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The Indian subcontinent is highly susceptible to natural disasters. To abate the effect of the disasters, the government emanates institutional mechanisms and strategies for disaster preparedness, mitigation and response. Although there is well-established institutional framework in India for disaster management, there is no study that proposes a disaster supply chain structure under the institutional framework and integrates information and digital technologies (IDT) of industry 4.0 within it. The present study overcomes this research gap. It introduces an IDT structure within the institutional framework of India for multi-agency information sharing, coordination and decision making. It formulates a mathematical model and analyses the impact of IDT on the total response time through three scenarios. The results of scenario analysis reveal the significance of IDT on the disaster supply chains and its capability to handle information delays and IDT failure. The present study can be adopted by disaster management institutions to construct and implement better response practices at the operational, planning and strategic levels. Furthermore, the proposed model in the study can be used for vaccination planning, which includes vaccine distribution, monitoring, regulation and effective implmentation as a response against the current pandemic situation caused due to SARS-CoV-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Over the last five decades, extreme weather events (EWEs) have made a substantial contribution to the overall climate change impacts in India. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has predicted that India will experience an increase in extreme weather events in the future. The primary aim of the study was to gain insights into India's overall occurrence of EWEs between 1970 and 2019 across different states. Methods: In the present study, data from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) spanning the last five decades (1970–2019) was examined to understand how specific EWEs have changed in India over varying regions and time spans. The analysis involved descriptive statistics using heatmaps, and trend analysis using the Mann- Kendall test. Findings: In the past 50 years (1970–2019), around 11,158 EWEs occurred in India. EM-DAT data shows a rise from 4 + events in the 1950s to 20 + in 2018, while IMD data indicates an increase from 50 + events in the 1970s to 400 + in 2019. The event-wise trend analysis of 50 years of data on EWEs in India revealed a consistent increase in the incidence of each EWE. The Mann–Kendall test, conducted to detect trends in EWEs over 50 years revealed a significant upward trend at 1% level for total EWEs, including heat waves, floods, heavy rains, and thunderstorms. Heat map and spatial analysis revealed that significant regions for heat waves include Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand. Cold waves have increased in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Bihar, and Jharkhand. Floods, heavy rains, thunderstorms, and lightning are common in Maharashtra, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, and Karnataka. Conclusion: The findings of the study have critical implications for climate resilience strategies and disaster management in India. The increasing frequency and geographical concentration of EWEs call for region-specific preparedness and mitigation plans. By knowing the trends of EWEs and hotspot states through retrospective data records, the Government can proactively plan for future adverse events to prioritize high-risk areas, implementing targeted preparedness and mitigation strategies to prevent significant mortality and morbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Disaster mental health is a critical yet neglected aspect in India. Primary care physicians (PCPs) play a crucial role in mitigating mental health challenges following disasters. This study conducted a knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) survey among PCPs in Karnataka to assess their disaster mental health preparedness. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted from February to May 2023 targeting PCPs across 29 districts of Karnataka in a convenient snowball sampling method. The questionnaire review included KAP questions on disaster mental healthcare. A total of 324 PCPs responded. Results: Knowledge scores were moderate (mean: 7.05), attitudes were positive (mean: 9.15), and practices were poor (mean: 0.32). Significant correlations were found between clinical experience and knowledge/attitudes/practices (rho 0.358, P < 0.001; rho 0.147, P = 0.007; rho 0.232, P = 0.003). Conclusion: There is a large gap between theoretical knowledge and practical preparedness in disaster mental health. Training programs and government initiatives are essential to improve preparedness among PCPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provided a comprehensive understanding of the source process of the 1819 M 7.7 Kachchh Indian earthquake using physics‐based dynamic rupture modeling and strong ground motion simulations. We successfully simulated the spontaneous dynamic rupture along a curved non‐planar fault using the 3‐D curved‐grid finite‐difference method (CGFDM). The estimated earthquake magnitude is around 7.6, consistent with previous estimations. Our simulations accurately replicated macroscopic rupture patterns and surface deformation, showing agreement with observed data along the Allah Bund fault (ABF) with a maximum displacement ∼5.5 m at the Earth's surface. The maximum modeled coseismic slip on the fault was approximately 7.5 m. Notably, the ABF exhibited