UN launches new initiative to assess urban risk

Photo credit

One of the largest malls in the Philippines, SM City North EDSA, is located in Quezon City. In 2011, the city held five consultative workshops with a variety of stakeholders on the Local Government Self-Assessment Tool to assess urban risk.

GENEVA, 18 April 2012 - The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) today launched a new initiative to support cities around the world to manage risk following the worst year on record for economic losses from disasters. It also announced today that over 1,000 cities have now joined its "Making Cities Resilient" Campaign.

Campaign Director, Helena Molin Valdés, said: "Cities and towns are on the frontline of disaster risk reduction and bore the brunt of insured economic losses from disasters last year of $380 billion. We are launching a new online Local Government Self-Assessment Tool as part of our global 'Making Cities Resilient' campaign to allow cities to establish baselines, identify planning and investment gaps for risk reduction and climate change adaptation."

She said that the new local government tool would greatly enrich understanding of the challenges ahead as the world starts to think about a new blueprint for disaster risk reduction once the existing plan, the Hyogo Framework for Action, expires in 2015. To date, 133 countries have been reporting at the national level on their progress against the priorities agreed on in the Hyogo Framework. The new local government tool would enable city governments to submit data for national progress reports, for the first time.

The tool has been tested in over 20 cities around the world, including the Philippines city of Quezon, which held five consultative workshops with a variety of stakeholders over the course of 2011. "Critical to this process is the identification of stakeholders that will participate as the ultimate goal is to provide a comprehensive rating of the city's performance," said Quezon Mayor, Herbert M. Bautista.

Read the detailed document at : http://www.cdrn.org.in/show.detail.asp?id=23639

CDKN reports will help developing countries plan for climate extremes

New CDKN reports will help developing countries plan for climate extremes

London, 17 April 2012: The Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) today launches a three-part series of reports, “Managing Climate Extremes and Disasters: Lessons from the IPCC SREX Report” covering each of the Asia, Africa and Latin American and Caribbean regions.

The reports highlight the scientific findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (known as ‘SREX’) for each region, and discuss the implications for society.

The SREX report itself was compiled over two and a half years, involving 220 expert authors, 19 review editors and a four-day approval process by government representatives from around the world. The final 594 page report and its 20 page summary present a rich but sobering account of how different forms of extreme weather events – ranging from high temperatures to heavy rainfall – are likely to become more common by the end of the 21^st century, and are more likely to be caused by climate change.

The CDKN “Lessons from the IPCC SREX Report” series pulls out the state-of-the-art knowledge about current and future impacts of climate extremes, and options for dealing with them.

Sam Bickersteth, CDKN’s Chief Executive, said: “The SREX report is a monumental achievement, but CDKN wanted to help policy-makers, media, businesses and civil society stakeholders to navigate this huge resource. That’s why we produced these regional guides which are easy to use, but preserve the careful scientific language of the original.”

Read in detail at :- http://www.cdrn.org.in/show.detail.asp?id=23640

Australia, Germany, UK raise bar for donors, says report

By David Singh

GENEVA, 16 April 2012 - A new report on humanitarian responses states that "If other donors were to follow the lead being set by Australia, Germany and the United Kingdom, it could mean a turning point in transforming the humanitarian system from a reactive, response-driven model, to a proactive, preventive and anticipatory model."

The 2011 Humanitarian Response Index (HRI) by Development Assistance Research Associates (DARA) which is based on research carried out on 23 of the world's main donor governments and nine major crises, highlights that Australia and Germany are becoming increasingly engaged in supporting disaster risk reduction (DRR) and preparedness efforts, with a focus on capacity-building at the local level as an integrated part of their humanitarian assistance.

The HRI further highlights that the United Kingdom also has a revised humanitarian strategy which is now centred on how aid efforts, including development aid, can contribute to building resilience and anticipating future needs.

The report underscores however, that "DRR and prevention have been relegated to a grey area where no one takes ownership and leadership."

According to the HRI, its findings confirm what previous reports have consistently revealed, "A persistent lack of political commitment and investment in capacity-building, conflict and disaster prevention, preparedness and risk reduction."

"Part of the problem", state the HRI, "is a narrow vision among donor governments of humanitarian assistance as emergency relief in the strictest sense, with everything else falling in the development assistance remit." The flip side is that "most development assistance programmes fail to see risk reduction and prevention as part of their mandate".

