Overview of India Project
[Background]
India is a country which is weak against natural disaster, for example, India had 7,781 deaths due to the disaster in 2013(International Committee of the Red Cross), which is the second largest number in the world. And it is expected that the damage of the heat wave, the flood and the typhoon will be bigger in near future.
Also, India has serious problem with atmospheric air pollution because of rapid population increase and economic development. The amount of CO2 emission in India takes the third place in the world (2013, International Committee of Red Cross).This affects climate change.
In August 2014, Kyoto-Varanasi Partnership agreement has been signed in the presence of Prime Minister Abe and Prime Minister in India, Modi. The agreement promotes different levels of cooperation between Kyoto city and Varanasi city. After this agreement was signed, the academic study conducted by Kyoto University, in cooperation with Banaras Hindu University and Varanasi city government. It is revealed that the awareness of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) among residents is low and the system for DRR is not systematized enough, although that the city is increasingly exposed to different types of small-scale hazards, which may not create a mega disaster, but has impacted significantly the lives and livelihoods of the people.
Accordingly, it is needed to construct strong community for DRR in Varanasi city. Japan has the knowledge and the technology of DRR as it has experienced the disaster many times, so Japan can contribute them to Varanasi city.
[Objectives]
This project aims to conduct DRR activities involving Schools and residents, and develop the system approach in order to protect the people from hazards when they happen in Varanasi city.
[Activities in India]
1, Developing Climate schools
“Climate School” is a school which has weather observation instruments, and conduct DRR education based on the data collected from weather observation instruments. 5 Climate schools will be selected in the city. These schools help to raise an awareness of DRR in the area providing information to the residents.
2, Developing model Citizen Forum
To enhance community participation, it is proposed to develop “Citizen Forum”. Citizen Forum are community groups that is consists of residents to study Disaster risk together and discuss how they can protect themselves, their family and the community. People can develop the capacity for DRR through Citizen Forum.
3, Developing Community Facilitation Center
“Community Facilitation Center” develop the network between Climate Schools, Citizen Forum, and Community Facilitation center. And it collects all information such as DRR knowledge and awareness raising products from schools and Citizen Form, and it shares all information with residents throughout the city to make DRR in Varanasi city stronger.
[Project duration] October, 2015~September, 2018
[About Varanasi city]
The population in Varanasi is 1160,000. And it is belong to Uttar Pradesh state.
Varanasi is one of old historic cities of India, which has more than 1,500 temples.
SEEDS Asia selects 5 Climate Schools from 5 zones as showed in below picture.
