Krishnan, S; Twigg, J; Johnson, C; (2013) Building community resilience through water, sanitation, and hygiene programmes during post disaster recovery. In: Lizarralde, G and Barenstein, JD and Cardosi, G and Oliver, A, (eds.) 2013 International i-Rec Conference Proceedings: Sustainable Post-Disaster Reconstruction: From Recovery to Risk Reduction. (pp. pp. 65-76). Groupe de Recherche IF (grif), Faculté de l’aménagement, Université de Montréal: Montréal, Canada.

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Abstract

Repeated occurrences of disasters pose a huge threat to community and infrastructural resilience. Hence recovery processes should go beyond the traditional notion of bouncing back and restore normalcy, but should strive for a change or transformation, which will prepare the affected communities to face future hazards. This study particularly looks at the different approaches in water, sanitation, and hygiene in post-disaster recovery to promote disaster resilience and assesses their effectiveness. Using case study approach evidence is gathered from the recent floods in Assam, India in 2011. A resilience framework conceptualised through literature review, and with inputs from experts through qualitative interviews will be validated using a set of indicators, through empirical study conducted over visits at three different periods of time. The first two visits were conducted for an emergency assessment and a scoping study during early recovery phase. The participatory appraisal tools were used for collecting information through affected members of the communities, various stakeholders and were complemented using documentation through photographs and field notes. The preliminary findings based on brief visits to the study site so far have highlighted WaSH as a critical need and priority during the emergency, early recovery and longer-term recovery efforts. Some of the structural measures undertaken include installation of new tube wells over the flood-levels, construction of latrines, constructing raised flood platforms while reconstructing previously damaged hand pumps, increasing the plinth level, and non-structural measures under hygiene promotion include promoting the use of latrines, hand washing, safe food hygiene and water hygiene practices. The processes followed in villages that are frequently flooded were found to be inclusive leading to learning and integration. Additionally through institutional capacity building, recovery processes could potentially lead to transformational changes.

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