To mitigate the losses caused by landslides, GFFO, Save the Children and YPSA will take anticipatory actions in four wards of Chattogram City Corporation. An initiative was taken to implement this. The project is called “Child centred anticipatory action for better preparedness of communities and local institution in Northern area in Bangladesh”. The project will be implemented in 7 no. West Sholoshahar, 8 no. Sholokbahar, 9 no. North Pahartali and 14 no. Lalkhan Bazar wards.
Under this project, new WDMCs will be formed, and existing WDMCs, will be activated, community volunteers will be formed, youth groups will be engaged and a resource pool also be formed. All of them will be given capacity-building training for anticipatory actions. In addition, early warning messages will be delivered to communities vulnerable to landslides. Moreover, devices like rain gauges and soil moisture sensors will be installed in targeted areas through a technical partner of the project called RIMES.
To work collectively, on May 27, 2024, YPSA organized an inception meeting at the conference room of Chattogram City Corporation with all the stakeholders related to the project. The stakeholders ranged from Govt. officials, NGO/INGOS, Academicians to community leaders.
The Chief Executive Officer, Sheikh Mohammed Tauhidul Islam, of Chattogram City Corporation was present at the meeting as the Chief Guest. He acknowledged that Chattogram is surrounded by many hazards, especially landslides. Landslide is quite difficult to predict and not many organizations have worked on this issue before he added. If the project is implemented successfully, we will be blessed with important data that will be very helpful to better fight this hazard. He also suggested aligning this project with the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan of Bangladesh.
The director of YPSA’s Social Development department, Nasim Banu, welcomed everyone to the meeting with the maiden speech. Abu Toyab, Officer (Anticipatory Action), Save the Children, presented the project in the meeting.
In the presentation, he addressed that Anticipatory Action (AA) is quite a new concept in Bangladesh and is different from Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). It is also very cost-effective than DRR projects he added. Then he shared the project activities and other details with all the stakeholders.
After the presentation, there was an open discussion where the secretary of Chattogram City Corporation, Mohammad Ashraful Amin, addressed the issue of not having an efficient DAP which is one of the reasons people build houses on the slopes of hills and do not face any consequences from CDA. To mitigate the loss due to landslides, we need an efficient DAP from CDA.
CCC Chief Engineer Mohammad Shaheen-ul Islam Chowdhury, Councilor of Ward 41, and the Chairman of the Disaster Management Standing Committee, Saleh Ahmed Chowdhury expressed similar concerns.
Panel speakers like Councilor of Ward 14, Abul Hasnat Belal, Councilor Abdus Salam Masum, Deputy Director Dinmoni Sharma, and Assistant Director Md. Abdullah of Fire Service and Civil Defense, civil society representative Engineer Dalwar Majumdar, Professor Dr. Sadika Sultana of the social science department of Premier University, faculty member Shahjalal Mishuk of CUET Town Planning department, District Relief and Disaster Management officer Abdul Baseth were also present at the meeting.
Muhammad Ataul Hakim, Project Officer of YPSA, moderated the meeting.
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