The primary andsecondary data collated and analysedin this research effort serve asevidence to the detrimental impactsof a heat wave on human health.However, authorities have notconsidered heat waves as a disastrousevents. There is a lack of a thoroughdegree of preparedness when itcomes to tackling heat waves asevidenced in earthquake and floodpreparedness. This report stronglyrecommends that the detrimentalimpacts of a heat wave be given duepriority at the institutional level andnecessary counter measures (such asthe up scaling of Ahmedabad HeatAction Plan) should be evolved andrefined upon.

Emulation of good practices by othercities: The Ahmedabad Heat ActionPlan is the first of its kind in SouthAsia. This plan, based on robustscientific research was aimed atbuilding and raising publicawareness to the risks of extreme heatby training medical and communityworkers on the ailments induced byheat and by improving inter-agencycommunication and coordination.This report recommends that suchresearch efforts be emulated by otherIndian cities that routinely reel underthe adverse effects of heat waves

Strengthening of InteragencyCommunication is key to a successfulheat action plan: The secondaryresearch for this study revealed thatthere is limited interagencycommunication as evidenced in thelimited communication betweenmunicipal agencies, hospitals and thegeneral public. But the AhmedabadHeat Action Plan has tried to facilitatea degree of unity in communicationbetween the various agencies.Formal communication channelsbetween different agencies haveimproved due to this plan as shownin the following figure.

In conclusion the study raises severalpoints about heat waves inAhmedabad. It reveals the opinionsand worries of the local people andhighlights what they believe the mostproductive solutions are. It alsoexposes interesting data about theextent heat waves affect livelihoodsand also the damage to health. Thestudy looks in detail at the heat waveplan; which illustrates the importanceof recognising heat waves as a majorhealth risk and the need to improveinteragency communication throughdifferent media.

The study also exposes gaps in dataand can be used to do further moreextensive studies on the impacts.

– Grace Bears,AIDMI


Kampala, the Capital City ofUganda has an urban population

of 1.936 million (2015) which is 16.1%of the total population, with anannual rate of urbanization standingat 5.43%. These population figuresshow that a large percentage of thecountry's population is resident in aspace of 189 km2 with a populationdensity of 9,429.6 persons per km2.

Traditionally, Kampala was a city ofseven hills, but over time it has cometo have a lot more, due to theincreased rate of development, therehave been several high rise buildingsconstructed within the same location.This has largely led to loss of greenspaces in Kampala city. Kampala hasa tropical rainforest climate under theKöppen–Geiger climate classificationsystem. Another facet of Kampala'sweather is that it features two annualwet seasons. There is a long rainyseason from August to December anda short rainy season from Februaryto June. However, the shorter rainyseason sees substantially heavierrainfall per month, with Apriltypically seeing the heaviest amountof precipitation at an average of

COMMUNITY RESILIENCE

Community Resilience: Why Cities are Different

around 169 millimeters (6.7 in) ofrain.

Environmental issues in Ugandainclude; draining of wetlands foragricultural use; deforestation;overgrazing; soil erosion; waterhyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria;widespread poaching to mention but

a few. Of relevance to Kampala cityis the drainage of wetlands whichplay a vital role in flood control.

Situations leading to natural disastersin Uganda are largely centered onprecipitation; that is too much of it orlack of it. In Kampala city for instance,floods and the impact of floods havebecome worse over the years. Overpopulation, increased runoff,unpredictable rainfall patterns haveled to increased losses due toflooding.

The upscale urban areas built on theseven or more hills do not feel theeffect of flooding as much as thepersons that live in the low lying areas(wetlands that have been drained).

Uganda as a country also boasts ofhaving very good laws and policies.Protection of the environment is

A flooded building in Kampala city suburbs after a heavy downpour in January2008. Source: http://m-consult.blogspot.com/2008/01/plan-uganda-pmtct-plus-changing-lives.html

A case of Kampala City — A combination of factors that have hinderedresilience


enshrined in Uganda's Constitutionof 1995 and subsequent laws; TheNational Environment Act 1998, TheNational Environment (Wetlands,River banks, lakeshoresManagement) Regulations, TheNational Environment (Hilly andMountainous areas) Regulations, tomention but a few.

Despite all these building blocks forDisaster Risk Reduction, the peopleof Kampala city have paid the priceof non–enforcement of these lawsboth in loss of lives as well as loss ofproperty.

