Planning needed to mitigate disaster risk: Experts
Solan, December 21
Disasters can’t be stopped fully but suitable measures and planning are needed to mitigate risk. These were the expert views expressed during the technical session on ‘Strengthening Resilience and Adaptive Capacity of Himalayan communities to Climate-Related Disasters’ during the three-day HIMSamwaad: Trans-Himalayan Conference held on Localised Solutions and Implementation Strategy.
The event was held at Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, in association with Sewa International and Indian Ecological Society.
Prof AK Mahajan, Central University, stressed on curbing unscientific widening of roads to mitigate disaster. He dwelt upon developing earthquake-resistant buildings and suggested a minimum gap of 3-5 m between houses and construction of multi-story buildings on heavy rocks.
Prof Ravindra S Gavali, Head, Centre for Natural Resources Management, Climate Change and Disaster Mitigation, Hyderabad, alerted that climate change in the future would cause decrease in groundwater, besides increased risk of landslides and floods.
Dr Shobha Shrestha from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, stressed the need for conducting vulnerability test with the help of cost-effective measures for different places with localised disaster management techniques.
Abhishek Kumar, Executive Director, Sewa International, highlighted the need for community development through community-based lead institutions and community-based livelihood.
In the second session, Anup Mudgal, former Ambassador to Mauritius, expressed his views on sustainable development in Himalayas and Climate Change. “Earth’s carrying capacity is over-utilized. Technology has given solution to the problems but it has exploited natural resources beyond their capacity.”
Experts called for studies for establishing the frequency of disasters and a check on non-scientific infrastructures such as dams, bridges, hydropower and non-farm activities that may have an impact on the base of the Himalayas.
