Climate change behind two-thirds of disasters, says chief secy

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh said that two-thirds of disasters may result from climate change and stressed identifying whom the community truly trusts during a crisis.

She was speaking at the inauguration of the two-day International Conference on Community-Based Disaster Management (CBDM) India 2025, which commenced at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) on Friday.

Themed around 'Disaster resilience through community-based systems to save lives and preserve health', the workshop will serve as a platform for sharing knowledge and insights on unprecedented disasters, ranging from natural calamities to manmade crises. It aims to strengthen community-based systems and foster a safer, healthier future, the organisers said.

The conference — co-hosted by JeevaRaksha Trust, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), the IISc, the Indian Railway Institute of Disaster Management (IRIDM), and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) — brought together experts.

Joining online, Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain, member, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), said that people were not aware of the NDMA and called for launching an awareness drive in this regard.

Bhagawan BC, Vice-Chancellor, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), highlighted the ongoing nature of preparedness, stating: "Disaster preparedness is not a one-time activity; it is a sustained, evolving discipline that must be embedded in education, governance, infrastructure, and community practice."

Pratima Murthy, Director, Nimhans, recalled the institution's role in the 2009 NDMA guidelines on psychosocial management for disasters, noting: "Our team has brought out a consolidation of all kinds of effort that are possible to help people overcome and develop resilience in the face of disaster."

IRIDM Director VVS Sreenivas stated that the institute was "one and only in the world" solely dedicated to the field and added that an MoU with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) would soon be signed for specialised railway disaster training.