A Case Study in Uttarakhand, Northern India - Geological & Mining ...

3.3 ConclusionsIn conclusion, the study confirms that PSI’s disaster mitigation and preparednessprogrammes have a positive impact by successfully increasing the number ofearthquake-safe constructions and overall levels of disaster awareness amongcommunity members in the Study Area A. Mitigation of natural hazards for theentire state of Uttarakhand should be a primary concern and focus. PSI has beenactive in arousing public awareness and has successfully trained masons inearthquake-safe building techniques in the Rudraprayag district. Future workshould entail further developing these programmes for statewide application inconjunction with other stakeholders. Proactive efforts towards DMP are clearlydocumented in PSI's activities, and the state government has also moved towardimproved coordination. However, more pressure needs to be exerted to reachstronger government commitment to funding training and mitigation initiatives andthe development of policy needs to mainstream DMP.The question of where disaster mitigation and preparedness fit into the disastercontinuum is seemingly unclear. The utility and long-term benefits of applied DMPare undisputed, yet it has not been mainstreamed by the various stakeholdersinvolved in disaster management programmes. As the rift between relief anddevelopment continues to widen, DMP seems to fall further and further betweenthe cracks. Lack of knowledge on what DMP is, uncertainty as to which agenciesshould be responsible for what and in what capacity, and the obvious competitionwith more visible and immediate crises offer an explanation for DMP repeatedlybeing pushed to the wayside. However, attitudes are shifting in parallel with themagnitudes, frequencies and effects of natural disasters, thereby calling for betterpreparedness to these crises. What needs further consideration is that naturaldisasters are ongoing problems fuelled by years of integrated decisions, eventsand people’s actions (Comfort et al., 1999) and not simply random, haphazardevents. It is not only about looking ahead, but reflecting on what conditions,decisions and practices have led to the disaster in the first place. The risk ofThe Role of NGOs in Disaster Mitigation and Response – A Case Study in Uttarakhand, Northern India 74