The HRI finds corroboration in another recent study - Disaster Risk Reduction: Spending where it should count by Jan Kellet and Dan Sparks - which estimates that less than one percent of all official government aid (ODA) - development or humanitarian assistance -- is allocated towards preparedness activities.

Read in detail about the document at :- http://www.cdrn.org.in/show.detail.asp?id=23615

NASA to carry out research on climate in Bangladesh

NASA to carry out research on climate in Bangladesh

Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha . Dhaka

The National Aeronautic and Space Administration, the US space research centre, is keen to carry out research on weather and climate in Bangladesh, the most vulnerable country to climate change.
The visiting chief scientist of Earth Science Division of NASA, Hal Maring, expressed this when she called on the environment and forest minister, Hasan Mahmud, at the latter’s secretariat office in Dhaka Thursday.
Maring said the NASA would conduct the multidisciplinary research on Bangladesh’s environment and climate change under its South and South East Asia Composition, Cloud, Climate Coupling Regional Study Programme.
Over 250 scientists of this region, using the biggest aircraft of NASA, would take part in the research in the Asia-Pacific region’s sky including Bangladesh scheduled to begin from August and September next, the NASA scientist said.
She said information and data, to be collected from this research, would help efficient weather forecasting and agriculture research activities of Bangladesh which at risk of climatic disorders including cyclone, floods and tidal surge.
Lauding the NASA’s research initiative, Hasan said Bangladesh would be benefited enormously as the research on environment and climate change would help exchange information and data among the member states of this region.

Source:- http://newagebd.com/detail.php?date=2012-04-13&nid=7147

Nations call for focus on disaster risk reduction at Rio+20

Photo credit

From left: Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, President of the sixty-sixth session of the General Assembly, meets with Bob Carr, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia prior to attending the UN General Assembly Thematic Debate on Disaster Risk Reduction.

By Denis McClean

NEW YORK, 13 April 2012 - There was a strong call for "the incorporation of disaster risk reduction in any future framework for sustainable development" during the UN General Assembly Thematic Debate on Disaster Risk Reduction yesterday which served as a major curtain raiser for Rio+20.

Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bob Carr, delivered a statement on behalf of the Co-Chairs of the Friends of Disaster Risk Reduction group, Australia, Indonesia, Norway and Peru which were joined by Denmark, Ecuador, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Philippines, New Zealand, Switzerland and Timor Leste.

"We call for strong and strategic language on disaster risk reduction in the Outcome Document of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development -- language that recognizes disaster risk reduction as fundamental to achieving sustainable development and places it at the heart of the future development agenda," the statement read.

Minister Carr said the Group is also urging increased investment "in disaster risk reduction and to build the resilience of the most vulnerable communities. The knowledge and experience of both men and women in those communities must be taken into account".

He said that at the 2009 Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction, the UN Secretary-General had called "for a target to halve the losses of lives from disasters by 2015, when the terms of the Hyogo Framework for Action ends. For this to happen we ask for all major cities in disaster-prone areas to include and enforce disaster risk reduction measures in their building and land use codes by 2015."

The Group also highlighted the recognition that disaster risk reduction has been given in processes such as the Fourth High-Level Forum on Development Effectiveness, the 4th UN Conference on Least Developed Countries and the 16th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCC.

Minister Carr congratulated the President of the UN General Assembly, Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, for taking the initiative in holding the day-long debate, and concluded: "We hope that Rio+20 will send a strong message that ensures risk and building resilience underpin the framework for achieving sustainable development."

The Group of 77 developing countries and China also said the debate was timely in the context of the upcoming UN Conference on Sustainable Development. It should provide the opportunity for this important topic to be addressed in the sustainable development framework and for the Group of 77 to address its inclusion in the outcome document of the Conference.

In a statement delivered by Permanent Representative of Algeria to the UN, Abdelghani Merabet, the Group insisted on strengthening coordination among UN agencies and governments and encouraging the Global Facility for Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery to continue to support the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action.

"The Group of 77 and China fully supports the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, the Hyogo Declaration and the Hyogo Framework for Action, and is committed to further promoting their principles and objectives as well as its mandate to promote public awareness and commitment, expand networks and partnerships, and improve knowledge about causes of disaster and options for risk reduction."

In a separate statement, the Chinese delegation said: "We hope that the UN Conference on Sustainable Development to be held in June in Rio de Janeiro will reach consensus in this field so as to push forward the international cause of disaster risk reduction."

