The document discusses the importance of focusing on sustainable disaster management and post-disaster recovery in urban India, highlighting the increasing frequency of natural disasters and their economic and social impacts. It emphasizes a shift from traditional recovery approaches to strategies that integrate risk reduction, community empowerment, and livelihood restoration, advocating for a 'build back better' philosophy in disaster reconstruction. The proposed strategies include comprehensive planning that addresses specific sector needs, promotes local employment, and makes disaster management an integral part of city development initiatives.

1. Preparing for Post-Disaster
Management and
Livelihood in
Urban India
Jit Kumar Gupta
Former Advisor; Punjab Urban Development Authority
jit.kumar1944@gmail.com

2. •Disaster - Context

3. Disaster - Context
• Disasters - integral part of human living/ growth /development Disasters
• Disasters-- - classified as natural and manmade
• Due to unsustainable human living—Natural Disaster occurrence/ loss increased rapidly
in recent decades.
• - Natural disasters- killed over 3 million people in last two decades.
• -Natural disasters- --- affected annually - 211 million people from 1991-2000
• - seven times more than people impacted annually> 31 million people by conflict.
• -Annual economic losses exceed US $90 billion
• - Recurrent natural disasters disrupt-
• – Physical, economic and social systems
• - eroding/negating - development gains
• - communities- losing bread/butter- Livelihood
• - Pushing communities/nations-- into poverty
• - losses outweighing-- limited development gains
• -Risk of future disasters- challenges for humanity/ communities/ nations.

4. Disaster Context
• Disaster Recovery--take time/resources/ human efforts
• - Large expenditure incurred to rebuild/ recover after disaster events,
• - Desired outcome --remains disproportionate
• --Issue relate to -- reduced vulnerability / Finding alternate livelihood /
restoring original livelihood --remain marginalized
• Emphasis remains only on- recovery, funding distribution, or co-
ordination between governments /humanitarian organizations.
• Post-disaster period- - Needs to be viewed- as a time for renewal /
improvement
• - opposed to -- simply returning communities to pre-disaster living
conditions.
• - based on °build back better” approach
• Livelihood recovery program– needs to be made useful for making
recovery meaningful

5. Disaster Susceptibility of India
• India - known as nation of disaster
• - ranks high among disaster-prone countries.
--According to National Disaster Management Authority;
-- around 12% land -- exposed to floods,
-- 68% land-- vulnerable to droughts, landslides/ avalanches,
-- 58.6% landmass -- earthquake-prone
--5,700 / 7,516-km coastline-vulnerable to Tsunamis / cyclones
• During 20 years (2000-2019)
• - India recorded large natural disasters
• -- floods (52 per cent),
• -- cyclones (30 per cent),
• -- drought (3 per cent)
• -- earthquakes (5 per cent),
• -landslides (10 per cent).

14. •Disaster – Conventional
Approach

15. Disaster –Conventional Approach
 Looking Holistically- disasters also offer—
-- unique, opportunities for change.
- when local recovery is ably supported with–
• --risk reduction in-- all recovery activities
• -- recovery can catalyze transition
• -- to more sustainable development.
• -- crisis can provide an opportunity
• -- to reverse downward development and rebuild sustainability.
• -- Conventional approaches –
• -- still dominated by assistance /emergency management/ Rehabilitation
• -- does not address risks-- that provoked crisis
• - Reconstruction - often conceptualized /designed- to return to conditions of
development - existed before crisis occurred,
• -- Rebuilding on such analogy leads to-
• -- preparing ground for future disaster/crisis
• -- while increasing debts of countries concerned

16. •Disaster – Sustainable
Approach

17. Sustainable Approach to disasters
International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) calls for promoting
Sustainable Recovery for overcoming challenging of disasters &
 --Defines - Sustainable Recovery as : -
 “Decisions/actions taken after a disaster - involves Restoring
/Improving-- pre-disaster living conditions of impacted community--
Encouraging/ facilitating – disaster risk reduction
Accordingly- Post- disaster approach should be based on;
 -Mitigating existing/future challenges posed by disasters
 - -Promoting sustainable/ safer development
 - Integrating safety/sustainability with development
 -- Creating sustainable options of Living and Livelihood
 Adopting a comprehensive/long term planning-- help avoiding ad-hoc decision
making --in disaster mitigation & livelihood promotion and-- avoiding delay in
return of community stability/ generating appropriate livelihood

