Chhattisgarh: Natural hazards and other related | Chhattisgarh State PSC (CGPSC) Preparation: All subjects - CGPSC (Chhattisgarh) PDF Download

Introduction

• Natural hazards refer to severe and extreme weather or climate events that occur naturally, posing risks to communities worldwide. When these events result in the destruction of lives and livelihoods, they escalate into natural disasters. 
• Chhattisgarh, a region vulnerable to cyclonic storms, floods, and droughts, faces significant challenges due to its geographic location.

Cyclones and Floods in Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh is highly vulnerable to cyclones and floods due to its proximity to Odisha and the eastern coastal areas. The state has experienced significant impacts from cyclonic events in recent years.

• Cyclone Hudhud: Cyclone Hudhud, an extremely severe cyclonic storm, caused widespread damage and loss of life in eastern India. Southern parts of Chhattisgarh experienced heavy rains and gusty winds for three days due to Hudhud's impact. Even Raipur, the state capital, witnessed continuous rainfall during this period.
• Cyclone Phailin: Cyclone Phailin, another extremely severe storm, was the most intense tropical cyclone to make landfall in India since the 1999 Odisha cyclone. Although Chhattisgarh was affected by heavy rain, effective pre-planning and risk management efforts helped mitigate the expected damage.

Drought in Chhattisgarh

Droughts signify a severe scarcity of water, primarily caused by insufficient rainfall, leading to adverse effects on agriculture, water supply, and industry. These events, a result of both natural phenomena and human activities, bring significant hardships to populations, especially those reliant on agriculture and residing in degraded areas.

• 2015 Drought: Chhattisgarh declared drought in 25 districts in 2015.
• 2016 Drought-like Situation: Over 65 tehsils in Chhattisgarh faced drought-like conditions due to inadequate rainfall.
• Rainfall Variability: A study of Chhattisgarh's rainfall over a century (1901-2000) revealed differences between the average rainfall of 1900-1950 and 1951-2000. A GIS map illustrated these changes, highlighting reduced rainfall in districts like Raipur, Mahasamund, and Raigarh. This trend indicates a growing vulnerability to drought in Chhattisgarh.

Chhattisgarh: Drought Management

Risk Reduction Strategies

• To reduce the risk of drought, it is essential to make drought-prone areas less vulnerable through measures such as soil-moisture conservation, water harvesting practices, minimizing evaporation losses, developing groundwater potential, and transferring surface water from surplus areas. 
• Encouraging less water-demanding activities like pastures and forestry, and prioritizing drought-prone areas in water resource development projects, are crucial steps.

Revisiting Long-Term Interventions

A strategy is needed to align people’s livelihoods with the ecological needs of their environments.
Some key steps include:

• Multi-Disciplinary Team: The Ministry of Environment and Forests should form a team to identify villages where conventional agriculture is unsustainable due to soil and climatic conditions.
• Alternative Livelihoods: Alternative livelihoods must be developed in consultation with local communities in these areas.

Alternate Livelihood Development in Consultation with Communities

• Communities in certain areas need to develop different ways to earn a living, in collaboration with the people living there.
• This collaboration should involve discussions and agreements with the local residents to identify suitable alternative livelihood options.
• It is essential to find sustainable means of supporting the community economically while considering their needs and preferences.
• Creating alternative livelihoods could involve activities like eco-tourism, handicrafts, organic farming, or other income-generating initiatives.

Livelihood Management in Extremely Drought Prone Areas

• Areas that have faced recurrent droughts over centuries often suffer from severely degraded land resources. These regions, scattered across the country, engage in subsistence or unsustainable agricultural practices, rendering them vulnerable even to mild droughts. 
• Inhabitants of such degraded areas have adapted their lifestyles to cope with nature's uncertainties primarily through a pastoral way of life. Studies indicate that these well-adapted populations exhibit enhanced resilience and coping mechanisms. However, in certain regions, a strong attachment to agriculture dissuades communities regularly affected by drought from exploring more ecologically suitable livelihood options.
• Initiatives like the Drought Development Programme (DDP) have played a significant role in promoting alternative and sustainable non-agricultural livelihoods. While devising a strategy to encourage the pursuit of ecosystem-appropriate livelihoods falls beyond the Commission's scope, urgent measures must be undertaken to alleviate frequent crises stemming from 'unsustainable agriculture'. 
• These steps could involve identifying areas where traditional agriculture is unsustainable and developing strategies to incentivize inhabitants to transition to more suitable livelihood practices.

Examples for Better Understanding

• Consider a region in India that has been grappling with cyclical droughts for centuries, leading to severe land degradation. The local communities, dependent on unsustainable farming methods, face increasing vulnerability to even minor drought events. In response, some communities have shifted towards a pastoral way of life, showcasing remarkable resilience and adaptability to environmental challenges.

• Contrastingly, in areas where agriculture is deeply ingrained in the community's identity, frequent droughts deter residents from exploring more sustainable livelihood options. Programs such as the Drought Development Programme have been pivotal in encouraging these communities to embrace alternative livelihoods that are less reliant on agriculture, thereby fostering resilience against drought-induced crises.

Overview

• Revised Compensation Rates for House Damage in Natural Calamities by Chhattisgarh Government

Details

• Increased Compensation: The Chhattisgarh government has decided to enhance the compensation provided for houses damaged during natural calamities.
• Pucca House Compensation: Owners of fully damaged pucca houses will now receive Rs. 75,000, up from the previous amount of Rs. 70,000.
• Kuccha House Compensation: Those with fully damaged kuccha houses will now be compensated with Rs. 17,500, previously Rs. 15,000.
• Partial Damage Compensation: Partially damaged pucca houses will now receive Rs. 12,600, an increase from Rs. 6,300. Similarly, kuccha houses with partial damage will receive Rs. 3,800 instead of Rs. 3,200 earlier.
• Complete Hut Damage: Individuals with completely damaged huts will now receive Rs. 3,000 as compensation, previously set at Rs. 2,500.
• Preparedness for Monsoon: In anticipation of the monsoon season, the Chhattisgarh government is actively enhancing its disaster preparedness measures.