characteristics of a weak barrier (leaky barrier) at the bending part, allowing the rupture to propagate further. Despite limitations in surface deformation calculations, the modeled values aligned with the trend of surface fault slip, with a slight deviation in the epicenter toward the east compared to earlier studies. We observed a homogeneous principal stress oriented N25°E, consistent with the present day Indian plate motion. The estimated horizontal peak ground velocities (PGVh) and the maximum value of Intensity X+ aligns well with observations. Furthermore, conducting thorough case studies on significant earthquakes and potential seismic scenarios in stable continental regions is crucial. Such studies play a vital role in validating and improving dynamic rupture models. When combined with statistical methods, this research holds great promise for advancing seismic hazard assessments, earthquake engineering, and strategies for disaster management. Plain Language Summary: This paper is centered around the simulation of the dynamic rupture of the 1819 M 7.7 Kachchh earthquake in India. We have successfully replicated the earthquake's behavior using a three‐dimensional simulation method. The study's results demonstrate the significant influence of the local tectonic setting and non‐planar fault structure on earthquake generation and rupture progression. Although slight discrepancies exist between the simulation results and actual observations, the simulations capture significant trends and reproduce macroscopic rupture patterns. The estimated magnitude of the earthquake aligns well with previous studies. The study highlights the role of fault bending and its impact on surface deformation, contributing to a better understanding of seismic hazards and providing insights for seismic hazard assessments and earthquake source characterization. This work is valuable for comprehending earthquake sources, particularly from earthquake perspectives in the SCR region and other areas. Key Points: Dynamic rupture simulations of the 1819 Kachchh M 7.7 earthquake replicate co‐seismic fault slip, enhance our knowledge of the earthquake sourceWeak barrier characteristics observed at the bending part of the fault enabled further rupturing, influenced by SH and the nucleation pointContributes to understanding earthquake hazards, enhancing seismic assessment, engineering, and disaster management strategies [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Disaster preparedness is one of the critical strategies for effectively managing disasters and has been an area of high focus in the healthcare sector over the past few decades. The current Indian medical undergraduate curriculum does not describe any novel methods for disaster preparedness training. There is a need for a better understanding of novel teaching-learning methods and modes for administering disaster preparedness training among Indian medical students. Objectives: Describe the undergraduate medical students' baseline knowledge and confidence level of disaster preparedness. Compare undergraduate medical students' knowledge scores and confidence levels on disaster preparedness after online and onsite delivery of the disaster preparedness module. Methods: In this educational interventional study, 103 medical students were divided into two groups and subjected to an online or onsite session of the validated disaster preparedness module (based on the COVID-19 pandemic), encompassing a simulation-based tabletop exercise. Baseline testing was done for 52 participants in the online group and 51 in the onsite group of the study. Post-intervention, they were assessed with single-response type MCQs for knowledge and Likert scale-based questions for confidence scores. The pretest and posttest scores were collected, and the data were analysed using two-tailed t-tests for paired analysis of within-group (online group or onsite group) and heteroscedastic analysis of between-group datasets. Results: One hundred and three participants completed the exercise—52 participants were from the online group, and 51 were from the onsite group. After the intervention, there was a statistically significant increase in knowledge and confidence in both online and onsite groups. There is, however, no significant difference in the 'percentage change' in 'knowledge' or 'confidence' between the groups. Conclusions: Our study indicates that the disaster preparedness module, delivered online and onsite, improves knowledge and confidence among undergraduate medical students. However, there is no superiority between one mode of delivery and the other. We conclude that online training can facilitate disaster preparedness training as a corollary to the prescribed traditional training methods for undergraduate medical students in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Now a days, assessment of flood risk is a significant concern worldwide, particularly in regions experiencing rapid urbanization and climate change. This study utilizes the analytic hierarchy process and Geographic Information Systems to assess flood risk under changing climate in the Lower Tapi river basin (LTRB) in India. The objective is to develop flood hazard and flood vulnerability maps and subsequently to create a flood risk map by integrating them in LTRB in a Base and Advance scenario, i.e., under changing climate. The change point study to identify Advance scenario has been employed to distinguish the year from which sudden change in the data emerge out. The flood risk contributing factors are included in this study are Elevation, Distance from river, Average annual rainfall, Drainage density, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Slope, Clay