International Roundtable on Lessons from Natural Disasters, Policy Issues and Mitigation Strategies, Vellore, India 8–12 January, 2007
IMPORTANT DATE: Applications must be submitted by 29th November 2006
A natural hazard is a potentially damaging natural event such as cyclone, drought, earthquake, forest fire, heavy rain, flood, landslide and tsunami. A natural disaster occurs when the natural hazard seriously disrupts the functioning of a community and causes extensive human, material or environmental losses that exceed the community's capability to cope without external relief. Developing countries are often the worst hit by natural disasters and their problems are more or less of the same genre. While natural disaster mitigation is a subject of global concern, effective disaster prevention is always preferable to disaster response, since it is more cost effective and reduces human suffering. Development of new concepts and technologies for prior detection of natural hazards, appropriate mechanisms for disaster information sharing and access, early warning systems, post disaster relief and rehabilitation are some of the critical elements of a disaster management strategy.
In order to provide to the specialists and professionals from the developing countries a platform for an interactive dialogue on promoting partnerships among them and deliberate on the above issues, the NAM S&T Centre is organising a 5-day International Roundtable on “Lessons from Natural Disasters, Policy Issues and Mitigation Strategies” during 8–12 January, 2007 at Vellore, India, jointly with the Centre for Disaster Mitigation & Management (CDMM), Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, India. and invites nominations from the R&D institutions, S&T organisations and government agencies of the member countries of the NAM S&T Centre and other developing countries for participation in this Roundtable.
Request for participation in this Roundtable may please be sent to the NAM S&T Centre (E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]) by completing the Nomination Form, a copy of which is attached with the Announcement (also available on the Centre’s website www.namstct.org). The last date for submission of nominations is Wednesday, 29th November 2006.
The following may please be noted:
(a) Application for participation in the event may please be made only to the NAM S&T Centre in the Nomination Form attached with this Announcement,
(b) Indian scientists and experts however may submit their applications to CDMM only.
(c) The Nomination Form should be filled in completely without leaving any column blank. A resume of the proposed presentation to be made during the Roundtable should be attached with the Nomination Form.
(d) The last date for submission of applications is 29th November 2006.
(e) E-mail correspondence will be preferred.
(f) The selection will be strictly on merit, quality of the extended abstracts of their presentation material to be submitted along with the completed Nomination Form and on first come first basis.
(g) All the participants will be provided free transportation from/to the airport in Chennai to/from Vellore (2½ hours by road) and free local hospitality (guesthouse accommodation, meals and local transport) in Vellore for the period 7th January (AN) until 12 Noon of the 13th January 2006 (i.e. one day before and one day after the workshop).
(h) For applications received from those member countries of the NAM S&T Centre, which are regularly paying their annual subscription: NAM S&T Centre will provide to and fro international airfare by Excursion Class by shortest route to only one official nominee of each country, provided the application is routed through the Focal Point of the NAM S&T Centre in the applicant’s country. Additional nominations from the Focal Points as well as any other applications made directly to the NAM S&T Centre from such member countries will also be welcome, but such applicants will have to arrange for their own international fare and will also be required to make payment of a Processing Fee of US$350 to the Centre in advance.
(i) For applications received from those member countries of the NAM S&T Centre, which have outstanding dues with the Centre: The applicants from such member countries will make their own arrangement for international travel and will also be required to make payment of a Processing Fee of US$350 to the Centre in advance.
(j) For nominations received from the S&T-Industry Network Members of the NAM S&T Centre: The NAM S&T – Industry Network entitles each member organisation which has no outstanding dues against its membership subscription to get invitation for one nominee each year with full finances paid by the NAM S&T Centre for participation in an appropriate activity. Accordingly, if a Network member has not yet availed of this privilege and desires to nominate a scientist in this Roundtable, NAM S&T Centre will provide to and fro international airfare by Excursion Class by shortest route to only one such official nominee of the Network member. However, any additional nominee, as well as the nominees of those S&T-Industry Network Members that have not paid their annual network membership subscription, will make their own arrangement for international travel and will also be required to make payment of a Processing Fee of US$350 to the Centre in advance.
(k) For applications received from those countries, which are not the members of the NAM S&T Centre, and for other individual specialists and experts desirous of attending the Roundtable: Completed Nomination Form along with a Processing Fee of US$450 may please be sent directly to the NAM S&T Centre. Such applicants will make their own arrangement for international travel.