Kampala city that is faced with issuesof flooding can benefit from thefollowing interventions that may nothave exorbitant costs:

• Rain water harvesting, tocontribute to the reduction ofrunoff

• Establishment of open greenspaces which also contribute tostorm water management

• Promote reuse of urban wastewater to reduce pressure onwetlands and free fresh water forhigher value uses

• Implementation of a drainageenhancement plan andcommunity sensitization on theimportance of having cleardraining

• Enforcement of existing policies,laws and regulations to arrestfurther degradation.

In order for the resilience of thepeople of Kampala city to be

enhanced, a combination ofecosystem restoration, environmentmanagement, community awarenessand enforcement of existingregulations would be required. Aholistic approach has to be taken forall actions to be effective. One actioncannot work in isolation of another;this necessitates all stakeholdersconcerned with the different aspectsto put in near to equal energy in eachcomponent. Focus on 'greensolutions' will be more cost effectivethat focusing on 'grey solutions' in adeveloping country where there areseveral competing priorities likehealth, livelihoods, safe water,education, etc.

– Enid Kabasinguzi Ocaya,DRR and Community ResilienceManager, World Vision Uganda

Informal settlements areparticularly vulnerable to the

adverse impacts of natural hazards.This article elaborates upon thevulnerability of slum dwellerscreated by their exposure andbiophysical conditions along withtheir chronic and acute societalconditions. Furthermore, it explainshow historical processes havechanged and shaped the vulnerabilityof people living in thesecommunities, showing how theyhave been disenfranchised comparedto the formal community. It issuggested that for improvements tohappen, disaster management plansneed to be flexible to the differential

SLUMS AND DRR

The Vulnerability of Informal Settlements inUrban Centres of the Developing World

vulnerabilities of slum dwellers andmore importantly, there needs to begreater consideration given to theirsituation and their ideas in thepolitical decision-making process.

The Global Magnitude of the Problem"In 2012, 863 million urban residents inthe developing world were living in slumconditions – up from 650 million in 1990and 760 million in 2000." — The UNMillennium Development Goals ProgressReport 2013.

In the developing countries of Asia,megacities such as Mumbai,Shanghai, and Jakarta have shiftingdynamics, in terms of higher

population density, infrastructure,networking, information, andconnectivity,1 and can be considered'incubators for disasters'2 as they aremostly located in coastal areas. Thechanging characteristics of global andlocal environmental processesfurther aggravate the risk of extremenatural events,3 with the most severeproblems of environmental healthoccurring in the urban periphery andinner slum areas.4

In the 1980's, 90% of urban householdgrowth took place in slums in SouthAsia.5 Included here are areas thatwere originally left vacant becausethey were considered hazardous and

1 Chatterjee, Monalisa. "Slum dwellers response to flooding events in the megacities of India." Mitigation and adaptationstrategies for global change 15, no. 4 (2010): 337–353.

2 Handmer, John W., and Stephen Dovers. The handbook of disaster and emergency policies and institutions. Earthscan, 2007.3 Pachauri, Rajendra K. "Climate change 2007. Synthesis report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the fourth

assessment report." (2008).4 Tran, Pham Gia, and Roger Few."Coping with floods in the Mekong Delta, Viet Nam." Flood hazards and health: responding

to present and future risks. London: Earth Scan (2006): 128Á45.5 Davis, M. (2006). Planet of slums. New Perspectives Quarterly, 23(2), 6–11.


6 Wamsler, Christine. "Mainstreaming risk reduction in urban planning and housing: a challenge for international aid organisations."Disasters 30, no. 2 (2006): 151–177.

7 Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs. "Disaster Management in India." (2005).8 Kumar, Santosh, and Chaturvedi, Shekher. "The Formulation of District Disaster Management Plan." National Institute of

Disaster Management. http://nidm.gov.in/PDF/modules/DDMP.pdf. (accessed May 16, 2014).9 McGranahan, Gordon, Deborah Balk, and Bridget Anderson. "The rising tide: assessing the risks of climate change and human

settlements in low elevation coastal zones." Environment and Urbanization 19, no. 1 (2007): 17–37.10 Burton, Ian. The environment as hazard. Guilford Press, 1993.11 Gall, Melanie. "Social dynamics of Unnatural Disasters: Parallels between Hurricane Katrina and the 2003 European Heat

Wave." Dynamics of Disaster (2011): 159–172.12 Baker, Judy L., ed. Climate change, disaster risk, and the urban poor: cities building resilience for a changing world. World

Bank Publications, 2012.

prone to flooding, landslides andindustrial pollutants; areas which arenow occupied by squatters orinformal settlements. Urban growth,whether planned or unplanned, wasseldom used as a way to reducedisaster risk in disaster managementplans.6 In the last decade, theGovernment of India has broughtabout a paradigm shift in theapproach to disaster management byembedding disaster mitigation intothe development process.7 Here, theemphasis is that disaster can affectdevelopment as much as development canaffect disaster.