percentage, Topographic Wetness Index, Population density, Average Crop production, Land use Land cover, and Road River intersection. The developed flood risk map has been separated into five zones of the level of risk, namely very high, high, moderate, low, and very low-risk zones. The flood risk maps developed in Base scenario and in Advance scenario are compared to investigate the impact of changing climate in Lower Tapi river basin. It is revealed that the high and very high-risk zone area proliferated, and very low and moderate risk area condensed in the Advance scenario. The developed flood risk maps in Base and Advance scenario can aid in effective disaster management and planning for the region under changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floods have devastating consequences for human life and economies worldwide. The present study focuses on flash flooding in the Himalayan environment, specifically in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, India. In July 2021, a low-pressure system developed in the area, intensifying into a deep depression and resulting in extreme rainfall on July 12, 2021. This extreme rainfall event resulted flash flooding, landslides, and extensive damage in Dharamshala. Utilizing satellite observation and geospatial technology, this study examined the heavy rainfall events and the vulnerability of the geology of Dharamshala to flash flooding. The area received a cumulative rainfall of more than 370 mm, with over 35 mm recorded at 09:00 Universal Time Coordinated (UTC). The steep slopes of the region, combined with sudden heavy downpours from multiple extreme rainfall events, contributed to flash flooding and landslides. The consequences were severe, resulting in the loss of seven lives and impacting thousands of people in the study area. The research findings emphasize the significance of satellite-borne remote sensing applications and geospatial technology for real-time short-lived localised rainfall events in the study area. The study also highlights the role of Bhagsu Nala in exacerbating flood risks. This research provides a valuable model for implementing effective disaster mitigation measures. Moreover, it contributes to global efforts to reduce the risk of natural catastrophes, particularly in Himachal Pradesh. The findings offer valuable insights into disaster management and mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People have lost their lives at almost every religious place due to overcrowding, lack of safety culture practices, and passive local leadership to safeguard the citizens who went there to pray. Safety culture management at worship places is a very serious issue which is commonly not addressed as a planned approach by the concerned authorities at all levels. The newspaper reports indicate incidents in which almost every worship place (like temples, mosques, gurudwara, & churches) killed hundreds of people each year due to a lack of safety culture in their premises as crowds pour heavily during religious festivals, and there is no discipline except for VIPs. Why do people die in India due to hunger if there are numerous Langars and Bhandaras in Gurudwara and Temples? Why do people die in accidents while going to worship places? What are the wrong things with religious institutions in India? There are newspaper reports from all worship places of all castes and religions across the country. Why are local authorities passive about devotees who visit for holy prayers losing their lives along with families? The sample for this research included interactions with 260 professionals across India. Religious organisations and leaders need to widen the focus of safety culture such as increasing awareness for visitors, maintaining engineering controls for entry and exit points, CCTV installations, safety professionals deployment, emergency response plans, collaboration with local authorities, limiting entry per day with authorised passes, restructuring worship places to prevent crowding situations, regular safety training for permanent/casual staff members, controlling fake unregistered people to help and cheat the devotees. This study offered a comprehensive discussion on the recommendations for the safety of religious institutions, devotees and organisers such as, the safety procedures for religious institutions, safety procedures that make economic sense for religious institutions, respecting religious freedom for minority groups, hi-tech security of religious places, preventive measures for the safety of worship places, politics' impact on the psychological safety of places of worship, and religious leadership matters in the safety of worship places. The concerned Ministries and leaders must step in to prioritise the safety and cultural aspects of worship places. Medical care facilities at places of worship are a must for post-incident care of devotees. There are also several worship places with no such incidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flooding is a recurring issue in India, affecting 10–15 states annually during monsoon season and coastal regions due to cyclones. Microwave satellite data from SAR sensors like RISAT-1A, launched in February 2022, offers near real-time flood mapping crucial for relief efforts. Various acquisition modes, including medium resolution ScanSAR (MRS) mode, coarse resolution ScanSAR (CRS) mode and fine resolution Strimap (FRS) mode, provide suitable resolutions for flood mapping. Case studies demonstrate the behaviour of the backscatter coefficient in flood pixels, essential for flood map preparation. Validation against optical datasets shows a high accuracy of 91% in CRS, 94% in MRS and 94% in FRS, which is acceptable