Issue: #13 | April 2015
EARTHQUAKE
STRIKING THE SEISMIC BALANCE
In this issue: BHUJ EARTHQUAKE: From Ruins To Building An Investor's Paradise
JAPAN :What India Can Learn from the Leader in Disaster Preparedness
It Shakes, It Will Shake, Are You Prepared?
Tweets of The Month
Fiinobservation of National Days
www.ďŹ inova on.co.in
From the Mr. Soumitro Chakraborty CEO, Fiinova on (Innova ve Financial Advisors Pvt. Ltd.)
CEO’s Desk
On 25th April, Nepal was struck with a tragedy that led to widespread destruction and damage to life and property. At this hour of grief, I would like to express my solidarity with the people of Nepal. I would also like to praise the Indian government, the Indian Army, NDRF, the disaster relief professionals and the medical professionals for their quick response to the relief efforts and for standing together with Nepal. In the wake of the recent tragedy, a huge discussion has triggered off on how prepared we are for earthquakes. It has been brought to light that the capital of India does not have the strength to withstand a quake. It is a matter of grave concern and one that needs a lot of deliberation and urgent action to at least mitigate the impact of an earthquake, if and when there might be one. This edition of our newsletter is dedicated to the theme 'Earthquakes – Striking the Seismic Balance' that aims to explore areas which can contribute to a far more resilient future for us as a nation. We, at Fiinovation, understand the need to focus our efforts towards proper planning, strategy and implementation of effective policies to face natural calamities. For years, scientists have warned us about the likelihood of earthquakes in high risk seismic zones. Yet, we continue to take their warnings for granted. In the 1800s, there was one city in the world that had a million people, and that was Beijing. Today, there are 381 cities, with at least a million people. It is in this pretext that I urge governments, corporations and civil societies to focus efforts towards building far more resilient societies and human dwellings. Through education, skill development, reinforcement, disaster preparedness, disaster preventive mechanisms and warning systems, we can face earthquakes. I urge individuals not to ignore the risks anymore. I dedicate this month to a vision of a stronger world.
WE
WITH
NEPAL
01
BHUJ EARTHQUAKE: From Ruins To Building An Investor's Paradise Kutch is a secluded district in Gujarat located in northwest India. Fifteen year ago, in 2001, while India celebrated 52nd year of being a republic, Bhuj (municipality of Kutch) experienced an earthquake that transformed buildings into rubbles in a matter of seconds. Flattening the geography, the impact spread to more than 8000 collapsed villages, making a million people homeless. Many estimated the regional economy to retrogress by many years.
Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ
Basic Facts Earthquake: 8:46am on January 26, 2001 Epicenter: Near Bhuj in Gujarat, India Magnitude: 7.9 on the Richter Scale
The government's quick response to r escue pr ovided r elief and rehabilitation to the affected areas. Immediate help started pouring in the region from across the globe and the misery was overshadowed by development. To support government actions, approximately 180 million dollars were routed to the region from Indians around the world. The monetary support was put to good use by the government which designed a plan to help restructure and develop Bhuj into an investor's paradise. Out of the budget, two billion dollars were allocated towards re-structuring the region. It took more than a decade for the state to implement the plan and create a new horizon for Bhuj to be re-born as a developing economy. Accounting for India's ve percent of the total population, Bhuj was made a tax-free zone for the industries to invest which led to setting up of manufacturing and industrial units in the region. This helped boost private investments, having already invested more than ten billion dollars. The increase in business activities created huge employment opportunities in the region. The Mundra port, expected to be larger than Mumbai port has played a signicant role in developing a conducive business environment, offering vast land area and cheap labour. The region has showcased tenacity in building an economy out of absolutely nothing.
Ÿ Impacts Ÿ Destruction of 80% of water and food sources Ÿ Damage to 400,000 Indian homes rendering 2 million people homeless Ÿ Destruction of over 15km of tarmac road networks Ÿ Total damage estimated at around $7 billion
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Bhuj is re-born...
