The Inaugural
Corporate Disaster Resource Network, (CDRN), Round
Table was held at NDMA National Disaster Management
Authority, NDMA in New Delhi on 28th April 2009. The objective
of the meeting was to address the need for an information sharing mechanism to
match needs with supplies to be in place that can provide and supply the Right
Aid to the Right people at the Right time. The Indian subcontinent is highly
vulnerable to natural disasters. Each time a disaster occurs whether it is
floods, earthquakes, drought millions of people are affected and result in the
substantial loss of hard won development gains. As examples, recent Kosi floods,
Jammu and Kashmir earthquake in 2005 and Gujarat earthquakes in 2001. Thus
collaborated action is required at National and State level between government,
relief agencies and corporates that can reduce losses from natural hazards. The
CDRN has been launched under the Corporate Task Force of the
NDMA, and is an initiative of CSO Partners and Aidmatrix with KPMG as Knowledge
Partners.
The Round
Table was organized by CDRN to emphaise that the need
of the hour is to bring a disaster management mechanism that ensures that
minimum risk and damage is ensued whilst dealing with disasters and to bring
Government, Civil Societies and Corporate Sector
together. The
level of preparedness
in most times
is uneven and that requires strengthening.
The
Roundtable encouraged and empathized on the role of CDRN as crucial link between
the government, relief agencies and corporates at the time of Disaster in order
to provide and supply right aid to right people at the right time. Further the
meeting saw the participation of representatives of various Private companies.
The focal
point of discussion was that there is a need for an efficient system that
provides right information to minimize loss and aftermath during the time of
disaster. Some of the key issues highlighted at the Roundtable as follows:
Need for a
Collaborative effort between the government, relief agencies and the corporate
bodies.
The need
for an information system that helps in sharing the
needs at the time of disaster as to avoid any kind of delay
Corporate
preparedness for disaster management
Governor
Scott McCallum- CEO, Aidmatrix
Foundation in delivering the inaugural speech highlighted that
there is a need for technology that helps minimize the chaos that occurs at the
time of disaster and helps in getting the right material and resources to the
right people. He went on to
emphasize that we need an information system which provides correct information
in the times of need.
The businesses, individuals and government cannot
alone response to the needs and requirements and thus CDRN is a system that
allows for this kind of collaboration. It provides right information which can
save the lives of hundreds and makes the community resilient and stronger and a
world a better place.
J.K Sinha, Honourable Member, National
Disaster Management Authority, Chaired the Session and began his speech
stating that Disaster management is not limited to disaster response but
also involves number of activities and planning before and after the disaster.
Thus NDMA is looking after all such activities and is taking necessary step to
make India disaster resilient.
CDRN is one of such important step taken to
deliver right resources and services to people at the time of disaster. J.K
Sinha cited examples of various disasters he has seen in his professional career
where right and quick relief was not delivered due to lack of information which
led to chaos. He emphasized that such chaos needs to be streamlined.
He also highlighted that information is vital and
useful as it brings direction and power to people and CDRN
helps in delivering the right information thus enabling government, civil
society to response better before, during and after the disaster. He
further emphasized that CDRN is a great platform as each one of us know each
other and at the time of a disaster the whole country would know each other
products, capabilities, services, that helps us to deliver and response better
at the time of a need.
He cited examples to show how lack of information
can delay the relief process, like the recent Kosi floods where we needed the
water purification plants and these plants had to be operated on electricity
which was not available in most districts; thus the lack of information created
confusion and delayed the relief process. Mr. Sinha laid emphasis on how we need
a mechanism in place which provides information which is just a click away with
all necessary details regarding pricing, specifications etc.
He mentioned that government has started India
Resource Network which has all the information regarding all the resources,
products, services needed at the time of disaster which could be accessed by the
states. Thus NDMA decided if we could create a similar database in the corporate
world in the public domain would be very useful in the time of disaster. He
requested the businesses and other stakeholders to join hands with CDRN to
deliver a better response in the time of need.
He concluded by saying that CDRN is a vibrant,
useful and productive concept that has come about to help and rescue the
affected people at the time of need. He mentioned that CDRN is a great, useful
platform and has a great future. Sincere Thank you was shown towards CSO
partners and KPMG for the immense support provided by them.
Prof. Vinod Chandra Menon, Honourable Member -
National Disaster Management Authority, began his speech by saying we have
''the right people at the right place and all we need to do is to move ahead''.
He stated that CDRN is an information portal which is available in public
domain by providing the right information in the time of need. He emphasized
that for delivering relief in an effective way we need to know what each company
can contribute. If companies are pro active in pre- positioning their products,
services and capabilities, this would help in saving the lives of hundred.
Prof. Menon stressed on the need of mobilizing
and pre-positioning of resources and products as one can never know when the
disaster stucks. He cited the example of Jammu and Kashmir earthquake where the
immediate durable shelter was required in the next three days before the
snowfalls. Prof, Menon was able to call someone who managed to get the durable
shelter worth Rs 28 crores free for rehabilitation in Jammu and Kashmir. Thus
tried to highlighted that if we really know where to source the resources from
at the time of emergency will help in saving the lives of hundreds.
Prof, Menon also recognized the work done by
Aidmatrix in bringing about change in the way humanitarian aid is delivered.
