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Creating a Culture of
Disaster Preparedness
A Monograph on Experience of Oxfam GB in Building
a Culture of Disaster Preparedness in Andhra Pradesh

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Contents

Preface v

1. Introduction 3

2. The State Approach to Disaster Management 7

3. Oxfams Disaster Preparedness Intervention in Coastal Andhra Pradesh 17


3.1 Creating a Culture of Disaster Preparedness 18
3.1.1 Village contingency plan 18
3.1.2 Village task force groups 22
3.2 Integration of Disaster Preparedness into the Development Process 23
3.2.1 Savings & income generation 26
3.2.2 Insurance 27
3.2.3 Health care, water and sanitation improvement 29
3.2.4 Housing 30
3.2.5 Empowering women 32
3.3 Beyond Community Preparedness 32

4. Oxfams Partner NGOs 43

5. Conclusion 47

List of Tables
Table 1 Year-wise Analysis of Disasters in Andhra Pradesh 4

Table 2 Death Toll by Cyclones in Andhra Pradesh since the 1600s 4

Table 3 Typical Government Response to Disasters at the Local Level 8


Table 4 Details of the Insurance Schemes Promoted
by Oxfam in Andhra Pradesh as Part of Disaster Preparedness 28

Figure 1: Structure of Village Level Development Organisation 25

Disaster Preparedness III


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Preface

Creating a Culture of Disaster Preparedness


The Southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh (AP) is one of the most disaster prone states
and is regularly affected by droughts, oods and cyclones. It is estimated that about
44% of APs total territory is vulnerable to tropical storms, oods and related hazards.
The state has experienced more than hundred medium to major scale cyclones and oods
over the last hundred years. The response to each of these devastating cyclones meant
diversion of enormous resources from the planned development to un-planned relief and
rehabilitation.

Inspite of immediate and qualitative relief given by Oxfam GB, other organisations as well
as government, the conditions of these people expose to the disaster remains the same.
Good relief does not prevent another disaster. It can only help these people survive but
cant reduce the risk. Disasters make poor people poorer and more vulnerable to future
disasters. But these loses could have been avoided with the culture of disaster prepared-
ness. So disaster preparedness cant be a project with specic time frame, but should be a
conscious process and an integral part of mainstream development initiatives.

In 1997, Oxfam GB initiated efforts for creating a culture of disaster preparedness in And-
hra Pradesh. The key components of this initiative are: Community Based Disaster Prepar-
edness, Disaster Risk Reduction of Vulnerable communities through Housing, Insurance,
training, health awareness, drinking water & sanitation as well as, Capacity Building of
government, civil society & media organisations and periodic documentation and knowl-
edge sharing among the agencies involved in development and disaster management.

This report is part of a series of efforts that we have initiated in Andhra Pradesh to pro-
mote a culture of disaster preparedness. The purpose of this report is to share our learn-
ing with other stake organisations and individuals interested in disaster risk reduction of
communities.

We gratefully acknowledge the support of ECHO, Hivos (1998-2001) and Mahindra British
Telecommunication (MBT) to this programme.

K. Dharmaraju N. Hari Krishna


Oxfam GB Oxfam GB

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Introduction
1. Introduction
Natural disasters are termed so because of the widespread harm they cause to
life, property and the environment. They can be particularly disastrous for com-
munities, with their individual and collective assets, where these losses are both
direct and indirect. Direct losses include physical damage to people, to public
infrastructure and buildings, and the deterioration of the environment. Indirect
losses, on the other hand, are those that affect the smooth working of public
services, utilities, mass media, commerce and industry.

Generally, natural disasters cannot be prevented. In some cases, however, they can be
controlled to a degree. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tidal waves and cyclones are ex-
amples of hazards that cannot be prevented, while oods, droughts and landslides can be
controlled or mitigated through public works including drainage and soil stabilisation.

India is vulnerable to a variety of these natural disasters due to its unique geo-climatic
condition. Disasters occur with unfailing regularity and despite increased forecasting,
relief and reconstruction activities, the economic and social losses on account of these
disasters have mounted year after year.

India has a long coastline of over 8000 km that is vulnerable to tropical cyclones. The cy-
clones in Andhra Pradesh (1977 & 1996), Gujarat, (1998), and Orissa (1999) may be cited
as the worst that have hit coastal India this past century, causing colossal damage to life
and property. Amongst the Indian states, Andhra Pradesh, with a land area of 275,000
sq km and a population of over 75 million1, is considered one of the more disaster-prone
states and is periodically affected by droughts, oods and cyclones. Cyclonic storms
repeatedly cause extensive damage and devastation to the nine districts spread over the
1030 km of coastline along
the Bay of Bengal. Pov-
erty and limited resources
in these communities of-
ten compound the damage
caused by these disasters.

The state has a long his-


tory of cyclones of varying
intensity it has a recorded
incidence of 71 cyclones in
the past 105 years. In the
past three decades alone,
the state has been hit by
three major cyclones (1977,
1990 and 1996), causing
major loss to human life,

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livestock, and massive damage to property both government and
private. Destructive rainfall-induced oods such as those of August
2000 also occur on a regular basis.

It is estimated that over 44 per cent of Andhra Pradeshs total area,


especially the coastal belt, is vulnerable to tropical storms, oods
and related hazards. The 1030 km coast has about 2000 villages with
a population of about 20 million braving the wrath of cyclonic winds
and tidal waves. From May 1977 to November 1996, the cyclones have caused damage
worth US$ 1635 million in Andhra Pradesh.

Table 1. Year-wise Analysis of Disasters in Andhra Pradesh


Year of Cyclone Districts Human Livestock Houses Crop Dam- Est. Loss
Affected Deaths Losses Damaged ages in in US$
million million
feet
Nov. 1977 8 9921 431786 1014800 3.336 537
May. 1979 10 638 25082 609400 0.073 39
Nov. 1984 4 575 90650 320000 0.207 21
Nov. 1985 7 16 0 3196 0.106 23
Nov. 1987 12 119 0 110553 0.961 28
Nov. 1989 5 69 7117 149112 0.062 10
May. 1990 14 976 5170301 1439659 0.48 500
Nov. 1994 7 172 512 79220 0.397 200
Nov. 1996 3 1077 19856 609628 0.511 300
TOTAL 13563 5745304 4335568 6.133 1635

Table 2. Death Toll by Cyclones in Andhra Pradesh since the 1600s


1679 Super Cyclone 20,000 deaths
1764 Super Cyclone 30,000 deaths
1864 Super Cyclone 30,000 deaths
1927 Severe Cyclone 5,000 deaths
1949 Severe Cyclone 5,000 deaths
1977 Super Cyclone 9,921 deaths
1979 Cyclone 638 deaths
1983 Cyclone 1,000 deaths
1984 575
1990 Cyclone 976 deaths
1996 Severe Cyclone 1,077 deaths

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The States
Approach to Disaster
Management
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2. The States Approach to Disaster Management
In the decade 1987-96, disasters in India affected on an average more than 56 million
people and killed more than 5000 each year (World Disasters Report 1998 of the Inter-
national Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies). Between 1985 and
1995, disasters racked up an annual economic loss of more than 1800 million dollars, as
estimated by the Centre for Research into the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED), Brussels.
During the 1990s the decade declared by the UN as the International Decade for Natural
Disaster Reduction and faced with these mindboggling gures, the Indian government
attempted to put scientic disaster-response mechanisms in place on a priority basis.
Efforts were made not only to provide relief but also to put in place long-term measures
for disaster mitigation.

In Indias federal power relationship, disaster management is essentially a state sub-


ject. Each of the 30 states in India has its own relief code or operational guidelines for
managing disasters. By relief code one can understand that there was no concept of
preparedness. Whatever preparedness was accommodated was only from an engineering
and structural preparedness perspective. The 2001 earthquake in Gujarat that killed an
estimated 30,000 people stirred the Indian national government to appoint a national
working group to draft a disaster management policy. The working group has recently
submitted its recommendations to the government. This is expected to form the basis of
a future national government policy.

However, the role of the national government is only supportive, since the basic respon-
sibility for undertaking rescue, relief and rehabilitation measures in the event of natural
disasters lies with the state government. In the event of a disaster, a multi-disciplinary
central government team, at the invitation of the affected state, carries out a disas-
ter assessment and makes recommendations for assistance. Until 2002, the Ministry of
Agriculture was the nodal ministry for
disaster response at the national level.
This anomaly was corrected when the
government transferred disaster man-
agement to the Home Department,
which controls a massive inland armed
force which can carry out disaster re-
sponse operations.

At the state level, the Relief and Re-


habilitation Department or the De-
partment of Revenue has the author-
ity to respond to disasters. The state
Crisis Management Group/Disaster
Management Committee is empow-

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ered to look into disaster preparedness and response, with participation from all the
related agencies. A district level coordination and review committee looks into the issue
of disaster in each district with the help of all other related agencies and departments.
The real work during disaster, however, relies mainly on the village level and block level
ofcers.

Table 3. Typical Government Response to Disasters at the Local Level


During Disasters Post Disasters

Village Level Village Level

Locate victims Relief in less accessible locations


Organise immediate local response Medical evacuation by road
Identify missing persons Relief distribution
Locate dead bodies Assess human and cattle loss
Assess damage Disposal of animal carcasses
Drinking water & sanitation

Block Level Block Level

Management of cyclone shelters Realistic assessment

Relief camp management Providing livelihood to victims

Epidemic prevention Rehabilitation

Coordinating with district administration Documentation of deaths


Future development planning

After the two 1969 cyclones in Andhra Pradesh, the state government formed a com-
mittee to suggest rational guidelines for disaster management. The committee had
submitted a 49-recommendation report by 1971. Important among them was the ne-
cessity of involving communities at every stage of disaster management planning and
operations. The recommendations were not addressed until another killer
cyclone struck in 1977 and took a toll of nearly 10,000 people. At this
time, the government decided to take the recommendations seriously, but
did not consider community involvement to be a vital ingredient of disas-
ter management. The government sought and received a World Bank loan,
and used this money to initiate and engineer structural ways of dealing
with disasters.

Since, the Andhra Pradesh state government has equipped itself with ad-
equate technology, infrastructure, planning and manpower to minimise the
loss of lives in the event of cyclones and oods. However, the entire plan-
ning of the government revolves around cyclone and ood forecasting and
the timely evacuation of people. The government has so far not focused on
reducing the vulnerability of the people and removing basic vulnerability
factors.

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2.1 Components of National Governments Disaster Response
The governments disaster response involves arrangement of nancing relief, forecasting
and warning, and preparedness and mitigation measures.