This was clear in the aftermath of the2001 Gujarat earthquake. The directlosses (human lives, private property,health/education assets, etc.) andindirect losses (export/import,industry/services output, healthhazards, etc.) affected over 180,000

lives and cost over Rs. 284,299million, proving that disaster anddevelopment cannot be viewed inisolation of each other.8 Chatterjeewarns that marginal populationgroups in megacities suffer morenegative consequences fromincreasing global processes and do notbenefit from disaster risk mitigationstrategies adopted by national andlocal governments. The magnitude ofthis issue will only increase, with anadditional 500 million peopleestimated to be living in 7,000–12,000urban settlements by 2060.9 Clearly,this pertinent issue needs furtherattention.

The Vulnerability of Informal SettlementsVulnerability can be driven byexposure and biophysical conditions, suchas the locations of informalsettlements in low–lying anddisaster–prone areas, or chronic and

acute societal conditions, such as limitedor no access to political and economicresources because of the illegal statusof many slum dwellers.10 The term"biophysical" suggests that there arephysical components associated withthe nature of a hazard and biologicaland social components associatedwith the resulting properties of theaffected system. Concerned in thisapproach is to measure the ultimateimpacts experienced by a system as aresult of an encounter with a hazard.Slum dwellers, especially, sufferdisproportionately from varyingdegrees of physical risk and socialvulnerability than residents living inthe formal economy.11

Using India as an example, thegeomorphological vulnerability canbe attributed to the fact that 57% ofthe landmass is prone to earthquakesand 40 million hectares (12%) isprone to flooding. Furthermore, 8000kilometers (9%) of coastline is proneto cyclone, increasing the country'sexposure and biophysical condition. Thishas implications for the differentialpopulation densities along the coast– the co-location of dense humansettlements with potentiallydevastating natural and technologicalhazards can lead to an increase indisasters.

Informal settlements in these urbanareas are particularly vulnerable toflooding, land subsidence, heatwaves, and increased health risks.12

Sharma and Tomar reason that thisvulnerability is an inevitable andevident risk faced by emerging cities

Phot

o: A

IDM

I.


1 3 Sharma, Divya, and Sanjay Tomar. "Mainstreaming climate change adaptation in Indian cities." Environment and Urbanization22, no. 2 (2010): 451–465.

1 4 Arunachalam, B. "Drainage problems of Brihan Mumbai." Economic and Political Weekly (2005): 3909–3911.1 5 Quarantelli, E. L. "Urban vulnerability to disasters in developing countries: managing risks." Building safer cities: the future

of disaster risk (2003): 211–232.16 Wisner, Ben. "Marginality and vulnerability: Why the homeless of Tokyo don't 'count' in disaster preparations." Applied

Geography 18, no. 1 (1998): 25–33.17 Hilhorst, D. J. M., and G. E. A. Bankoff. "Introduction: mapping vulnerability." (2004).18 Planning Commission I, "First five year plan." (1951).19 Henderson, Kathryn. "Mind maps, memory and relocation after Hurricane Katrina." Dowty, Rachel A. und Barbara L. Allen

(Hg.), Dynamics of Disaster. Lessons on Risk, Response and Recovery, S (2011): 77–96.

in India; the increase in drought fromclimate change causes the increase inseasonal migration to urban areas.13

Furthermore, a lot of the coastalmegacities are developed on reclaimedland, and the filling of the marshy areasin one location shifts water to lowlying areas, where many informalsettlements are commonly located.

In terms of chronic societal conditions,public flood mitigation funds aremore likely to be used in large scalerisk–reduction policies that benefitthe formal economy,14 and slumdwellers typically do not receivesuggestions and consultancies fromurban planning and developmentinstitutions to adapt hazard riskreduction techniques in buildingdesign.15 16 As such, varying degreesof power relations are exhibitedthrough historical social processesbetween the two groups (formal andinformal),17 showing that disastermanagement in slums is part of alarger development problem inmegacities of developing countries.