18. Sustainable Approach to Disasters
 Approach to Recovery from a disaster– should revolve around ; ;
 -- Shifting focus- from only saving lives --to restoring livelihoods also
• - preventing recurrence of crisis situations
• -- Defining conditions for future development
• -- Building on available capacities
• -- Empowering communities
• -- Determining/addressing root causes of vulnerabilities
• - Supporting recovery process at an early stage,
- - Integrating recovery with ongoing developmental process-- national, regional
• --Mitigating poverty / vulnerability of affected states/ communities-- during /
after disasters.
• - Building capacity of local authorities /communities--to rebuild/recover from
disasters / prevent relapses.
 -- Reduce development deficits of affected areas
 --Making information about disaster risk -- part of decision making process.
 --Promoting participatory approaches
 - promoting decentralized planning / programming
 -- Improving/maintaining co-ordination/collaboration & Co-operation

19. Sustainable Approach to disasters
• Adopting different strategies for different sectors;
• Approach used for disaster mitigation -should be sector specific;
• Creating options for improved employment & making value addition to
livelihood
• Agriculture /livestock production, through -- provision of seeds, tools, micro-
credits, and other means
• Small business through-- providing space for business ; credits and other
support system
• Physical/ social infrastructure -- roads, markets, primary roads, bridges, water
supply, primary power generation and distribution facilities etc. – rapid
restoration/rehabilitation/development- for supporting economic activities-
• Reconstruction of housing -- using local technologies, local construction
materials, local know-how, local manpower– for promoting local
economy/generating employment

20. Sustainable Approach to disasters-Resettlement
• Resettlement of families on new sites--complex issue& presents major
challenges-
-- calls for identifying safer location for settlement -Undertaking Risk mapping
of new site-undertaking safety analysis of new site
- Extend beyond housing –self- sustaining/self-contained
• Providing -- social infrastructure,-- livelihoods -- economic activities-
• Providing sustainable livelihood options
• Involving/consulting-- communities to be shifted.
• Ensuring secure land & housing tenure
• -Combining long-term with strategic, short-medium-term interventions
• --Reaching first --most vulnerable population,
• - Ensuring recovery response-- demand driven.
• - Placing people close to place of work
• - Ensuring good connectivity

21. •Disaster Re-development
- Planning

22. • Things to be most cared --
People, Ecosystems,
Economies & Livelihood
• Engaging communities
• Defining goals/vision
• Evaluating- climate-related
Risk which could harm
community
• Assess – Assets- which
are vulnerable & extent of
risk acceptable
• Investigate- possible
solutions,
• Make Plans- to address
greatest concerns.
• Evolve Framework - to help
people recognize potential
opportunities presented by

23. Planning for Post-Disaster Redevelopment
• 1. Preparing Post-disaster redevelopment / recovery plan;
• -- facilitates pre-disaster planning – to guide long-term recovery post- disaster- because
• Planning ahead/Advance Planning- helps in quick disaster response-during /immediate post-
disaster recovery
• -- stakeholders- have limited time/ ability to engage in long-term planning effort.
• -- Helps integrate hazard mitigation into redevelopment/ recovery --with sufficient time to
explore, discuss/ address issues.
• 2 Avoiding Rebuilding at same site – Avoid Rebuilding damaged structures /infrastructure- in
same location/ in same way – for saving community from similar losses in future.
• -- Hazard mitigation measures -- property protection /hazard avoidance considered when
rebuilding / repairing damaged structures.
3 Focusing long-term options --Disasters force-- business closures/ displace residents /damaging
livelihood/ adversely impact vitality of a community.
• -- Understanding / addressing - social/ economic drivers/ existing dependencies
/vulnerabilities-- help support community in mitigation/ post-disaster redevelopment efforts.
4Implementing vision.
• -Disasters also present opportunities --to target investments /help achieve long-term
community vision.

24. Planning for Post-Disaster Redevelopment
5. Integrating Hazard Mitigation into Development Plans;- helps in
• --identifying -roles /responsibilities -- of key people, departments,/ agencies;
• --addressing -need for temporary regulations --post-disaster building
• -- addressing -potential impacts to historic resources;
• --addressing - potential impacts to non-conforming uses;
• -- addressing - location for temporary housing.
• -- integrating long-term hazard mitigation, public safety, and resilience goals,
• 6 Profiling and mapping hazard risks.-- help better understanding hazard impacts and
making informed policy recommendations--- for emergency operations / response personnel-
• 7 Establishing a safety or hazards element in comprehensive or general plan.– - for ensuring
--that hazard profiles & mapping information --are integrated into land use planning process.
• 8. Using land use, zoning, subdivision, and other development regulations. – for guiding
growth to safer areas while limiting development in known hazard areas
• 9. Protecting or restoring natural areas. – for maintaining a buffer /mitigating effects-- flood
storage& , -- directing growth to less environmentally sensitive and/or hazard prone areas
• 10 Using capital improvement programs to fund safety measures. -- For ensuring -safe growth
/establishing road improvements or other measures -- to ensure continuity of passage,
evacuation/ essential community needs-- in event of a disaster.