2.1.1 Arrangements for nancing relief


Schemes for nancing relief and rehabilitation in the wake of natural calamities are gov-
erned by the recommendations of Finance Commissions appointed by the Government of
India after every ve years. Each state has a corpus of funds called the Calamity Relief
Fund (CRF), administered by a state-level committee. The size of the corpus is determined
according to the vulnerability of each state and the magnitude of expenditure normally
incurred by the state on relief operations. The corpus is built by annual contributions of
the union government and state governments concerned. The states are free to draw upon
this corpus for providing relief in the event of a natural calamity. In the event of a major
disaster warranting intervention at the national level, a provision exists in the form of a
National Fund for Calamity Relief, for the union government to supplement the nancial
resources needed for relief operations.

2.1.2 Forecasting and warning


Cyclones: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) is responsible for cyclone tracking
and warning. Cyclone tracking is done through INSAT satellite and 10 cyclone-detection
radars deployed at different locations in the coastal areas.

Floods: The Central Water Commission has a ood forecasting system covering 62 major
rivers in 13 states. VHF/HF wireless communication system is used for data collection with
micro-computers at the forecasting centres. Hydrological models are increasingly used for
inow and ood forecasting.

Droughts: The IMD has divided the country into 35 meteorological subdivisions. It issues
weekly bulletins on rainfall indicating normal, excess and decient levels and also the per-
centages of departure from the normal. Based on the inputs from IMD and the information
on crop situations received from local sources, the National Crop Weather Watch Group
monitors the drought conditions. Remote sensing techniques are also used for monitoring
drought conditions based on vegetative and moisture index status as also for assessing
damage caused by oods, cyclones and droughts.

Earthquakes: On the basis of past earthquakes of magnitude V and above on the Richter
scale and intensities ranging from V to IX (superimposed on the magnitude information,
and also drawing upon tectonic features in the near past, earthquake zonation maps have
been prepared.

2.1.3 Preparedness and mitigation measures


A Vulnerability Atlas was prepared in 1998 with the help of an expert
group depicting the physical vulnerability for oods, cyclones and earth-
quakes for each state and at the district level. Some other measures that
have been undertaken for disaster preparedness are:

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Floods
Structural measures like construction of new embankments, drainage channels and

raising 4700 critical villages above the ood level.


Construction of multipurpose dams and reservoirs with ood moderation as one of the
objectives.
Development of ood plains in a regulated manner.

Droughts
Irrigation development by harnessing water through the medium of reservoirs, devel-

oping traditional system of tanks, and exploiting groundwater.


Command Area Development Programme (CADP) to strengthen water management ca-
pabilities.
Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP) and Desert Development Programme (DDP)
to control the process of desertication and mitigate the adverse effects of drought
through afforestation, sand-dune stabilisation, shelterbelt plantation, grassland de-
velopment, and soil and moisture conservation.
National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas (NWD-PRA) for conserva-
tion of rainwater, control of soil erosion, regeneration of green cover and promotion
of dryland farming systems.
Constitution of a National Wasteland Development Board for promoting integrated
wasteland development.
The passing of the National Forest Conservation Act (1980) to bring down the erosion
of forest cover all over the country.
Employment Assurance Schemes to provide employment opportunities mostly in
drought-prone areas.

Cyclones
Building of cyclone shelters and afforestation in coastal areas.

Reconstruction projects with elements of disaster mitigation. The Cyclone Reconstruc-


tion Project (1990-3) implemented in coastal Andhra Pradesh is one such example.

Earthquakes
Extensive studies at the University of Roorkee with inputs from the Geological Survey

of India.
Execution of a World Bank-assisted project on seismological instrumentation upgrada-
tion and other collateral geophysical studies in the Indian peninsular region by the
Department of Science and Technology.

2.1.4 Contingency plan for cyclones


The rst Government Contingency Plan for disaster mitiga-
tion was formulated in 1981 and updated in 1987. Its main
features can be summarised thus:

Revenue Department as the nodal agency.


High-level committees at the state and district level.

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Committees to meet twice every year in April and September.
Control rooms at the State Secretariat for 24-hour vigil on receiving cyclone warning.
Preparatory actions on receiving alert from IMD.
Evacuation on receiving warning from IMD.
Community awareness through mass communication measures.
The Contingency Plan was put into effect on receipt of the rst alert message from the
Cyclone Warning Centre (CWC). The focus is on saving human lives, giving appropriate
relief, and on restoring infrastructure as soon as possible. Thus, the main orientation of
the plan is Relief, Rehabilitation and Limited Restoration within the available nancial
resources. However, the emphasis on relief has developed a relief syndrome, in which peo-
ple have abrogated their own efforts in cyclone management to those of the actions by
the state government. This results in the state becoming overburdened with the increas-
ing incidence of disasters.

The existing Contingency Plan is not comprehensive enough to include disaster prepared-
ness measures such as improvement of infrastructure. Moreover, it is stipulated that the
Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) cannot be used for the creation of assets. This handicaps the
efforts to build a protective infrastructure. The CRF was in itself inadequate to meet the
revenue expenditures of the state. Any additional amount required by the state is rst
assessed by a central team; only then does some money ow into the state. The ultra-cau-
tious nancial policy adopted by the central government does not give much hope to the
state government to expect nancial support beyond the clearly insufcient share already
apportioned by the central government.

2.2 Disaster Response in Andhra Pradesh


Andhra Pradesh is particularly prone to disasters, with more than 70 lakh population ex-
posed to extreme natural hazards. Roughly 2000 vulnerable villages dot its 1030 km long
coastline. The state has seen more than 100 cyclones and oods in the last 100 years.

2.2.1 Andhra Pradesh hazard mitigation and emergency cyclone recovery project
The 1996 cyclone caused extensive damage, and the resources were not adequate to
carry out long-term mitigation measures. It compelled the state government to approach
international funding agencies and today the state is implementing the Andhra Pradesh
Hazard Mitigation and Emergency Cyclone Recovery Project with nancial assistance from
the World Bank. The following are the objectives of the project:

To restore and strengthen vulnerable public infrastructure with im-


proved design and quality control measures, enhancing the early
warning capacity of the IMD.
To conduct hazard mitigation studies for accurate prediction of high-
velocity winds, storm surges, cyclone tracking, ood forecasting and
spatial ood warning through the communication network.
To prepare hazard maps to facilitate hazard mitigation works, raising
awareness in communities.

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Ecological measures such as shelterbelt
plantations and mangroves restoration. There are different levels of disaster preparedness; on the
government level, it involves monitoring, issuing early
Under this project, IMD upgraded six radar
warnings, shelters, stockpiling of relief supplies, etc.
facilities on the east coast with three Dop- Shobha Raghuram, Hivos, Workshop on Coastal A.P. Mitiga-
pler radar systems, 10 high-capacity wind tion Programme, 2000
speed recorders, and the installation of
So far in India, disaster management is still treated as a
cyclone warning dissemination centres, -
re-ghting exercise. What we need is disaster management
nanced by the Government of India. Efforts
continuity. The community needs preparedness before the
are also being made to improve the design
event; during the event, we need to integrate relief with
criteria, quality control and building code
long-term resettlement. Prevention is yet another aspect.
for high-risk areas. The development of an Disasters such as earthquakes and cyclones cannot be pre-
Early Warning System, awareness raising vented although oods can be mitigated to an extent. Most
among communities for disaster prepared- warning systems are also not very reliable and are expensive.
ness, the creation of community ownership The answer, therefore, is mitigation.Mr AVS Reddy,
of assets, and community involvement in Principal Secretary, Andhra Government, at the workshop on
maintaining and protecting the infrastruc- Critical Assessment of ongoing Disaster Preparedness Efforts
ture are essentials under this project. An (29-30 April 2003).
important component of the project is the
creation of a Vulnerability Reduction Fund.
The Fund Trust acts independently to assist
vulnerable communities in strengthening structures and undertaking the maintenance of
local infrastructure. Priority is given to high-risk zones.

At the workshop on Creating the Culture of Disaster Preparedness: Role of Media,


Government and Civil Society Organisations (34 April 2003) conducted by Oxfam GB
and MCR HRD, the need to change the monolithic structure of government to one of
association was stressed. It was stressed that the media and civil society organisations
were partners to the government in disaster response. There should be transparency
and sharing of information on part of the government. Attention should be given to
strengthening community involvement, local institutions and expertise. The formula-
tion of a disaster management policy should be a consultative process and not an
oracular one.

2.2.2 Role of NGOs in disaster preparedness


Disaster management calls for a multi-disciplinary response, often requiring interventions
at extremely short notice. This lends a new dimension and complexity to disaster-response
mechanisms. One of the challenges that disaster situations pose is of community mobili-
sation for appropriate response within a given time frame. An even bigger challenge is to
motivate the community towards long-term disaster prevention measures.

The voluntary sector provides an effective alternative in helping


to meet such challenges. The non-governmental sector, includ-
ing the vital community-based organisations (CBOs) that oper-
ate at the grassroots level, can be useful in invoking community
involvement due to its linkages with the community base and
exibility in procedural matters.

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NGOs have easy access to communities; they have the faith and condence of the commu-
nities and, therefore, are better equipped to undertake community-related measures. NGOs
working in the coastal areas, for example, are familiar with the environment of that area,
the occupational hazards and risks. Cyclone warnings couched in technical terms aired by
All India Radio (AIR) may not make sense to the common sherman. On the other hand, the
same can be explained in detail in simple language by the NGOs. Their warnings are better
heeded than the disembodied voice of AIR.

NGOs can
Establish interface between CBOs, NGOs and local administration for coordinated ac-
tion in emergencies;
Properly represent the disaster-affected community before the government;
Assist government authorities in making the best use of resources available for disas-
ter risk reduction;
Share critical learning with others;
Update emergency plans.

Role of NGOs in disaster preparedness


Awareness
Analysis of others experiences
Bringing knowledge from other areas
Pooling resources
Providing leadership
Facilitation
Setting helplines and communication facilities

Functions of NGOs in emergency situations


An essential function of the NGOs and CBOs is that of being a link between the government
and the community. This function is rendered possible through different mechanisms as
per the requirements of a situation. If the government requires distributing relief material
to the community, the voluntary agencies may be requisitioned for distribution and more
importantly for identifying persons actually needing the relief. Some other functions that
the voluntary agencies may be expected to perform are: Before disaster

Awareness and information campaigns


Training of local volunteers
Advocacy and planning

During disaster
Immediate rescue and rst aid, including psychological help

Supply of food, water, medicine and other immediate relief materials


Ensuring sanitation and hygiene
Damage assessment

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Post disaster
Technical and material aid in reconstruction

Assistance in distribution of nancial aid to rehabilitate vic-


tims, especially the disadvantaged groups, orphans, widows,
etc.
Monitoring and check against misuse of allocated funds/re-
sources.
The important factor is to perceive NGOs and CBOs as a live
resource and use them in sensitising, establishing contact and
gaining peoples condence. Their proximity to the people can make them invaluable
partners in disaster preparedness programmes, as well as in rescue and relief.

These roles are usually played under the directions of the government or the district relief
committees. Thus, while the whole district ofce may be overall in charge of the disaster
management operations, certain functions may be singularly or jointly handled by the
voluntary sector. In case there are two or more agencies being able to perform different
types of functions, their roles may either be put in a hierarchy or alternately, each of them
could be directly responsible for their own tasks and could coordinate directly with the
government.