Vulnerability may also be centuriesin the making — societal anddestructive agents co-produce and areembedded in natural and socialsystems as unfolding processes overtime. The aftermath of a disasterstrike is a process of coming to gripswith history. In colonial India, therefusal of the Raj to provide minimalwater supplies and sanitation tourban Indian neighbourhoods wasparallel to its housing policies, whichoutlined the building of profitable,but often overcrowded andunsanitary, tenements that are stillhome to millions of Indians today.

At the time of independence in 1947,slums in India accommodatedmarginal communities like laborersand construction workers, refugeeimmigrants from East and WestPakistan, and low castecommunities.18 Over the decades,slum settlements have increased andchanged to include diversity in theirsociocultural background (region,caste, language, and religion) andeconomic characteristics (type ofoccupation, sector of employmentand income). Davis describes it in hisbook, 'Planet of Slums', that housingis a verb — the urban poor must solvecomplex equations in order tooptimize housing cost, tenuresecurity, quality of shelter,transportation to work, and often,their personal safety. Since informalcommunities are heterogeneouscommunities, the differentsociocultural and economic factorsand characteristics contribute todetermining the level of vulnerabilityeach household suffers.

Thus, developing post–disastersupport networks require theconsideration of historicalunderstanding, perceptions of copingabilities in each particular time andlocation, and the socioculturalcharacteristics of each household'svulnerability or resilience.19 Thishelps address not just the politicalquestion of why a disaster happens,but also how the resilience orvulnerability of a community wasrendered. However, caution needs tobe taken when distinguishingbetween historical understanding andhistorical acceptance of the conditionsof vulnerability.

Concluding RemarksToday's disaster risk and mitigationmanagement needs to shift the modelof thinking from dealing with thesymptoms to dealing with thehistorical root causes.16 It can beargued then that current disastermanagement institutions and policyprocesses in India have significantknowledge gaps on longer–termstrategic policy development forinformal settlements. As shown,informal settlements havedifferential vulnerabilities thatincreases their risks during naturaldisasters compared to the formalsector.

If urban development strategies areto be incorporated in disastermanagement plans, the local affectedpopulations need to be incorporatedas key stakeholders in the formalepistemic and political processes andthe plans need to be flexible to thedifferential vulnerabilities. These areonly the first steps of addressing ahuge knowledge gap in the disastermanagement strategies not only inIndia, but in marginal populations ofmegacities around the world. Furtherneglect of this already neglectedpopulation will prove to be not onlycostly, but will bring the globalcommunity further away frominternational and local populationhealth and livelihood goals.

– Jessica Yu,McMaster University, Canada.

The content of this article is a continuationof the research that I've done for my

courses in the Master of Science in GlobalHealth program at McMaster University

and Maastricht University.


Humanitarian crises arebecoming more frequent,

widespread and complex. Globally,2014 figures indicate that over 58million people – the highest numberto date – were reportedly forced toflee from violence or persecution,while an estimated 107.3 millionpeople were affected by disasterscaused by natural hazards.

While humanitarian action hasbecome increasingly organised,interconnected and diverse,numerous international studies haveshown the humanitarian sector todayis still not fit for purpose. It lacksenough qualified and professionalstaff and existing humanitarians havelittle or no prospect of a definedcareer path. The 'humanitariansystem' is not very flexible, does notallow us to cope adequately with thecomplex challenges we face, and doesnot provide us with the best possibleinformation for how to respond tocrises. In addition, it often fails torecognise the skills and expertise thatalready exists in local communities.This can mean responses to crises areweakened, and inappropriatelyresourced, with tragic consequences.

The Humanitarian LeadershipAcademy is an ambitious initiativeto reduce the impact of futuredisasters by planning and preparingnow. Prepared and connectedcommunities will be developed andsupported by the Academy throughthe training of the next generation ofhumanitarian leaders and respondersin disaster prevention andmanagement; the spread of bestpractice and knowledge; and, the

LEADERSHIP AND DRR

The Humanitarian Leadership Academy

promotion of excellence at all levelsof the sector.

Collaboration is at the heart ofmeeting the challenge at the scale thatthe Academy is aiming towards. TheAcademy will collaborate withpartners to provide learning anddevelopment products and servicesfor individuals and organisations.We'll find the best examples of local,national and internationalknowledge and innovation andtranslate it and make it available forother communities and organisationsto use in their context.

