Disaster Management department, JU join hands to promote Cyclone Centres

Kolkata: The state Disaster Management & Civil Defence department has joined hands with Jadavpur University (JU) for developing a sensitisation module so that more number of people use the Multipurpose Cyclone Centres in the state in case of a natural calamity.

A workshop in this regard will be held at Minakhan in North 24 Parganas on Wednesday.

"The Disaster Management department with the assistance of the Industry Institution Partnership Cell (IIPC) of JU has taken up a pilot project for three such Multipurpose Cyclone Centres at the BDO office at Minakhan block. Our aim is to promote and strengthen community based Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and sensitise the people about the facilities and infrastructure that the government has developed in these Centres," said Gupinath Bhandari, associate professor of Civil Engineering department of JU who is overseeing the pilot project.

According to Bhandari, the pilot project will have an accompanying study that will document the methodology of this project. If successful, this module will be replicated in other areas keeping in mind the respective ecosystems and environment. Sources at the state Disaster Management department said they are coming up with 221 such Cyclone Centres for providing safe shelters to the local communities during future calamities, especially during floods and cyclones, in the three coastal districts of the state - East Midnapore, North 24-Parganas and South 24-Parganas.The Department has set up management and maintenance committees for such Cyclone Centres with representatives from various government departments and stakeholders from the local communities and is trying to promote community participation and involvement in the management of these Centres, their engagement in DRR and CCA in all aspects of their daily lives and livelihoods.

"The state government is aiming to convert the Cyclone Centres into key institutions for promoting DRR, CCA and all key developmental activities with the active participation of the surrounding communities in the planning and implementation of all such initiatives. While strengthening this process, it proposes to ensure community-based sustainable use, and proper maintenance and management of these cyclone shelters," Bhandari reiterated.