However, the history of disaster response in India is a study of uniformity of intent but
duality of activity. Disaster response has been hampered by the individualistic agendas
of the government and civil society. On the one hand, resource crunch has rendered gov-
ernments inadequately capable of routine operations and maintenance. Communities, on
the other hand have chosen to relinquish their responsibilities to the government for the
maintenance of community assets.

Over the decades of Indias development roller coaster, this self-abdication of both the
government and civil societys responsibilities, has resulted in an over-dependence on
the government for all kinds of assistance, especially after a disaster. It has made for
desperation on one side, and complacency about accountability, on the other. The Indian
government has not developed any contemporary system to involve communities in its
own functioning, even where its work vis--vis them is concerned. What has emerged is a
disturbing and eventually destabilising situation, where the community does not perceive
community assets as its own and is discouraged from feeling a sense of ownership and
commitment.

A paradigm shift is required to evolve sustainable disaster mitigation programmes at the


local level. However, such a re-orientation demands that projects for the people become
programmes with the people. Local communities will have to play a crucial role in evolv-
ing long-term mitigation strategies that would essentially try to bridge the grey areas
between relief and social development. The role of NGOs in mobilising the communities
for this purpose cannot be overlooked.

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Oxfams
Disaster Preparedness
Intervention in Coastal
Andhra Pradesh
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3. Oxfams Disaster Preparedness Intervention in
Coastal Andhra Pradesh
On November 6, 1996, Coastal Andhra Pradesh was once again struck
by a devastating cyclone (later called the Zero Seven B). This severe
cyclonic storm caused 1077 human deaths, 1683 missing persons and
19,856 livestock losses, besides damage to 6,16,553 houses. The to-
tal loss was estimated at US $ 300 million. Oxfam GB, in collaboration
with partner organisations, responded with immediate relief. Oxfams
relief and reconstruction work in the region exposed it to the need for
long-term preparedness and vulnerability reduction within the com-
munities. Simultaneously, the Humanistic Institute for Cooperation
with Developing Countries (HIVOS), Oxfam GB and its partner organisations held detailed
discussions on the long-term strategies required to help disaster-prone communities.

Oxfams initiative, with support from HIVOS, ECHO (European Commissions Humanitarian
Ofce) and DRA (Dutch Relief Agency) was unique in India when it started in 1997. It was a
deliberate move from a situation of responding to recurring disasters with short-term relief
and rehabilitation to a long-term strategy of mitigating the effects of the disaster. This
was proposed to be achieved by a two pronged strategy of, (i) creating a culture of disaster
preparedness at the community and family level and, (ii) strengthening the livelihood base
of the communities to reduce their physical socio economic vulnerability to disasters.

Target Communities: The people covered under the disaster preparedness programme are
predominantly Dalits (scheduled castes) 60%, whose livelihood is based on agriculture,
Agnikula Kshatriyas 36%, whose occupation is shing or
A Culture of Disaster shrimp seed collection, and Devangas 4%, who belong to
Preparedness the weaving community. Nearly 95% of these families live
Community based disaster preparedness
in thatched houses that were damaged by the 1996 cy-
clone, and their income levels are below the poverty line.
The response to a disaster should start where
the disaster strikes. If that response comes Seven years into implementation, the program has re-
from an organised local group, then the loss duced the vulnerability of 25,000 families in 250 vil-
of lives and assets can be minimised. While lages and created a cadre of 3000 trained volunteers
preparedness is vital in reducing the loss of for disaster preparedness and response. This program
lives, more important is changing the context has promoted many innovative initiatives such as insur-
of communities to make them less vulnerable. ance against disasters, disaster preparedness training in
The context in this case is their risky envi- schools, for ex-servicemen and for local level government
rons, poor housing and sanitation conditions. ofcers. This program has provided India an alternative
These are caused by abject poverty, lack of model for disaster management and made considerable
health awareness and education. The sustain-
impact on the policies and practices of the state and
ability of disaster preparedness lies in ad-
national governments by demonstrating the sustainable
dressing these vulnerability conditions while
benets of a community-based development approach
organising them to deal with disasters.
to disaster risk reduction.

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3.1 Creating a Culture of Disaster Preparedness
Oxfams culture of disaster preparedness is based on the
premise that in order to live in disaster-prone areas, one needs
to strengthen peoples capacity and organise them to deal with
disasters. A culture of preparedness at the community level
helps reduce the tendency of communities to rely on external
aid when disaster strikes. It also reduces overall vulnerabil-
ity against natural disasters; helps people deal with disasters
where they strike; and ensures a timely and accurate response.
The culture of community disaster preparedness is a process that involves the people of a
particular region in developing disaster management plans and implementing them.

The Process: Within the Oxfam Model of Disaster Preparedness, the programme undertakes
a needs survey of the villages as the initial step. This needs survey is based on the past
experiences of the village when it faced a cyclone or ood. This is ascertained through
village meetings and discussions with different sections of the community and specically
including women. The community then comes together to articulate its own strengths and
weaknesses in a disaster situation. Within this process, the community identies threats
and needs during a cyclone, and draws a disaster management plan in response to these.
The plan includes:

Developing an area map


Identifying vulnerable areas and families
Discussing the past history of disasters
Developing contingency actions and
Forming key action groups.

3.1.1 Village contingency plan


A key component of the community-level disaster management plan is the formation of
the village contingency plan and village task force groups. The contingency plan takes
shape when the community assesses the situation in the village and develops a list of
activities that they agree to follow to minimise communal and individual damage in the
event of a cyclone. The contingency plan maps out all households in a village and other
shelters that the NGOs have chosen. While preparing contingency plans, the houses are
digitised and are tracked based on these household numbers. The plan also species ac-
tions to be taken by individuals in the community so that each one knows what to do
when a cyclone warning is received.

An important element of this planning is the linkage of the community to the govern-
ment departments and ofcials therein. Disaster preparedness plans are combined with
the micro plans developed for the village to provide comprehensive documentation that is
utilised for sourcing funds from relevant government schemes.

To develop the village contingency plan, the villagers come together and make a map of
the village. On this village map, they then list the vulnerable population by marking fami-
lies with disabled, pregnant, aged or terminally ill members. They also mark village assets

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such as boats, shing crafts, food grains, irrigation facilities, looms, potters wheels, etc.
Community infrastructure, including cyclone shelters, drinking water facilities, dispensa-
ries, village roads, cart roads, power installations, telephones etc. are also represented in
this contingency map.

The community then identies the specic weather hazards it faces during a cyclone such
as winds, heavy rains, oods, mudslides and so on. This helps it determine what is at risk
during these weather patterns cattle and livestock, valuable family documents, houses
and weak structures, livelihood assets such as boats, nets, stores of dry sh, pump sets,
looms, standing crops, water bodies and so on.

Subsequently, the community identies possible safety zones for safeguarding these as-
sets. Elevated land, hillocks and similar natural barriers for livestock protection, safe
buildings, cyclone shelters, panchayat buildings, warehouses, temples, RCC homes and
other strong structures where families may take refuge during the storm. These are useful
for marking safe evacuation routes that will not be disrupted in the case of a cyclone. The
community decides which family goes where and by which route to avoid crowding and
panic. The community also identies the existing health and sanitation facilities that can
be used in the event of a cyclone. A very important aspect is the mobilisation of village
level contingency funds to be used in the case of a cyclone.

Oxfams Process of Contingency Plan Preparation

Step I Discuss what happened during the last cyclone

Before the cyclone


Was the warning communicated to every one? (If yes, then

how? If not, then why?)


When did the warning reach and what did each one do after
the warning? (individuals, families & community)
What precautions were taken at the time?

During the cyclone


What was the experience? What happened to the weather?

(Severity and duration of the cyclone)


Where were the community members? What did they do? (In-
dividuals, families and community)
Did any one move to cyclone shelters or safe houses after receiving the warning?

After the cyclone


What did everyone do after the cyclone subsided?

How many deaths and how much damage to property and


livelihood? Who faced the maximum loss and why?
What kind of help was needed? Did help arrive on time?
What kinds of difculties were faced? Who had the most
difculties? How were the various problems solved?

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This exercise gives everyone in the community an opportunity to know how each one
fared during the cyclone and how the village emerged as a whole after the cyclone. It
also gives an idea of how prepared the community was to face the cyclone. Based on the
ndings of this exercise, the community decides on the different ways through which they
can be better prepared to respond to the next cyclone threat.

Step II Make a description of the village


Community volunteers, youth, women, sarpanch, and local gov-
ernment ofcials come together to draw a village map. These maps
include the following important characteristics:

The geography and topography of the village


The windward and leeward side of the village
Nearest water bodies and distance from sea
Distance to the nearest village
Distance from the nearest mandal and taluka ofce
Number of houses and families
Identication of families with children, elderly, terminally ill, pregnant women, lactat-
ing mothers and disabled persons
List of livelihood assets such as boats, shing crafts, nets, irrigation facilities, food
grain stores, looms, and potters wheels & livestock
Different livelihood practices such as shing, shrimp seed collection, farming, weav-
ing, wage labour work and so on
Existing infrastructure such as cyclone shelters (if any)
Safe areas and buildings
Temples or any community buildings that can be used as cyclone shelters
Schools and other education facilities
Drinking water facilities
Dispensaries or primary health care units
Village roads, cart roads
Power installations
Telephones
Post ofce and other structures.
This information is put up on a map and displayed by the villagers and other stakeholders.

Step III Hazard mapping


Based on their earlier experiences, the communities identify the different types of weath-
er hazards they face during a cyclone. These may include heavy rains, oods, mudslides
and so on. They also identify where in the village these hazards have most affected lives,
property, infrastructure and economic activities.

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The hazard map lists areas near river banks, canal banks, village tanks, sea-facing side
of the village (which may be most prone to ooding), warehouses, electricity towers,
power transmission lines and other infrastructure installations, huts, thatched houses,
tiled houses, trees and plantations, nearby tanks and ponds that can ood the elds.

Step IV Risk mapping (Assessing Who and What is at Risk)


Listing what causes damage in a cyclone and in a ood (Hazard Mapping)
Assessing who is at risk and what is at risk
How to reduce risk (Opportunity mapping)

Step V Reducing risk (Opportunity Mapping)


The Community identies existing village resources that will help to reduce risks to life
and property. These resources are marked on the village map:

Safe houses & buildings


Elevated land, hillocks & other natural barriers for livestock protection
Safe evacuation routes
Existing health, medical & sanitation facilities
Sources of funds to carry on contingency and preparedness activities

The Village Contingency Plan


Format and components

Oxfam GB has developed a format for developing village level contingency plans. The im-
plementing partner NGO adapts this format locally with minor variations and oversees the
development of the plan with the involvement of the community. In almost all cases, they
involve both men and women of the village in the discussions. Most of the villages also
have a micro-plan that denes the development needs of the village. All of these plans
have the following information:

Map (containing the resources available and the social prole)


History of the village vis--vis disasters
Seasonal surveys
The beneciary involvement in designing the disaster preparedness at the project level has
been equivocal. Though there is extensive discussion with the community on what needs
to be done, the prescribed activities for disaster preparedness are suggested by the NGOs
and followed by the communities.