The Academy recognises that theissue with humanitarian capacitybuilding is not necessarily a lack ofquality humanitarian training, whichoften already exists, but globallyrecognised standards and trainingaccessible for local first–phaseresponders. The Academy willtherefore focus on sustainable, cost-effective and efficient channels forconveying locally appropriate,quality–assured knowledge and bestpractice to humanitarians all over theworld.

In the next five years ten trainingcentres across Asia, Africa, LatinAmerica and Europe will beestablished, with the Philippinesamongst the first locations. By 2020,the Academy will have reached100,000 members of local, regionaland national organisations andcommunities, spanning 50 countries,with quality learning anddevelopment products andservices.

An online digital platform will bebuilt to provide responders aroundthe world with access to qualitycourses, training tools and materials,translation and information searchengine type facilities. 100 bestpractice case studies on disasterprogramming and capacity-buildinginitiative will also be shared andshowcased.

We will draw on the experience ofthe corporate sector, learningprofessionals, academia,international institutions, the UN, theRed Cross/Red Crescent movementand NGOs from across the globe. Thiswill place continued emphasis onstrengthening local organisations invulnerable crisis-affected countries torespond effectively to disasters intheir own areas.

Through partnerships, the Academywill work to ensure the learningproducts are externally accredited,cost-effective and sustainable, and canbe delivered by the most efficientchannels to maximise knowledgesharing — from face-to-face teachingto e–learning.

Ultimately, local, national andregional organisations andcommunities can provide the earliest,most informed and sustainableresponses. We envisage a worldwhere people respond to crises intheir own countries, and theHumanitarian Leadership Academyhas been set up to help make thishappen.

– Laura Jump,Head of Business Development for the

Humanitarian Leadership Academy,Save the Children UK

Empowering People Around the World to Prepare for and Respond toCrises in their Own Country


This request and my recent reengagement with key leader

workers of Duryog Nivaran have setme thinking back 18 years to my firstencounter during DN's partnershipwith ADPC, one of the foundermembers, in planning the launch ofthe first regional CBDRR course inAsia which was held in March 1997.Certainly LARED and Practical Actiondeserve kudos for spawning regionalclones in DN in South Asia and Peri Periin Africa, each of whom have developeddeep roots and made their distinctmark in their respective continents.

DN has in these two decades has seenits alternative view go mainstreamand impact governments of theregion and find echoes in SFDRR. DNhas engaged and shaped South Asianpolicy dialogue, done in-depthanalytical work in its South AsiaDisaster Reports whose advocacy hashad focused impact, and deepengagement and impact with SouthAsian/Asian institutions andmechanisms that emerged later, theSAARC DM Center, the SAARC DRRFramework and Road Maps, theexpanded Asia Partnership for DRR(IAP), the Asian MinisterialConferences, and shaped thevoluntary commitments made bycivil society and women's groups in2012 and 2014 AMCs. Together withits sister network ADRRN, born a fewyears later in 2002, it helped birthGNDR, the global CS movement onDRR in 2007 and decisively shapedits growth, governance and reach.

All of this wider impact is anchoredin the work of its memberorganizations and dedicatedpractitioners who, deeply rooted intheir communities, districts and

NEW PERSPECTIVES

Looking Forward with Hindsight

countries have been practical wiseand farsighted in working on issuesof concern to the most vulnerable, (a)participation and voice in local riskand development governance, (b)community engagement with localand Sub national government, (c)building resilience of livelihoods, (d)women's empowerment andleadership and (e) microfinance andinsurance. Kudos to the members,DN founders and leaders over theselast two decades.

Advancing HFA's cautious approach,SFDRR rightly recognizes four levelsof action for impact for eachsubstantive priority; validates therole of major constituency groups innot just advocacy and monitoring, butpartnerships in implementation withleadership exercised by civil societyand its "vulnerable" sections; andrecognizes the need trans boundaryregional action. These three are thepivots of the SFDRR mandate for DNto base and design its role in workingwith Governments, otherstakeholders and their organizationsin advancing focused action onSFDRR in each South Asian countryand at the South Asian regional level.

