Challenges Faced by Humanitarian agency in Emergency Response in Urban areas: Lessons from Haiti and Chile
by draconian measures, because of the condition of the rural surrounding remain much neglected.
Dr. Sarwar Jahan, professor and head of URP department, Buet, in a recent interview with Prothom Alo, stressed the need for stopping migration to Dhaka city to save the city from the all-pervading squalor and chaos. This can only be realized by implementing the proposed “one house, one farm” policy in rural Bangladesh.
7.1.2 Strengthen the Local constitution system The GOB (Government of Bangladesh) should strengthen the local constitution system to introduce the good governance system in rural areas. The upazilla chairman must have given the full authority and executive power to develop his areas. He must be sanctioned a good amount of money from development fund for his locality. This will create more job opportunity and sustainable rural environment. And it will have a great impact to stop the migration towards urban areas.
7.1.3 Controlled UrbanizationWhen the migration Process is under controlled it allows the government to go for a planned urban city. But it needs the coordinated function among all relevant ministries or the agencies of the government who all are responsible for the city development. But at present the special agencies for urban development, which are involved in Dhaka, are the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakhya (RAJUK), the Dhaka Water and Sewerage Authority (DWASA), the Dhaka Electric Supply Authority (DESA), the Dhaka Metropolitan police (DMP), and the Cantonment Board (CB) at present they don’t maintain this coordination among them. So it will be more difficult during disaster to have this coordination among them. The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakhya (RAJUK) for Dhaka city is working for the development and planning. But it couldn’t play a significant role because of corruption and negligence in management. Singapore’s vaunted cleanliness was achieved by effective administrative action. To discard a cigarette stub or chewing gum on the street is to invite a heavy fine. We have the law but we don’t maintain it.
7.1.4 Political Stability A democratic political environment, which can accelerate the development of the urban area itself, must be established by the government. The good governance and people accountability makes all the government tools active and responsible for their duties. The government should have the better coordination among all the NGOs and other humanitarian agencies regarding disaster management issue. Government should ensure that no political interference should hamper the humanitarian agencies activities during emergency response phase in urban areas.
7.1.5 Decentralization of DM Control and Structures The disaster management system mainly control by National Disaster Management Council (NDMC) headed by prime minister with supporting of Disaster Management Bureau (DMB). Its all supporting elements and governing body members maximum are positioned in capital city Dhaka. Other than the AFD which included its 3 defense forces which are deployed in various locations in the country having a decentralized system among them in terms of men and equipments. If the earthquake occurs in Dhaka city the whole disaster management system will be crushed as all government’s controlling system are located in same place. As an example in Pakistan earthquake in October 8, 2005 in Pakistani administered Kashmir (Pak) cause a huge damage of life and properties. The government official who all are responsible for disaster management couldn’t not found because many of them dead or injured. In the same province 10,000 military personal were dead even though it didn’t affect that much for the defense force. Within the short period of time the military personal from other garrison took over the control and responsibility of that affected places. So the government should decentralize the control and supporting elements of disaster management system taking a note that the Dhaka and other cities are located in earthquake zone.
7.1.6 The coordination between policies and ministries The Dhaka city is mainly depended on ground water and it the level of water is decreasing in every year. The water policy of GOB has forbidden to use ground water and advised to depend on surface water but in urban areas it doesn’t followed by the government others agencies who all are responsible for supplying water. On the other hand the real estate companies are filled up all available surface water reservoirs and low lands on the name of city development. And thereby there will be a huge scarcity of drinking water before any disaster occurred or during emergency response phase as well. So Government should coordinate among its all