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Business boom: 300 companies established their businesses in Kutch Mechanized looms at factory in Anjar weaves 2,50,000 towels a day. This is the world's biggest towel factory, rst to be set up within 9 months No direct and indirect taxes, no excise duties for 5 years Small shing port turned into an industrial hub Ten years into the devastation, around 110,000 new jobs were created in Kutch Creation of two new ring-roads, an airport, parks and thriving shops Construction of wider roads, water supply systems and underground drainage systems Extension of 400 km water pipeline from Narmada
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02
JAPAN What India Can Learn from the Leader in Disaster Preparedness Japan, the land of rising sun, is the fth most earthquake-prone country in the world. Falling under an active seismic zone, it has witnessed probably the highest number of earthquakes and tsunamis than any other country. Having survived the quake of 1923, the World War devastation and successive earthquakes, Japan has left no stone unturned to ensure the best disaster preparedness. Due to their preparedness, Japan has been able to cope up with catastrophic natural occurrences. The country has made numerous changes in its construction, laws and ensured mandatory drills across schools to face calamities. Without a doubt, it leads in disaster management. We take a look at their preparedness:
Japan's Preparedness:
Ÿ "Risk
recognition" is the rst step towards lectures, mass media campaigns, science awareness about earthquake risk.
disaster mitigation, Hence, public shows and governmental meetings are organised to create
Ÿ Anti-earthquake infrastructure have been built
with deep foundations and humongous shock-absorbers that reduce
the seismic energy.
Ÿ Immediately after an earthquake strikes, all the digital media, majorly television and radio switch to an auto-mode and start displaying the risks that might strike. This helps the authorities to communicate on 'what to do if an earthquake happens'.
Ÿ A real-time Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) alert is automatically triggered whenever any seismometer detects a seismic signal. There are alerts to the public through the media and the Internet. Trains, elevators and industrial machines are stopped automatically.
Ÿ Annual disaster prevention drill in Japanese schools are conducted where children practise ducking under the desk throughout their school years. They are trained with the use of evacuation-chutes and earthquake simulation machines.
Ÿ Every ofce and house is always stocked with dry rations, drinking water, basic medical supplies for the people who might get trapped during a crisis.
Ÿ All ofces and schools are loaded with adequate hard hats and gloves at all times. Another country which also lies in a high risk seismic zone is India. Needless to say, it does not have mechanisms in place to handle high magnitude quakes like Japan does. While not all steps can be emulated and borrowed from Japan, we can take few important measures and incorporate it in our life. Let's see what India can borrow from Japan.
What India can learn:
Ÿ Risk recognition is crucial for bringing in effective changes, in the absence of which, India cannot take the rst step to withstand earthquakes.
Ÿ Organising public awareness campaigns, lectures, government meetings can help in sensitising people about the measures to be taken during earthquakes.
Ÿ Amendments in the standard building law is required for building quake-resistant structures. Ÿ All schools should compulsorily conduct drills to educate children on taking necessary steps when a quake occurs. Ÿ Cities in high risk zones should be equipped with centralised communication system that can alert people whenever there is a seismic activity.
03
The recent earthquake in Nepal not only attened buildings, decade and triggered tremors shaking India, but also put nation, are we taking necessary steps to prepare ourselves
killed thousands, sent the economy back by a forward the basic question in front of us - As a for earthquakes?
As per the United States Geological Survey, there are an average, one with the magnitude of more than 8 small magnitudes which often go unnoticed, however, the experienced highest number of deaths while Japan bore say earthquakes don't take lives, man-made
several million earthquakes occurring each year. On occurs each year. Out of this, majority of them are of larger ones are catastrophic. Among this, China has highest economic loss. If you ask the experts, they will constructions do.
The tragedy in Nepal is similar to that of Haiti in 2010, (Tsunami) that led to massive loss of life but limited have caught Nepal off guard but it wasn't a surprise.