(l) Information on the member countries of the NAM S&T Centre and names/addresses of the Focal Points may be seen on the Centre’s website www.namstct.org.
(m) English will be the official language of the International Roundtable.
********************************************************************************
Please read on for more information on the International Roundtable.
Introduction
Natural disasters, almost in every case, do offer a new, live laboratory to test our ideas on the whole range of issues from policy formulation to peoples participation. Every disaster provides policy makers the heaven sent opportunity to put their policies on the anvil. Professionals charged with the responsibility to counter natural disasters, likewise, get a good opportunity to introspect and see by hindsight where their preparedness plans and strategies have failed them, and why? Scientists do get their food for thought as also fresh ideas and the rare ammunition to re-write their research proposals towards fulfilment of their insatiable quest for improved, cost effective solutions. Since dead tell no tale, those who survive learn first hand. The learning process strengthens the weak, and arms the strong.
The learning process never ends; the paradox being that more we learn, the more remains there to be learned. When exposed to the aftermath of a severe natural disaster, indeed the sky defines the limit to which the learning process could go on, and there is enough to learn, for every one, at all levels of hierarchy, at all times. The real lessons are however learned only when every disaster is looked upon also as a great learning opportunity. No laboratory in the world, howsoever well organized and modern, can ever duplicate, not to speak of excelling the potential of live laboratories created by natural disasters. Ordinarily, we learn from textbooks and classroom teachings, or by trial and error, or occasionally by accident or experiment. Learning through training programmes has been another popular way. At the end of such training programmes, everyone becomes a certified expert but his knowledge is usually of pedagogic value seldom updated! The real progress by learning however comes when an inquisitive mind begins to look for hard facts in Nature’s laboratory with a spirit of scientific inquiry. The narratives of the eye witnesses of disasters or those who had to pass through the traumatic times because of disasters do teach us a lot besides providing very useful clues to reconstruct the whole story. Tragedies nevertheless leave behind priceless lessons which must be learned in order to deal more effectively with the future recurrences. Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it.
Natural Disaster Mitigation being a subject of profound global concern, scores of teams and taskforces across the globe are perennially busy addressing the multifaceted aspects of natural disasters in the different geo-climatic, cultural and socio-economic settings. In this age of seamless science, the continuous flow of new ideas from all directions enable even a dwarf to see farther than a giant, provided he is willing to position himself on the giant’s shoulders. The phenomenal amount of information on the internet and that in the public domain, the countless institutions created in the wake of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR), and the intense pressure of live problems at hand combine to provide us with an ideal setting to launch new initiatives by pooling of resources, building on the synergies, and leveraging of capacities.
Since developing countries are the worst hit by natural disasters and their problems are more or less of the same genre, building joint programmes and partnerships in science and technology seems quite common and natural these days. Since most of the developing countries lack even the minimal of resources and wherewithal to fight natural disasters, they regard the hand holding exercise as a very wise move of great potential. And indeed wherever win-win partnerships have emerged, the cause of natural disaster reduction has flourished, without question. On the other hand, wherever developing countries have tried to stand in isolation either by accident or by the design, the progress has been poor to nothing.
Hazards will continue to loom large as they have been for centuries of our existence, but there is absolutely no reason why they should be allowed to turn in to disasters. Earthquakes, landslides, floods, cyclones, tsunami, drought, traffic accidents etc are all seen to take their random turn, and toll, causing turmoil and tension only because we are vulnerable, totally unprepared and disorganized. We are indeed so regularly overwhelmed with the sheer weight and frequency of disasters that global issues like climate change, receding of glaciers, sea level rise, ozone depletion, El Nino and La Nino effects etc., do not bother us much, and will not bother us more, until they hit us on our heads in league with population explosion, unchecked urbanization and chaotic development, to create a class of problems big enough to shake us all.
The fate of millions of people in the world is written and rewritten, and often underscored, not in the texts of the developmental plans and reports but by the onslaught of frequent cataclysmic events. Disasters often lead and the Plans follow. Survivors are condemned to their fates worse than dead. Besides huge losses of lives and property, the very wheels of progress and development get jammed. Sometimes, even if the initial impact of a disaster is not quite severe, its eventual consequences could still be lethal. For example rainstorm - flood contamination - epidemics; or cyclone - flood contamination - epidemics can end up with a mass graveyard scenario, throwing even the best of the post disaster management machinery haywire.