Willem Rampangilei, Indoensia's Deputy Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare spoke on behalf of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the UN Global Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction, saying that disaster risk reduction is crucial for disaster-prone countries like Indonesia. It is a top government priority, and Indonesia has shifted the disaster management paradigm from emergency response and recovery to a more comprehensive approach.

The Japanese Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Joe Nakano, who spoke at the opening session, drew attention to the fact that although the Great East Japan Earthquake, measuring magnitude 9, was the largest in the country's recorded history, "damages to buildings and structures by the earthquake were rather small thanks to our implementation of some of the world's most advanced seismic technology and building codes."

He declared that "Japan's efforts and experience at disaster risk reduction should be a message to countries and regions all around the world, telling of the value of mainstreaming disaster risk reduction and of the necessity of building societies resilient to disasters."

Vice-Minister Nakano reiterated a theme that was much repeated by other contributors throughout the day: "how critical it is to fully consider disaster risk reduction as an integral part of international cooperation. Not only do natural disasters cause serious damage to vulnerable communities but they can even wash away achievements in long-term development in a flash."

He said that Japan will bring the outcome of its "High-Level International Conference on Large-Scale Natural Disasters" in July to the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in 2015. "I affirm that Japan is fully committed to contributing to the discussions to establish a post-Hyogo Framework for Action," he said.

The panel discussions on addressing urban risk through public investment and increasing resilience to disasters through climate adaptation and risk reduction were moderated throughout the day by Margareta Wahlström, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR).

Representatives from over 30 countries sought to contribute to the debate and it was a clear sign of the engagement and commitment of the large turn-out that time ran out before all statements could be heard.

Ms. Wahlström summarized some the key threads of the discussions and stressed that the whole day's debate which was transmitted live on the internet would be available in a Chair's summary from the office of the UN General Assembly President as a major contribution to the debate at Rio+20.

On urban risk, she said there were clear messages from the Mayor Augusto Barrera of Quito, and Mr. K. Gokhan Elgin, Director of the urban renewal project for Istanbul, ISMEP, about the importance of priority setting in cities and empowering local governments who were closest to the population.

She said that the afternoon session which brought out the indebtedness of Small Island Developing States offered dramatic evidence of the toll which disasters such as floods and drought, fuelled by climate change, are taking across the world.

In his concluding remarks, General Assembly President, Nassir Abdulazis Al-Nasser, said there is now unprecedented international momentum to reduce disaster risk. The views of Member States had been made clear throughout the day's discussions. Rio+20 must strategically place disaster risk reduction within the development framework. "This is an opportunity that must not be missed," he said.

--

(Part 1) Thematic Debate on "Disaster Risk Reduction" - General Assembly




(Part 2) Thematic Debate on "Disaster Risk Reduction" - General Assembly

• UN General Assembly Thematic Debate on Disaster Risk Reduction (12 April 2012)
• Improving Prevention, Response among Top Priorities, Says Assembly President
• Website: The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (RIO+20)

Source:- http://www.unisdr.org/archive/26222

Severe Weather Warnings,India DATE : APRIL 05, 2012

Severe Weather Warnings

DATE : APRIL 05, 2012

HEAVY RAINFALL WARNING

HEAVY RAINFAL WOULD OCCUR AT ONE OR TWO PLACES OVER ASSAM & MEGHALAYA DURING NEXT 48 HOURS.

THUNDERSTORM/ SQUALLS

THUNDER SQUALLS WOULD OCCUR AT ONE OR TWO PLACES OVER BIHAR, WEST BENGAL & SIKKIM, JHARKHAND, NORTH CHHATTISGARH, ORISSA, ARUNACHAL PRADESH, ASSAM & MEGHALAYA, NAGALAND, MANIPUR, MIZORAM AND TRIPURA DURING NEXT 48 HOURS.

Source:- http://www.imd.gov.in/section/nhac/dynamic/severe.htm

Managing a disaster: Lessons from below

The Disaster Management Act might have laid down provisions for mitigation, prevention and preparedness in the event of a catastrophe, but the status of disaster management at the grassroots in India leaves a lot to be desired.

Gathered debris becomes useful disaster relief technology. Water conservation at Anjar, post the Bhuj earthquake. Pic: Wikipedia

According to a National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) report — 75% of India’s coastlines are prone to cyclones and tsunamis, 68% of the cultivable land is prone to drought, and 50% of its landmass to earthquakes. Needless to say, India is among the more disaster-prone countries in the world, and our approach to disasters has largely been relief-driven.

