With reference to India.

This book addresses the forms of legal protection extended to people displaced due to the consequences of climate change, and who have either become refugees by crossing international borders or are climatically displaced persons (CDPs) in their own homelands. It explores the legal response of the South Asian Jurisdictions to these refugee-like situations, and also to what extent these people are protected under current international law. The book critically examines and assesses whether States have obligations to protect people displaced by climate change under international refugee law (IRL) and international climate change law (ICCL). It discusses the issue of climate migration in South Asia, analyzes the legal and judicial response initiated by South Asian nations, and also investigates the role of SAARC in relation to climate change and climate refugees. Drawing on the International Legal Standards and States’ Practices in South Asia regarding climate refugees, the book shows how IRL, ICCL, and IHRL (international human rights law) have been used to address and identify the gaps in the global legal protection framework concerning the contours of the normative debate on climate refugees, climate change displacement, migration, forced migration, susceptibility to climate change, typology of climate change-induced displacement, role of the SAARC and its municipal legal systems, approaches to climate change, human mobility and developing a hybrid regional law, or advocating a legal alternative of equal measure in a region characterized by diversity and multiculturalism. The book offers valuable takeaways for students, researchers, consultants, practitioners and policymakers alike.

​This handbook is a comprehensive source of information, analysis and directions in disaster studies. It goes beyond the oft-explored issues of management and science related to the topic and explores policies, governance, law and decision-making combined with the processes of implementation and enforcement, all the while integrating the latest science and technology updates related to the topic, such as artificial intelligence and early warning systems. It brings together studies which relate to sociology, politics and institutional economics, which work under the impact of resource availability, issues of leadership and international laws. Disasters are trans-boundary and disaster studies are trans-disciplinary. It is this aspect which would form the fulcrum of contributions and present a new, refreshing and innovative design for the handbook. The transformatory pedagogy which started with the Hyogo Framework for action 2005-2015 and The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 outlines seven clear targets and four priorities for action to prevent new and reduce existing disaster risks. The four priority areas around which the book would revolve are (i) Understanding disaster risk; (ii) Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk; (iii) Investing in disaster reduction for resilience and; (iv) Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response, and to "Build Back Better" in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

This volume examines the process of decentralisation in India since the 1992 legislation which devolved powers to local government bodies to ensure greater participation in local governance and planning. It studies the functioning of gram sabhas, panchayats, school development committees, water supply and sanitation committees, Residents Welfare Associations, and rural development schemes like the MGNREGS, analysing their effectiveness and tracing the political, administrative, and fiscal powers the local government wields. With case studies from different Indian states, the book examines the functioning of local governance mechanisms and institutions in relation to crucial issues such as citizen participation, the participation of women and disadvantaged groups, fiscal decentralisation, peace-building, economic development, and education, among others. Comprehensive and insightful, this book will be an essential read for scholars and researchers of development studies, political science, public policy, governance studies, regional development, political economy, political sociology, public administration, and South Asian studies, especially those focusing on India.

Papers presented at the National Conference on "Panchayati Raj--the Key to Food Security and Nutrition" at New Delhi, India, on 2-3 July 1996.

India, due to its geographical position, climate and geological setting is one of the most disaster prone countries of the world and has been experiencing natural disasters every year. Though whole of the country is more or less affected by common disasters, the impact of these disasters on rural population due to its physical, poor socio-economic and specific socio-cultural condition is comparatively more and long lasting. If we analyse the Indian rural society in the context of vulnerability, it is found to be much more vulnerable to natural disasters in comparison to its urban counterpart. The book, as indicated by its name aims to apprise the readers about the impact of natural disasters on rural society and its management. It contains seven chapters with an introduction giving details about disasters, types disaster management cycle and recent trend in dealing disasters. After discussing the disaster trend at world level and India, the book attempts to critically analyse the vulnerability of the country to various forms of disasters. The book gives detail of different factors influencing the vulnerability of different factors influencing the vulnerability of rural society to the natural calamities and problems and shortcomings of prevailing disaster management system. After critically analysing the rural disaster management situation, the book concludes that it is the sustainable rural development approach that can mitigate the disasters in rural India with a long-term perspective. The book suggests the role of PRIs, as implementing agency in managing disaster, in an effective manner in rural areas. The disaster management planning at village level and utility of management tools in disaster management planning is discussed in detail in the last chapter of the book.

This book provides a framework for making administration effective and improving mitigation and rehabilitation measures with a view to ensuring a safer life for citizens. It is an outcome of research studies carried out by eminent scholars and practitioners in South Asian countries in the field of disaster risk management. The authors discuss how different South Asian countries manage disasters and address challenges associated with them. The case studies presented in this book reflect reality versus myth. In the quest to improve the ground-level situation, it is pertinent to understand the interdisciplinary nature of approaches used to tackle the aftermath of disasters. The key features of this book include (i) the adoption of critical and multidisciplinary approaches in discussing disaster-related problems and emerging issues; and (ii) the provision of insights into the approaches to address the challenges and issues of disaster risk management. The different stakeholders, practitioners, policy makers, and researchers will acquire a fuller and richer understanding of the various issues related to disaster risk management.

This book provides an analytical discussion of the status of disaster risk reduction and governance in an Indian context, drawing examples and lessons from the output of the national and regional level programs and projects and from other relevant experiences in the country. Different types of disasters faced by Indian states are covered, including geophysical and hydrometeorological hazards. The book incorporates and draws upon some of the key lessons from the pre-disaster phase through the disaster phase and finally to the post-disaster phase, thus establishing an effective framework in the form of key lessons learned. The rich content of the book is based on contributions from various stakeholders, from academicians and practitioners to decision makers and nongovernment organizations related to disaster risk management systems in an Indian context. Special emphasis is given to analyzing field experiences from academic perspectives and pointing out key issues along with the relevance of risk governance of disaster risk reduction. The book works as a comprehensive reference in disaster risk governance for disaster managers in India and other countries. The book has 19 chapters organized into four parts. Part I provides the outline and basics of disaster risk governance perspectives at the national level with supporting examples from a global point of view. Part II specifically emphasizes the detailed perspectives on risk governance at the regional and local levels. Part III is devoted to approaches and issues of disaster risk governance and development at various levels, stressing the practices and clear examples of disaster risk governance, policy options, institutional organization, risk-reduction strategies, and key lessons learned. Finally, Part IV highlights risk reduction and cross-cutting issues, focusing on risk mitigation and scientific intervention for disaster risk reduction.

Report brought out by National Social Watch Coalition.