At the implementation and monitoring level, however, the beneciaries are involved at
every stage. The programme has also been able to mobilise peoples contribution at every
phase of implementation. Innovations (like periodic contributions for the disaster funds to
enable provisions during disaster relief) have been evolved to make the programme sustain-
able with contributions from the community.

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Motivated and responsible volunteers
Precautions to safeguard people and property

3.1.2 Village task force groups


Once the contingency plan is made, it is important to plan its smooth implementation.
One of the tools for this is the formation of village task force groups groups of people
assigned to carry out specic disaster preparedness tasks within the contingency plan.
Active men and women from the community are selected and intensively trained by the
NGO staff. Various task force groups are assigned different roles and include:

Cyclone warning group


Shelter management group
Evacuation and rescue group
First aid and medical group
Sanitation group
Relief group
Patrolling group
Liaison group
There are ve members in each of the above groups.

The cyclone-warning group monitors weather forecasts through wireless, radio bulletins
and the television throughout the day. During the cyclone, this group keeps track of the
radio warnings and conrms the intensity and route of the cyclone from the MROs ofce.
The group then uses drums and megaphones to disseminate information about how the
communities are faring in the cyclone.

The shelter management group checks for cyclone shelters and safe houses (generally
before May the period with the most cyclones), consults with engineers and makes
necessary repairs to make houses safe and liveable prior to the cyclone. While waiting
for a cyclone to strike, they stock food, water, utensils, medicines, milk powder, candles,
matchboxes, kerosene and organise the community kitchen.

The evacuation and rescue group maintains information about shermen and shrimp seed
collectors and the areas in which they are working. This group crosschecks with the MRO
and updates the list every year. It prepares local rescue kits (there are 52 varieties of rescue
and oating aids prepared by the communities with locally available material such as plastic
bottles, banana tree roots, etc.). During a cyclone, this group picks up shermen and shrimp
seed collectors from the sea and riverbanks. This group also ensures that the pregnant wom-
en, the elderly, the disabled and sick people are evacuated rst and moved to safer houses.

The rst aid and medical group stocks necessary medicines and
administers rst aid in the event of a cyclone, prior to the in-
jured being taken to hospitals.

The sanitation group stocks bleaching powder in large quantities


and ensures that evacuees maintain sanitary habits in the relief
shelters to avoid disease.

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The relief group collects and distributes
Village Level Relief Fund relief material such as food supplies,
An interesting element in the community level preparedness is utensils, cloth, kerosene, diesel, etc.
the mobilisation of village level contingency relief funds. In this
The patrolling group looks after prop-
process, each household in a village saves a handful of rice every
erty left behind by evacuees, while the
week to be used in the time of disasters. If there is no calamity,
liaison group represents the communi-
the collected rice is sold and the money credited to an Emer-
tys issues to the governments, reports
gency Fund or as revolving fund by the women thrift groups.
losses suffered, and negotiates for ap-
propriate assistance.

3.2 Integration of Disaster Preparedness into the Development


Process
Capacity building of communities alone will not reduce their vulnerability to disasters. The
root of their vulnerability lies in poverty. Although these communities have been living in
thatched houses for centuries, they were not necessarily poor. More lives have been lost in
the past due to lack of communication and infrastructure, but livelihoods never collapsed,
thanks to strong social structures. Undisturbed livelihoods helped them cope with disasters
better than now. However, the last few decades have been marked
with unabated destruction of coastal resources in blind pursuit of
foreign exchange. Introduction of machines for shore shing and
for the deep seas, and aggressive promotion of aquaculture has
caused massive depletion of sh catch for the traditional sher
folk. As a result, the traditional shing community has suddenly
become poor. There has been an exodus of male workers from sh-
ing communities to other states and into other vocations.

The shing women, on the other hand, who used to market the sh, are now forced to
work as contract labour. Exploitation of women in such situations has been noticed. There
are also reports that women from many of the villages knowingly succumb to immoral
means of livelihood. Additionally, the men are reported to have extra marital relations
when they migrate. It is estimated that the spread of HIV infection is quite high. In such
conditions, one can hardly expect the communities to have a frame of mind to sit and
plan to face disasters that may strike in the current or following years. The sustainability
of disaster preparedness, there fore relies heavily on the smooth integration of other ap-
propriate development initiatives.

Vulnerability factors
Factors that contribute to vulnerability include lack of awareness of hazard; condition of
settlement and infrastructure; lack of resources; absence of policy appreciation; lack of
organisational and institutional capabilities for appropriate and adequate disaster man-
agement practices; social, political and economic vulnerabilities; unequal gender relations
and capacities; repeated exposure to hazards; and development practices that do not take
into account susceptibility to natural hazards.

Vulnerability to disasters is to a large extent a function of human actionhuman activities


are interfering with nature and changing the natural balance of the earths environment.

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Disaster reduction policies and measures should be mainstreamed to
There is a need to incorporate
build resilient societies, where the level of risk is reduced to a mini-
disaster risk reduction strategies
mum. Development efforts should not increase the vulnerability to haz-
into our poverty reduction,
ards, but consciously reduce such vulnerability.
development and environ-
mental strategies.
Strategy for creating a culture of disaster preparedness
...Ko Annan, UN Secretary General
Public awareness campaign community mobilising & training

through formal & informal means


Application of sophisticated remote sensing & early warning systems
Risk and hazard mapping
Vulnerability analysis
Institutional and individual capacity building
Inter-agency coordination and networking
Advocacy for integration of disaster preparedness in development plans at all levels
(environment, power, irrigation, water supply, poverty reduction, agriculture, educa-
tion, health schemes)

Implementing the strategy


On the ground, the programme starts with assessment of the village level situation and
development of the village contingency plan. Village community volunteers, youth, women,
sarpanch, local government and NGO ofcials make a map of the village identifying geo-
graphical, human and infrastructural features, including water bodies, number of houses and
their types, number of families, livelihood assets, safe areas and buildings.

This is followed by formation of village task force groups to carry out the disaster prepar-
edness activities identied in the contingency plan. The task force members are intensive-
ly trained by the NGO staff. The disaster preparedness processes are actively integrated
with activities of livelihood development. These activities are focused on minimising
the impact of future hazards and losses, helping people acquire and improve their disaster
preparedness skills, maintaining public health, improvising house construction, assisting
in income generation, solving drinking water problems and meeting the rehabilitation
needs of the vulnerable and marginalised communities.

Oxfam has taken the approach of vulnerability reduction of the communities through,
asset building, livelihood support, public health and insurance. These programmes are
integrated with disaster preparedness capacity building in many villages. It is important
to note that the degree of peoples participation in disaster preparedness is very high
and sustaining in those villages where NGOs have integrated it with livelihood or health
support.

Oxfam model for disaster preparedness


A major achievement of this programme is the creation of a model
of community-based disaster preparedness with multiple strategies
of capacity building and vulnerability reduction by integrating lo-
cally appropriate development activities. This programme has de-
veloped a sense of condence among the vulnerable sections in

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the management of their own affairs. There has been a considerable reduction of peoples
reliance on the government for their own development. The development of the village
contingency plan, formation of task force groups, intensive training on emergency medi-
cal care, rescue, evacuation, health and sanitation, shelter management and village
relief fund development have contributed to creating huge grassroots capacity in coastal
Andhra Pradesh for organised response to disaster emergencies.

The formation of self-help groups (SHGs) has fostered a sense of unity at the grassroots
level. People have started responding to collective necessities and are managing local com-
mon pool resources such as water ponds and tanks. Income generation programmes and
SHGs have given women a say in public affairs through economic independence. By provid-
ing economic support, the programme is helping to reduce the debt burden of weavers.

In the area of public health, the activities include generating awareness among the popu-
lation on maintenance of basic hygiene, the cause of common diseases and the ways to
prevent them. The programme has trained volunteers, who in turn train the community
and provide basic medicines.

Based on the need analysis of the coastal poor communities Oxfams Disaster Prepared-
ness initiative integrated Savings & Income Generation, Insurance, Health Education
and Housing for the communities. A village development council at the village level
coordinates the volunteers from the committees for savings, income generation, health,
insurance, housing and disaster preparedness.

Figure 1. Structure of Village Level Development Organisation

HG HG
1 2

SC
2

SC SC
1 3
HG HG
3
VDC

SC- SC-

SC-

HG HG
5 4

HG: Habitation Group


Members of 15 families living in a neighbourhood in the village form a habitation. They
will select a man, and woman or a youth from their habitation for each of the sectors to
represent and lead them in the development process. All the members of the habitation
group decide who should get a house on a priority basis and contribute to the construc-
tion of houses within their habitation.

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SC: Sectoral Committee
The representatives from the habitation Income Generation Initiatives
groups pertaining to each sector form the
Sectoral Committee SC for the village. The Creating opportunities:
number of members in the Committee de- The post harvest sheries measures have helped the shing
pends on the number of habitation groups community to increase incomes, work opportunities and value
in the village. The SC will have a male to the product. The notable outcomes are:
and female leader elected by its members. a) 56% of shermen in the program area are marketing their
The sectoral committees will be trained in sh directly without links with vested interest middle people
their respective activity and they will in (in 1994, 100% were afliated to middle people with exploita-
turn provide their services to the village tive conditions and agreements), and
with their expertise.
b) The traditional shing communities in the villages of Visa-
VDC: Village Development Committee khapatnam and Vizianagaram have been provided with bre-
The VDC comprises the male and female reinforced catamarans that move faster on the water. They are
now able to go farther into the seas and can catch up with
leaders of the sectoral committee. The
more sh.
members of the VDC will elect a President,
Vice President and a Treasurer from within
their group and ensure that at least one
of the elected ofcials is a woman. The VDC will manage entire housing and disaster pre-
paredness activities with the support of the sectoral committee members.

3.2.1 Savings & income generation


The formation of womens self-help groups (SHGs) & disaster preparedness task force has
been a simultaneous process. Each SHG of 12-15 is active with regular meetings, saving
collections and well-maintained records. They are involved in decision-making and apply
social pressure for loan repayment. The SHGs have linkages with disaster preparedness
groups and play an important role in bringing and managing government development
schemes in the villages. These savings groups are federated at the block and district
level.

The formation of SHGs has contributed to unity at the village grassroots level. People
have started to respond to collective necessities and it has trickled into managing local
common pool resources such as water ponds and tanks in a few villages in the East Goda-
vari district. Initiation of income generation programmes through the creation of womens
SHGs and reviving the defunct women SHGs in the villages has improved the economic
stability of hundreds of vulnerable families.

