Mysuru: If we want to live in environment that is resilient to natural events and for complete understanding of the natural disaster Management, Engineering and Natural Science should go hand in hand, said Uwe E Dorka, Professor, University of Kassel, Germany and South East Asian network on Disaster Management.
Speaking during SEAN DEE (South East Asia Network on Disaster Management and Disaster Environmental Engineering) Workshop 2016 organised by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in association with its Priyamvada Birla Insititute of Management at BVP premise here on Thursday Dorka said, “More research about natural disaster and its aftermath should also be taken up and improved techniques and materials will lead to stronger structures, reduction of injuries, casualties and damage from powerful natural forces. Specialised instruments and computer programs to detect extreme events and estimate their location and severity should be built using science. By better understanding extreme events, engineers will be able to prevent or minimize their harmful effects”.
Basanta Raj Adhikari, Deputy Director, Centre for Disaster Studies, Nepal who also spoke on the occasion said, “Earlier people used to tell natural disasters are god-made but over the years, we have realised that man was equally responsible for natural disasters”. He also mentioned that last year due to devastating earthquake in Nepal, which is an earthquake prone country, more than 9000 people lost their lives. Nepal is not only known for natural calamity like earthquake, but also landslide and floods.
Gokarana Bahadur Motra, Campus Chief, Pulchowk Campus, IOE, Nepal, during his speech mentioned that there should be resilient infrastructure and society to get rid of natural calamities. He also mentioned that Nepal is more prone to natural calamities and when it comes to management aspect, it is lagging.
N Ramanuja, Chairman, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan said, “When I was the Chairman of HMT in Gujarat, during the time of earthquake, a minister approached me for help. Apart from giving 200 tractors, we also sent our staff members for various works. During this period, we had good experience and some bad experience as well. People came in large numbers to help the victims. Finally, it was difficult to handle the rush of people. Experience if shared, can avoid so many uncomfortable things in future”. He also mentioned that manmade disasters are much cruel than natural disaster.
Chamundi Hill facing future manmade disaster
Regarding the proposed developmental works atop Chamundi Hill, Ramajuja said, “Such developmental works atop Chamundi hill may pose danger and it will lead to manmade disaster”.