In 2005, there was a great paradigm shift. The Government of India enacted the Disaster Management Act according to the guidelines laid down by the Hyogo Framework for Action in 2005 (fig 1) which for the first time focussed on mitigation, prevention, and adequate preparedness in the event of a disaster. The formation of disaster management authorities at the Centre and in the States underscored the importance of a properly co-ordinated response following a disaster.

So, how have things been post-2005 with the implementation of the Act? How have things improved and where do the challenges lie?

How Disaster Management is organised in India
The Disaster Management Act, 2005, mandated the formation of a National Disaster Management Authority to develop plans and guidelines for disaster management (DM) and co-ordination across the country. The State Disaster Management Authority is responsible for making DM plans for every state. There is a District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA)— headed by the District Collector— that is in charge of making plans within the district in accordance with the state plan. DDMA works with village panchayats, zilla parishads and other local authorities.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is also constituted for the purpose of specialist response to a threatening disaster situation or a disaster. At present, the NDRF is constituted of eight battalions, two each from the Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Central Industrial Security Force and Indo-Tibetan Border Force.

So what ails the Act dealing with Acts of God?

Communities in remote areas have to rely on traditional wisdom, as early warning systems and other preparation methods do not reach these far flung areas. Pic: Wikipedia

No co-ordination between departments

Dr Shibu Mani, Assistant Professor at the Jamshedji Tata Institute of Disaster Management says, “The after-effects of disasters in India vary highly owing to its topography and other factors. There is a need for flexibility in disaster plans and a synergy between various departments.”

Disasters like floods involve not only different states but also different countries. For instance, the Kosi floods in Bihar (2008) were caused by broken embankments in Nepal. Studies have shown that lack of communication between governmental institutions of both countries contributed to the chaos and problems. For instance, there is no flood

warning system and flood forecasting system in Nepal.

Development and disasters

In the 1950s, embankments on flood plains were the markers of development. Built around annually flooding rivers, they prevented water from going downstream. However, the embankments now lead to devastating floods downstream. Dr Dinesh Mishra, convenor of Barh Mukti Abhiyaan in Bihar, a grassroots movement that challenges the centralised flood control policy in India says, “Pre-1950s, the floods were rarely as massive as they are now. Only the top layer of the river containing silt would spread across the land, increasing soil quality. The deposition of fertilising silt during floods benefited farmers. I would say that the people and the river shared an equal relationship. With the building of embankments, rivers became agents of destruction.”

An authority on the rivers of North Bihar, Dr. Mishra adds that floods in urban areas are a recent phenomenon ̶ embankments provide a false sense of security as they are only effective up to a point. The National Campaign for Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR) has blamed the embankments along the Yamuna for the Delhi floods of 2010. Dunu Roy, of Hazards Centre, an NGO in Delhi says, “People living in flood plains understood the patterns of the rivers, rains and floods. The knowledge was transferred orally through generations, as were the coping mechanisms to protect themselves and their cattle. In many ways, they welcomed the floods because it spread fresh silt all over their land, enriching the soil. The floods were never strong and lasted only for a couple of days. In other words, villagers never considered it disasters.” Now, they have lost both the traditional knowledge of anticipating floods as well as the coping mechanisms. They just relocate along with their families and expect relief and rehabilitation.

Though it is acknowledged around the world that disaster risk mitigation must be integrated into development policies, this is yet to be put into practice.

Lack of accountability

Collapsed buildings, the aftermath of the Bhuj Earthquake in 2001

An RTI application filed in 2008 by Shailesh Gandhi in Maharashtra revealed that money donated to ‘The Chief Minister’s Relief Fund’ was used to buy computers, fax machines, develop carrom clubs and cricket associations among various other things. Government departments, NGOs and sporting associations were all party to this misuse of funds. Similarly, another RTI filed by an ActionAid volunteer in 2010 showed that two Gram Panchayats of Mathurapur-II block of South 24 Parganas in West Bengal did not get the promised compensation even after 1.5 years.

There is a general lack of accountability of relief, especially post disaster. “Atleast the government’s accountability can be checked. The NGO sector is not accountable to anybody but their funders”, says Prasanna Saligram of Sochara, noting that the co-ordination of relief is highly irregular during disasters. While the government usually universalizes distribution of relief, it often results in the marginalisation of vulnerable communities. “Systems in India are heavily people-centric. If there is a good collector at the helm, good work is done but the moment s/he is transferred, the work stops”, he says.

