Analyzing the disaster response competency of the local government official and the elected representative in Nepal

Abstract

Local authorities i.e. government officials working at the district level and below and elected representatives of municipalities are the steering body of local-level disaster response mechanism in Nepal. The effectiveness of response operation moreover depends on their competency. This paper investigates their disaster response knowledge, preparedness, and perception, and to identify gaps and suggest recommendations.The prevailing competency of Nepalese local authorities doesn’t warrant an effective response during the time of disaster. They lack awareness and preparedness. Amidst their positive perception towards the need of disaster response capacity building, in the void of an effective mechanism, the government has failed to enhance their competency.The national investment for disaster response competency building is meager in Nepal. The country heavily relies on foreign aid. The present capacity-building mechanism should be redressed from the newer dynamic.

The Democracy Tax - Politicians' Ignorance and Voters' Lack of Information in a Democratic Contest, a Case Study from the Czech Republic

“…For example, Pushpa (2016) analyses the legal knowledge of councillors in an Indian district. Other studies focus on the knowledge of councillors in other specific areasfor example, research by Malla, Dahal and Hasegawa (2020) analyses the knowledge of councillors in disaster preparedness in Nepal. However, most studies seem to focus on what we know about politicians and leaders, or how we imagine them to be, rather than what they themselves know (see for example Galston, 2007;Papcunova and Gecikova, 2014;Dimitrov et al, 2014;Eveland and Garrett, 2017;Weaver, Prowse and Piston, 2019;Walgrave et al, 2023).…”

Environmental and economic impact of cloudburst-triggered debris flows and flash floods in Uttarakhand Himalaya: a case study

“…Fragile landscape, rough and rugged terrain, and precipitous slope accentuate the magnitude of geo-hydrological hazards. Cloudburst-triggered debris flows, flash floods, landslides, and mass movements have become more intensive and frequent worldwide, mainly in the mountainous regions, causing large-scale destruction of people, land, and property (Houghton et al 1996;Wang et al 2014;Mayowa et al 2015;Malla et al 2020;Sim et al 2022). Similarly, the Himalayan region is prone to the occurrences of cloudburst-triggered hazards, causing huge loss of life and property and degradation of forest and arable lands (Bohra et al 2006;Allen et al 2013;Balakrishnan 2015;Ruiz-Villanueva et al 2017).…”

Geomorphological analysis of landslide and early warning system for landslide risk mitigation in Nepalese mid-hills.

“…In the initial stage of the implementation of bioengineering intervention, the soil surface remains susceptible to erosion, and planted vegetation is not in a condition to provide a soil anchoring and binding function. A country with a low economic condition like Nepal cannot allocate su cient budget to construct huge infrastructures to control landslides and communities are left to survive under the risk of landslides in the hilly landscape (Jones et al 2014;Malla et al 2020). Moreover, where the landslide threatens the nearest settlement's preparedness, the safety of the community's people becomes an immediate priority (Alcántara-Ayala and Moreno 2016).…”