3 – Days Online Process Orientation Training Programme on Child Centric Disaster Risk Reduction NSS Campus Units, JU

National Service Scheme (NSS), Campus Units, University of Jammu, and National Institute of Disaster Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India, today inaugurated 3–Days Online Process Orientation Training Programme (POT) on Child Centric Disaster Risk Reduction (CCDRR)(POT CCDRR), to be held from5th to 7th July 2021. National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) South Campus, Ministry of Home Affairs, and Government of India is a premier institute and a Statutory Body (under Disaster Management Act 2005) for training, research, documentation, awareness and human resources and capacity development in the field of disaster mitigation and management in India and in the region. Keeping in view of the increasing vulnerability of children from climate change and natural disasters, National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India has established “Child Centric Disaster Risk Reduction (CCDRR) Centre” to mainstream child centric DRR activities through Training, Research, Advocacy and Consultancy, and has organised, along `with the  NSS Campus Units, University of Jammu.

 

Delivering his Inaugural Address,Prof. Manoj Kumar Dhar,Vice-Chancellor University of Jammu, and Chairman National Service Scheme (NSS), appreciated the efforts of the NIDM in organizing the programs, especially keeping  children in mind who are not represented in public forums. He informed all present about the commitment of the University of Jammu towards national development. The University has received prestige and recognition through its teaching, research, and extension, and it is eager to collaborate with NIDM in its core areas. Talking about the COVID he said that there are patterns which need to be understood and steps need to be taken to mitigate the crisis. He further said that since the disasters cannot be avoided, we need to be prepared and become resilient to minimize the impact. These three days training, he hoped, should be aimed at developing techniques for anticipating, minimizing, absorbing, recovering and bouncing back, especially keeping the children in mind. He also expressed his desire to join India Universities and Institutions Network for Disaster Risk Reduction (IUINDRR-NIDM),Agenda 6 from Prime Minister's 10-point agenda on DRR.

In his opening remarks, Prof. Santosh Kumar ,Professor & HOD, Governance Inclusives Disaster Risk Reduction, Child Centric Disaster Risk Reduction, expressed his happiness in Collaborating with University of Jammu. The training programs of NIDM, CCDRR, are aimed to reduce the vulnerability of children to disasters, to a minimum. The children are a homogenous group and heterogenous too based on their SES, geographical region of residence, and other factors too. Past experiences should guide current actions. The current COVID Pandemic has caught the world off guard. If any calamity or disaster happens now (last two years has seen 4 cyclones) it has to be dealt with the in the broad framework of COVID Appropriate Behaviours. The needs of the children, their safety and security should receive utmost importance in such disasters, in view of the COVID Behavioral Response. Communities need to be empowered to build the capacities of children, that’s why educational institutions are important link to the awareness and risk reduction of both parents and children. Children themselves need to be heard, their wisdom can be used to design programs from them. Many a times during disasters children drop out of education and assume the role of adults in sibling rearing, cooking, looking after the household. They are then lost to education, which is their basic rights. Hence their social support system must be considered by the educational policy. An environment of support and care must be created.

 

The Key Speaker of the first technical session, Dr. Kumar Raka ,Programme Officer,CCDRR Centre, NIDM spoke about “Do’s and Don’ts on Covid-19”. He interacted with the participants on key COVID Appropriate Behaviours. There are three categories of children Dependent, Semi- dependent and Independent, and they must be taught COVID Appropriate Behaviour, depending in the manner, for Dependent and Semi-Dependent Parents need to be empowered, Independent can handle situations themselves. The new normal are being prepared for future and changing the learning. Like Alphabet learning can be accompanied by COVID Key Words. He answered a lot of queries of the participants.

The second Key Speaker of the technical session ,Dr. Balu I.CCDRR, NIDM spoke on “Disaster Management Mechanism in India”. Our country, and J and K, most disaster prone. 12% of land prone to flooding, it has a long coastal line, hilly areas, drought, landslides, avalanches, chemical, biological, nuclear disasters, and terrorism, which have caused a huge loss of lives and property. They damage the infrastructures.He explained the scenario of disasters in India with the help of PPT. He made the session very interactive and interesting. Disaster Management Mechanism were discussed in detail. In 2002 the responsibility of Disaster Management was given to MHA.To Build a Safer and Disaster Resilient India, Is the Vision Of NIDM, and a change from disaster response to risk reduction. The PM is the Chairman of the NDMA.

Earlier, Prof. Neeru Sharma,Convener, National Service Scheme (NSS), Campus Units,University of Jammu, in her Welcome Address, wished a huge success for the program in terms of the knowledge sharing and gaining, especially regarding children, who do not have a voice in the mitigation of crisis.

Vote of thanks was presented by Dr. Meghna Dhar, Programme Officer, National Service Scheme (NSS), Campus Units,University of Jammu, and Jammu

The programme was conducted under the guidance and supervision of Prof. Santosh Kumar, Professor & HOD, Governance Inclusives Disaster Risk Reduction, Child Centric Disaster Risk Reduction and Prof. Neeru Sharma, Convener, National Service Scheme (NSS) Campus Units, University of Jammu, and was Coordinated by Dr. Kumar Raka ,Programme OfficerCCDRR Centre, NIDM, Dr. Balu I.CCDRR,NIDM and Dr. Meghna DharProgramme Officer, National Service Scheme (NSS), Campus Units,University of Jammu, Jammu with the technical support of Dr. Suresh Kumar Murugesan ,Head ,P.G. Department of Psychology ,The American College Madurai, Tamil Naidu , Prof. Chandra, Respond Educational Psychological Research Centre (REPRC) ,Wales, United Kingdom and Mr.Gurdarshan, Mechanical Engineer and NSS Volunteer, University of Jammu, Jammu.

The participants, besides Campuses and affiliated Colleges of University of Jammu, were from the Cluster University, Central University of Jammu, SMVDU, BGSBU, University of Kashmir, University of Madras, Chandrashekhar Azad University, Burdwan University, Chaudhary Bansi Lal University, Punjabi University Patiala, CU Panjab,GBPUAT ,HNB, Assam University, KVRGCW (A), KURNOOL, L N M U, Darbhanga, Kurukshetra University, PU Chandigarh, Avinashlingham, Sambalpur University, Officers and Functionaries from Directorates of Education, and Social Welfare,Ladakh Police,  DDC members, UT of J and K, NSS Units from DU Colleges including Miranda House, , IHE,  Colleges from Across India,BEd Colleges, Schools