for near real-time mapping. The 67 and 91 flood maps were generated in 2022 and 2023 respectively, aiding state and central disaster management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme climate events are related to women's exposure to different forms of violence. We examined the relationship between droughts and physical, sexual, and emotional intimate partner violence (IPV) in India by using 2 different definitions of drought: precipitation-based drought and socioeconomic drought. We analyzed data from 2 rounds of a nationally representative survey, the National Family Health Survey, where married women were asked about their experiences of IPV in the previous year (2015–2016 and 2019–2021; n  = 122,696). Precipitation-based drought was estimated using remote sensing data and geographic information system (GIS) mapping, while socioeconomic drought status was collected from government records. Logistic regression models showed precipitation-based drought to increase the risk of experiencing physical IPV and emotional IPV. Similar findings were observed for socioeconomic drought; women residing in areas classified as drought-impacted by the government were more likely to report physical IPV, sexual IPV, and emotional IPV. These findings support the growing body of evidence regarding the relationship between climate change and women's vulnerability, and highlight the need for gender responsive strategies for disaster management and preparedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic upended societies across the world, with billions forced into lockdowns. As countries contemplated instating and rolling back lockdown measures, and considered the impact of pandemic fatigue on policy measures, and furthermore to prepare for the improved management of future pandemics, this study examines the effectiveness of policy measures in limiting the spread of infections and fatalities. Design/methodology/approach: The methodological approach in the study centres on a fixed effects panel regression analysis and employs the COVID-19 Government Response Stringency Index, which comprises eight containment measures and three health campaigns, with progressive degrees of stringency, in order to investigate the efficacy of government policies. Findings: Findings suggest that some government policies were effective at reducing implicit mortality rates, infection cases and fatalities during the first four months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Solid stringency measures to reduce mortality rates include public gathering restrictions on more than 100 attendees, and international travel limits for developed countries and islands. Fatalities can further be reduced through the closing of public transport, whereas infection cases also experience benefits from public information campaigns. Comparable results are observed in a robustness test across 12 months. Originality/value: Some non-pharmaceutical policies are shown to be more effective than others at reducing the spread of infections, fatalities and mortality rates, and support policymakers to manage future pandemics more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study attempts to identify the flood footprint of river Keleghai, a tributary of river Haldi, in West Bengal, India. Keleghai basin is known for recurrent flooding that causes severe damage to the socioeconomic infrastructure. So far, no attempt has been made for the identification of flood inundation footprints and flood risk zones in Keleghai river basin through remote sensing and multi-criteria decision-making process. Initially, a flood susceptibility or vulnerability map has been prepared, and secondly, flood footprints have been identified in the said river basin. For the preparation of flood vulnerability map with the help of the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), the elevation, slope, rainfall, normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), land use and land cover (LULC) and distance from river and topographical wetness index (TWI) of the concerned river basin have been used. To prepare the flood footprints synthetic aperture radar (SAR), data have been processed on Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform. The result shows that more than 50% of the basin area belongs to high risk zone, and the other 40% comes under the moderate risk category. The central, northern and eastern parts of the basin present the highest susceptibility to flood hazard. This area is characterised by moderate-to-low elevation, gentle slope, moderate rainfall and less vegetative cover. This outcome can effectively be utilised in hazard management purpose for Keleghai as well as other river basins. This study will help in identifying the most vulnerable zones of the basin in terms of flood hazard assessment. On the other hand, correlating the empirical model with the real world data will provide excellent opportunity to testify the applicability of the model in decision-making purpose that could lead to a way of resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, I claim that demographic engineering scholarship cannot adequately explain the production of demographic engineering practices because they suffer from two classic limitations of state theory: (1) assuming the political elite to be the sole producers of the state practices, and (2) treating the state as an actor. Following the latest theoretical insights on the complex ontology of the state, I claim that we can overcome these limitations of the current demographic engineering scholarship by focusing on interactions between political and bureaucratic actors involved with the demographic engineering policy. I use this