DN should consciously choosefocused areas building on itsmembers substantive strengths, andpast track record (a) to (e) above,cautiously adding new areas ofinterest and preferably existingcapacity of at least one member in aleadership role. These contributedirectly to SFDRR global targets 4 and5 and are well aligned with priorities2, 3 and 4 and specific sections therein1

(see box – consider putting full or editedtext of the relevant targets and sectionsin a box). DN should help realize thefull power of the newly mandated'role of civil society stakeholders' by

looking at and supportingimplementation of earlier AMCcommitments for civil society andwomen's major groups, empoweredby the new mandate to 'contribute topublic awareness, provideknowledge and pragmatic guidance,engage in development andimplementation, and advocate for anall of society, inclusive DRM whichstrengthen synergies across groups’2( SFDRR sect 36a).

When supporting implementation ofSFDRR, let us not start from a cleanslate. Let us revive and revise earlierregional and national roadmapsdeveloped during the HFAImplementation decade, and infusenew life and energy into theircontinued implementation. So toothis will require new energy andsystematic, deepened engagement forDN with national CS networks inSouth Asia that have come into beingin this last decade. And work at theprovince/state ad district level,supporting CSO forums and networksand engaging with governments atthese levels. These are challengingtasks and difficult to achieve, but letus not shirk from them, insteadsetting the pace in the first of the fivethree year periods of implementation.

And finally this will require maturebuilding of DN internal capacity andmembership structures, greaterreliance on organizationalmembership and partnership withnational CSO networks, clearerarticulation of rights andresponsibilities, and constructivealliance building with other regionaland global networks. But this is thesubject of another longer piece foranother day. – Loy Rego,

MARS Practitioners Network, Indiaand Duryog Nivaran Fellow Traveler

1 (27 f, g and h; 30 b, j and p; 33 a, d and i)2 Edited version of section 36 a

Building on two decades of Duryog Nivaran's work tolaunch focused action in South Asia during the first threeyears of SFDRR Implementation


The first decade of the 21st centurywas the warmest since 1850, when

more precise climate measurementsstarted. This unprecedented increasein the temperature is one of thereasons that explains a higherincidence of extreme climatic eventshitting the whole world. Particularlyin Brazil, an increasing populationcoulped with a steep (268%) rise inthe incidence of disasters during thefirst decade of the 21st century, hasbeen responsible for killing hundredsand for displacing thousands.

Due to the rapid increase in theincidence of natural disasters in Brazilin the past few years, the governmentcreated the National Center for Riskand Disaster Management in 2012. Itwas also followed by the launch ofthe National Plan for RiskManagement and Disaster Response,which intended to add BRL 18.8billions in joint actions related todisaster mitigation until 2014. Thisplan was divided in four main cores:prevention (BRL 15.6 billions),mapping (BRL 162 millions),monitoring (BRL 362 billions), andresponse (BRL 2.6 billions).

Between 1980 and 2010, of all thepeople killed by disasters in Brazil,the least percentage of casualties canbe attributed to droughts (behind, forexample, floods, storms and massmovements). However, the greatestnumber of people have been affectedby droughts (68,4% of reported affectedpeople). In 2012, the Brazilian semiaridregion experienced the worst droughtof the last 30 years and more than 50%of the Northeast municipalitiesdeclared a state of emergency.

The Brazilian 'Drought Polygon'Apart from having the second longestriver in the world(the Amazon),Brazil is also home to a variety of

NEW CHALLENGES

A New Reality: Drought Situation in Brazil

climatic subtypes: while in Amazonregion the Equatorial climate allowsrainfalls throughout the year, theSemiarid climate in the Northeast isless generous to its people –especially in the zone called "Polígonoda Seca" (Drought Polygon), whererainfall is scarce and erratic.

Although the climate is tough, it doesnot mean that society cannotovercome its consequences and adaptitself. The drought in DroughtPolygon is a natural cyclicphenomenon and, as so, predictableand possible to monitor. Added tothis, the implementation ofappropriate techniques would ensurethe livelihood security of itsinhabitants.

But the northeast region of Brazilhistorically suffers from socialinequality and poverty and featuresthe worst socioeconomic indicatorsin the country. A "Drought Industry"has been developed there, whichmeans that some politicians and somepeople of the ruling class seize theregion's tragedy, using it as an excusefor their own advantage andmisappropriating governmentsubsidies.

Handling the droughtAs the drought is an ongoing eventin the northeast, the government actson it through two main ways: 1)Assurance of a proper hydraulicstructure and 2) Human rightspromotion, once the drought ischronic and continuously represent athreat for the socioeconomicdevelopment of the region – and,ultimately, of the country itself.

