Skip to content Skip to navigation

Focus on disaster and development

By Syed Miraz Ahmed |
Captain Robin Bordoloi, Chairman GMDA addressing the ICC seminar on Natural Disaster & Sustainable Development in Guwahati, Saturday.

Eastern and North East India’s most proactive industry organization the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in association with crude petroleum producing public enterprise Oil India Limited Saturday organized a seminar on Natural Disasters and Sustainable Development in Guwahati.

The seminar focused on Natural and Industrial Disasters aiming to create awareness among industry leaders, entrepreneurs, CSOs, NGOs, bringing all the stake holders like the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), Fire and Emergency Services, Government of Assam, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), International NGO Doctors For You (DFY) and the Directorate of Geology and Mining, Government of Assam. 

“Guwahati was an unplanned city since the capital of Assam was shifted from Shillong to Dispur during 1970, following a very short notice. A major chunk of population was shifted and settled and haphazardly administrative buildings were raised, houses built without planning as a result of which Guwahati today is inundated with flash flood time and again. It is a major crisis of Guwahati and the Government machinery is aware of it. Long term and permanent steps to mitigate this challenge is being taken,” said Captain Robin Bordoloi, Chairman, Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA). 

He outlined the initiatives taken by GMDA in mitigating both natural and manmade disasters and in reply to a question said that Disaster Management initiatives need to be taken along side development. 

Nandita Hazarika, Deputy Secretary and State Project Coordinator Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Government of Assam participating in the seminar said that most disasters across Assam can be averted by researched based studies, general awareness, integrating all the stakeholders, proper scientific planning, data and information sharing and most importantly with civic sense and acting more responsibly. She made an elaborate presentation on the issues and measures taken by ASDMA since its inception in 2010.

S K Mishra, Head of the Chemical Division of OIL India Limited spoke about industrial disasters and its impact on the society and environment. He presented ways and measures that need to be taken by establishments to avert industrial disasters. “Assam predominantly has been a rich state in terms of natural and mineral resources and it is importantly that we manage it without loss,” he added.  Presentations were also made by Surendra Kumar, Assistant Commandant, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Guwahati, Hemanta Bhattacharjee, Deputy Director, Fire and Emergency Services, Government of Assam and Mridul Deka, Program Manager, Doctors For You. Anusuya Barua, Assistant, Geologist, Directorate of Geology and Mining, Government of Assam also made her observations during the seminar.

Several CSOs, NGOs, students, research scholars, scientists, policy makers and stake holders attended the daylong seminar.

Nandita Hazarika Deputy Secretary Assam State Disaster Management Authority during the ICC seminar on Natural Disaster & Sustainable Development in Guwahati, Saturday.

ICC

DFY

OIL

Add new comment

Assamese Translator

Assam Times seeks English to Assamese translators!
Join our volunteer team.
Email editor@assamtimes.org.

Random Stories

Umananda 'Peacock' Island in danger

26 Dec 2011 - 2:48pm | Daya Nath Singh
Assam Government has given a work order for construction of a ropeway project over Urvashi river Island to M/s Samir Damodar Ropeway Pvt Ltd; who have constructed four big size RCC pillars in the...

Tiwa Autonomous Council pol on Aug 19

23 Jul 2015 - 9:15am | Abdul Gani
The Assam State Election Commission vide a Notification issued on Wednesday has imposed model code of conduct in connection with the second election to the Tiwa Autonomous Council which is going to...

Concern over cattle smuggling

25 Oct 2015 - 6:33am | AT New Delhi
A Supreme Court panel has expressed grave concern over the phenomenal rise of cattle smuggle across the Indo-Bangla border. In its third report submitted before the Supreme Court the Upanonyu...

Gogoi proposes dredging corp

11 Aug 2014 - 11:10pm | AT News
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Monday proposed a Dredging Corporation to firmly deal with the perennial flood and erosion problems in the state.In his budget speech, Gogoi said that this will be apart...

Other Contents by Author

Regional Meet of State Legal Services Authorities conclude

The regional meet of the all the North-Eastern States Legal Services Authorities under the aegis of the  National States Legal Servives Authorities was held at Shillong on September 27 and was inaugurated by Hon'ble Mr Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Judge, Supreme Court of India & Executive Chairman, National Legal Services Authority.The Meet  which saw the participation of the Chief Justices and Judges from the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura accompanied by the Judicial Officers of the respective states commenced with the inaugural programme by the delivery of welcome address by Hon'ble Mr Justice Sudip Ranjan Sen, Judge,...

Migration and human rights issues of the NE raised in UN

The Committee on Racial Discrimination under Urgent Action and Early Warning Procedure dated August 15th 2008, recommended India to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (CERD/C/IND/CO/19). India was asked to submit the report latest by December 31st 2008, but the report is still awaited.  Presenting his statement on the Violation of International Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination during the 36th Regular Session of Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday, Pankaj Jyoti Hazarika, Chief Functionary of NGO Prahar said, “Most of human rights violation issues in Northeast especially in Assam are caused by the inadequate measurement and negligent attitude...

