DISASTER RISK REDUCTION INCLUDING CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION OF GUWAHATI IN CONTEXT OF DYNAMIC GROWTH Earth Institute, Columbia University, New York Sustainable Urbanism International, Bangalore Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi February 9, 2016 ASDMA, GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM

Project Recommendations (Key Areas) 1. Urban Planning and Development 2. Natural Resources - Hills and Water Bodies 3. Data, Information and Decision Support 4. Natural and Artificial Drainage 5. Community and Institutions Changing Climate, Dynamic Growth hold the key to Guwahati flood risk

URBAN PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT 1

Mainstreaming Flood and Natural Disaster Risk  Integrating disaster risk reduction into comprehensive master plan and other city level plans  Flood and landslide zoning  Systematize evictions of encroachers  Plan for increasing overall coping capacity  Consistently enforce regulations- Set clear guidelines and time table, Standardize “no objection” certifications for hill cutting and for the “completion certification”, across all agencies. ‘Right Wrong Campaign ’ – on Hill area development, for example.  Increase low ‐ income housing and land allocation for residential uses in Comprehensive Masterplan : enhanced number of affordable housing for lower income families and Implement plan for three “New Towns” and for enhancing density of existing residential areas in new Master Plan Urban Planning & Development 1/5

Statutory Measures  Rules for Water bodies Conservation Act to be formulated and implemented  Rules for Hill and Forest Conservation Act to be formulated and implemented  Flood risk areas and flood protections to be integrated into the recent Building Bye-laws  Development control regulations incorporating resilient building design Urban Planning & Development 2/5

Infrastructure and Services Roads and Transport  Assessing, rationalizing, and modifying all road levels to allow water to flow down. Road levels need to be matched to other road/drain levels and also to the levels of the houses in the area as many road levels are higher than the house level  Identify roads and bridges that get frequently flooded and mark alternative routes and put boats in place to prevent traffic chaos  Evacuation plans formulated with community participation Drains  Cleaning, De-silting, Installing silt traps and providing drain covers  Identify and remove culverts and blockages on drains and streams Urban Planning & Development 3/5

Infrastructure and Services (continued) Water supply  Investigate potential flashpoints where sewage, flood water, and treated water get mixed  Alternate water supply for flood prone areas Sewage and Solid Waste  Build neighborhood solid waste collection areas on higher ground and garbage dumping ground outside city on higher ground with impervious bed to prevent contamination of ground water  Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan Power  Re-locate main transformers on higher ground  In neighbourhoods that get frequently flooded, install solar power as back up for generators Urban Planning & Development 4/5

Short TermLong Term Urban Planning and Development  Flood and landslide zoning  Systematize evictions of encroachers  Rules for Water bodies Conservation Act and Hill and Forest Conservation Act need to be formulated and implemented  Flood risk areas and flood protections need to be integrated into the recent Building Bye-laws  Relief, rescue and evacuation plan for the city Urban Planning and Development  Integrating disaster risk reduction into comprehensive master plan and other city level plans  Integrating disaster risks into Land­ ‐ use planning and large scale urban projects  Increase low ‐ income housing and land allocation for residential uses  Development control regulations incorporating resilient building design Infrastructure  Assess disaster risks for key infrastructure and assets  Neighbourhood level waste collection system  Systematic cleaning, desilting and repairs of drains Infrastructure  Road Levels and Drainage Design  Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan Urban Planning & Development 5/5 Infrastructure and Services

NATURAL RESOURCES (HILLS AND WATER BODIES) 2

Protection of Water Bodies  Public Consultations– ‘Campaign to stop Destruction of Guwahati’s Wetlands’  Citizen Forums – ‘Monitoring Encroachment Champions’  Formalize Rules and Regulations for Existing Acts  Develop detailed maps of Deepor Beel, Silsako Beel, Bondjaan Beel, Borsola Beel and Sarusala Beel  Wetlands and Swamps - Integrated Watershed management, from the regional level down  Systematize settlement and construction in eco­ ‐ sensitive zones – ‘How to’ campaign materials on good practices: Terracing and Hill Cutting, Land and Road Development, Building on sloping land Hills and Water bodies 1/3

