Mentor’s Comment:

• The case study is taken from the floods situation in Assam and West Bengal which the trend shows is like an annual phenomena.
• This involves the ethical principles like Human values, moral and political attitude, integrity, public service, empathy, sympathy and fair treatment etc.
• The case requires you to assess the course of action with justification while dealing with the situations. There are multiple factors involved in dealing with the situations like cultural influences, Social factors such as education, awareness and social capital, ethical factors such as trust, sympathy, empathy, passion etc. The action also involves taking the help of technology while dealing with the situation.
• Bring conclusion based on the content.

Model Answer:

• Assam floods indicate impact of disaster is being determined by several inter-linked factors. These factors are unique in different parts of the same region. Therefore, the exercise of devising strategies for disaster risk reduction to deal with flood becomes multifaceted.
• The above case is a serious situation of floods. In such a context, disaster risk reduction efforts to reduce flood losses required due attention to not only the direct causes but also the social milieu, economic diaspora, natural environment, ethical and cultural practices.
• These processes are complex in nature owing to historical background and the present processes of development and urbanization. Culture influences to a large extent affect the implementation of strategies and policies.
• To deal with these processes, strategies and implementation will call for a new approach undertaking pro-active initiatives to involve techno-social-cultural-economic-environmental-governance initiatives.
• Social factors including education, awareness and social capital will determine to a large extent the success and failure of these strategies, included therein the ideas of economic disparity and the brutality of market forces during and post flood situation. Dualistic nature of cultural practices needs to be taken into account in fitting the solutions wherever required.
• Ethical factors such as trust, sympathy, empathy, passion, compassion, fair treatment in rehabilitation etc. can act as impediments if not dealt properly. People should be taken in confidence by showing trust and care for them. The rescue team volunteers should be taught to deal with compassion and sensitivity. People should be made aware to deal with the disaster together. These ethical impediments will also play crucial role in dealing with the trauma of loss of property or near and dear one.
• Technological solutions can be harnessed. The use of technology is prevalent in our day-to-day lives. The emergence of smart phones and its wide range of users cannot be ignored as a resource which can be used for multiple purposes like imparting training programmes, updates and basic Dos and Don’ts of different disaster events. Most of the solutions in the technological arena of disaster management can be achieved with optimum utilization of what we think is minimum (Just owning a smart phone).
• We very much respond to floods but not much of recovery work is seen as we are still standing at a point where we are offering only short-term response. Much of capacity building strategies like preparedness, prevention and mitigation are operational but need to be revisited for a larger, greater, broader understanding, commitment, involvement and efficient delivery of services.

Conclusion:

• Disaster risk reduction is a long term process entailing a wide coverage of issues and understanding of multiple dimensions of communities’ vulnerability and resilience. Disaster risk reduction becomes a locally-specific solution strategy wherein specificities, region specific issues, community resilience practices need to be taken into consideration.

The realization of disaster risk reduction goals demands a detailed and broader approach where strengths, weaknesses, challenges and unique local features are fully taken into account over the long run.