A very important aspect of making communities self-


reliant and empowered to deal with the aftermath of a
cyclone is to make them nancially self-sustainable and
ensure that they have the economic means to recover
after a disaster. In order to do this, Oxfam GB im-
plemented livelihood training programmes, encouraged
cooperatives and professional entrepreneurs, promoted
women saving groups, supported value addition to sh
products

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Prominent among the components of the livelihood programmes are skill and income
generation activities planned and implemented to ensure that community members have
a broad-based local economy and that they diversify and complement their existing skills
and products to improve their nancial status. Some of the major income-generation ac-
tivities include, (i) enhancing the income of weavers through the formation of a mutually
aided cooperative and to make the weavers independent of exploitative master weavers
(ii) training women members of the weaver community to upgrade their skills in weaving
contemporary designs, (iii) sending local shermen on an exposure visit to Trivandrum in
Kerala state, where they underwent training in making and using marine plywood boats,
(iv) promotion of the boat making unit, where the shermen design and make marine
plywood boats, (v) promotion of brick making units under community management, (vi)
creation of sh drying platforms and support for making dry sh powder, sh pickles and
related marketing.

Oxfam focused on improving the condition of women and enabling them to have greater
opportunity in inuencing the development process affecting their lives. The participa-
tion of women in the various components has been substantial, as 40% of the total ben-
eciaries are female-headed families. The fact that the women have been made aware
is the beginning of a process of change and should be considered a major achievement.
This has led to womens self-sufciency and at the same time, the traditional women of
rural society, who were previously conned to the house, have had the opportunity to
come out and take part actively in community activities.

3.2.2 Insurance
Insurance was created in response to a pervasive need for protection against the risk of
losses (human, physical and nancial) in the event of a catastrophe. In India, the second
most disaster prone country in the world, insurance can play a vital role in preparing for
a disaster. However, insurance companies in India shy away from rural markets and from
people living in poverty, as they are viewed as
unacceptably risky customers. The obstacles in-
Livelihood Training clude economic, social, operational, and policy
issues - some real, some perceived.
Boat making

The program has made constant efforts for nding and Insurance barriers
promoting low cost technologies to help the sher- The absence of specic insurance policies for
men. The program sent seven shermen from Srikaku- disasters, incentives, and the complicated pric-
lam district to South India Fishermens Federation in ing and operational obstacles to serving a high-
Kerala to develop skills in making Fibre Reinforced risk market have kept commercial insurance
Plastic (FRP) boats. The shermen have so far made companies from
ve FRP boats with their knowledge and skills. The targeting poor
FRP boat can carry eight persons, while the tradition- people. With
al boat could carry only four. The shermen can now no guarantee
catch more sh within the same time and effort. These of success, they
trained shermen have formed a society and have re-
hesitate to in-
cently obtained a loan from the local government to
vest in an edu-
make more such boats.
cational mar-

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keting strategy and product adaptations to attract this
market. Insufcient actuarial information also makes it Insurance Against Disasters
difcult to apply sound pricing techniques.
The Rajarajeswari Mahila Kalyan Bima Yo-
Insurance companies argue that poor communities are jana offers insurance to women in the age
more vulnerable to risk, especially health-related prob- group of 10-75 years and also to groups with
lems, and insurable and uninsurable health concerns are a minimum 250 members. This policy covers
hard to separate in this context. It is also argued that the risk of drowning, washing away in oods,
insurance to people living in poverty is much costlier be- landslide, rockslide, earthquakes, cyclone and
other natural calamities, murder and terrorist
cause of the higher expected losses. Frequent small claims
activities. It includes, specically for women,
also increase transaction costs.
death and/or permanent disablement caused
For the people living in poverty, insurance is seen as a by surgical operations such as sterilisation,
luxury and as an unnecessary spending of limited nan- caesarean, hysterectomy, death at the time
cial resources. If they pay the regular premium and do of childbirth.
not make a claim, they feel that they have wasted their
resources. However, Oxfams experience in Coastal Andhra
Pradesh, demonstrates that insurance can be a viable strategy of disaster risk reduction
for vulnerable communities. Oxfam GB initiated insurance for the disaster vulnerable
families in Andhra Pradesh as part of the Disaster Preparedness Program. The following
table gives a snapshot of various insurance schemes that have been availed so far.

Insurance has been provided through the Oriental Insurance Company. Oxfam paid 50%
of the premium, while the communities/individuals paid the remainder. Individual pre-
mium per person in all these schemes is Rs. 100 to Rs. 150. The task force members have
played a crucial role in the entire process, from discussion with the insurance company
till nalisation of the policy. SHG groups and Task force members are actively visiting vil-
lages without insurance to motivate communities to insure. A woman in the East Godavari
district, whose house was damaged in the stormy rain, made the rst insurance claim in
early 2002. Since, 60 insurance claims were reported until 2004.

3.2.3 Health care, water and sanitation improvement


The poor status of public health is indicated by the number of people that throng to the
health clinic managed by Oxfam. People in these villages shun superstitions and dont de-
pend on quacks. Oxfam has identied women from the villages and trained them as health
guides to assist their communities in health and hygiene practices. These guides have
been given the responsibility of conducting motivational camps for
health and hygiene promotion in target villages. Health guides have
been able to assist the community and a resident doctor appointed by
Oxfam in diagnosing chronic diseases. These are referred to hospitals
when necessary. Health guides also play a crucial role in preventing the
community from approaching local quacks.

Ignoring public and environmental health has been perhaps the greatest
mistake where cyclones are concerned. It has been found that improve-
ments in water quality alone can produce substantial reduction in child-
hood diarrhoea by 15 per cent. The greatest reduction was attributable

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Table 4. Details of the Insurance Schemes Promoted by Oxfam in Andhra Pradesh as Part of Dis-
aster Preparedness

Scheme Target Group Features Premium & Compensa-


tion

Rajarajeswari This policy is offered to wom- Death or disability by accident Premium: US$ 1 or 2
Mahila Kalyan en in the age group of 10-75 caused by external, violent and
Per individual
years. This policy is also of- visible means. Total disabil-
Bima Yojana
fered to groups with a mini- ity arising out of or traceable
mum number of 250 mem- to slipping and/or falling from
Compensation:
bers. mountainous terrain, biting by
insects, snakes and/or animals, US$ 400 to 500
drowning, washing away in
oods, landslides, rockslides,
earthquakes, cyclone and other
natural calamities.

Murder and terrorist activities,


death or permanent disablement
caused by surgical operations
such as sterilisation, caesarean,
hysterectomy, death at the time
of childbirth. This policy is not
applicable in the case of loss due
to war, exposure to any kind of
radiation or nuclear explosion.

Janatha Per- This policy is offered to indi- Death due to accident, loss of Premium: US$ 05 to 10.
sonal Accident viduals in the age group of 5- one or two hands/ limbs/ both
Compensation: US$ 100
Policy 75. This policy is also offered eyes, loss of onehand/limb/one
to 1000
to groups with a minimum eye, permanent disability due to
number of 250 members in accident
the group.

Bagyasree Girl This policy is proposed to Death of parents due to accidents Premium:US$ 0.50 per
Child Welfare help those girl children who and natural disasters child.
Policy: have lost one or both parents
Compensation:
in an accident. This policy
covers girls in the age group 1-11 years age: US$ 30
up to 18 years. This policy is pa
also offered to groups with
11 to 18 years: US$ 500
a minimum of 250 members.
pa
Compensation is deposited
in the GIS Asset Management After 18 years: Total sum
Company limited. The sum ac- payment excluding what
cumulated from this deposit was already paid.
will be paid to the guardian
of the girl child.

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Healthcare for Stronger Communities
Primary healthcare centres

The preventive care in collaboration with local Primary Health Centres in the programme
area resulted in an increase in immunisation coverage from 10% to 95% among children
and from 15% to 90% among pregnant women. The community has also been linked with
Primary Health Centres to utilise services and facilities for educational and curative care.

to safer excreta disposal (36%) and hand washing, food protection and improvements in
domestic hygiene (33%). In fact, pressure on water resources and inadequate sanitation
and waste disposal provide ideal conditions for the spread of water-related diseases such as
diarrhoea, dysentery, typhoid and scabies. The only way to obviate the problem is to ensure
water supply in sufcient quantity and quality. Oxfam supported improved access to drink-
ing water by either repairing or by constructing new bore wells.

3.2.4 Housing
If houses in cyclone-prone areas are strong enough to withstand cyclonic winds and tidal
waves, then there is no need for people to get caught in the storm or get evacuated miles
away from their villages. For the poor anywhere in
the world, a safe house is not merely a shelter, but
a signicant poverty reduction strategy. Oxfams ap-
proach to improved housing has not been merely
constructing houses, but using housing as a strategy
for disaster risk reduction and a centre of overall
development of a village and the region.

In coastal Andhra Pradesh, more than 7 million peo-


ple are vulnerable to cyclones and tidal waves, be-
cause of their unsafe thatched houses. It is impossible to provide houses for every vulner-
able family. But at the same time, it is important to make efforts to ensure that as many
people as possible will get this help within the given resources. With this in mind, Oxfams
sustainable housing programme has entailed:

1. Community Participation in site selection, design & construction and beneciary con-
tribution in the house construction.
2. Cutting costs and generating income for the community in the process of house con-
struction.
3. Promote low cost alternative technology to cover larger number of poor.
4. Registration of all houses in the name of female family members
Prior to launching house construction, Oxfam conducted studies in collaboration with
the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and Structural Engineering Research Center
in Chennai in 1997. On the request of Oxfam, Indian Institute of Science developed
a manually operated brick-block making machine called Mardini. This machine costing

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only Rs: 25,000 enabled the production of brick
Disaster-Resistant Housing blocks at a cost 25% cheaper than the market
price. The compressive strength of traditionally
Making disaster-resistant housing
used burnt brick generally is 35 Kg./sq.Cm. The
In order to economise the cost of production of the blocks produced at the production centre with
brick blocks and enable the production of the blocks both the mechanised and the manual machines
in the villages where housing construction is taking are of greater strength than the burnt bricks
place manually operated brick-block making machine as well as the commercially produced y-ash
called Mardini was procured. The machine was de- brick blocks.
veloped for this purpose by the Indian Institute of
Science (IIS), Bangalore. This machine cost only Rs. Subsequently, Oxfam established a brick-making
25,000 and enables the production of brick blocks that unit near a project site. The community man-
are 25% cheaper than the market price. ages this unit and produces building components
like building blocks, reinforced cement concrete
doors and window frames, pre-fabricated roong
systems, ferro-cement roong channels, segment blocks, water tanks etc. These materials
were used for houses constructed in the housing program completed in the year 2001.
However, the building unit continues to sustain by supplying material to private houses,
road construction and a number of government projects. The production centre creates an
average of 2108 employment days between the 7 men and 6 women who manage it.