insight to examine the population control policy of the Indian state during the Emergency period (1975–1977). My main finding is that the strategies of federal bureaucrats to reproduce their authority over the regional bureaucrats, lowered by political elite dynamics during the Emergency period, enabled the street-level bureaucrats to adopt coercive strategies for achieving their unrealistically high sterilization targets. My study contributes to the studies on demographic engineering, state theory, and the Emergency period in India by highlighting the significance of studying interactions among the political and bureaucratic actors in producing state practices, including but not limited to demographic engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The present research highlights the promising factors that suggest the possible occurrence of the fourth COVID wave in India. India is among the major victim of this pandemic and has already witnessed the three dangerous COVID waves, and the lives of Indian people are put to a major setback. When it appears as the destruction caused by the third wave seems to getting over and people are trying to return to their normal lives, meanwhile with the mutation of the virus, the new COVID variants (COVID XBB 1.16 or Arcturus, XBB.1.5, and Delta Omicron) are again shaking our universe. Methods: Research studies and developed predictive models are suggesting the possible occurrence of the fourth COVID wave in the coming months. Considering the predictions and model developed, a critical insight is provided in the present study, which predicts the prospect of the fourth COVID wave in India. Results: Research proposed that the new COVID variants (COVID XBB 1.16, XBB.1.5, and Delta Omicron) are again leading to an increase in the number of active infected cases. Several factors, as mentioned in the research, are responsible for this spread of infection. Conclusions: Important factors are highlighted, which portray the probability of the fourth coronavirus wave in India. Important factors are presented in individuals, and an attempt is made to relate them with the occurrence or nonoccurrence of the fourth wave. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural disasters and floods brought on by heavy rainfall pose serious threats to human health and lives every year on a global scale. The intricacy of meteorological data makes it difficult to provide accurate rainfall predictions, despite their critical importance in nations like India where agriculture is the primary occupation. Rainfall forecasting has recently benefited from Artificial Intelligence (AI) developments such as Deep Learning (DL) and Machine Learning (ML) techniques. This article provides a comprehensive survey of recent studies that use AI techniques for rainfall prediction, analyzing them based on the ML algorithms and DL methods used, organized by publication year. The findings show that DL approaches are more effective than traditional ML methods and shallow neural network models. This research is important as it has significant impacts on agriculture, disaster preparedness, and water resource management. Finally, it outlines future research directions for further advancements in rainfall prediction through AI methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on India's status as one of the most disaster-prone countries globally, ranking third in the WorldRiskIndex 2023. Topics include India's exposure to a range of natural hazards such as floods, droughts, cyclones, heatwaves, earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, and wildfires. It discusses the significant impact of floods in India, with more than 80% of flood events caused by monsoons or heavy rain, affecting over 2% of the country's land annually.

This paper presents the current status of Indian smart cities and examines their preparedness and response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The study focuses on implemented & ongoing projects under the Smart City Mission of the Government of India, which have contributed significantly to controlling the pandemic along with other channels. The study finds that modern cities in both developed and developing countries were not well-prepared to deal with the emergency situations and struggled in providing a satisfactory response during the pandemic. The analysis of primary and secondary data has shown that digital surveillance and movement control through integrated control command centers (ICCC) were the most useful projects in monitoring the COVID-19 cases. However, the lack of technology integration in smart cities hinders the effective usage of implemented projects. Thus, the study recommends integrated network-based applications that include healthcare, essential services, mobility, and movement across smart cities in India. The proposed framework is expected to provide the much-needed alignment at the policy, objective, and implementation levels of smart city framework designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study made an attempt to examine the changing pattern of public healthcare expenditure across Indian states for the period 1979–1980 to 2019–2020 and tried to relate this with the spread and mortality of COVID-19 infected cases. An attempt was also made to analyse the responsiveness of per capita public healthcare expenditure (PCPHE) with the change in per capita GSDP (PCGSDP) to a much-disaggregated level. The supply side composite index (SSCI), panel regression and panel generalised method of moments (GMM) was used for analytical purpose. The study found that the greater variation in PCPHE across Indian states start exhibiting since the early years of initiation