Since the hazardous events are frequent, degree of preparedness is low and the urbanization is out of control, the losses are staggering. The routine development plans frozen in time and spaces are naturally irrelevant in a dynamic situation such as the one we face, where the change is complex and quick. What we need is therefore the strategic thinking to be able to unfold scenarios before they really occur so that we can update our road map, revise our game plan, and sharpen our strategic sense. Sharing of resources, pooling of expertise and leveraging of capacities come naturally with strategic thinking.
There is both the need and urgency to change over from the very painful and expensive culture of post disaster relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction to the culture of strategic thinking, predisaster planning, preparedness and mitigation. The high frequency of natural manmade and biological disasters and their deadly blows; the ever growing public suffering; the awareness and stimulus provided by the IDNDR and the national commitment to minimize losses due to disasters must drive the change.
In this context, the Centre for Science and Technology of the Non-Aligned and other Developing Countries (NAM S&T Centre) with the approval of its Governing Council announces the organization of a 5-day International Roundtable on “Lessons from Natural Disasters, Policy Issues and Mitigation Strategies” during 8–12 January, 2007 at Vellore, India, jointly with Centre for Disaster Mitigation & Management, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, India.
Objective
The main objective of the international roundtable, as its title reveals, is to spotlight the trio of Lessons from Natural Disasters, Policy Issues and Mitigation Strategies through an interactive dialogue among the non-aligned and other developing countries. To quote Pisano, “so long as disaster mitigation remains highly specialized arcane discipline separated from the work of business managers, financiers, insurance actuaries, law makers, construction superintendent and others, it will be ineffective, misunderstood, or worse, irrelevant” The round table is designed to even widen the scope outlined by Pisano by adding science and technology. The round table aims to deliver a sweep of the current scenario, an opportunity to share experiences and exchange views, and a platform to deliberate on what ails our policies and strategies. The country reports to be discussed at the roundtable will lead to exchange of information, synergy of strengths, identification of gap areas, and forging of partnerships. The roundtable is also expected to yield insights into novel features of policies and strategies emerging in different countries almost about the same time. If the recommendation made and concerns voiced at the roundtable could capture imagination of all the various target groups, this joint initiative of NAM Centre and CDMM, VIT, Vellore will be more than justified.
Programme of the Roundtable
The International Roundtable will be held during 8-12 January 2007. A tentative programme is given below:
Monday 08 Jan 2006
Inauguration and Keynote Address, Country Reports
Tuesday 09 Jan 2006
Country Reports, Country Reports
Wednesday 10 Jan2006
Lessons from Earthquakes & Landslides, Lessons from Cyclones and Floods
Thursday 11 Jan 2006
Lessons from Tsunamis. Disaster Management Policy. Disaster Mitigation Strategy 1, Disaster Mitigation Strategy 2
Friday 12 Jan 2006
Auto Certification Tests and Interactive Dialogue on Partnerships, Resolutions and Valedictory Function
About NAM S&T Centre
The Centre for Science and Technology of the Non-Aligned and Other Developing Countries (NAM S&T Centre; www.namstct.org) is an inter-governmental organisation with a membership of 40 countries spread over Asia, Africa, Middle East and Latin America. The Centre was set up in 1989 in New Delhi, India in pursuance of recommendations of various NAM Summit meetings for the promotion of science and technology among developing countries. The Centre undertakes a variety of programmes, including organization of workshops, symposiums, meetings and training courses and implementation of collaborative projects and offers short-term research fellowships to the scientists from the developing countries in association with various Centres of Excellence. The Centre also brings out technical books and other scientific publications in different subjects. These activities provide opportunity for scientist–to–scientist contact and interaction; familiarizing participants on the latest developments and techniques in the subject areas; identification of the requirements of training and expert assistance; locating technologies for transfer between the members and other developing countries, dissemination of S&T information etc. The Centre also encourages academic-research-industry interaction in the developing countries through its NAM S&T-Industry Network Programme.
About Centre for Disaster Mitigation & Management, Vellore Institute of Technology
The Centre of Disaster Mitigation and Management (CDMM; www.vit.ac.in/cdmm/) is one of most modern, well equipped and progressive Centres in India with passion for excellence. It is a child of a rapidly expanding University, well known for the beauty of its campus and the grand vision of its Chancellor. It is also the first Centre on Disaster Mitigation and Management in India to have comeup after the National Disaster Management Act was passed by the Government of India. The Centre was inaugurated by Shri Shivraj V Patil, Union Home Minister of India in the gracious presence of Gen N.C.Vij, Vice Chairperson of the National Disaster Management Authority of India.
