STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: On the occasion of its foundation day, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) organised a daylong workshop on “Climate Change and the Role of Media” in Guwahati today.
The inaugural ceremony of the workshop was graced by Keshab Mahanta, Minister of Revenue & Disaster Management Department; Dr Samudra Gupta Kashyap, Chancellor, Nagaland University; and Dr Purnima Devi Barman, Wildlife Biologist, as guests of honour, and Dr Madhulika Jonathan as a special guest.
Prior to this workshop of foundation day, ASDMA convened a line of outcome-based events starting from face-to-face conversation with the local media and discussion with the state and national level climate and media activists, which would give a perception to the Authority to sensitise its various stakeholders.
On this behalf, ASDMA collaborated with the Department of Communication and Journalism, Gauhati University, and conducted a series of programmes like an editorial meet on climate realities, a climate and disaster perspective film festival, a discussion workshop on climate and disaster perspective with knowledge institutions, and sensitisation on climate and disaster outlook through an online competition on documentaries, short films, reels, jingles, photography, etc. The community radio programmes through various community radio channels of the state were also launched today on disaster perspective to create awareness at the community level.
Today, 2 technical sessions were conducted, i.e., “Climate Change Realities: from Perception to Action” and “Climate Change Advocacy: Strategy Design & Media Engagement”, which were participated in by the panellists like Dr Surbhi Dahiya, IIMC, New Delhi; Mubina Akhtar, Climate Activists; Prof. Arup Kr Sarma, IITG; Rituraj Phukan, Climate Activists, Assam; Prof. Santonu Goswami, Azim Premji University, Bangalore; Anup Sharma, Digital Media Specialist, New Delhi; Dr Chandan Kr Goswami, Gauhati University; and Dr Bharati Bharali, Gauhati University as moderators. Further, Anand P Kanoo from UNICEF also presented on complementarities between DRR & CCA in the context of Assam.
ASDMA was established in accordance with the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and adopted by the Government of Assam in December 2006, as notified in the Official Gazette. The Chief Minister of the State Government is the chairperson and minister, and the revenue and DM department is its vice chairperson; the Secretariat of the ASDMA has been fully functional since 2009. Since then, ASDMA has played a crucial role in disaster management in Assam, and its employees work together to mitigate and respond to disasters in the state.
ASDMA initiated this workshop and the events as an introductory exercise for journalists and field officials aiming to increase understanding of key concepts around disaster risk reduction and resilience and the links between DRR, climate change, poverty, environmental degradation and sustainable development; understanding of the global policy frameworks for disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and sustainable development and their interconnectedness; awareness of the role of the media in effective, positive and solutions-orientated communication around disaster risk reduction and resilience; understanding of key
components and objectives of DRR stories and themes, drawing from real-life case studies and examples.
In his address to the participants, Mahanta welcomed all the attendees and also requested them to participate in the workshop to discuss the crucial matters related to the climate change realities reporting and the role of media in sensitising the general people to it. It would also help the government to receive the shortcomings and rectify them.
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