Forests and Hills Hills and Forests  Clear definition and boundary marking of hills and forest land  Removal of unauthorized construction and encroachment  Building of channels to minimize erosion  Planting on hillsides  Reforesting as necessary in forest areas on hills  Reinforcement and securing of cut surfaces in hills Housing and Development on Hills  Relocation of developments on hills as necessary  Provision of low-income housing in flood and mudslide safe areas  Building retrofitting and design for disaster resilience (Landslide) Hills and Water bodies 2/3

Short TermLong Term Water Bodies  Campaigns and Citizens Fora  Study development around water bodies and systematize settlement and construction in eco­ ‐ sensitive zones  Include communities through formal consultations Water Bodies  Integrated Watershed management  Plans for protecting and revitalizing waterbodies in GMA Hills and Forests  Clearly define and demarcate hill and forest land  Remove of unauthorized construction and encroachment  Reforesting as necessary in forest areas on hills  Reinforcement and securing of cut surfaces in hills Hills and Forests  Appropriate hill slope conservation initiatives in identified areas to reduce levels of siltation  Building retrofitting and design for disaster resilience (Landslide) Hills and Water bodies 3/3 Hills and water Bodies

NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL DRAINAGE 3

Artificial Drainage  Integrated urban drainage and enhancing performance of existing drainage system  Develop a “ One Drain Map ” for all of Guwahati’s major and secondary drains, and (over time) tertiary drains – to complement WRD’s ‘Comprehensive plan of natural drainage congestion’  Identify system wide defects – regular backflows, geographically specific flooding reasons  Identify critical systemic problems such as size of drains, rerouting of channels, re-levelling of secondary drains relative to primary drains, extensive reinforcing embankment walls  Subject key assumptions of system ‐ wide drainage to CC and population growth considerations – as input into major infrastructure plan & CMP – towards One Drain Action Plan  Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) drainage solutions that provide an alternative to the direct channeling of surface water through networks of pipes and sewers to reduce pressure on existing drains especially in event if heavy rainfall – infiltration devices, vegetated surfaces, permeable paving, filter drains, infiltration basins, retention ponds.. Natural & Artificial Drainage 1/3

Natural Drainage  Installing and cleaning filters and silt traps to drains and streams that pour into bigger streams, lakes, and rivers  Removal of unauthorized development and encroachment in and around rivers, streams, and waterbodies  Establishing and securing boundaries and edges. Security is in terms of reinforcement to keep from collapsing and also secured from encroachment and infilling  Cleaning and De-siltation  Removal of excessive plant growth in the lakes and ponds  Installation of visible water level monitors at regular distances in all rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds  Modification of rivers and Streams : Increase the flow area, Relief channels  Flood Defenses: Barrier embankments and flood walls  One Drain Action Plan Natural & Artificial Drainage 2/3

Short TermLong Term Artificial Drainage One Drain Map and One Drain Plan of Action System ‐ wide drainage analysis based on CC and population growth Identify system wide defects and critical issues Artificial Drainage Integrated drainage plan Sustainable drainage systems Natural Drainage Securing boundaries and edges Cleaning and De-siltation Removal of unauthorized development and encroachment in and around rivers, streams, and waterbodies Natural Drainage Flood Defenses: Barrier embankments and flood walls Modification of rivers and Streams : Increase the flow area, Relief channels Integrated Watershed Management Natural & Artificial Drainage 3/3 Natural & Artificial Drainage

DATA, INFORMATION AND DECISIONS 4

Data, Information and Decision Support: Systems are key  Data management and decision support systems for collection, analysis and dissemination of critical information to key stakeholders to facilitate improved and informed decision making  Flood reporting system which will provide key insights into the disaster events and help in deciding short term and long term mitigation measures  Urban flood early warning system would extend flood reporting system to integrated long term forecasts and tools for interdepartmental coordination and implementation.  Monitoring is recommended as part of the decision systems to understand and assess events and related efforts (long and short term) as a learning tool Data to Decision Support 1/2

Short TermLong Term Identify critical data requirements Develop reporting framework Systems and data infrastructure Flood Reporting System Data Management and Decision Support Systems Flood Early Warning System Audit and Monitoring Framework Data to Decision Support 2/2 Data, Information and Decision Support

COMMUNITY AND INSTITUTIONS 5

Awareness and Capacity Building: ‘Community’ is key Disaster risk communication at community level  Awareness building about linkages between solid waste, drains and flooding  Awareness building about hills and siltation  Citizen flood reporting system Institutional Capacity building for all key departments and agencies Community driven initiatives  Community level afforestation drives  Community Based Risk Assessment  Community Based Relief, Rescue and Rehabilitation Communities and Institutions 1/3

