Principal Consultants on the TA

1. Team Leader / Disaster Management Specialist:

The team leader is responsible for co-ordinating with the Executing Agencies for both states so as to facilitate the operationalization of the TA. She is responsible for overseeing the overall project activities, report preparation and information networking. She is also responsible for conceptualisation of an organisation structure for DMMC, guiding the establishment of the DMMCs and leading the formulation, implementation and monitoring of DMMAPs, besides conducting a training needs assessment for organising training, workshops, public awareness campaigns and regional study tours. The team leader will co-ordinate the contribution of international and domestic consultants for the conceptualisation of Disaster Mitigation and Management Action Plans, and subsequent development of decision-making guidelines.

2. Policy Specialist

The policy specialist is responsible for analysing the state and central government policies and conduct workshops/training to build awareness about the drawbacks of policies and lessons learned from past experiences from other countries all over the world and other states within India.

3. Meteorological and Flood Warning Systems Expert

The Flood Warning System Expert is responsible for reviewing existing flood forecasting, warning and monitoring systems, analysing the magnitude and frequency of floods, and preparing risk scenarios. On the basis of the analysis, he will assess the existing flood control and disaster mitigation plans, analyse adequacy and comprehensiveness of existing relief/rehabilitation management arrangements and make recommendations for necessary actions to enhance prevention and preparedness and assist in integrating these measures into a DMMAP of UP.

4. Earthquake Science Expert

The Earthquake Science Expert is required to review, in close collaboration with relevant institutions, existing earthquake forecasting, warning and monitoring systems, strategies and facilities. This should include a review of the disaster preparedness procedures and manuals of the state government. He will analyse information on past earthquake events for the database system, determine vulnerability of buildings and prepare risk scenarios and contribute to the preparation of hazard maps of the region. He will also prepare an action plan for retrofitting, identifying appropriate technology and building materials for the seismic strengthening of existing housing and infrastructure.

5. Structural Engineer

Besides contributing Structural engineering advice to project consultants as required, the structural engineers are responsible for reviewing engineering studies to determine vulnerability of buildings and essential public service systems and structures. They will prepare risk scenarios, prescribe suitable measures including improving resistance of essential services, reinforcement of buildings and land use restrictions. They are also responsible for reviewing existing (visual) damage assessment guides, assessing their suitability, and making recommendations for improvement as appropriate.

6. Materials Engineer

The Materials Engineer will review specific needs for disaster prevention, and prescribe suitable measures including improving resistance of essential services, reinforcement of buildings and land use restrictions. He will review various types of structural designs for prevailing stone-masonry buildings for earthquake-resistant properties based on international experience and assess the applicability of prospective contextually appropriate earthquake -resistant structural designs and prepare an action plan for retrofitting and seismic strengthening of existing housing and infrastructure.

7. Earthquake Engineer

The earthquake engineer will review, in close collaboration with relevant institutions, existing earthquake forecasting, warning and monitoring systems, strategies and facilities. This should include a review of the disaster preparedness procedures and manuals of the state government. He will work closely with other consultants in analysing existing information on the magnitude and frequency of past events and facilitate incorporation of the information into a database system, and contribute to the preparation of hazard maps of the region. He will also review engineering studies to determine vulnerability of buildings and essential public service systems and structures, and prepare risk scenarios.

8. Hydrology and River Morphology Specialist

The Hydrology and River Morphology Specialist on the Consultants Team will review existing flood forecasting, warning and monitoring systems, strategies and facilities, disaster preparedness procedure manuals and damage assessment techniques. He will analyze the magnitude and frequency of floods; prepare estimates of damage from floods of various frequencies to properties, economic activities and infrastructure, and prepare risk scenarios. On the basis of the analysis, he will assess the existing flood control and disaster mitigation plans, analyze adequacy and comprehensiveness of existing relief/rehabilitation management arrangements and make recommendations as necessary.

9. Legal Expert

The Consultant Legal expert on the TA is responsible for reviewing the legal aspects of existing central and State government policies in UP and UA, legislation, codes, strategies, and planning arrangements for disaster mitigation and management. He will also review disaster management legislation and legal frameworks in other Indian states and all TA recommendations for legal implications. He will make the necessary recommendations for a legal framework for Disaster Management in the two states and prepare guidelines for draft legislation / regulations etc. for disaster management in the two states. >10. Remote Sensing, GIS, IT and Communications Specialist

The Remote Sensing, GIS, IT and Communications Specialist will analyse existing information on physical and socio-economic dimensions in UP and UA and assist in preparing example GIS maps. He will provide advice to relevant state institutions in undertaking analysis of data to supplement hazard maps for the states and their districts as needed, help with disaster zonation and vulnerability assessment and design a DMIS and determine procedures for the compilation of required information for the DMIS. He will also assess the existing disaster management communication system. He is also responsible for preparing a blueprint for a comprehensive communications network including suitability of very high frequency (VHF) and VSAT systems for inter-district links and preparing design specifications for the proposed communications network.

11. Financial Analyst / Economist

The Financial Analyst will review available information on the direct and indirect costs of a range of natural disasters in UP and UA. In collaboration with other consultants, he will quantify within a cost-benefit framework the investment needed to mitigate flood hazards and estimate the budgetary impact of earthquake-resistant retrofitting and seismic strengthening of buildings and essential public services systems and structures under alternative risk scenarios. He will also prepare a financing plan for establishing disaster mitigation and management centres, and identify the financial resources currently available.

12. Community Participation Specialist

The community participation specialists on the TA team will review the existing social, cultural, and political structures of the target communities to identify possibilities for ensuring community participation. They will develop participatory processes for implementing the rehabilitation effort related to housing and village design, and actual construction practice. They are responsible for establishing effective liaison with non-government organisations that are involved in disaster management, and co-ordinate closely with them.

They are responsible for establishing effective communication with community leaders to foster awareness of the importance of disaster mitigation efforts and ensuring that women and vulnerable groups are adequately represented in the community consultations and workshops. The Consultants will design and implement focused public awareness campaigns, support for training for communities under hazard risk, and assist in public simulation exercises.

13. Consultant Team Co-ordinator

The consultant team co-ordinator liases with the team of consultants and the government and is responsible for co-ordinating the project in the absence of the team leader.

Recent Events on the project:

1. Inauguration of the Emergency Operations Centre on the 25th of April, 01 This centre is initially to be a project office for ADPC in the state of UA and will be later developed as the Emergency Operations and Response Centre for the state. This centre is to be equipped with funding from the project and the local support staff is to be provided by the GoUA.

2. Setting up of a project office in Lucknow, UP

3. An "All Consultants Meeting" on the 7th of May at Dehradun, UA, India to discuss