dc.description.abstract |
Bangladesh is one of the most disaster prone countries of the world. The Bay
of Bengal is an ideal breeding ground for tropical cyclones which frequently
hit the coastal areas of the country with severe disaster impacts. During a
period of 100 years (I822c 1991) about 35 cyc lones were recorded in the
country. Among these, the 1991 cyclone was most severe and it affected the
Chittagong coastal area along with the metropolitan area of the city causing
unprecedented damage to life and property. The city alone suffered a loss of
US$500 million and 1.0 million (57%) city population out of a total of 1.5
million was affected.
Disaster management is practiced at the national, regional and local levels
in Bangladesh. The existing system does not directly incorporate the
metropolitan or city areas where OM almost remain a national responsibility
and local government has little initiative or involvement.
The present study has attempted to delineate the vulnerable areas of the city
based on its land use and previous cyclone and storm surge data and suggest
planning and land use policies for disaster mitigation in the city. On the
basis of previous studies, reconnaissance survey, field visit and discussion
with local people, three vulnerable areas - high risk area (HRA), risk area
(RA) and low lying areas (LLA), have been identified in the city. The land-use
survey at the city shows that, around 29.30% of the total city area exist in
the HRA, 9.15% in the RA and 10.05% in the LLA. The city land use categories
vulnerable to disaster in different risk areas include unplanned residential,
planned residential, industrial, commercial, agricultural, unclassified area
etc.
A questionnaire survey in the vulnerable area reveals that, most of the
respondents are aware of disaster vulnerability of the respective areas but
they do not want to leave the same because of economic and cultural
attachments. However, they are of opinion that structural measures on the part
of government may reduce vulnerability of the area. It was gathered from an
interview with different utility and service agencies that, most of the
development agencies have no specific plan or policy regarding disaster
mitigat ion in the city. Moreover the recent ly prepared Ch ittagong Metropo 1itan
Development Plan (1995), does not provide adequate policy guidelines for the
mitigation of natural disasters in the metropolitan area. Besides this, the
Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) does not exercise any policy measure,
to mitigate natural disaster regarding the approval of the new development
activities in the city area.
Land use planning and control are key factors for the orderly and safe growth
of human settlements. This policy instrument can be used to control land
development in vulnerable areas of the city. Thus, the study recommends some
land use policies for adoption in the HRAs, RAs and LLAs of the city area. |
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