A five-day national workshop on ‘India’s National Security and Disaster Management’, organised by the Centre for Defence and Security Studies, began at the Central University of Kerala (CUK) on Monday (August 19). The event, hosted by the Department of International Relations and Politics, will conclude on August 23.
The inaugural lecture on ‘Disasters and public action’, was delivered by Dr. B. Ashok, Vice-Chancellor in Charge, Kerala Agricultural University, and Principal Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Government of Kerala. Dr. Ashok highlighted the growing relevance of disaster management in the context of increasing natural calamities, drawing on examples from the 2018 floods and landslides in Kerala. He spoke of the rapid urbanisation in Kerala, land pressure, and the exacerbating effects of climate change on the state’s fragile environment. Dr. Ashok stressed the importance of public participation in disaster risk reduction, recovery, and rehabilitation, explaining key concepts such as hazards, vulnerability, and risks.
The workshop also featured an interactive session with Brigadier Jeevan Rajpurohit (Retd.) and Air Commodore Vijay Sathe (Retd). Brig. Rajpurohit spoke about the democratic approach of the Madhav Gadgil report for protecting the Western Ghats.
Dr. Meera S., Assistant Professor in the Department of Law at CUK, spoke of ‘Disaster law and policy in India’, while Dr. V. Balakrishnan, Member Secretary of the Kerala State Biodiversity Board, explained the Biodiversity Act and environmental disasters, particularly the threats posed by invasive and alien species.
The workshop was officially opened by Dr. Suresh Rangarajan, head of the Department of International Relations and Politics. The five-day workshop is being coordinated by Dr. Reinhart Philip, Assistant Professor at the Department of International Relations and Politics, CUK.