As for the federal multi-annual plan,being a sensitive matter in the contextof Brazil, the topic of drought isincluded both in the Food and

Nutrition Security Program, underthe world-renowned ‘Brazil WithoutExtreme Misery Plan’, and in the‘Water Supply Program.’

Besides the government initiatives,national and international aidinstitutions also develop activities inthe northeast region aiming toimprove the communities' resilienceand reduce the risks from drought. Inthese communities, the main goal isto mitigate the effects of drought andcreate alternatives ways for its peopleto earn a living. Usually it is donethrough simple methods, which donot require high-tech solutions andwhich involve the communitytowards the objective.

São Francisco River DiversionAs a solution for the adverse realityfaced by the Brazilian Northeast, itwas developed as a project for thediversion of the São Francisco River– fourth longest river in SouthAmerica, it lies entirely in Brazil andis known as "the river of nationalintegration".

Expected to finish by the end of 2015,the project is considered one of the 50largest infrastructure constructionsrunning across the world. It is thebiggest government initiativetowards water resource policy andintends to ensure water security formore than 390 municipalities in thenortheast.

Nonetheless, the project dividesopinions: São Francisco is a verydistinguished Brazilian river -mainlydue to its importance to biodiversitymaintenance and utility in transport-and those who oppose to the projectbelieve that it is an exceedinglyexpensive investment, incapable ofmeeting the inhabitants' real needs.

– Ana Carolina Richter, AIDMI


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 AriyabanduSub-Regional Coordinator, Central Asia & SouthCaucasus, United Nations Office for Disaster RiskReduction (UNISDR), Kazakhstan

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, Behind Old Natraj Cinema, Near Mithakhali Railway Crossing, Ashram Road,Ahmedabad–380 009 India. Tele/Fax: +91-79-2658 2962E-mail: [email protected], Website: http://www.aidmi.org, www.southasiadisasters.net

AIDMI is delighted to receive generous support of UNICEF (India) towards this issue.

CITIES AND RESILIENCE

Resilience and Sustainability for Smart Cities

The historically unprecedenteddeluge in Chennai, brought on

by record-breaking levels of rainfallhas brought life to a screeching haltin the city. Nature with an almostcruel sense of irony, decided tounleash its fury on Chennai at a timewhen the world was convening atParis to settle on a new deal thatwould help in coping with climatechange and extreme climate events.Till now the floods have claimed347 lives and caused widespreadeconomic losses to the tune of US $3 billion.1

As Chennai staggers towardsrecovery, these floods offer twovery important lessons. The firstlesson is embedding resilience inthe idea of a 'smart city'. Thegovernment of India's 'Smart Cities'programme aims at revitalizing theurban infrastructure in India bybuilding 100 smart cities. Anoverhauling of the physical,institutional, social and economic

infrastructure of these cities is seenas a pre-condition of making thesecities 'smart'. However, the Chennaifloods have highlighted howresilience too should be anindispensable part of the 'SmartCities' programme.

When applied in the context of a city,the term resilience can mean theability of a city to function normallyeven in the face of an emergency.Clearly in Chennai's case resiliencewas sorely lacking. Despite having aplethora of modern high rises, ITparks, knowledge parks and a newage international airport, record-breaking rainfall brought the city toits knees. This highlights theimportance of embedding the idea ofresilience as an ideal of the 'SmartCities Mission'.

The second lesson that the Chennaifloods offer is that of sustainability.The lack of resilience was due to alack of sustainable urban

development in Chennai. It is nowbecoming conventional wisdomthat Chennai's urban developmentis a direct function of bad urbanplanning and rampantencroachment by fly-by-nightproperty developers. Thereclaiming of Chennai's numerouslakes and tanks for the purpose ofreal estate development have alsomeant a loss of natural drainagechannels for excess water during themonsoons. Many experts believethat the loss of these naturaldrainage channels is the greatestreason behind the extreme floodingexperienced by Chennai.

Perhaps this tragedy in Chennaiwill catalyze the establishment inembedding the ideas of resilienceand sustainability in the lexicon ofurban development of a countryroutinely plagued by disasters andclimate extremes.

– Kshitij Gupta, AIDMI

1 How Chennai Floods Stack Up Against Other Natural Disasters in 2015, http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2015/12/11/how-chennai-floods-stack-up-against-other-natural-disasters-in-2015/

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