Missing Link Between State and Community: Post-tsunami Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Alappad Panchayat, Kerala, India

An Inquiry into Success Factors for Post-disaster Housing Reconstruction Projects: A Case of Kerala, South India

“…Assessments of damage and fund requirements were conducted arbitrarily and in many cases inflated. Reconstruction projects were planned and implemented by the existing bureaucratic administrative system, with limited participation of local self-government departments (bodies that look after the administration of an area or a small community such as a village, town, or city) and the affected communities (Joseph 2015). All these issues resulted in a lack of transparency and accountability, corruption, escalation of prices, delays in purchase of land, and subsequent delays in providing houses (CAG India 2007).…”

“…Various reconstruction projects experienced different degrees of success and failure and the resettled community was dissatisfied with the new living environment in terms of quality of housing and other infrastructures, and sociocultural and economic sustainability (Joseph 2015). Having established the reconstruction project scenarios, the donordriven housing projects for the tsunami-displaced community of Alappad Panchayat, Kollam District were considered an ideal case study for identifying the factors of project success in post-disaster situations in Kerala.…”

“…Institutional Mechanism: The success or failure of reconstruction projects largely depends on the ability to tackle the governance issues that arise in post-disaster situations (Harvey 2009). An appropriate institutional mechanism is the best way towards tackling governance issues as emphasized by Joseph (2015). Institutional arrangements for disaster management commonly include the establishment of a single entity at each level of government (Mattingly 2002).…”

“…Failure to manage such issues of reconstruction projects by the implementing organizations results in the ineffective delivery of reconstruction programs (Ophiyandri et al 2013) and leads to later modification or outright rejection of reconstructed housing by the users (Shaw and Ahmed 2010). The post-tsunami project environment in Kerala encountered a host of policy and strategy issues that affected the successful planning and implementation of housing reconstruction projects (CAG India 2007;Joseph 2015). Consequently, tsunami relocated communities were found to be dissatisfied with the living environment in terms of quality of housing and other infrastructures, sociocultural and economic sustainability, and more (Joseph 2015).…”

“…The post-tsunami project environment in Kerala encountered a host of policy and strategy issues that affected the successful planning and implementation of housing reconstruction projects (CAG India 2007;Joseph 2015). Consequently, tsunami relocated communities were found to be dissatisfied with the living environment in terms of quality of housing and other infrastructures, sociocultural and economic sustainability, and more (Joseph 2015).…”