CAPACITY BUILDING & RISK PREPAREDNESS OF URBAN COMMUNITY- AN ANALYSIS ON COMMUNITY-BASED DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN SILCHAR (INDIA)

Abstract

Disaster Management practitioners have unanimously agreed on the role played by the community in Disaster Risk Reduction and capacity building to handle disaster impacts. Emphasis is laid on the participation of the community at the local level for risk assessment, vulnerability reduction and capacity building for disaster resilience. Understanding community requirements, adaptability, preparedness and vulnerability in the eventuality of disaster are of immense importance before the formulation of proper Disaster Management policies. This justifies the need and purpose of Community Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM). This paper studies the preparedness and capacity level of an urban population of Silchar Town in South Assam, India. The geographical disposition of the town makes it vulnerable to hazards like earthquakes and floods. Moreover, being the second largest town of Assam, rapid urbanization has made it susceptible to urban floods and fire. The study is the first of its kind involving the urban community of the area. Prior studies are institutional level based on a top-down approach. However, the bottom-up approach adopted in the study differs in some instances from institutional reports. Consequently, the existing institutional plans and policies need some modification to bridge the existing gaps and make it people-friendly.