25. Planning for Post-Disaster Redevelopment
• Making disaster management & post-disaster development -integral part of city planning
and development process – by adopting the process of--
• . Making assessment of risk /risks --to which a city remains prone
• Making detailed assessment-- of risks faced by various parts of city
• City divided into different zones-- based on risk typology/intensity
• - Preparing -Risk Zoning Map of City
• Quantifying /identifying- measure needed to mitigate risks faced by different parts of city
• Defining norms / standards for infrastructures for rehabilitation
• Making provision of quantified infrastructures /services- within plan by allocating dedicated
space
• Space marked in plan- for housing & providing employment/livelihood to people impacted
• Space provided for impacted community- to run their businesses- informal markets
• Identifying community buildings – schools, community centres, institutions-- for temporary
housing impacted people immediately after disaster
• Quantifying cost of making provision of such infrastructure- sourcing funding for such infra
• Making provision of institutions required in area-
• Developing/designing such infrastructures as part of the disaster –mitigation measures-
both temporary/permanent
• Making sure -- no development permitted --in identified disaster prone area

26. Planning for Post-Disaster Redevelopment
• Defining-- a state policy for granting livelihood to vulnerable/impacted communities- supported by good
design and good implementation
• Making livelihood integral part of rehabilitation/re-construction process
• Specifying agencies involved in rehabilitation and providing livelihood in disaster prone areas at local level
• Ensuring close co-ordination agencies involved- bringing them on a common platform- for livelihood
generation
• Skilling vulnerable communities-- in domains relevant to disasters/city/ communities- under NULM
• Providing space for setting up markets- for affected people to do business- Vendor Markets
• Engaging impacted people in works related to rehabilitation- construction workers- PMAY-U
• Running special programs of development -for employment in area impacted by disasters- Skilling
• Converting debris into building materials - for use in new construction- Circular economy
• Providing Dedicated funds for financially supporting small businesses
• Linking disaster rehabilitation & livelihood generation- with all Missions /Yojnas / schemes run by
central/state governments involving;
• -MNREGA (Rural Areas)
• Smart City Mission
• Prime Minister Awaas Yojna-U/R
• National Urban Livelihood Mission/Sawaran Jayanti Shehri Rojgar Yojna
• Swatchh Bharat Mission
• Atal Mission of Rejuvenation and Urban Transportation
• HRIDAY

27. Planning for Post-Disaster Redevelopment
• Creating a dedicated cell /at local level in ULBs-- for identifying/
providing/supporting/ monitoring livelihood options- for economically poor,
physically challenged , women /citizens having no support
• Making disaster management --integral part of City Command Centres –
established under Smart City Mission
• Creating a dedicated website-- containing data including available skills with
people impacted by disaster- for wider dissemination
• Creating self-help groups of displaced persons for sourcing employment-NULM
• Making efforts for Rehabilitating disaster impacted persons in old jobs
• Finding opportunities- matching skill available locally/close vicinity
• Creating a dedicated mechanism for -- funding people impacted by disaster
• Providing space-- for carrying on business- NULM
• involving industries / construction sectors/ sectors requiring manual/skilled
manpower
• Mandating employment of community impacted on priority in all state
sponsored/ missions run by central government/ rehabilitation program run by
central/state/ welfare organization’s
• Looking for good examples in area of Livelihood generation

28. Planning for Post-Disaster Redevelopment
• Creating sustainable livelihoods options – based on collaborative efforts of both public; private
sectors and al civic society.
• Making livelihood options -a people led movement- duly supported by, local, state/ national
Governments
• Involving associations/organizations like CII; NAREDCO; Builders Association; Chambers of
commerce- for supporting /providing livelihood options for disaster impacted communities
• Making large charitable Trusts collaborate closely with local organizations- to help implement
livelihood programmes targeting at-risk communities
• Working with communities at grassroots level - to sustain developmental initiatives while
mitigating risks.
• Recognising capacity of poor to develop diverse/ changing livelihood -portfolios addressing
their capability
• Directing part of public sector resources-- for empowering disaster hit community to reinvent
wheels of lost livelihood
• Mandating Sustainable Livelihood approach
• - to improve/ consolidate individual access /control over assets,
• -- for improving livelihoods,
• - making them less vulnerable to shocks/stresses (such as serious illness, natural disasters or
job loss– leading to a cycle of indebtedness /impoverishment