India: Odisha plans a roadmap to rebuild a better state every time disaster strikes
By Debabrata Mohanty
Often at the receiving end of natural disasters like cyclone, drought and floods striking in quick succession, Odisha is now planning a road map for disaster risk reduction to strengthen state’s disaster governance and preparedness. The road map also aims to shore up infrastructure and livelihoods from pre-disaster levels.
Odisha State Disaster Management Authority--country’s first such authority set up after the 1999 super cyclone--is holding 6 state-wide consultations to finalise the roadmap, to be unveiled on October 29, the Disaster Preparedness Day. October 29 will also mark the 20th anniversary of the 1999 super cyclone that killed over 10,000 people in the state.
Chief general manager of OSDMA, Pradeep Kumar Nayak, said the road map was a necessity for a disaster prone state like Odisha, which, despite its successes, had a long way to go in addressing some challenges. “The State road map will have quantifiable milestones to achieve the targets,” said Nayak.
The roadmap, when finalised, could even be adopted by other states.
[...]
OSDMA managing director Bishnupada Sethi said among other things, the new road map would go beyond the traditional way of responding to disasters after it had struck. “It would give clear idea on how to “Build Back Better” (BBB) or recover, rehabilitate and reconstruct better than the pre-disaster levels. A BBB approach, with interventions specific to communities, occupations and locations, will prevent the increase in incidence of income-poverty in the state,” he said.
[...]