Disempowered Grassroot Institutions
Chapter V of the Act lays down the function of the local authority, which includes zilla parishads, panchayat raj institutions, municipalities among many others. Amar Jyoti, senior manager, ActionAid says, “Despite the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the Panchayati Raj institutions have the least bit of power in the whole process of relief and rehabilitation. Panchayat members, though closest to the areas affected, are only part of implementation of decisions taken centrally.” He adds that this hampers community-centric disaster management. Traditional knowledge found among communities is also more likely to be harnessed by the panchayats, than the district administration.

Vulnerabilities

Indian Air Force soldiers act as saviors by sending flood relief

Mental health is one of the most neglected areas post-disaster. Prasanna Saligram, project manager, SOCHARA says, “When the Tsunami hit Tamil Nadu, we had sent groups of doctors to counsel the people who were traumatised after losing their loved ones, home, property etc. Post-disaster, this is one of the most neglected areas, unlike tangible requirements like relief materials.” Dr UnniKrishnan of Plan concurs, “Meeting the emotional needs (through psychosocial care and support) is as important as meeting material needs. Some of these needs are often invisible.”
National Disaster management Policy outlines the need to address vulnerable sections of the society especially after a disaster. The policy envisages communities taking a lead in disaster preparedness alkong with identifying and helping the most vulnerable. However, the situation at the ground level is very different. Till date, several states and districts do not have a proper disaster management plan for their respective areas.
India continues to be among the most disaster prone areas in the world. Preparedness planning goes a long way in improving the speed, quality and appropriateness of humanitarian response to disasters. “Failing to plan is planning to fail. Resources invested in disaster preparedness and disaster risk reduction saves more lives and is better value for money”, according to Dr UnniKrishnan, a disaster management expert with Plan International.

The implementation of the HYOGO Framework is a step in the right direction. Ensuring multi-stakeholder participation, better communication mechanisms, decentralisation of power among others will go a long way in plaguing the gaps that one finds in managing disasters in the country.

Early Warning Systems (EWS)
While the loss of life caused by the tsunami was very high in coastal towns and cities, indigenous people living in coastal areas suffered little or no loss of life. This is because they knew the big water was coming, and headed uphill to safety. The loss of such traditional knowledge means technological early warning systems are urgently required, especially as development takes root in more areas. While windspeed causes some damage during cyclones, more damage is inflicted by the absence of mangroves which could mitigate the effects of the cyclone.

The HYOGO Framework for Action 2005-2015 was adopted in January of 2005 at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction held in Kobe, Japan. The focus is disaster mitigation and prevention to reduce not only loss of lives but also social, economic and environmental losses suffered by communities with an ultimate aim to increasing the resilience of vulnerable communities.

Functions of the local authority (as laid down by the Disaster management Act, 2005)
(a) Ensure that its officers and employees are trained for disaster management;
(b) Ensure that resources relating to disaster management are so maintained as to be readily
available for use in the event of any threatening disaster situation or disaster;
(c) Ensure all construction projects under it or within its jurisdiction conform to the standards and
specifications laid down for prevention of disasters and mitigation by the National Authority,
State Authority and the District Authority;
(d) Carry out relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in the affected area in accordance
with the State Plan and the District Plan.

Source:- http://socialprotectioncommunity.in/2012/03/29/managing-a-disaster-lessons-from-below-2/

Experts identify 10 key actions for reducing disaster risk in Nepal’s education sector

Experts identify 10 key actions for reducing disaster risk in Nepal’s education sector

Participants discussing in the groups
Ten key actions to better prepare Nepal’s education sector for dealing with disasters have been identified by government representatives and development partners at the end of a two day workshop on 30 and 31 January 2012 in Kathmandu.
The actions relate to mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction (DRR) into education policy and planning, disaster risk reduction in teaching and learning, disaster risk management in schools and safe school buildings. All of them will help to strengthen educational planning, management and budgeting, agreed the workshop participants.

The event, initiated by UNESCO and organized in close cooperation with the Ministry of Education, UNICEF and Save the Children with support from Japan, was part of the activities of Nepal’s Education Cluster.

