The Hindu 13.01.2011
Availability, management of data key to disaster planning: expert
Chennai first city to map buildings for assessing seismic vulnerability
Ready availability, reliability and efficient management of data is key to disaster planning and decision-making, Ravi Sinha, Member, Core Group on Earthquake, National Disaster Management Authority, New Delhi, said on Wednesday.
In his key-note address at the third project monitoring committee meeting and consultation with user departments on GIS information based e-governance for vulnerability assessment of Chennai hosted by the Centre for Disaster Mitigation and Management, Anna University-Chennai, Mr. Sinha said the more the data available the better the preparedness and the more effective the decision-making process.
A better understanding of consequences of a disaster such as earthquake is important for launching an alternative plan and reduce severity of impact in circumstances where the first line of action has not been executed, Mr. Sinha said.
It was equally imperative to have an idea of the type of scientific and field information that would become relevant in disaster management.
Noting that only some States had undertaken, on a pilot basis, rapid visual screening of buildings to assess seismic vulnerability, Mr. Sinha said Chennai was the first city to do the mapping on a comprehensive and sustainable basis.
However, it was important to understand that data collection was not an end in itself and that the information had to fit into the larger scenario of impact mitigation.
In his presidential address, S. Shanmugavel, Anna University Registrar, said the e-governance project sponsored by the Department of Information Technology, Government of India, aimed at assessing the quality of buildings and overall seismic safety.
The project involved geological, geo-physical, geo-technical, remote sensing and GIS mapping components.
A seismic hazard map on a GIS platform would help officials take appropriate decisions in an emergency.
Noting that the Asian continent as a whole was vulnerable to disasters — accounting for 83 per cent of the disaster-affected population globally — India alone accounted for 24 per cent of deaths due to disasters, he said. Inaugurating the event, Gabriel, District Revenue Officer, Relief and Rehabilitation, said a reliable database was the backbone of good governance.
He also stressed the need for education and training in disaster mitigation and management.
