Disaster Risk Management Programme – Urban Earthquake Vulnerability Reduction Programme (UEVRP), Rajkot 

This project envisages the following broad components…

1. Awareness Generation
2. Development of Preparedness and Response Plans at the community and administrative levels
3. Development of a techno-legal Regime for the States,
4. Capacity Building at all levels
5. Knowledge Networking on International and National Best-Practices among all the cities and urban centers in the programme.

Goals and Objectives

• Risk reduction factor in rapid disaster recovery.
• Disaster mitigated and development gains protected.
• Disaster risk considerations mainstreamed into development.
• Community-led enforcement of preparedness activities.
• Gender equity in disaster preparedness.

Activities under Objective - I : Awareness Generation

1. Consultations with national and state government, city development authorities, ULBs, NGOs, training institutions, practicing engineers, architects, real-estate firms, builders, contractors, etc. for city-specific earthquake risk management and mitigation strategies.
2. Formulation of city specific awareness campaign strategies.
3. Awareness generation programmes for
   • Voluntary organizations and students on earthquake management and mitigation
   • The community through workshops/seminars/training, use of media (radio/TV/articles in common magazines, posters/leaflets in local language and observation of earthquake risk management day/week)
   • School children on safety measures through audio-visual programmes, competitions, mock drills, etc.
   • Institutions of Engineers/Architects, stakeholders in the real estate market, builders associations, contractors associations, etc. through workshops and orientations programmes.
4. Development of 'Ready reckoners' and user-friendly manuals on
   • Design and construction of earthquake-resistant houses/retrofitting
   • Earthquake risk management and response plans.
   • Dissemination of accurate warning, search and rescue operations, first aid, Restoration of service-water & sanitation, shelter management, counseling and damage assessments for early recovery and response, proper utilization and better coordination of relief materials during crisis.
   • Documentation of appropriate retrofitting techniques and sharing of best practices, conference proceedings and articles in popular magazines.
   • Newspaper advertisements in National and local newspapers.

Activities under Objective - II : Earthquake Preparedness Plan

• Identification and networking of nodal agencies and partners at different levels for implementation of the programme.
• Formation of city and Ward level Disaster Management Teams [DMT] including the concerned Government Depts. like Senior citizens, National Cadet Corps (NCC)/National Social Service (NSS), Rotary and Lions Clubs, City Nagarik Committees/ resident welfare associations, elected members, NGOs and other civil society response groups.
• Development of city and ward level earthquake preparedness and response plans.
• Development of an inventory of resources at all levels for speedy response during emergencies and establishing linkages with the India Disaster Resources Network (IDRN) portal being commissioned by MHA.
• Development of response structure from ward to city level.
• Specialized training of Disaster Management Teams [DMTs] at ward and city levels.
• Preparedness drills at all levels - national, city and ward levels.

Activities under Objective - III : Developing a Techno-legal Framework

• Orientation for policy makers to enforce legislation for registration and regulation of builders, promoters, and real estate developers for creation of safe habitat.
• Orientation of govt. officials in Urban Local Bodies - Development Authorities/Municipalities/Town Planning Departments/Housing Societies/Housing Boards, etc. towards the earthquake hazard, risk evaluation and possible mitigation measures.
• Developing system for city specific Audit of safe building practices
• Constitution of empowered committees at the national apex bodies at the state level to review the zoning regulations, building codes & byelaws and regulatory mechanisms at National, State and City levels (for newly developed areas, old 'core' areas of the city and slums) for earthquake vulnerability reduction.
• Creating a framework for compulsory certification system for engineers and architects-to set standard levels of competence among all practitioners.
• Developing course curriculum for compulsory certification practicing engineers and architects through a national level committee to be constituted by MHA.
• Setting up of Institutional framework for a National /State Ombudsman to ensure compliance of safe building byelaws and construction practices
• Consultations and partnerships with Financial Institutions and Insurance Agencies to work out modalities for ensuring disaster resistant features in new as well as extension of existing constructions while giving loans and policies.
• Using vulnerability databases for risk and vulnerability analysis as decision support instruments to enhance national state policy on earthquake risk management.

Activities under Objective - IV : Capacity Building

• Building capacities of students of Engineering & Architecture for awareness generation, mitigation measures and in the development of the preparedness plans.
• Strengthening of local academic institutions as Key Resource Institutions for earthquake risk management.
• Trainings and orientation programmes for National and State Government Functionaries, functionaries of development authorities, ULBs, NGOs, training institutions, private sectors ( real-estate firms, builders, contractors, etc.) in the process of development of community based earthquake risk management and response plans;
• Training of selected engineers from prominent government engineering departments (such as PWD, MES, the Urban Development Authorities) on seismic resistant constructions, codal provisions, safety and evaluation techniques, retrofitting etc. in collaboration with the National Programme on Earthquake Engineering Education (NPEEE) - a programme of the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
• Providing technical support, training and periodic assessments on earthquake vulnerability through the research/knowledge hub at national level.
• Constitutions and capacity building of Quick Response Teams (QRTs) in disaster preparedness and response by international experts in the field.
• Partnerships with research/resource institutions at National and City levels for review of existing earthquake preparedness plan and response plans.
• Support for formation/development of a Resource center in each city for capacity building and technology transfer.
• Training programmes for resident welfare associations in hazard, social and resource mapping and development of earthquake preparedness and response plans.
• Sensitisation and training of policy makers and local self-governments in the development of the Incident Command System for dealing with emergencies.

Activities under Objective - V : Networking

• Developing a web-based portal on knowledge sharing, inter-city co-operation on earthquake vulnerability reduction initiatives, a forum for city representatives, project coordinators, and national advisors to share experiences and learning on urban earthquake risk and risk management for linking the practitioners involved in the programme.
• Research and documentation on earthquake risk management index for each city, and sharing of the same.
• National database on earthquake risk management and earthquake preparedness and response plans at various levels.
• Capacity assessment and national training plan for earthquake risk management.
• Development of Risk and Vulnerability Indices and annual reports.
• Documentation and sharing of best practices of India for earthquake risk management for wider circulation as part of training curriculum.
• Inter-city exposure visits for city managers for mutual learning.

Project Implementation Strategy