CDMM addresses some of the most neglected areas of the highest national importance. It is currently assisting NDMA in the task leading to formulation of natural disaster management guidelines and action plan on two major areas of concern, namely, landslides and earthquakes. Innovation in Disaster education, rendering of highly specialized disaster mitigation services and Disaster Knowledge Network tagged with the great learning exercise are the three areas of its current operation. The Centre has forged partnerships with many knowledge based institutions and professional bodies including National Institute of Disaster Management, Government of India, Institution of Engineers (India), Structural Engineering Research Centre, Chennai, Advanced Technology Engineering Services, New Delhi, Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee and Central Road Research Institute, New Delhi. The Centre has the best known experts in the area of Natural Disasters, on its Advisory Board.
Participants
The Conference has been primarily designed for the specialists and professionals from the non-aligned and other developing countries who are engaged on diverse aspects of disaster mitigation and management including R&D, policy planning management and mitigation strategies. The participants may be from the government departments, academic and research institutions, private sector, consultancy and construction agencies and others who are actively involved in disaster mitigation and management.
The selection of the participants from the NAM and other developing countries will be strictly based on merit and quality of the extended abstracts of presentation material to be submitted along with the completed Nomination Form. A pre-condition for participation is that the participants must submit the final manuscript of their presentation material at least a fortnight before the commencement of the event, i.e. by 22 December 2006.
English is the official language of the roundtable.
Resource Persons
Resource Persons for the Roundtable would comprise eminent experts from India and other countries.
Publication of Proceedings
The proceedings of the roundtable, including the country status reports and other papers will be published within two months of the roundtable meeting. All applicants are required to submit outline of their country reports along with the completed nomination form. Those finally selected to attend the roundtable will be required to submit the full manuscript of their country reports as per the Centre’s prescribed guidelines at least 15 days before the commencement of the roundtable, but not later than 22 December, 2006.
Venue of Roundtable
The International Roundtable will be held in the Conference Hall of the Centre for Disaster Mitigation and Management at the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, India.
About Vellore, VIT and the Surroundings
Vellore in Tamil Nadu is about 140 km from Chennai and about 210 km from Bangalore. It is located to the heartland of Indian manufacturing industry and leather products, and is close to the important tourist centres like Mahabalipuram, famous for the Pallava monuments; Kanchipuram, a city of magnificient temples; Tiruvannamalai, the place founded by world renowned sage Ramana Maharshi, and Tirupathi, the abode of the Lord Venkateswara that attracts lakhs of devotees everyday. An internationally reputed missionary hospital namely Christian Medical College and Hospital, popularly known as CMC is also located in Vellore.
The institute’s main entrance is on the Katpadi- Ranipet highway. The nearest airport is Chennai, 150 minutes drive away. The Institute is 3 km away from the Katpadi railway station and 6 km away from Vellore Bus terminus.
VIT is the proud recipient of the Exnora Green Campus Award for 2004. Shady-tree lined avenues and lush lawns dotted by beautiful flowering shrubs provide an ideal learning/teaching ambience. VIT’s renewable energy park aims at making the entire community energy conscious.
The institute has a library from its inception and its information center is of exceptional quality.
Submission of Applications
Applications for participation (of nominees from NAM and other developing countries) are required to be submitted in the prescribed nomination form directly to the NAM S&T Centre as early as possible but latest by 29 November 2006. The form should be completed in all respects and no column should be left blank. An extended abstract of the presentation to be made in the roundtable should be enclosed with the completed form.
Financial Arrangement for Travel
This is being conveyed separately to each member country of the NAM S&T Centre and other developing countries.
Local Hospitality and Travel
The host organization, namely Vellore Institute of Technology looks forward to welcoming delegates and other participants of the roundtable. All the participants are expected to reach Chennai, the capital city of Tamilnadu in India on 7 January 2007. Arrangements have been made to drive all the participants from Chennai to the venue of the meeting at VIT in Vellore by the late evening of 7 January. Accommodation has been reserved for all registered participants in the campus Guest House from the Afternoon of 7 January to the forenoon of 13 January. Arrangements have also been made to transport delegates to Chennai on the 13 January from where they should plan their return journeys themselves. The participants will also have to make their own arrangement of stay beyond the roundtable period. They are requested to arrange their flight schedules and make additional arrangements accordingly.