Kashmir in 2005 and the Indian Ocean in 2004 ď€ nancial loss. The seismic activity on 25th April might
The Himalayan nation sits astride a massive subduction Eurasian plate. The Indo-Australian Plate broke off from moving northwards displacing an ancient sea, travelling ever drifted - and slammed into the Eurasian Himalayas. As there is no stop to this, India still while the Himalayas still grows 1 cm every year. As the boundaries among them generally builds up for earthquakes are consequences of these 'all-at-once' tectonic plates. Therefore, experts have been Kathmandu earthquake.
zone caused by the Indo-Australian plate and the the ancient supercontinent Gondwana, and started more than 2,000 km - the fastest a tectonic plate has plate, creating the world mightiest mountain range, the grinds northeast into Asia at roughly 5 cm every year the tectonic plates are stiff, pressures and strains at centuries eventually getting released all at once. The releases and generally occur on the boundaries of two warning about the strong likelihood of a catastrophic
India and Nepal lie on the region where there is higher some of these high risk regions, earthquakes occur earthquakes with higher magnitude and intensity every future, these large shocks are expected to continue for
risk of strong earthquakes frequently striking the area. In periodically. While it is known that Nepal is hit by 75 years, California is hit by quakes every 500 years. In millions of years.
04 Despite adequate technology to reduce earthquake Pakistan and Iran have not taken steps to modernize impact of quakes varies from structure to structure, to be followed.
deaths and destruction, countries such as Nepal, India, their building codes and warning systems. Though the there are some basic and general guidelines that need
These guidelines may include:
Ÿ Construction on bedrock, tying up of buildings
together and using steel to reinforce concrete
buildings
Ÿ Development should be spread across the region Ÿ Evacuation and rehabilitation might be the best
and not concentrated at one point policy, but controlling the rapidly growing population in
seismic zones can be a great move
Ÿ Establishment of stricter laws with penal provisions Ÿ The local government and civic authorities should step
on constructions done hastily should be imposed. up efforts to curb corruption, malpractices and weak
governance.
Ÿ Disaster preparedness should be included in school
curriculum along with developing skills of local
masons, construction workers and the local people As Nepal's economy takes a setback with the ancient monuments and artifacts, foreign-owned luxury place to start reinforcing buildings. This will create their hotels or buildings, providing jobs for masons and will ensure all buildings become quake resistant. Therefore, reduce the impact of earthquake on lives and property. Let the earth, quake and shake…but let there be no loss to
destruction of heritage sites, including loss of hotels, businesses and factories can be a good incentives for competitors to also begin reinforcing architects, ensuring positive spillover effects that with planning and concerted efforts, we can
life.
05
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Food for Thought... The most powerful earthquake ever recorded on Earth was in Valdivia, Chile. Occurring in 1960, it had a magnitude of 9.5. The National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) records an average of 20,000 earthquakes every year (about 50 a day) around the world. There are, however, millions of earthquakes estimated to occur every year that are too weak to be recorded. Almost 80% of all the planet's earthquakes occur along the rim of the Pacic Ocean, called the "Ring of Fire"; a region that encircles the Pacic Ocean and is home to 452 volcanoes (over 75% of the world's active and dormant volcanoes). When the Chilean earthquake occurred in 1960, seismographs recorded seismic waves that traveled all around the Earth. These seismic waves shook the entire earth for many days! This phenomenon is called the free oscillation of the Earth.l The 9.1 Mw earthquake that generated the great Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, one of the deadliest tsunamis in known history, is estimated to have released the energy of 23,000 Hiroshimatype atomic bombs, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.62.04 million and 66.96 million respectively.
