In a keynote address at the Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s two-day conference, Dr V Thiruppugazh, IAS, Chairman of the Advisory Committee for Mitigation and Management of Floods in Chennai Metro, urged a radical rethinking of disaster management strategies. Themed, “Building a resilient, low-carbon and vibrant Chennai,” the conference focused on fundamental principles and the need to challenge conventional perspectives.
Emphasising that all disasters are man-made, Dr Thiruppugazh said that disasters are not isolated events but rather the result of ongoing development processes. The need for a shift from reactive response to proactive, risk-informed development is the need of the hour.
Improving risk governance
The primary step is to understand risk at a community level and to train first responders from there itself. This helps in quick and immediate response during relief. Dr Thiruppugazh advocated for improved governance structures, stronger enforcement of regulations and empowering local communities to enhance their disaster response capacities.
The approach towards development must fork beyond traditional structures. Nature-based solution is a crucial component for holistic approach to disaster risk reduction. Dr Thiruppugazh called for a paradigm shift from structures to sustainable, community-focused solutions. He stressed on mainstreaming disaster management into the broader development process which requires political will, enforcement of regulations, allocation of funds and delegation of powers. He underscored the importance of long-term benefits over short-term gains, advocating for a trade-off between risk-prone planning and informed, risk-sensitive development.
Crisis as a catalyst for transformation
Drawing inspiration from J Krishnamurthy, Dr Thiruppugazh urged stakeholders to view crises as opportunities for social transformation. Such seamless transitions with a dual focus on preventing new risks and mitigating existing ones help to reimagine disaster management as an integral part of sustainable development.
