Case Study of Developing Mumbai City’s Disaster Management Plan Encompassing Global and National Frameworks on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Resilience
摘要
Mumbai, a bustling Indian coastal metropolis, is highly vulnerable to natural hazards like flood, cyclone; moderately vulnerable to earthquake, tsunami, drought etc. owing to its geo-climatic, geological and physical features. It is increasingly vulnerable to climate-induced disasters like heavy rainfall, sea level rise, tropical cyclones apart from various human-made hazards of building collapse, epidemics, road accidents, terrorism. Economic opportunities have led to influx of migrants thus high population densities, scarcity of land, loss of natural ecosystems like wetlands, mangroves to accommodate the increased needs of growing population only exacerbates its vulnerability. To reduce city’s vulnerability and improve city’s resilience, Mumbai’s Disaster Management Department (DMD) undertook an initiative of revising Disaster Management Plan (DMP), making it more context specific addressing disaster at ward-level while also taking inputs from future climate impacts indicated in Mumbai Climate Action Plan (MCAP). Method adopted for this revision involved identifying existing challenges; current and projected climate impacts and what DMD would undertake to meet these future challenges by way of setting Sendai targets for the city. Sensitization meets were held to update the stakeholder and involve them for this revision. It helped each stakeholder brainstorm relevant actionable suggestions to reduce their response time, to make city safe for its most vulnerable population (women, children, elderly, physically/mentally challenged etc.), to improve resources to cater to any type and scale of disasters such that the life/property/economic loss due to impending disasters tends to be minimal. Inputs of stakeholders through several exercises and table-top exercises considering earthquake and cyclone scenario were collated in-turn leading to revision of improved processes, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and the DMP. Such a plan is first of its kind amongst Indian cities, an all-encompassing one with inputs from Sendai Framework, PMs 10-point agenda, MCAP and from stakeholders. With such a plan in place, it would be a model document for all the other Indian districts and countries to follow.