Risk assessment and risk analysis in management of Disasters a case study of Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

Human being has been struggling for its existence since his very existence. In this constant struggle, we have seen natural or man-made disasters mercilessly glutting human lives. Though natural disasters are not occurring only due to human intervention, the fact cannot be neglected that hunger for extracting more has increased the intensity of these disasters. Himachal Pradesh situated in the northern region of India known for its scenic beauty is one of the most vulnerable states of India as far as the disasters are concerned. The hilly terrain and inaccessibility to the far-flung make the state more vulnerable to the disasters. The present study tries to do the risk assessment and risk analysis of the state focusing on one of the most disaster-prone district i.e. Kinnaur. A district with merely 6401 square kilometers land area; having 660 villages with 241 inhabitant and 419 un-inhabitant villages have constantly observed the natural or manmade disasters. All villages are rural with no urban villages or towns in the district. Kinnaur due to its geographical location has been suffering from natural disasters like Floods, Earthquakes, Landslides, forest fires etc. Due to the extreme conditions of the area, in case of a big disaster, post-disaster management becomes difficult task as the area turns inaccessible. In such a grim situation, the local community itself plays a crucial role in disaster management. Similarly, NGO s and other organisations like BRO, ITBP, Electricity Department, PwD, IandPH, Health Department play a very crucial role in the disaster mitigation and post-disaster operations. The contribution of armed forces can t be denied in crucial situations when all other organisations and government agencies fail to cope up with the disasters. Considering all these factors in mind, a comprehensive disaster management approach including the long term pre and postdisaster management plan are required to handle the disasters properly. newline