Sensitising the Stakeholders about Disaster Management in Libraries and Information Centres in India

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Sensitising the Stakeholders about Disaster
Management in Libraries and Information Centres
in India

• Dr. Trishanjit Kaur
• Associate Professor
• Email trishanjit.kaur_at_gmail.com
• Dr. Jagtar Singh
• Professor and
  Head Department of Library and Information
  Science, Punjabi University, Patiala -147 002
  (India) Email jagtar.kindu_at_gmail.com

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India Sensitive to Disasters

• Of the 35 states and union territories, as many
  as 27 are disaster prone. And if the perceived
  threats due to other disasters such as chemical
  and terrorist attacks are added, every square
  inch of India is vulnerable, calling for
  immediate attention and sustained effort
  (Bhandari, 2006).
• Disasters vary from termite to tsunami.

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Indias Response to Disasters

• Disaster Management Act 2005. (India, Parliament,
  Rajya Sabha, 2005) (http//www.rajyasabha.nic.in/b
  ills-ls-rs/2005/LV_2005.pdf)
• Establishment of National Disaster Management
  Authority (NDMA) (http//www.ndmindia.nic.in)
  headed by the Prime Minister with
  multi-disciplinary experts.
• The Act recommends creating State Disaster
  Management Authorities in all states under the
  Chief Ministers and District Disaster Management
  Authority, as this authorizes it to coordinate
  disaster management activities from national to
  local level with offices at state, district and
  local level when disaster strikes.

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Indias Response to Disasters (Contd.)

• National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM)
  to meet the multi-pronged need for research,
  training, education and institutional
  cooperation. There is an integrated mechanism for
  management of disasters at the National, State,
  District and Sub-District levels.
• The National Policy on Disaster Management is
  almost finalized.
• But no mention of libraries in any of these
  important documents.

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Disaster Management Education

• Online training e.g. NIDM and World Bank
  Institute Washington are offering On-line
  Training on Disaster Management
  (http//nidm.gov.in/WBI_09.pdf)
• Role of CBSE and other boards
• Role of AICTE
• Role of UGC

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Disaster Management in Libraries

• Paper-based to digital documents
• Preservation versus access
• Threats from termite to computer virus
• Man made and natural disasters or water and
  climate related, geologically related, and
  chemical industrial and nuclear, accident related
  and biologically related.

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International Scenario

• The United Nations in 1989 declared the 1990s as
  the International Decade for Natural Disaster
  Reduction
• Unesco International Council of Museum (ICOM)
  International Committee of the Blue Shield (ICBS)
  IFLA IFLA-PAC is conducting a series of four
  conferences pertaining to the dangers of air,
  water, fire and earth to our documentary
  heritage. For more information access
  (http//www.ifla.org/VI/4/pac.htm).

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Reasons for Apathetic Attitude

• Apathetic attitude of the govt. towards libraries
  and disaster management (DM). Quality flows from
  the top, hence governments At union and state
  level must put DM on priority list.
• Lack of awareness of DM among LIPs at large.
• DM is the missing link in the LIS education
  programmes.
• Casual attitude of authorities towards prevention
  and cure with regard to DM.

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Sensitisation Strategies

• Incorporating the DM components in the LIS
  syllabi.
• Following the Lessons learned and best practices.
• Educating, training and equipping LIPs with
  necessary knowledge and skills about Disaster
  Management.
• Functional buildings, Awareness initiatives.

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Suggestions

• Role of governments, UGC, professional
  associations, national libraries, state central
  libraries, and all other libraries across
  frontiers.
• Collaboration with other agencies and programmes,
  such as UNESCO, IFLA, MoW, museums, archives
  etc.
• Sensitizing the stakeholders at different levels.

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Reference

• Bhandari, R.K. 2006. Disaster management in
  India-a new awakening.
• http//www.vitcdmm.org/journal_on_disasters.pdf
  (accessed August 22, 2009)

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Thank You

• For your kind attention