Immigration & Health
Participants of the roundtable should have a valid visa for entry in India. The Indian embassy located in the country of the participant should be approached for obtaining an entry visa. NAM S&T Centre will facilitate the issuance of a visa by providing the participant with an official letter of invitation. Participants of the workshop from yellow fever endemic countries must ensure that they obtain a vaccination Certificate before arrival in India.
Note
Individual participants or their governments / institutions will be required to bear the following costs:
- All expenses in the home country incidental to travel abroad, including expenditure for passport and visa, required medical examinations and vaccinations and miscellaneous expenses such as internal travel to/from the airport of departure in the home country.
- Salary and other related allowances for the participants during the event.
- Cost of medical insurance to cover the period of their participation in the Roundtable in India.
The organizers will not assume responsibility for the following expenditure in connection with the participant’s attendance in the Roundtable:
- Insurance, medical bills or hospitalisation fees.
- Compensation in the event of death, disability or illness of participants.
- Loss of personal belongings or compensation for damage caused by climatic or other conditions.
- Travel or other costs incurred by the dependents who might accompany the participants, or because of overstay.
Addresses for Correspondence
NAM S&T Centre
Prof. Arun P. Kulshreshtha,
Director,
Centre for Science & Technology of the Non-Aligned and
Other Developing Countries (NAM S&T Centre),
Core-6A, 2nd Floor, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road,
New Delhi - 110003 (INDIA)
Tel: (O) +91-11-24645134, 24644974
Fax: (O) +91-11-24644973
E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Website: http://www.namstct.org
Mr. M. Bandyopadhyay,
Senior Expert & Administrative Officer,
Address, Tel. and E-mail: (O) as above. Tel. ® 91-11-29942203
Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT)
Dr. R.K. Bhandari
Chairman,
Centre for Disaster Mitigation & Management,
Vellore Institute of Technology,
Deemed University,
Vellore 632 014, Tamil Nadu
Phone: (0416) 2202282
Mobile: +91-98103-45123
Fax: (0416) 2243092
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.vit.ac.in/cdmm/
Centre for Science and Technology of the Non-Aligned and Other Developing Countries
International Roundtable on Lessons from Natural Disasters, Policy Issues and Mitigation Strategies
Vellore, India
8–12 January 2007
Nomination Form
(Please TYPE or use BLOCK capitals; No column should be left blank, otherwise the form will be rejected.)
SECTION A
(To be filled in by the nominee)
1. Name (Dr/Mr/Mrs/Ms):..................................................................................................................
(Last Name) (First Name) (Other Names)
2 Designation (Position held):……………………………………………………………………
3 Nationality:................................................................................................………...……………..
4 Date of Birth:……..………. Place of Birth (City) …………....… (Country)……….………….
5 Passport No: ....................Place of issue: .......................................................................................
Date of Issue: ....................................... Valid upto: .................................................................….
6 Name of the Sponsoring Organisation: …………………………..………………………..……
Full Address (Office):............................................……………………..……………………..…
.........................................................................................................................................................
Phone: ........…............... Fax: ............................…. E-mail: .........................................................
7 Full Address (Home): ....................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................................
Phone: ...........…............... Fax: .........................…. E-mail: ........................................................
8 Educational Qualifications: Highest Degree: ...............................................................................
Year of Award: .......................... University:..................................................................................
Field of Study: .................................................................................................................................
9 Brief Bio data: ………………….………………………….…………………………………..
(To be attached on separate sheet)
10 What in your opinion qualifies you for the participation in this roundtable?
(To be attached on separate sheet)
11 An abstract not exceeding 450 words (MS Word, Times New Romans, 1.5 spacing,
font 11) & a brief (1-2 page) Extended Abstract of your presentation in the roundtable.
(To be attached on separate sheet)
Date: ............................... Signature: .....................................................................................….
SECTION B
ENDORSEMENT BY NOMINATING AUTHORITY
(Applicant must get the following endorsement signed by the Focal Point of the NAM S&T Centre in his/ her country or the concerned Scientific Ministry/ Government Agency. For the name/ address of the Focal Point please visit Centre’s website www.namstct.org)
Signature:...............….............................................................
Name (in full): .......................................................................
Designation:.......................….................................................
Date:....................….......................…………........................
SEAL
