Q. Evaluate the effectiveness of community-based approaches in disaster risk reduction.

Ans.
Community-based approaches to disaster risk reduction (DRR) are strategies that involve local communities in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of initiatives aimed at reducing the impact of disasters.

These approaches have proven to be effective in various ways:

• Effective First Responder – In disaster situations, communities are often the first responders and are crucial in the immediate aftermath.
  ▪️ Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) can enhance their capability for prompt response.
  ▪️ A well-prepared community can act efficiently during the golden hour, saving lives and minimizing impacts on both humans and livestock.
• Utilization of Local Knowledge – Communities have valuable knowledge about their local environment, historical disaster patterns, and effective coping strategies.
  ▪️ This knowledge can be crucial in designing effective DRR measures.
• People-Approved Development Plan – Disaster planning that includes input from the community produces not only higher quality outputs/strategies but also far higher levels of community approval and confidence in the plans.
• Awareness Generation – Many disasters can be prevented or mitigated by raising awareness among local people about their occurrence and potential impacts.
• Long-term Engagement – Community involvement ensures that DRR initiatives are not just one-off projects but part of an ongoing process of risk reduction and resilience building.

Challenges faced by community-based approaches:

• Capacity Building – It is challenging to inculcate the necessary training and skill development among local people.
• Resource Limitations – Communities, especially in low-income areas, may lack the necessary financial and material resources.
• Lack of Coordination – Effective coordination between various stakeholders, including local governments, NGOs, and community groups, is essential but can be difficult to achieve.
• Sustaining Engagement – Maintaining long-term engagement and interest from the community can be challenging, especially if immediate results are not visible.

Overcoming these challenges requires concerted efforts from governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders to provide training, resources, and continuous support. By addressing these challenges, community-based DRR can significantly contribute to reducing disaster risks and enhancing resilience at the local level.

Q. What is Land Subsidence? What are its major causes?

Ans.
Land subsidence is the gradual sinking or settling of the Earth’s surface. It typically occurs when the underground water reservoirs or soil layers collapse or compress due to various factors.

Some major causes of land subsidence include:

• Groundwater Extraction – One of the primary causes worldwide is the extraction of groundwater for human use, such as drinking water or agriculture.
  ▪️ When water is pumped from underground aquifers faster than it can be replenished, the pore spaces in the soil can collapse, leading to subsidence.
  ▪️ E.g., the recent incidents of land sinking in the Bikaner and Barmer districts of Rajasthan.
• Unsustainable Construction – The development of buildings and houses over the slope, more than its capacity also led to the sinking of land.
  ▪️ E.g., the Shimla Hill was planned for 25,000 people. Today, its population is 2.75 lakh, with nearly 20,000 unauthorized buildings violating norms, around 60% in sinking zones or over-blocked drainage channels and water bodies.
• Inadequate Drainage System – The insufficient drainage system, coupled with heavy rainfall, caused water to infiltrate below ground level, resulting in erosion of underground materials and land subsidence.
• Mining Activities – Underground mining can cause subsidence when voids are created underground after minerals are extracted, causing the overlying land to sink.
  ▪️ E.g., land subsidence in the Jharia coal mine in Jharkhand.
• Natural Events – Earthquakes, volcanic activity, and other natural events can sometimes trigger subsidence, though this is less common than anthropogenic causes.

Land subsidence is a significant geologic hazard with various causes, both natural and human-induced. Effective management and mitigation strategies are essential to address and prevent land subsidence, particularly in vulnerable areas.

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