Hear the Inuencers Speak... "Once you have been in an earthquake you know, even if you survive without a scratch, that like a stroke in the heart, it remains in the earth's breast, horribly potential, always promising to return, to hit you again, with an even more devastating force." - Salman Rushdie, The Ground Beneath Her Feet
"Some of the greatest survivors have been women. Look at the courage so many women have shown after surviving earthquakes in the rubble for days on end." - Bear Grylls, Bri sh adventurer, writer and television presenter
"I think that harping on [earthquake] prediction is something between a will-o'the-wisp and a red herring. Attention is thereby diverted away from positive measures to eliminate earthquake risk." - Charles Francis Richter, American seismologist and physicist
"Earthquakes traveling through the interior of the globe are like so many messengers sent out to explore a new land. The messages are constantly coming and seismologists are fast learning to read them." - Reginald Aldworth Daly, Canadian geologist
"To the people in Nepal and the region affected by this tragedy, we send our heartfelt sympathies. The United States stands with you during this difcult time." - John Kerry,, United States Secretary of State
06
Fiinobservation of National Days World Autism Awareness Day 2ⁿ April
International Day of Sport for Development of Peace
World Health Day 7 April
6 April
Declared by the United Nations as World Autism Awareness Day, 2nd April stands as a reminder to bring the condition of autism to light. Internationally recognized and dedicated to autism, this day seeks to highlight and become the voice of children and adults who ar e undiagnosed, misunderstood or looking for help. India also has a high number of people suffering from ASD. There is a tremendous lack of awareness and misunderstanding about autism among the medical professionals, who at times either misdiagnose or under diagnose the condition. Moreover, there are a multitude of people with autism who are left undiagnosed and hence, do not receive the care they need. One of the major difculties faced by parents of children with autism in India is obtaining an accurate diagnosis. If people with autism are to have an opportunity to reach their maximum potential and have dignied future, the community will have to continue to work together as a team and advocate for the rights of this often marginalized and vulnerable section in the society.
The year 2014-15 saw a splendid celebration of Indian sports in the national and international arena. With numerous events across different sports genres and all over the world, the Indian ag was hoisted with pride by sportspersons and fans alike. Sports are essential for human development. Besides being entertaining, it promotes good health, social interaction and healthy competition. It is inclusive and at the same time, fosters harmony, a sense of pride and on all occasions instills intense patriotism. The road to development through sports will stand or fall on the combined efforts of the individual, government, private sector organization, non-prot organization, media, international agencies and sports personalities. Let’s breed a culture where our nation is known for creating world class sports personalities. We need more Mary Kom, Yogeshwar Dutt, Babita Kumari, Sardar Singh, Abhinav Bindra, Sachin Tendulkar, Sarita Devi…
With the aim to bring myriad issues affecting health to light, WHO celebrates World Health Day every year on 7th April. This year, the theme is “Food Safety" and rightly so. It may sound alarming but as per the report by WHO, unhealthy food is responsible for more than 200 diseases while 2 million deaths reported in the world occur due to contaminated food and drinking water. We talk about HIV, TB, malaria, polio and cancer awareness, we forget to focus on basic necessities like clean water and safe food. As citizens, we also do not put much effort in ensuring consumption of clean food, compromising on the quality we get. Most of us don’t even bother to check the content labels on the packets of processed food. We must understand that our well being is in our own hands. With the right kind of food safety policies by the Government and awareness among the people, a healthy lifestyle can be created in the country. This will lead to a healthy economy and utilisation of the full capacity of its workforce, instead of spending resources on ghting diseases.
About Fiinovation Fiinovation, a research based organization, is an integrated solution enabler in the CSR and sustainability domain. It is focused towards enhancing quality across organizational value chain through meaningful innovation thereby ensuring sustainability. It is Asia's rst proposal research laboratory wherein research is focused primarily on four sectors, which include health, education, livelihood and environment. The practices CSR Portfolio Management (CPM), CSR-CSO Partnership, Initiative Design, Initiative Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, Impact Assessment and Sustainability Reporting help provide simple solutions to their partners. Fiinovation 24/30, Ground Floor, Okhla Industrial Estate, Phase III New Delhi - 110020 Phone: 011-42332200 | Fax : 011-42332205 website: www.inovation.co.in | Email: media@inovation.co.in