The housing beneciaries were identied by the community groups, and the house con-
struction was conducted with their manual contribution. Each beneciary of the house is
expected to meet half of the construction cost. That they contribute through manual labour
and by paying Rs. 150 per month to the group. The collected money is under the control of
the village institutions and is used for constructing houses for other beneciaries.

Since it is difcult to provide such houses for large number of families (each house costs
between Rs. 30,00040,000), Oxfam simultaneously conducted a study of thatched hous-
es in the coastal villages to nd ways of strengthening them to withstand cyclonic winds.
Retrotting of the houses was found to be the most cost effective way of strengthening
the existing houses to withstand cyclonic winds. Oxfam supported the retrotting of
another 1000 thatched houses, which have been able to withstand several cyclones that
crossed the coast since 1998.

The Process of Retrotting Houses


Replacement of wooden poles with RCC poles and grout them in cement concrete;
Tie-down the roof frame to the vertical poles with metal straps;
Provide vertical bracing across the poles and corner bracing to the roof frame;
Stabilise the mud used for walls, use forms and ramming while building mud
walls or apply bituminised plaster to make the walls water repellent; and
Apply treatment with cashew shell oil to increase durability of thatch and make
it re retardant.

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3.2.5 Empowering women
Included in, and going beyond the income generation
and other livelihood activities initiated by Oxfam GB are
some specic components of the programme that are
aimed at empowering women so that they do not face
the disadvantages that make them nancially depend-
ent on the men, and therefore vulnerable.

With government patronage and subsequent funding


under Development of Women and Children in Rural
Areas (DWCRA) and District Rural Development Agen-
cies (DRDA), these groups of 12-15 women are making an impressive record of self-help
through small revolving credits.

SHGs in all the programme villages are active, with regular meetings, savings collections,
well-maintained records, decision-making and social pressure for repayment. The Program
adopted the principle of recovery of all the money given to its beneciaries (apart from
the subsidies given by the government or grants from other agencies), and has linked
the SHGs to all other programmes requiring money. This has been highest in the case of
housing loans, followed by loans for the purchase of livelihood activities such as boats
and nets. With local interest rates ranging from 10 to 15 per cent per month, which is as
high as 120-180 per cent per year, the community considers the SHG loans, at about 36
per cent per year, very reasonable.

The formation of SHGs has contributed to community unity to a considerable extent.


People have started to respond to their collective necessities and this has trickled in to
managing local common pool resources such as water ponds and tanks in a few villages in
the East Godavari district. Initiation of income generation programmes (IGP) programmes
through the creation and revival of womens SHGs in the villages has given the women a
say in public affairs through economic independence. By providing economic support, the
programme has helped reduce the debt burden of the weavers groups.

3.3 Beyond Community Preparedness


The money spent on pre- and post- disaster situations is predominantly funds siphoned
from money allocated to planned development. Therefore, a larger population is usu-
ally affected by disasters than the population of the immediate disaster area. On the
other hand, while coastal villages are prone to cyclones and cyclonic oods, some
other parts of the state are equally vulnerable to other types of natural hazards such
as earthquakes, ash oods, monsoon oods, etc. Unfortunately, many people believe
that they are immune to disasters and that disasters will only affect others. There is
a total absence of risk perception in peoples lives, community and state development
planning, education curriculum, media priorities and in every sector where disaster
preparedness matters.

Oxfam believes that disaster preparedness cannot be sustainable with isolated efforts
from the village communities. In the absence of an overall culture of preparedness in the
state, the impact made at the community level will be short lived. The community level

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Involving School Children and Ex-service Men
An initiative with long-term sustainability has been the inclusion
of disaster preparedness training in schools. Children from various
villages congregate at the local schools. Children are fast learn-
ers and they also enthusiastically share their learning with friends
and family. Oxfam initiated disaster preparedness training for more
than 2000 school children using a wide variety of games and simu-
lation exercises. A collaboration with the re-ghting services to
organise training for school children on combating res added to
this initiative. This training teaches the children to save them-
selves, to help others, and to grow up with this capacity and to
actively contribute in creating a culture of disaster preparedness.

The main components of this training include educating children about the science of cyclones and oods, the
impact of cyclones on lives, causes of vulnerability, concept of preparedness, development of village contingency
plans, task force groups in the villages their roles and responsibilities, rst aid, rescue methods and oating
devices made of local materials and the students roles in promoting disaster preparedness and helping people
in the event of disasters. A special disaster game for school children was prepared in the local language. This
snakes and ladders disaster game teaches the children the correct route in the event of a disaster. The snakes
constitute the pitfalls of not following the contingency plan, and the ladders are safety routes. The game has
proved a success and the retention rate of the children is fairly high. The game has been attached as Annexure
1 of this report.

Similarly, Oxfam prepared a list of 500 ex-servicemen (previously members of the Indian armed forces) in the
program villages, enrolled them as volunteers and oriented them for disaster response.

preparedness should be supported by suitable actions by all other stakeholders. Those


who suffer indirectly can make disaster preparedness one of the governance issues to
vote for; the media can raise awareness on the need for preparedness; intellectuals can
mainstream disaster preparedness in policy and academic debates; schools can include
disaster preparedness in education curriculum; and the government can integrate disas-
ter preparedness into development policy and practices.

3.4 The Role of Media


The media can play a positive role by focusing on the scope and efciency of the relief,
helping the government to plug the loopholes in rehabilitation and providing informa-
tion to assist the government machinery in relief and rehabilitation. However, the media
must also understand the limitations of the government in a situation of disaster. Media
coverage, if skewed, can reinforce the belief among the stakeholders that only the govern-
ment is responsible for saving lives and assets in the occasion of a disaster. This feeling is
compounded when government ofcers maintain unnecessary secrecy over the death toll,
government response plan and other similar issues.

Interestingly, neither does the government initiate steps for advance preparedness,
nor does the media check to see what extent the government is prepared to handle
the potential disasters. Government ofcers perceive disaster response to be an un-

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avoidable professional compulsion
and act only when disasters strike;
media see it as an opportunity for
sensation, a ready reserve for hu-
man interest stories and a whip to
beat the government. While these
two important stakeholders miss
the objective of disaster manage-
ment, the other stakeholders in-
tellectuals and the general public
are completely unaware of the role
they should play in strengthening the disaster coping mechanism of society.

In order to bring the media, government and civil society on a common platform towards a
united effort in developing a culture of disaster preparedness, Oxfam organised a series of
workshops in collaboration with Dr Marri Channa Reddy Institute of Human Resource Devel-
opment and HIVOS. These workshops were followed by a series of training activities in col-
laboration with the National Industrial Security Academy (NISA), Andhra Pradesh Academy
of Rural Development (APARD), Andhra Pradesh Press Academy, National Institute Advanced
Studies for 1000 media persons, 3000 block level government ofcers, journalism colleges,
school children and senior civil servants and local and international organisations.

At the rst workshop organised by Oxfam in November 2000, the participants stressed
prevention, preparedness and long-term
strategy, calling for a participatory Strategy for Creating a Culture of Disaster
peoples movement. There was a com- Preparedness
mitment to accelerating government in-
Public awareness campaigns
volvement with NGOs. There was also
an afrmation of the need to institu- Community mobilising & training through formal &

tionalise the processes in the interest of informal means


durability, increased attention to con- Application of sophisticated remote sensing & early
tinued mutual dialogue and review. warning systems
In order to bring the media, government Risk and hazard mapping & vulnerability analyses
and civil society on a common platform Institutional and individual capacity building
to make a united effort in developing a
Inter-agency coordination and networking
culture of disaster preparedness, Oxfam
and Dr Marri Channa Reddy Institute of Advocacy for integration of disaster preparedness in
Human Resource Development organised development plans at all levels (environment, power,
a workshop on 3-4 April 2003. Promi- irrigation, water supply, poverty reduction,
nent mediapersons and noted academi- Agriculture, education, health schemes)
cians and NGO representatives shared Integration disaster preparedness in school curriculum
their views on the role of media in di-
Mainstream disaster preparedness in the media and
saster management.
intellectual debates.
The participants at the seminar stressed Disaster preparedness included in governance
the need for a paradigm shift in the for- parlance.
mulation of disaster management and

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loss mitigation strategies, and the enhancement of media role in the development activi-
ties in cyclone- and disaster-prone areas. In disaster management activities, the role of
media gets a place of prominence because of its enormous reach and spread. Against this
background, a number of recommendations emerged for the media:

The media should concentrate more on the pre- and post-disaster development activi-
ties undertaken by various agencies in association with government departments.
It should concentrate more on developmental news so that wider awareness is cre-
ated among the people. Giving a proper place to development news will generate a
sustained understanding among the people living in disaster-prone areas, which helps
them to prepare in advance and take efforts to minimise the extent of loss in the
event of a natural disaster.
Creating geographical and topographical understanding among the people living in
cyclone- and disaster-prone areas is the prime duty of the media.
News contributors working in costal areas need to be educated in the kind of reporting
that creates awareness in times of disaster.
Every year, Oxfam responds to about 40 emergencies globally. Many of these are not even
reported in the mainstream media. To understand the kind of work the media can do in
future, there is a need to initiate new cultures wherein not everything is decided by the
government; where it is the responsibility of the people and NGOs to watch the reports as
they come out in the media and be more informed and critical. The media, whatever its
form may be, can inuence the minds of people in a way nothing else can.

Tools to build the culture of preparedness


Advancements in communications technology have ensured that there is a variety of op-
tions for communication, even in disaster situations. These include the radio, TV, satellite
and Internet. At the same time, the utility of traditional means of communicating such as
street theatre and inter-personal communications should not be underestimated.

Community radio
Radio has played a signicant role in the context of disaster awareness and relief. In the
aftermath of the Gujarat earthquake, AIR was one of the few mechanisms which continued
to broadcast messages. However, the role of AIR has mainly been forecasting. There is a
need to look into the limited sphere of AIR and see how HAM, or community radio, can
supplement its services. The HAM apparatus can go to the eld and transmit information
on an hour-to-hour basis, something AIR cannot do.

Community radio can bolster development efforts. It is cheap, accessible,


affordable and can help immensely in sectors like health and education.
Community radio can become vital to the advocacy effort in these areas.
At present, 2000 HAMS exist in India and only a person with a license
from the Indian government can own and operate a HAM radio.

Harnessing the potential of HAM


HAM, or amateur radio, is a wireless mode of communication that is not
under government control. HAM radio has both mobility and reliability.

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It has been developed as second line communication in all disaster-prone areas. The
National Institute of Amateur Radio (NAIR) assisted the government and other agencies,
especially in Orissa during the super cyclone, in the use of HAM radio. It has great po-
tential in early warning and also in rescue operations. Apart from early warning systems
that can be easily communicated, HAM radio can also be installed in a mobile vehicle with
medical supplies. The best part is that amateur radio is free.