of NRHM policy and continued till recent years. Unlike the PCPHE, the public healthcare expenditure to GSDP ratio declined for all states in the subsequent time periods. The value of SSCI for both revenue and capital expenditure was low in states having larger populations and geographical areas. The study argued that the average PCPHE across Indian states exhibited irregular pattern of association with the COVID-19 confirmed cases, positivity and death rate. The panel GMM estimate of PCPHE exhibited an inelastic relationship with PCGSDP implying public healthcare is a 'necessity' across the Indian states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reservoir operational performance was observed through extensive simulation studies. Behavior study of historical operational parameters was useful to fine-tune and verify the operational rules, as well as to frame up emergency action preparedness. Performance study of yield, reliability, and eco-flow with different storage ratios for various supply policies indicated optimum storage ratio as 0.19. In-stream flow varied inversely with storage ratio. Supply policy, storage ratio, and temporal distribution of inflow influenced the reservoir yield remarkably. Similar behavior of both ecological metrics – eco-flow indicator and coefficient of variation – was observed with different storage ratios. But, releasing additional ecological flow led a quasi-natural flow paradigm at the downstream keeping human activities intact. Three numbers of operational guide curves as introduced will provide optimal solution towards maximum resource utilization to meet human and ecological needs. This conceptual study provides a comprehensive guidance on how to deliver a reliable water supply yield from a reservoir while maintaining the natural variability of downstream eco-flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the monsoon season, flooding is common in several parts of India, and urban areas are becoming more prone to flooding even during less intense rainfall events as a result of the encroachment of waterbodies and natural drainage channels, increased impervious areas, and subsequent decrease in infiltration capabilities. In the years 2000, 2008, 2016, 2019, 2020, and 2021, severe flood events in our study area, the Saroor Nagar urban watershed in Telangana state, caused human loss, economic devastation, and environmental devastation. Although flood risk cannot be completely eliminated, it can be significantly reduced by developing a flood hazard model to identify flood-prone areas in a watershed, which can assist decision makers seeking comprehensive flood risk management. The flood hazard map is created by integrating Geomatics with multi-criteria decision analysis and the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Topographic wetness index (TWI), digital elevation model (DEM), slope, precipitation, drainage density, distance to waterbody, soil, and land use land cover (LULC) were the flooding causative elements considered in this study. The resulting flood risk map is divided into four distinct categories that reflect flood danger levels of low, moderate, high, and extremely high. The flood risk map revealed that the moderate risk zone decreased from 50.2 to 45.7% of the study area between 2008 and 2020, while the high-risk zone increased from 45.2 to 52.8%. The flood susceptibility map is validated using crowdsourcing techniques. The findings demonstrated that a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based multi-criteria analysis framework for flood hazard analysis could be effectively used to aid disaster management decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on social work in the postpandemic world in India. Topics discussed include statistics on COVID-19 cases in India, sociocultural dimension of the pandemic in India, and Indian social workers' response to COVID-19. Also mentioned are social justice for the vulnerable population groups and role in policy change.

The NH 58 area in India has been experiencing an increase in landslide occurrences, posing significant threats to local communities, infrastructure, and the environment. The growing need to identify areas prone to landslides for effective disaster risk management, land use planning, and infrastructure development has led to the increased adoption of advanced geospatial technologies and statistical methods. In this context, this research article presents an in-depth analysis aimed at developing a landslide susceptibility zonation (LSZ) map for the NH 58 area using remote sensing, GIS, and logistic regression analysis. The study incorporates multiple geo-environmental factors for analysis, such as slope aspect, curvature, drainage density, elevation, fault distance, flow accumulation, geology, geomorphology, land use land cover (LULC), road distance, and slope angle. Utilizing 50% of the landslide inventory data, the logistic regression model was trained to determine correlations between causal factors and landslide occurrences. The logistic regression model was then employed to calculate landslide probabilities for each mapping unit within the NH 58 area, which were subsequently classified into relative susceptibility zones using a statistical class break technique. The model's accuracy was verified through ROC curve analysis, resulting in a 92% accuracy rate. The LSZ map highlights areas near road cut slopes as highly susceptible to landslides, providing crucial information for land use planning and management to reduce landslide risk in the NH 58 area. The study's findings are beneficial for policymakers, planners, and other stakeholders involved in regional disaster risk management. This research offers