Mainstream DRR through education - R.R. Krishnamurthy

"Invariably the rural coastal areas, with maximum concentration of fisher and coastal poor communities, needs special focus in terms of higher education. Higher education opportunities will seed resilience through improved economic performance, and will also create a platform for mainstreaming disaster risk reduction through education." - Dr. R. R. Krishnamurthy, University of Madras, Chennai, India

The work at the University of Madras, in collaboration with many stakeholders, has thrown up critical lessons from the Tsunami experience.  The absence of data, and our overall attitude towards data, simulations and knowledge base for risk reduction is very detrimental to building safe pathways of development in the coastal area.  After the tsunami it was not very clear what reasons were behind the sporadic pattern of damage along the coastline. Data on land topography was poor, and seafloor topography even poorer. Even survey of India could provide only 10 meter contour data.  Only after the tsunami GOI took up 5 metre contour mapping. Data is critically important to know relationship of seafloor and land topography with inundation patterns and resultant damage. Inundation modelling using such data can help create more accurate understanding of differentiated vulnerability along the coastline and help prepare appropriate risk reduction plans. 

Training and capacity building, coordination, planning and education works were carried out extensively after the Tsunami. Going into the local communities was most enriching for me.  Nemmeli is an important coastal “hot spot” on the South Chennai coast of India, which is surrounded by about 15 coastal hamlets with majority of fishing community and located in close proximity to the UNESCO heritage site - Mahabalipuram. This coastal region has faced the devastation of 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and invariably cyclone and storm surges in every monsoon. A Community College has been established in 2011 and there are about 400 first generation learners from BPL (Below Poverty Line) families were given affordable quality education and the students are being trained to meet the present day need of industry and society. The outcomes of last two academic year efforts are witnessed with the change in mind set of local community in enhancing their livelihood security and entrepreneurship development skills.

Prof. Kathiresan's work on Peechavaram Mangroves was another landmark, as it demonstrated how lives can be saved through environmentally conscious development and conservation of the coastal eco-system.  Joint mangrove management has even otherwise been taken up seriously, with MSSRF and Tamil Nadu Forest Department having done much work to promote this, and it has now shown the benefits in terms of disaster risk reduction besides the other benefits of eco-system conservation. However, we are still struggling to do environmental awareness across the various diverse themes that come under this larger umbrella, for example how to make coastal villages do proper solid waste management, cattle management etc.  Lack of funding and transfer of technology to the field areas are some of the barriers.