Experts from the Government, UNICEF, UNESCO, Save the Children, the Asian Development Bank and UNDP facilitated the discussions. Agenda items included the presentation of regional perspectives on DRR in education, existing DRR initiatives in Nepal’s education sector, and strategies to integrate DRR into education sector planning.

Participants reaffirmed that DRR in education is a combination of actions, processes and attitudes necessary for disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness. Embedding DRR in education policy is critical for its application and sustainability.

The overall consensus of the participants was that clear policy guidelines, adequate financial and human resources, and political commitment are needed for effective implementation of the following key actions:



Mainstreaming of DRR into Education Policy and planning

1. Integrate DRR as an objective in School Sector Reform Plan (SSRP). Analyze DRR in the SSRP and make recommendations for integration of DRR into the plan, for the Mid-Term Review in March 2012

2. National Planning Commission and Ministry of Finance to approve DRR related budget mechanisms and activities in the Annual Sector Implementation Plan. The Ministry of Education and Education Cluster will advocate DRR priorities to National Planning Commission and Ministry of Finance



DRR in teaching and learning

3. Incorporate DRR-related specific objectives, learning outcomes and weighting in formal education, from early childhood education ranging to higher education

4. Ensure training on DRR to all teachers and early childhood education facilitators to ensure delivery of DRR skills in every classroom




Read in detail at :- http://www.cdrn.org.in/show.detail.asp?id=23189

Fire crisis: Only few hospitals in city prepared

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:� Ninety-three lives were lost in the blaze that engulfed the AMRI Hospital, Kolkata, last week. How many hospitals in fast-growing Thiruvananthapuram can tackle a similar disaster? ‘Few’ would be the answer. Flawed or non-existent fire-fighting mechanisms and absence of hospital contingency and mass casualty management plans will prove fatal for many hospitals in the city in the event of a similar disaster, experts say.

And this is not a problem confined to hospitals alone.

"The problem is that there is no periodic review of fire safety mechanisms in high-rises. The safety certificate is issued when giving building permit, and there is no subsequent inspection after that. This is a major handicap,’’ says R Viji, project officer of the City Corporation’s Disaster Management Cell.

Last month, the Corporation issued notices to high-rises, including hospitals, to pull� their act vis a vis safety together. The first periodical safety assessment in high-rises, including hospitals, will be carried out this month.

"It will focus on fire safety aspects as well as earthquake preparedness. Many high-rises even lack emergency exits such as fire escapes,’’ she said.

Unlike hotels and apartments, evacuation in hospitals assumes an altogether different dimension. Hundreds of patients, many of them incapacitated, have to be extricated in a matter of minutes, which calls for coordinated effort. But it is a fact that few hospitals have even emergency escape routes marked out.

Absence of hydrants, timely replacement of fire-fighting equipment and general complacency in the matter of fire safety are issues faced by the Fire and Rescue Service Department.

"Periodical inspection is crucial,’’ said K Sivanandan, Director (Technical), Fire and Rescue Service Department. "We have now framed rules for periodical checks in buildings. This will soon come into force,’’ he said.

But it’s not as if the issue of disaster management has never been discussed in hospitals. A few private hospitals have staged mock drills with the help of the Fire and Rescue Service. But government hospitals are more vulnerable when it comes to handling disasters on home patch, according to a senior disaster management official in the state.

On December 2, the Institute of Land and Disaster Management under the Revenue Department, in association with GeoHazards, the global partner of the World Health Organisation (WHO), organised a one-day workshop at the Government Hospital, Peroorkada, on disaster management in hospitals. In Phase II, mock drills are also planned.

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Source :- http://ibnlive.in.com/news/fire-crisis-only-few-hospitals-in-city-prepared/211884-60-123.html