Institutions Urban Flood Management cell/nodal committee: Institutional coordination and streamlining is critical. Recommend the establishment of an Urban Flood Management cell/nodal committee within the ASDMA with representatives from key departments and agencies as well as expert advisors, chaired by the Chief Secretary. This cell/nodal committee empowered to direct all activities pertaining to flood management and landslides in GMA. Standardize operating procedures regarding disaster risk prevention, relief and rescue Communities and Institutions 2/3

Short TermLong Term  Develop citizen flood reporting system  Develop communication material and preparedness guides for communities  Periodically (Pre-monsoon and post-monsoon) organize stakeholders meeting to review the events, measures and future Actions  Capacity building workshop  Urban Flood Management cell/nodal committee  Community driven initiatives for afforestation drive, risk assessment relief, rescue and rehabilitation Communities and Institutions 3/3 Communities and Institutions

PROJECT PARTNERSHIP EFFORT

CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH Assam State Disaster Management Authority District Disaster Management Authority Forest Department Guwahati Municipal Corporation Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority Kamrup Metro DC Office Pubic Works Department Revenue Department Water Resources Department & Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar, Lachit Nagar, Ganesh Para and Dhiren Para Residents

Component1: Identification of key features of local climate and its projections for the GMA Output 1.1: Historical climate data collection and analysis for the GMA IIT, Delhi  Identify and collect from IMD detailed information on daily weather from GMA weather station  Define, identify and analyze historical weather characteristics and extremes Output 1.2: Climate forecast simulations and analysis for GMA IIT, Delhi  Validate global and regional climate model simulations for the present day  Develop 30-year time slice future projections  Produce and store downscaled climate forecast simulation data on project server  Examine the characteristics of changes in climate extremes in the meteorological subdivision

Component 2: Mapping vulnerabilities to climate extremes, and assessing future risks based on past trends Output 2.1: Analysis of socioeconomic conditions and growth pattern of the GMA SUI, Bangalore  Collect relevant socioeconomic data of the GMA  Investigate patterns and drivers of historical development of the GMA Output 2.2 Assessing risks and vulnerabilities to climate extremes of the GMA CGSD, Earth Institute, New York  Review of tools and methodology for assessing urban climate extremes risk vulnerability  Map likely (climate extremes-related) flooding scenarios if current patterns of development continue (BAU) in the GMA SUI, Bangalore  Research on key flooding events, impacts and reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts over the last 30 years  Map the changing impacts of climate extreme risks on the iconic cultural heritage

Component 3: Mapping of key stakeholder institutions and their actions in the GMA, identifying key decisions Output 3.1: Field study of two neighborhoods in GMA to investigate climate risk management practices SUI, Bangalore  Identify and select two contrasting neighborhoods in the GMA in which to perform a climate extremes risk field study  Conduct field study (with research and stakeholder engagement) to investigate traditional spatial and cultural practices Output 3.2 Stakeholder and institutional landscape analysis SUI, Bangalore  Catalogue and map key efforts to plan for and manage climate risks in the GMA CGSD, Earth Institute, New York  Identify key gaps (e.g. necessary tools, resources, framing) in current planning efforts on adaptation to climate extremes in the GMA  Engage stakeholders at different spatial levels within GMA to identify key decision pathways to enhance resiliency

Component 4: Adaptation solutions for climate extreme-related flooding in the GMA Output 4.1: Tools to support suite of climate risk management solutions SUI, Bangalore, CGSD, Earth Institute, New York, IIT, Delhi  Identify tools to enable spatial expression of risks from climate extremes across time scales to inform planning and designing climate risk adaptation solutions in the GMA Output 4.2: Adaptation solutions for the GMA for climate extremes related flooding CGSD, Earth Institute, New York,  Identify a suite of adaptation solutions for climate-extremes related flooding for the GMA, based on research and outputs from other project components SUI, Bangalore, CGSD, Earth Institute, New York, IIT, Delhi  Engage key stakeholders in local government, the community and private sector, facilitated by relevant government agencies, to discuss, evaluate and improve upon the identified suite of solutions  Finalize suite of adaptation solutions for climate extremes related flooding for the GMA