India is a multi-hazard geography, needs multi-faceted approach

Safi Ahsan Rizvi, advisor (mitigation) in the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), speaks in detail to Subhomoy Bhattacharya about the planning that goes on at the NDMA. Edited excerpts:

- Safi Ahsan Rizvi, advisor (mitigation) in the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)

Does NDMA have an early assessment of the extent of loss of infrastructure in the current monsoon season?

It is too early to present an assessment of the damage and loss to infrastructure for the current monsoon season, given that there is still one month left, which is forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to witness 109 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA). In the immediate aftermath of a significant disaster, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) appoints an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC), which travels to the affected region for an immediate assessment of damage, and provides a rough estimate. With this as the basis, the MHA forms its assessment and allots funds to the states.

To what extent has the concept of resilient infrastructure seeped into policymaking in India?