Sustainability leader appointed Chairman of the Global Reporting Initiative

Sustainability leader appointed Chairman of the Global Reporting Initiative

Wednesday 30 November 2011 Sustainability leader and Worldconnector Herman Mulder has been appointed Chairman of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)’s Board of Directors. Herman Mulder is a member of the board of the Dutch National Contact Point (NCP) of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. Mulder is a former senior executive vice-president at ABN AMRO, and is now an independent board member with a focus on sustainable development issues. Mulder said of the appointment: “I am very honored and excited to be Chairman of the Global Reporting Initiative. We are witnessing a turning point for sustainability reporting, as it moves from an experimental pursuit to a mainstream practice. I look forward to leading GRI as it helps make sustainability reporting standard practice worldwide.” Mulder also worked in the field of livelihood development finance in India and Brazil, where he gained insights into the global value chain and the positive effects companies can have on people living in lower income countries. He explained, “I learnt how interconnected the world really is – from the farmers in Brazil to the coffee in your cup. It’s important to know our own value chain and recognize that imbalances can be a major issue.” “One of the lessons of the financial crisis is that we need much better transparency on more risks and opportunities,” added Mulder. “This is a global imperative. Governments, stock exchanges and investors should adopt a report or explain approach to policy, encouraging more organizations to report their performance. Notwithstanding recent significant progress in sustainability reporting using GRI’s Guidelines, many more companies should adopt advanced disclosure practices, addressing risks, opportunities, dependencies and impacts in their entire value chain. Moreover, investors should recognize that such disclosure is essential for them too: ‘use or lose’.” Mulder was appointed Vice-Chairman following the departure of Professor Mervyn King in October 2011, and has been Acting Chairman in the interim period. The Board of Directors resolved to appoint Mulder Chairman during their meeting on Friday 25 November 2011. GRI’s Board of Directors appointed Anita Normark as Vice-Chairman of the Board during the same meeting. Normark was General Secretary of the Building and Wood Workers International (BWI) from 2001 to 2009, and before that General Secretary of the Nordic Federation of Building and Woodworkers for 15 years. Working closely with the ILO, the focus of the BWI has been to implement globally recognized labor standards, and to promote sustainable development in the construction and wood and forestry sectors. Normark continues to promote sustainable construction developments as a consultant. On 6 October 2011, Professor Mervyn King was awarded the title of Honorary Chairman of GRI, after almost five years serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Professor King moved on to take up the position of Chairman of the International Integrated Reporting Committee (IIRC) on 1 October 2011. -Ends- For further information contact: Lucy Goodchild Press & Communications Manager Global Reporting Initiative Tel: +31 (0)20 531 0067 Out of office hours: +31 (0)6 303 99 531 Email: goodchild@globalreporting.org Notes to Editors 1. About the Global Reporting Initiative The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) produces a comprehensive Sustainability Reporting Framework that is widely used around the world, to enable greater organizational transparency. The Framework, including the Reporting Guidelines, sets out the Principles and Indicators organizations can use to report their economic, environmental, and social performance. GRI is committed to continuously improving and increasing the use of the Guidelines, which are freely available to the public. Website: www.globalreporting.org 2. About Herman Mulder Herman Mulder is Chairman of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). He is Chairman of Social Equity Fund (SEF) and a board member of Utz Certified/Good Inside and the Dutch National Council for Development Cooperation & Sustainable Development (NCDO). Mulder is Dutch National Contact Point for OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (NCP-NL), a Trustee of Tomorrow’s Company (London), and on the board of Business in Development (BiD), Consensus Building Institute (CBI, Boston) and Social Micro Finance Technical Assistance Foundation (SMF-TA). He is also on the Steering Committee of the Worldconnectors. Mulder is a member of the Advisory Board of TEEB, the EU study task force on ‘The Economics of Ecosystems & Biodiversity’. He is co-initiator of the international ‘Hague Framework for Development Financing’, and of the SEWA/Haryiali/cookstove project. He is also a member of the judging panel of the FT/IFC Sustainable Bank Awards and of the VBDO Supply Chain Award. Mulder is recognized as a leader in development and ‘green’ financing, working on a number of innovative projects, marrying public sector aims with private sector/business interests. He is a frequent speaker and publicist. He is a Knight in the Royal Order of Oranje-Nassau for his work in sustainable development. From 1998-2006 Mulder was Director-General and Head of Group Risk Management of ABN AMRO Bank, the Netherlands. From 1995-1998 he was Head of Global Structured Finance at ABN AMRO. He led ABN AMRO in the period 1998-2006 to become the premier international bank in sustainable development. Initiator of the Equator Principles, Mulder created the ABN AMRO Foundation and was its first chairman. After his retirement Mulder was vice-chairman of the ABN AMRO India Foundation. Mulder has held senior advisory roles for the UN Global Compact, World Business Council on Sustainable Development, Club de Madrid, Taellberg Foundation, OXFAM NOVIB, Earth Charter International, Youth Employment & Sustainability (YES), and Business Steering Committee for UN Finance for Development. Read in detail at :- http://www.cdrn.org.in