Parul Soni, member KPMG in the beginning
of this speech laid emphasis on the role corporates have and a need for them to
work with government and civil societies. He cited the examples of lack of
coordination, efficiency and chaos in providing humanitarian relief to people
during the recent Kosi floods, Tsumani, Jammu and Kashmir earthquake etc. He
stated that relief agencies and other non- government organization were not
pro-actively interacting with one other which led to confusion.
He further mentioned that CDRN is a dream come
true, as a very useful mechanism that engages, communicates and shares
information with right people at the right time. He highlighted that Aidmatrix
and CSO partners have brought about a change in the whole process of providing
and supplying relief to the people.
CDRN is a roster of Civil society, Corporate
Sector and the Government who are trained and deployed in the time of disaster
to avoid any confusion and chaos. CDRN is a mechanism that will help reduce
impact of the disaster on resources, economy. He further stated that CDRN is a
both online and offline system, offline in the way as people are connected and
interacting with each other throughout the year.
The need of the hour to bring people on one
platform who thinks through and believe in both pre positioning and post
disaster rehabilitation. He mentioned that civil society, government and
companies each have an important role to play. Civil society as they address the
needs of the people, the government with its biggest machinery and the
corporates as they have the mandate, best and trained people to supply products
and services. The corporates have the efficient logistics system in place.
He also highlighted some of the key guidelines of
CDRN:
Its not owned by any one person; each one has a
ownership and partnership.
Honesty and neutrality – no mediation and
transparency in the system
User- driven; use how you want to use
it.
The Inaugural Roundtable meeting was concluded by
Parul Soni, Member KPMG summing up some of the key points that were discussed
stating that CDRN is a link between the government, companies and non-government
organization, creating right match between what is needed and what is offered.
CDRN is a user- driven, transparent system which everyone and everybody can use.
He further stressed that each one present will
have an agenda and commanding role to play. He also mentioned that CDRN is a
network not owned by anybody but each companies and individuals has an important
role and partnership. Suggestions, comments , questions are welcome from
companies, individual , different organization to make CDRN a better network. Mr
Soni ended by saying that lets make country self- reliant in dealing with
disaster and we all should work together not only at the time of disaster but at
the time of peace as well.
Delegates registered for
conference:
USAID- IFRC- Aircel Limited – IFRC –
Federation of Industries of India (FII), Indian Machine Tools Manufacturers
Association (IMTMA), Construction Federation of India (CFI), Assam
Petrochemicals Limited, Assam Industrial Development Corporation, Assam Drug
Dealer Association, Department of Revenue & Disaster Management (Assam),
Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), Third Eye KAIZEN Solutions- Cisco -
Federation of Indian Mining Industries , Gurgaon Chamber of Commerce and
Industry, Orissa State Disaster Management Authority, Orissa Mining Corporation,
Dhamra Port Corporation Limited, German Red Cross, DFID, Orissa, Care India,
Orissa - Catholic Relief Services – Thomex - Afro-Asian Rural Development
Organization - Asian African Legal Consultative Organization - Asian and Pacific
Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT) - Asian Development Bank - Food &
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - International Committee of the
Red Cross (ICRC) - International Finance Corporation - International Labour
Organization - Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)- League of Arab
States Mission - Office of the United Nations Resident - Office of the WHO
Representative to India - The World Bank - United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization -
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) - United Nations High
Commissioner For Refugees (UNHCR) - United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) -
World Food Programme (WFP) - World Health Organization South-East Asia Regional
Office (SEARO) - Indo French Chamber of Commerce & Industry – GTZ - Indo
German Chamber of Commerce - Italian Trade Commission - The Japan Foundation New
Delhi - Swedish Trade Council in India - U.S. Commercial Service – USIBC –
Toyota – ONGC - North Delhi Power Ltd - Reliance Energy - IBM India Pvt. Ltd –
HDFC - GE Plastics – GAIL -Emaar – Dr.Reddy – DLF Power, DLF - DHL – Ambuja
Cement - Cementers Corporation – BHEL - Bharti televentures - Bharat Electronics
- All India Gases Manufacturing – RMSI - Bhaskar Foundation - Pawan Hans
Helicopters - Ministry of External Affairs - Kotak Mahindra - Free Play Energy
India - Tata BlueScope Steel - Yes Bank – GAP – Cairn – Monsanto – Shell -
Petroleum Federation of India - Canada India Development Agency - Canadian Trade
Commission - BSI Management Systems - Tata Teleservices Limited - Northern Trust
Operating Services Pvt.Ltd – Astrowix - McKinsey & Company - Goldman Sachs
Services Pvt.Ltd - Population Foundation of India - Embassy of Sweden - Arcelor
Mittal India- Accenture - Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt.Ltd - J.B.
Boda Reinsurance Brokers Pvt. Ltd. - Federation of Hotel & Restaurant
Associations of India (FH&RA) - NTPC Foundation - Nokia Siemens – Microsoft
– Google – Lanco – RBS – Jubilant – Coke - Society of Indian Automobile
Manufacturers (SIAM) – WFP – Planning Commission - Applied Material – FICCI-
HSBC - HCC Ltd – DFID – RMSI - All India Gases Manufacturing - Speck Systems
Ltd.
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