ASDMA observes Intertiol Day for Disaster Reduction

ASDMA observes Intertiol Day for Disaster Reduction

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Oct 13: The Assam State Disaster Magement Authority (ASDMA) observed the Intertiol Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR, 2017) on Friday, in collaboration with UNICEF, Assam to achieve the global target of reducing exposure of communities to different hazards and thereby reducing displacement during disasters at Assam Administrative Staff College, Guwahati.

The IDDR is a day to celebrate as to how people and communities are reducing their risk to disasters and raising awareness about the importance of DRR. It is also a day to encourage every citizen and government to take part in building more disaster resilient communities and tions. The 2017 edition is continued as part of the “Sendai Seven” campaign, centered on the seven targets of the Sendai Framework. This year the focus is on Target B, of which the aim is to reduce the number of people affected by disasters by 2030. The theme of IDDR for the year 2017 is ‘Home Safe Home: REDUCING EXPOSURE, REDUCING DISPLACEMENT.’

Assam Chief Secretary VK Pipersenia, who was the chief guest on the occasion, said in his iugural speech that he is glad to find that disaster magement initiatives of Assam is aligned to the 10-point agenda for disaster risk reduction as outlined by Prime Minister rendra Modi. He laid stress on the fact that there should be greater consistency and coordition in response to disasters. He particularly appreciated the innovations which were displayed at the exhibition. He said that Assam should give focus on technology in order to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk magement efforts.

State Fire & Emergency Services Director AP Rout, who was also present on the occasion, said: “Through this workshop we should make a determition to achieve ‘zero casualty’ which is not a mere statistics, rather it is a commitment of each one of us to ensure that not a single individual falls prey to disasters by losing their— lives’, homes and livelihoods.”

Revenue & Disaster Magement Commissioner-Secretary Rajesh Prasad, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the ASDMA, said: “The effort of the ASDMA is to bring together different stakeholders such as policy-makers, administrators, departmental functiories, WDMCs, NGOs, community leaders and private stakeholders for a comprehensive consultation on disaster risk reduction and preparedness and to identify opportunities for disaster risk magement.”

In the technical session, Kamesh Salam, founder, South Asia Bamboo Foundation, member, World Bamboo Organization, spoke on the usage of Bamboo Technology for Disaster Resilient Housing. Disaster Risk Reduction aspects on Safer Built Environment was given by Prof. Chandan Mahanta, Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, lIT, Guwahati.

The exhibition titled ‘Innovation Challenge for Disaster Risk Reduction’ which was conducted on the occasion witnessed some unique innovation from various institutions and individuals from ‘within and outside the state giving solutions for various hazards like storm, fire, earthquake and flood. Over 200 students from various schools also visited the exhibition.

A total of 1,500 people were involved at the district-level mock drills and the district-level exercises were supported by the tiol Disaster Magement Authority.

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