Gujarat Earthquake Rehabilitation and ... - Governance in India

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After the earthquake disaster in Gujarat esp. in Bhuj the whole .... provides training, plans, project monitoring unit,
Gujarat Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Programme (GERRP)

After the earthquake disaster in Gujarat esp. in Bhuj the whole area was completely dev astated to the extent that no small solutions or sops could possibly bring any change. The situation required a sustainable program but also programs which could be immediately implementable within the framework of multidimensional demands of relief and rehabilitation. There was not only loss of property , livelihood and homes but there was also loss of human lives which devastated people emotionally and weakened their capacity to participate in reconstruction of their terrain. In order to bring a change in this vastly morose and ominous picture of society the government of Gujarat started the programme for reconstruction and rehabilitation in the affected areas of Gujarat in 2001 through the Gujarat Disaster Management Authority. The way this programme took off with the required rigor, responsibility and responsiveness from the government agencies working in partnership with local voluntary associations suggests that this could be treated as a best practice for emulation and replication. Starting in 2001 this initiative includes a wide range of sectors for restoring normalcy in the lives of the people hit by the earthquake. The sectors included by the programme are housing, physical infrastructure, social infrastructure i.e. education and health, urban reconstruction, livelihood restoration, social rehabilitation, community participation and long term disaster management.

Key Issue Addressed The reconstruction and rehabilitation programme has addressed the issues to build, repair and strengthen houses, schools, public buildings affected by earthquake through the application of earthquake resistant technology. It has also helped to revive the local economy by providing assistance for agriculture, industries, small businesses and handicraft leads to the regeneration of livelihood for the people. It has further addressed the issues of vulnerability reduction through supportive infrastructure built to disaster-resistant standards and awareness and preparedness of communities to natural hazards. By creating access to more sustainable incomes and enhanced knowledge of hazards and disaster reduction techniques it has enhanced emergency preparedness and response capacity of responsible entities (such as fire and rescue brigades).

Strategy Applied •

The programme has provided basic health facilities to the people injured by earthquake on a long term basis and also strengthen social protection measures for weaker section of the population.



It has further brought women empowerment by involving women at all the stages of programme implementation.



It has also restored the life line infrastructure of transport networks, power and water supply and has reduced their vulnerability to natural disasters. The programme has also worked to reduce vulnerability by diversifying the sources of income generation.



Project Outcome •

Entrepreneurial governance: The reconstruction of houses was the most innovative in the reconstruction programme. The basic approach was owner-driven reconstruction. People reconstructed their houses on their own with the help of the government as the government provided them fund and infrastructure. By the end of the January 2004, 9011,150 out of 928,369 houses were repaired and almost 87% of houses were reconstructed. The 42,678 classrooms of primary schools were completed almost by the first year of itself. All hospitals and health facilities were also made functional with in a small period after the earthquake. A need for better governance has also led to commissioning of disaster mitigation studies and research on disaster risk and vulnerability, seismic microzonation, building codes, early warning, damage and loss methodologies.



Networked agencies of implementation: The repair and reconstruction of the public buildings were implemented under the programme networking with three major agencies: the state roads and building department, the Panchayat Department and the Gujarat State Policing housing Corporation. This has led to the setting up of 5 Emergency Response Centers and strengthening capacities of Emergency Operation Centers in all districts.It made them all feel responsible as one government for their people rather than the blame game obstructions in implementation process. This networking has led to Strengthening Municipal Corporations and Municipalities. Training and Capacity Building of Emergency Responders and officials from urban local bodies and line departments



Rehabilitation with a social conscience: Some of the steps for social rehabilitation have also been taken, so to rehabilitate orphans, widows, the aged and the handicapped that were adversely affected by the earthquake. Such measures included financial assistance, residential facilities, skill up-gradation, medical aid, therapy and counselling. Financial assistance was given to 1, 758 orphan children in the form of joint bank accounts of the district collector and the child. Under the foster parents scheme 71 children were provided with Rs 500 as monthly assistance, with the help of National Children’s Fund 14 child lines were established, 999 widows and 657 old persons received monthly pensions. At least 3000 supportive devices were created for the disabled people. Several training courses were organized for destitiute women.



Institutional Partnerships for transparent feedback systems: Disaster management provides training, plans, project monitoring unit, technical wing to look after the management of various stake holders. Academic institutions are also involved with the working of the project like Gujarat Institute for Disaster Management (GIDM), so to provide some authentic research for more sustainable programmes and policies to deal for disaster management. The services provided by the doctors has helped in restoring lives, building General Development Control Regulation (GDCR), Advisory

Boards and Advisory Panels has helped overall in the whole process of disaster management. Apart from it community involvement has proved to be a great success in reconstruct the earthquake affected areas of Gujarat. In each district Grievance Redressal System is created so that people could get a platform to express their grievances, for that matter district judges are assigned for this purpose. The whole exercise has led to a provision for an effective emergency response system such as fire tender, water browser, ambulances, emergency response vehicles, rescue boats, life jackets, temporary shelters, FRP boats etc.

Lessons learnt/ Challenges ahead •

Disaster management programmes helps to mitigate the risk of destruction caused by the natural calamities like earthquake.



A partnership linked management and a well planned programme in consultation with local agencies reduces the time factor in reconstructing and rehabilitating work and also helps to rescue people affected by disasters.



State has to be at the core of all pre and post-disaster responsibilities. Partnerships are necessary for disaster management and control which could help in rehabilitation and reconstruction of thousands of lives affected by the natural disaster but this is likely to be labour and cost-intensive if the state abdicates its role in favour of NGOs .