State adopts disaster risk reduction framework

PATNA: The state on Thursday adopted a 10-point declaration, ‘Bihar Disaster Risk Reduction Framework’ (BDRRF), to achieve the vision of a disaster resilient state.
Releasing the framework at the valedictory session of the first Bihar Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (BCDRR), state disaster management department (DMD) minister Leshi Singh and principal secretary Vyasji said the state would also get a disaster risk reduction (DRR) road map 2015-2030 within two months after incorporating suggestions from experts and practitioners during the conference.
“The framework is ready and we will form a task force in a couple of days after sharing all the important points discussed at the conference. After the first draft is ready, we will again hold a consultation workshop sometime in June before presenting the final draft before the government,” Vyasji said.
The BDRRF focuses on institutionalization of DRR by inclusive participation of all stakeholders, ensuring inalienable and first right of disaster prone vulnerable areas and communities on the resources of the state, including risk avoidance, risk transfer, risk sharing and risk residual transfer in development programmes, giving financial and regulatory DRR powers to urban local bodies and panchayati raj institutions and ensuring safety of human lives, livestock and livelihood during natural or manmade calamities.
Leshi pitched for lowering risk and destruction during disasters. “Many important suggestions have come up at the conference which will help giving direction to the road map,” she said.
Bihar is one of the first states to take forward the resolutions of World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) held recently in Sendai, Japan, and experts lauded the state efforts claiming it would be a role model for others. “Our department may be a small one, with only four permanent officials, but the spirit of all the officers is commendable,” Vyasji, who holds additional charge of the department, said and added, “One of the points which has struck me is to prepare the dos and don’ts leaflet for construction of quake resistant building for the people.”
Several sessions were held during the two-day event with deliberations on resilient cities, school safety, crowd management and risk informed development planning, etc. Experts said the way forward from the conference would be to chart out specific ways to implement the suggestions. Several senior central and state government officials, NGO representatives and other stakeholders were present on the occasion.