In the United States and Philippines, there is a long tradition of independent communi-
cation through HAM, which has played a critical role in times of natural disasters. Their
examples have prompted countries in South Asia to review and have a re-look at the com-
munity radio, which is legally functional in some countries of the subcontinent like Sri
Lanka and Nepal.

We need to see whether India can reap the benets of community radio. However, it is
important to consider what can be the fallout of using such a means of communication.
It is true that this media can be misused, by terrorists, for example. However, it is also
true that in countries where community radio has been legitimised, it has never been
misused. There are regulatory mechanisms to ensure that the community radio in these
countries conforms to the law of the land. In both Nepal and Sri Lanka, at the height of
the Maoist and Tamil insurgencies, the community radio stations acted as critical hubs of
communication and information.

Today in India, we have private radio coverage but no community broadcasting. Despite the
Supreme Court judgment of 1996, which says that airways are public property, the govern-
ment prefers to stick to the maxim that it is its prerogative to decide who should be given
a license. All India Radio is a huge player and its enormous contribution to broadcasting
cannot be underplayed. However, the importance of the local radio station cannot be down-
played too, though this sector does not get the recognition that it deserves.

Mainstream radio
In India, radio has the highest reach compared to any country. People rely on the radio.
In coastal areas, in shing hamlets, transistors are invaluable for cyclone warnings. If the
government cannot invest in the community radio, it should do so in simple transistor
radios. In fact, NGOs are now going to equip the villages with these transistors, which
can be a form of communicating with the people. As with television, literacy is no barrier
in being able to use the radio; it has a very wide reach and can be used to communicate
with people during disasters.

Print media
Despite the increase in the number of television channels and other media of commu-
nication, newspaper readership has consistently increased. It is also the media with the
farthest reach because it is cheap and easily available. The print media has the stamp of
credibility. There is a need to focus on the regional press, which has immense potential.

The role of media cannot be restricted to the dissemination of information only. There are
a few questions which arise here. First, whether newspapers are too impersonal and not
inclined to think sensitively on various issues. Secondly, we have to identify the people at
stake; whether it is the need of the press to cover the issues or it is our need to take our

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issues to the press. Keeping track of the way in which an issue is covered in newspapers
is a useful tool. The gaps can be identied and appropriate linkages can be established.
A problem which crops up is that information is often not divulged by the government.
There should be transparency, and acknowledgement of the fact that many measures taken
are anti-development by nature. Only then can there be quality reporting and proper em-
phasis on advocacy.

The print media suffers from certain drawbacks. For example, it is difcult to give prior-
ity to development issues about a village over politics. Newspapers have to be successful
business ventures too. In the event of a disaster, the media gives out a lot of informa-
tion in the rst few weeks, after which its coverage declines. The element of advocacy
is difcult to sustain for a long time. The example of the Telugu press can be given in
this context. Newspapers like Eenadu and Andhra Jyothi give out extensive information
regarding each district of Andhra Pradesh. The government banks on them for sustained
coverage of issues, which nds reection in appropriate policy changes.

Television
Television has a powerful impact on people. While the readership of newspapers is about
18 crore, television reaches nearly 30 crore people. Television has the
advantage of reaching the illiterate population, too. Through regular
educative programmes, it can be a useful tool in developing a culture
of disaster preparedness.

Satellites
Satellites can also be used for round-the-clock communication. If this
communication tool is made available to amateur radio operators,
they can reliably transmit and receive messages with great accuracy.
In times of disaster, this can prove the most reliable and effective
second line of communication.

Emergency Internet satellite linkage system


This is another communication system which is of recent origin -- the emergency Inter-
net satellite linkage system. It involves a small and handy equipment called M4 mini M,
which takes just half a minute to set up. It is easy to carry and can be linked to any place
in the world. Though it is expensive, the service that it can provide during disasters is
invaluable.

Traditional media
While mass media is important, traditional media can also be of immense use to strength-
en disaster preparedness. They are indigenous; they do not cost a lot of money. Harikatha,
oggu katha or burra kathe do not need any kind of technology; through street plays in a
rural area, they can effectively communicate information about disaster management and
preparedness. There is a multiplier effect in the media. A great deal of communication in
this country still takes place in terms of inter-personal communication. There is a need to
identify inuential people and opinion makers who matter in the village context. Group
leaders and village leaders can communicate to the rest of the people any information
about disaster.

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Capacity building of media

Disaster Information Centre


A disaster information centre should be set up for journalists where they can easily ac-
cess information. NGOS working in disaster management can contribute to the setting up
of a disaster news syndicate, where, on a periodic basis, information relating to disaster
preparedness and case studies done by individuals or organisations involved in the area
are fed. It is important that news and features should be professionally reported and writ-
ten so as to be easily comprehensible. Also, it is desirable that the information be in the
local language.

Training the media


A module can be prepared on the reporting of disaster and its aftermath. The contents
can be based on the actual experiences and problems encountered by the people. This
can be made available to journalists at a nominal price. Also, the training module can be
sent to journalism departments of universities and to the University Grants Commission,
to be included in their syllabi.

Media: A humanitarian approach


Despite our right to information, the authorities tend to function in secrecy. In this
context, it becomes doubly important that the media not only create awareness but also
shape public opinion. It is the duty of the media to report not only where relief has
reached but also where it has not reached, thereby supplementing the ofcial machinery
in relief and rehabilitation efforts. The media can also mobilise support nationally and
internationally. Proper journalism should try to get all versions to a story -- the ofcial
version, the peoples version and the eyewitness account. It is important for journal-
ists to have sensitivity and empathy while reporting, so that they can appreciate which
sections are the most affected and air their issues more strongly. The space or coverage
given to a news item shows the amount of signicance that is being attached to it.

We have correspondents covering political events, some covering fashion shows and
nightclubs but we do not have correspondents exclusively covering disaster or the tribal
population in our country. There are no correspondents exclusively covering agricultural
labourers. It is not that it is a difcult task; rather it is a matter of attitude. The NGOs
and concerned people can negotiate with the media in this respect. The NGOs can play an
excellent role in educating the media. They can provide information support to the media
and make this kind of coverage a reality. Real activism actually concerns the poor and the
vulnerable. We are fortunate to have a free press. We can utilise this asset to have the
kind of humanitarian media that is the need of the hour.

Media response: Beyond human interest


Though heart-wrenching stories can loosen the purse strings of philanthropists and chari-
ties, disaster reporting is more than human interest stories it can facilitate action, says
R.J. Rajendra Prasad, bureau chief of The Hindu, who covered the 1977 cyclone in Andhra
as a young reporter. According to him, the government response could have been better,
and in later years, newspapers catalysed the governments efforts towards better cyclone
response, with extensive local coverage. Says K Srinivasa Rao, chief reporter (political),
Eenadu, Hyderabad, The concept of local and rural reporting developed.

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Through 1978-89, Eenadu devot-
ed a page each day to the dis-
tricts in the reach of its edition.
In 1989, it introduced a daily dis-
trict tabloid with the main paper,
a revolution among regional pa-
pers. This gives detailed coverage
to each of the 1100-odd mandals
in the state. With a readership
of more than 8 million, the re-
gional press in Andhra is one of
the most vibrant in the country.
The result, according to Prasad, is extraordinary response in disaster situations.

Wide media coverage not only means faster and more relief; it can be educative as well.
According to K. Srinivasa Rao, After the advent of satellite TV, there have been many
changes in the way disasters are reported. Many channels even try to make people aware.
Media articles explain the science and safety aspects of a cyclone for instance, how the
lull at the eye of a cyclone can be a breather before a doubly ferocious strike. Prasad notes
that a lot of awareness has been created in the deltaic regions of East Godavari, where
shermen carry radios.

There is scope for improving disaster reporting. The stress of post-disaster coverage is on
ensuring that relief has reached all the affected people. It also ensures accountability.
Beyond these mechanics of reportage, what are needed are stories of people rebuilding
their lives, people as participants in their own progress, not just victims and recipients
of aid.

Media response: Dos and Donts


Coordinate efforts with bureaucracy.

Make independent assessment of loss and deaths.


Give credit to ofcials wherever they have done good work.
Attract attention of national and international agencies to donate and help.
Help the state in dealing with the centre to get more funds.

Restrain from exaggeration and sensationalisation.


Do not blame the ofcials alone.
Do not tolerate wastage of relief materials.
Do not try to disrupt chain of command.
Do not spread panic about shortages and delays.

Workshop on Creating a Culture of Disaster Preparedness


Role of Media, Government & Civil Society, April 2003

In the workshop on the role of media in disaster management, the aim was to bring peo-
ple from the media, government and civil society organisations on a common platform,
in order to make a united effort in building resilient societies by developing a culture of

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prevention and preparedness. An important focus was on developing a symbiotic relation-
ship between the media and NGOs. While the NGOs could educate the media, and make it
aware of the ground realities, the media through its coverage of the NGOs efforts could
play an effective advocacy role.

At the workshop on Critical assessment of ongoing disaster preparedness efforts, nearly


70 participants from Andhra Pradesh and Orissa discussed the vulnerability of the coastal
areas to disasters, and the need for a long-term strategy to mitigate disaster prepared-
ness; vulnerability reduction through capacity building, awareness dissemination and ap-
propriate policies; coordination between government and NGOs; networking among NGOs;
sustenance of disaster preparedness programmes, inuencing the investment, spreading
the coverage, balancing enabling rights and entitlement, and dovetailing disaster pre-
paredness with the development programmes.

The awareness created among the Government and International NGOs have led to discus-
sions on a series of possible disaster preparedness policies and practices at the state and
national level. Disaster Preparedness has to be part of a long-term development plan of
the village level. In Andhra Pradesh, with a more proactive administration, there are pos-
sibilities of disaster preparedness being mainstreamed within development plans.

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Oxfams
Partner NGOs
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4. Oxfams Partner NGOs
Oxfams initiatives at the community level have been organised in collaboration with a
network of local NGOs who have exhibited a willingness to work for disaster prepared-
ness programmes. SAKTI and SAMSKAR were involved with Oxfams relief work following
the 1996 cyclone. As the programme developed they were joined by three other NGOs:
ARTIC, ACTION and the Environment Centre. The programme at the time was planned
for a period of two years with an initial group of ve NGOs. In the following years,
three other NGOs became part of the programme. Since 2001, the programme has been
scaled up to include a network of 20 NGOs working in 250 villages. Each of the partners
focused their interventions on different aspects of disaster preparedness based on their
experience and skills.

Oxfams Partner NGOs


ACTION: ACTION has been working predominantly in the sphere of community empowerment and community
health. The long-term perspective of ACTION is to empower the weaker sections by forming peoples organisa-
tions at the village level. The target groups include hill tribes, sher folk, women and backward classes. The
organisation has focused on disaster preparedness in villages that are difcult to access and most prone to be
left out during relief and rehabilitation.

ARDAR: The organisation has identied the marine shing community as the target group on the basis of their
backwardness and poor social and livelihood conditions. ARDAR has adopted a people-centred and people-con-
trolled development process that could help in bringing structural changes.