Nazira boy selected for Goa Badminton Tournament

Nazira boy, Tanmoy Boruah is all set to particpate in the All India Sub Junior Ranking Badminton Tournament to be held in Goa beginning October 9. Tanmoy is currently the All India Ranking 2 player. He trains with coach Alok Boruah in the Ruhiteswar Saikia Memorial Indoor Stadium in Nazira.

Restore Chakma-Hajong rights: Civil body to government

The present imbroglio on the Chakma-Hajong Rights issue is a reflection of monumental failure and mismanagement by the government. Civil organizations urge restoration of all rights to vulnerable Chakmas and Hajongs without further delay as 90 per cent of them are already citizens by birth and hence the restoration of Citizenship Rights is out of question. Right Cause, an organization working for the marginalized and vulnerable tribal groups is concerned with the continuing denial and deprivation of legitimate democratic rights of the Chakmas and Hajongs of Arunachal Pradesh. The issue of citizenship in Arunachal Pradesh is a fall out of the anti-foreigner agitation in Assam and is...

​​APCC slams Mukesh Sahay

APCC Vice President, Debabrata Saikia in a communiqué stated that, “It is unbecoming of a DGP to make a statement that the undergoing of arms training by the RSS is not a violation of law and is done purportedly to appease the RSS.”Such training which create tensions, animosity and hatred between communities besides encouraging divisive forces, if not construed an offence, what else would it be, he questioned.He said, “If the Chief Secretary, who is the Administrative Head of the Government, has to brief the RSS on Government development works, it is natural for the DGP to follow suit.”The communiqué went on to say that Assam Police has failed to identify and arrest the murderers of ABMSU...

EHA completes Phase II of Assam Flood Relief

Every year dynamic monsoon induced flooding coupled with flash floods cause immense loss to life and property in Assam which falls in the highest rainfall intensity zone in the country. With a total of 5531.41 hectares of crop land affected, Mayong, Laharighat and Bhuragaon Revenue Circles in Morigaon district in Assam are still enlisted under flood affected areas by the State Disaster Management Authority.  Seasonal flooding and erosion has inundated several revenue villages and have given rise to massive internal displacement in Morigaon forcing flood survivors to occupy forest lands. Human populations, school infrastructures, grazing animals and poultry are equally facing the...

DPS bags WWF Wild Wisdom title

A number of one hundred and thirty one teamsfrom 70 schools of North East India came together to vie for the title of North East Champions at the city-level finals of the Wild Wisdom Quiz 2017 held in the city recently. Runninginto its tenth year, the Wild Wisdom Quiz is the biggest wildlife quiz for school students in Asia and the only one of its kind in India. Organized by WWF-India the quiz was supported by Discovery Kids and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).  Some 4170 students from Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh participatedthis season,besides, one wild card entry winning team from North East according to Archita Baruah...

KSO lobbies for KAAC representation

The Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) and Karbi Anglong District committee, called on the Chief Executive Member, KAAC, Tuliram Ronghang at his official residence Wednesday in connection with the representation submitted by the Kuki civil bodies on July 7, 2017 at his office chamber in the subject matter of one government nominated KAAC seat out of four, in respect of their projected candidate for the 12th KAAC term (2017 – 2021).  The delegates reminded him in writing to actively consider their projected candidate so as to enable the representation of the unrepresented Kuki Tribes in the KAAC for peace and all-round development of the Kuki community in particular and Karbi Anglong as...

State Government declares pension for journalists

The Government of Assam Sunday declared Journalist Pension to twenty senior journalists of the state for the first time under the Assam Pension Scheme for Journalists.  The selected journalists are: Benoy Bhusan Sen (Dhubri), Rama Sankar Rai (Kamrup Metro), Prema Dhar Sarma (Kamrup Metro), Garga Ram Barman (Kamrup Metro), Naren Hazarika (Kamrup Metro), Probodh Ch. Bordoloi (Kamrup Metro), Krishna Ch. Kalita (Kamrup Metro), Ratneswar Talukdar (Barpeta), Amal Kumar Gupta (Kamrup Metro), Devendra Kumar Pandey (Lakhimpur), Ajit Kr. Patwary (Kamrup Metro), Goverdhan Prashad Atal (Jorhat), Nirupama Borah (Lakhimpur), Pramod Kumar Singh (Jorhat), Dharani Kalita (Kamrup Metro), Bhakti Ram Roy...

Kaziranga celebrates World Elephant Day

The Corbett Foundation, Kaziranga Chapter in association with the Kaziranga National Park authorities celebrated World Elephant Day at Bokakhat today. World Elephant Day is an international annual event dedicated to the preservation and protection of the world's elephants. The first World Elephant Day was held on August 12, 2012. Assam is home to over 5000 wild elephants. The event was organised in front of Bokakhat Natya Mandir where eminent artists of Kaziranga landscape demonstrated their skills and imagination with brush on canvases as large as 4 ft x16 ft on issues like poaching for tusks, habitat loss and deforestation. Dr. Naveen Pandey, a conservation medicine professional and...