Three cyclone shelters would be established in Kerala soon, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Mullappally Ramachandran announced here on Friday.
Delivering a special address at the inaugural function of a two- day workshop on Disaster Risk Reduction and Contingency Planning, he said the shelters would be constructed under the World Bank- assisted National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Scheme.
He said Kerala had been allocated Rs.724.29 crore for a project under the State Disaster Response Fund for the period 2010-15.
The Minister said the Union government was considering a proposal to classify coastal erosion and lightning strikes as natural disasters, in view of the high incidence in Kerala and the need to compensate the victims. “The Centre is looking into the issue. A positive decision is expected soon,” he said..
India, he said, was witnessing a paradigm shift from relief-centric response to proactive prevention, mitigation and preparedness. The Centre had allocated Rs.2.66 crore to Kerala for a special scheme to strengthen the Fire and Rescue Services with modern equipment like water tenders, high power pumps and quick response vehicles. A sum of Rs.1.95 crore had been sanctioned to the State for purchase of civil defence equipment, he added.
In his inaugural address, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said, “Disasters instinctively unite the world and affect us in more ways than one”. He said the fallout of the 9/11 terror strike in the U.S. had left an impact on the economies of the world and led to the diversion of resources for defence, counter terrorism, homeland security and financing of war in the Middle East.
Affirming the fundamental responsibility of the State to ensure the safety of its citizens, Mr.Chandy said that all industrial or economic activities involved some risk and that the State should ensure that all such activities were carried out with utmost care. “In dealing with any disaster, or while acting to prevent any likely disaster, we should not cause more harm than what the disaster would have caused,” he added.
Presiding over the inaugural function, Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, said that natural disasters cost the global economy $380 billion last year. “India with its characteristic geo-climatic conditions, vast territory and large population suffered due to natural disasters”. Kerala, he said, was prone to multi hazards.
Delivering the keynote address, Geraldine Fraser Moleketi, Global Director for Democratic Governance, UNDP, said responsive institutions, inclusive participation and international principles in governance were key factors in disaster management.
Noting that women, children, marginalized sections and the poor bore the brunt of disasters, she called for involving minority communities, civil society organisations and NGOs in disaster risk reduction measures.
T. Nandakumar, Member, National Disaster Management Authority; Additional Chief Secretary Nivedita P. Haran; and Secretary, Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, K.B. Valsala Kumari; also addressed the gathering.
More than 30 experts from India and other countries, including the U.S., the U.K., Cuba, Austria, Spain, the Netherlands and Sweden are participating in the two- day workshop. The thematic discussions will cover governance, policymaking, community empowerment, early warning systems, rapid response, flood hazard assessment and dam safety issues.
About 300 delegates from countries, including Egypt and Iran, are taking part in the workshop jointly organised by the Department of Revenue and Disaster Management in partnership with Kerala State Disaster Management Authority and the Institute of Land & Disaster Management.
