Improving disaster risk reduction in river islands

Star Archive

BANGLADESH is one of the most disaster prone countries in the world. The people on chars (river islands) live with uncertainties and risk. They are extremely vulnerable to floods, river bank erosion, drought etc. Rivers of this country being very large, new chars are always rising in their river beds. People in the chars are poor and face chronic food insecurity and indebtedness, massive gender discrimination, high rate of unemployment, little or no access to health, lack of education and other services, social exclusion, unequal distribution of land and impact of annual flooding and river bank erosion.
The points mentioned below are related to flood disaster preparedness and mitigation at various levels. These can contribute towards increasing disaster risk management capacity and understanding of concerned government agencies, NGOs and communities in the most vulnerable riverine areas.
Proper linkage between Bangladesh Water Development Board, community based organisations and local government authority is needed to get periodical river water rise/fall data, relevant to the area, as soon as the monsoon sets in. Selected and interested persons of the vulnerable community might be involved in sharing the same with the community at large to assist in their overall preparation. Early flood warning system needs to be strengthened, with active participation of community leaders. Cooperation between local NGOs local government must be encouraged in this respect. Local signaling system/early warning message dissemination procedure might be established in the area;
* Contingency planning at different levels for emergency response should be developed and updated at least once a year, focusing on (i) risk area and vulnerability status and (ii) availability of resources and capacity, apart from other requisite elements that feature in such a plan;
* Emergency stores need be established and maintained by local government organisations, NGOs and social organisations to ensure prompt and effective disaster response. Emergency stores should have emergency housing materials (like quality polythene sheets), tents, life jackets, water purifiers, alum, medical supplies (including intravenous fluids and oral rehydration salts) and sufficient equipment for emergency personnel to leave without luggage in an emergency, latrines for emergency installation, processed bamboo for rebuilding of houses, megaphones, kerosene lanterns, hachaks (large kerosene lights) and pipes and other equipment for sinking tube wells;
* Particular emphasis is needed on training as river islands are disaster-prone areas. Trained and professional human resource is needed in the field of disaster management, particularly at the field level. Basic training courses on disaster risk reduction (DRR) need to run with proper gap analysis and planning for volunteers, managers, workers, government officials, local government representatives and media personnel, of whom 50% should be women. Specialised training sessions are needed for relevant personnel in the respective areas;
* Lack of community ownership of participatory vulnerability and capacity assessment creates 'shelf based DRR.' Simple analysis of vulnerability and capacity would help in formulating local action plan and encouraging the community at risk to be actively involved in preparation and implementation of any programme.Community participation with support from local and national authorities could make programme implementation easier and DRR more sustainable;
* Emergency humanitarian programmes should consider longer-term strategies so as to build capacity of vulnerable communities to move into development mode. Development programmes should consider capacity building of flood affected communities to cope with disasters and climate changes. Mainstreaming DRR needs commitment across the organisations/departments with proper resources and culture;
* It is necessary to build embankments and take river protection initiatives with appropriate feasibility and cost benefit analysis by independent authorities. Consultation with the local public is important in this regard;
* Extensive river dredging programme should to be taken with proper technical and economical analysis. Community participation must be encouraged to remove the sediments from the river bed deposited during flood to increase the water holding capacity of the drainage systems and the water flow capacity. The dredged sediment may be used to raise the level of land with proper planning and monitoring;
* Disaster management act, Standing Orders on Disasters (SOD) of the government should be understood and exercised by all concerned with appropriate resources, planning, and monitoring and accountability mechanism.
The following initiatives can be taken to bring about positive changes and reducing disaster related sufferings and hardship in the lives of disadvantaged people in the river islands:
* Elevating homesteads and cluster villages with appropriate technology;
* Sinking tubewells and sanitary latrines on high land as well as provision of kitchen gardening in the raised homesteads/cluster villages and flood shelters;
* Providing seed processing and storage, fodder storage in silage system, and bamboo processing to serve post-disaster needs.
A more systematic effort has to be made to improve livelihood, which is essential for making a balanced and sustainable model for the people of riverine areas. Without integrating DRR and livelihood components, it is impossible to have any beneficial long-term impact in the lives of the char people.

The writer is a Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation practitioner.