ARTIC: The main objective of ARTIC is to build up capacity of people living in disaster-prone areas to mitigate
the impact of disasters. The NGO has adopted a more studied approach to disaster-preparedness. Local resources
and teams have been identied for training. ARTIC follows an iterative process for many of its interventions,
allowing for the community to modify the designs of assets supplied to them (like boats, sh drying rack) to suit
the local situation and requirement.

Coastal Area Disaster Management Efforts (CADME): CADME is a network of 20 NGOs from the Nine coastal
Andhra Districts. CADME works with the single objective of strengthening disaster preparedness in the state of
Andhra Pradesh. With the support of Oxfam, this network has created a cadre of 3000 volunteers for disaster
response. The president of this network was selected for United Nations Sasakawa Award for 2003 for disaster
preparedness.

Chaitanya Development Society (CDS): CDS has been working for the past 14 years with shing communities in
coastal Andhra villages. The main focus is cyclone awareness, disaster preparedness and promoting income gen-
eration activities for women. CDS has developed a strategy of using humorous skits that are extremely enjoyable
to the local populace to get the disaster-preparedness message across to young and old members of the com-
munities. It has engaged in developing a multitude of income generation activities based on local discussions
with a specic focus on women

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SAKTI: SAKTI helps devise positive solutions for community-based resource conservation efforts. The NGO started
its foray into disaster preparedness efforts with an analysis of cyclone history and a vulnerability assessment of
the villages of the region. Thereafter, SAKTI has worked with womens health issues, including imparting health
related education to the village women. SAKTIs health education programme includes telling women about the
importance of personal hygiene, the root causes of disease, and training them on post-disaster rst aid.

SRAVANTI: SRAVANTI has been working towards facilitating collective action of sher folk in projects, including
capacity building, womens forums, thrift and credit schemes, community-based disaster preparedness, mangrove
regeneration, non-formal education and environmental education and awareness.

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Conclusion
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5. Conclusion
Role of Government
Though disasters cannot be stopped altogether, their impact can certainly
be minimised. Over the past 20 years, the cyclone warning and response
systems in India have improved a great deal. The benchmark is the cy-
clone of 1977 in Andhra Pradesh, after which efforts were made not only
to provide relief but also long-term measures. The government has begun
to realise that it must concentrate on long-term measures with regard to
infrastructure. The improvement of roads with the help of the World Bank
has facilitated faster evacuation and relief measures in subsequent cyclones and oods.
Telephone and wireless communications have been strengthened. Remote sensing maps
and GIS are utilised for identifying elevations for the construction of shelters and relief
camps. Crop losses have nominally decreased due to improved drainage facilities and ad-
vance planning, transplantation and harvesting. The advance stocking of medicines and
vaccines has proved to be cost-effective and mortality-preventive. The improved coordi-
nation between the Meteorological Department and the state Relief Administration, the
ood control agencies and other agencies belonging to the central and state governments
has gone a long way in mitigating disaster impact.

Oxfam GBs Initiative


Oxfams initiative, with support from HIVOS, ECHO and DRA, was unique in India when
it started in 1997. It was a deliberate move from a situation of responding to recurring
disasters with short-term relief and rehabilitation to a long-term strategy of mitigating
the effects of disaster. This was proposed to be achieved by preparing the community for
disaster and simultaneously initiating activities that would help the community to be in
a state of control of their livelihood after the event had passed. As such, the focus was
not only on improving the capacity of the community and others to respond effectively
to a disaster but also on improving the livelihood options of the vulnerable. This in effect
was a deliberate ne-tuning and sensitisation of developmental initiatives with disaster
preparedness in disaster-prone areas.

The varied experiences of Oxfam and its partners offer important learnings for similar
initiatives in Andhra and elsewhere. It is, however, important to identify the best prac-
tices and strategies that institutionalise disaster preparedness along with developmental
activities at the community level, which can be replicated. It is imperative to note that
disaster preparedness on its own, without livelihood development, is difcult to sustain,
be it be from the point of community interest or from the point of continuous availability
of external funds. Peoples participation in disaster preparedness has been seen to be high
and sustaining in areas where NGOs have integrated it with livelihood or health support.
Keeping this in view, future programmes of Oxfam should focus more on livelihood of the
poor with disaster preparedness as an integral element.

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A workable disaster preparedness model is of im-
portance to the society at large to learn and ben- Development is about working with people to change
et from. It is also important for Oxfam, more so things. Changing attitudes to their vulnerability is
as its initiator, as models would help in gaining an important aspect. Community participation in
recognition and help the organisation to posi- disaster preparedness activities is very important
tion the programme and negotiate for improved but interest in these wanes as time passes from the
previous disaster. Because of the multiple vulner-
effectiveness with the administration. It is also
ability of the poor, disaster preparedness must be
important for sourcing funds for scaling up imple-
integrated with other immediate issues of water,
mentation and for outreach.
health, and livelihood.
The coastal Andhra Disaster Preparedness pro- Shobha Raghuram, HIVOS, November 2000 Workshop
gramme has provided to this country an alterna- Individual response, community response and gov-
tive disaster management model that is workable. ernment initiative are required for disaster manage-
However, a long-term plan for replicating, scaling ment. An integrated approach is required. Sociology
up and sustaining the achievements is required. of disaster management could pave the way for cre-
The sustenance of this programme lies in in- ating a culture of disaster preparedness.
creased emphasis on more concrete vulnerability Dr. Lavanam, Workshop on critical assessment of
reduction activities and their dynamic integration ongoing disaster preparedness efforts, 29-30 April, 2003
with disaster preparedness capacity building.

Oxfam GBs disaster preparedness programme has its effects visible at a variety of levels.
The two main realms that have been dramatically affected by the programme are the
disaster preparedness of the coastal communities, and the developmental goals of the
community. Disaster preparedness directly affects the ability of the villagers to cope
with cyclones; while the general development of the community deals with how they
progress towards being sustainable communities nancially and socially with or without
disasters.

Natural disasters will recur. Given this and the fact that areas prone to natural disaster
are often desirable places to live, preparedness measures are a good tool to ensure that
damage to communities in these disaster-prone areas are minimised. A community that
is prepared and has taken the necessary precautionary and mitigation measures is far bet-

48 Disaster Preparedness
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ter equipped to deal with the situation and
resume normal functioning at a much faster
pace.

It is becoming increasingly evident that a


relatively smaller investment in disaster pre-
paredness can save lives and vital economic
assets, as well as reduce the cost of overall
relief assistance. Billions of rupees are spent
on relief operations when a cyclone strikes.
Instead, some of this money directed towards
preparing the communities for times of disas-
ter helps them recover from the damage soon-
er, as well as empowers them towards healthy
lifestyles in times when no disaster is threatening.

The cyclones in Andhra Pradesh in 2003 proved the task force members to be fully pre-
pared for any eventuality, and most members were enthusiastic in explaining and dem-
onstrating the skills that they had acquired. The teams were young and without doubt it
was visible that a cadre of committed people had been mobilised by the programme. The
system of rotating members and adding new members has helped more individuals from
the community learn skills and be part of the cadre.

The Coastal Andhra Pradesh Disaster Preparedness programme has provided an alterna-
tive disaster management model that is workable. However, a long-term plan for repli-
cating, scaling up and sustaining the achievements is required. Current documentation
of the successes as well as failures of the programme is aimed at sharing the strengths
and weaknesses of the methods employed with organisations and the public. The sus-
tenance of this programme lies in increased emphasis on more concrete vulnerability
reduction activities and their dynamic integration with disaster preparedness capacity
building.

A major achievement of this programme is the creation of a model of community-


based disaster preparedness with multiple strategies of capacity building and vulner-
ability reduction by
integrating locally
appropriate develop-
ment activities. This
programme has de-
veloped a sense of
condence among the
vulnerable sections
in the management
of their own affairs.
There has been a con-
siderable reduction of
peoples reliance on
the government for

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their own development. Oxfams lessons from this experience have also fed into the
Indian governments National Disaster Management Plan of the government.

A workable disaster preparedness model is of importance for the society at large to learn
and benet from. The model created by Oxfam in Andhra Pradesh is being replicated by
several other agencies within and outside the state. Armed with the myriad learnings from
its experiences in Andhra Pradesh, and with its current policy of disseminating this in-
formation, Oxfam hopes for a future culture of disaster preparedness within communities,
government and all those working towards better disaster management.

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Oxfam GB is an international humanitarian, development and campaign organisation working


with others to nd lasting solutions to poverty and sufferings. Oxfam GB believes in the dignity
of people and their capacity to overcome their problems . Oxfam and its partners work with the
poorest and the most vulnerable in their struggle against poverty suffering and injustice. In
India for more than 50 years, Oxfam GB has supported and nurtured several innovations and new
initiatives by small and upcoming social organisations and social activists. Many of these or-
ganisations and individuals have since become role models in the eld of development practice.
Today, Oxfams dual mandate of humanitarian response and development work has broadened. As
a campaign organisation, Oxfam speaks out globally on behalf of the poor people on issues such
as trade and violence, advocating changes in policies and practices that keep poor people poor.
The campaigns are inspired by Oxfam GBs grassroots experience in over 80 countries.

Oxfam GB
South Asia Regional Management Center
C 28-29 Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi 110 016
Tel: + 91 (011) 52396000, 26516487, 26516481
Fax: + 91 (011) 52396099
Email: newdelhi@oxfam.org.uk

Regional Ofces in India

West India-Ahmedabad North India-Lucknow


Oxfam India Trust Oxfam India Trust
3-A, 3rd Floor, Commerce House -I, Judges Bungalow Road 1, Dali Bagh, Butler Road
Bodakdev, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380054 Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226001
Tel: + 91 (079) 26841146, 26841148, 26841142 Tel: + 91 (0522) 204785, 204783, 204784
Fax: + 91 (079) 26840786 Fax: + 91 (0522) 204785, 204783, 204784
Email: ahmedabad@oxfam.org.uk Email: oxfamlko@oxfam.org.uk

East India-Kolkota Tsunami Response Ofce - Chennai


Oxfam India Trust Oxfam India Trust
Camellia 117P, Sivaswami Salai
30/SB, Block B, New Alipore Near Nilgiris Nest
Kolkata, West Bengal 700 053 Mylapore, Chennai 600 004
Tel: + 91 (033) 2445 6794, 2445 6650 Tel: + 91 (044) 52109417, 52109418
Fax: + 91 (033) 2445 6793 Fax: + 91 (044) 52109427
Email: kolkata@oxfam.org.uk Email: chennai@oxfam.org.uk

South India-Hyderabad
Oxfam India Trust
Plot No. 18, Amaravathi Cooperative Housing Colony
Khar Khana Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh 500 009
Tel: + 91 (040) 2774 1891
Fax: + 91 (040) 27741229, 27741891
Email: hyderabad@oxfam.org.uk

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