a comprehensive analysis of landslide-influencing factors in the NH 58 area and introduces an LSZ map as a valuable tool for managing and mitigating landslide risks. The map also serves as a critical reference for future research and contributes to the broader understanding of landslide susceptibility in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its ecological, India is the second most vulnerable country in the world to natural disasters likecyclones, earthquakes, droughts, rain falls, hurricanes, and so on. Between 2000 and 2009, disasters affected 65 million people, and between 2012 and 2019, the mortality rate was 79732. Disaster management is a four-step process that requires all levels of government organisations to plan, prepare, and respond to any natural disaster. The review material was collected from online databases, i.e., Research Gate, PubMed, Scopus, CINHAL, and Google Scholar. During disaster management, the nurse's role includes decisive the extent of the event, prioritise the health needs of affected people, identifying actual and potential health problems, and estimating the resources required to respond to the psychological, physical, economical and other needs identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding trends in flood severity and the persistence in peak discharge timing along a vast river network is vital for basin-scale flood risk management and reinsurance purposes. The Mahanadi River Basin (MRB) in Odisha, India, is one of the largest river basin systems in Peninsular India with a drainage area of 141,600 km2, has experienced a series of catastrophic floods in its Middle reaches and Delta areas between 1969 and 2019. Leveraging gauge-based daily streamflow records (1971–2016), we analyse floods using Monsoonal (from June – September) Maxima Flood (MMF) and Peak over Threshold Flood (PTF) events. We detect potential hotspots, where up/downward trends in floods coincide with early (or delayed) dates of occurrences. We show that at upper MRB, the MMF series tends to have an earlier occurrence of floods with a (field significant) decreasing trend in its magnitude. Up to one-third of gauges show delayed flood timings with an upward trend in peak discharge magnitude, indicating delayed arrival of rare events with changes in flood footprints. The obtained insights aid in forecast efforts and devise disaster response to mitigate the impact of disaster (flood)-climate-health nexus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Gangtok subdivision in east Sikkim district was developed under different geographical, lithological, and historical conditions. This research aimed towards creating a landslide susceptibility zone with the help of two GIS models, namely AHP (analytical hierarchy process) and FRM (frequency ratio model), used for landslide susceptibility mapping and make a comparison in accordance with their outputs. Primary data like the landslide location was collected by using the GPS technique and BHUVAN landslide inventory, while, photographic data were collected from various satellite images and theme-based images from BHUVAN, ENVIS, and Earth Explorer. Other secondary data were collected from the Survey of India (SOI), National Bureau of Soil Survey, Geological Survey of India, NRSC, India, and land use planning (NBSS&LUP), Census of India and Indian Meteorological Department. Eleven thematic layers including landslide inventory, rainfall, lithology, geomorphology, slope, aspect, curvature, distance from lineament, distance from the road, distance from drainage, and land use/land cover, were considered for the FRM method and the AHP method. AHP map captures 80% of the active slides in the very high to the high susceptible zones in comparison to the 75% active slide capture by the FRM method in the very high to high susceptible zone. For validation and comparison of the model output, the receiver operating curve (ROC) was applied to 30% cases out of the 100% of total landslides (92 landslide locations were marked). AHP method was found out to be the best among the two models with a 98% accuracy level. The risk mapping was done by integrating exposure map with hazard map along with physical vulnerability map of the study area. Through risk mapping it is seen that the eastern section of the study area has the least risk but on the contrary, the western zone is the riskier zone for landslide hazard. There has been also an attempt to find out plausible methods for landslide disaster management and mitigation for the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recurring floods and erosion result in displacement, which adversely impacts women who are 'left behind' when men migrate. Policy and programme measures for disaster response and climate adaptation often perceive women as homogenous, vulnerable groups, instead of addressing underlying structural and conceptual barriers and strengthening their adaptive capacities to disasters and displacement. This article draws upon a political ecology lens to understand gendered recovery processes following disasters across four districts in Assam, northeastern India using empirical research from 2012 to 2018. The findings add nuances to the displacements of women in Assam as being 'climate-induced' by showing the different mechanisms of displacement and how it impacts particular groups of women, as well as their differential ways of coping with these changes. This article draws on sustained long-term qualitative research among rural villagers, particularly women, in Assam where migration is connected to riverbank erosion, exacerbated by the construction of a new embankment, and disrupted due to waterlogging caused by embankments and government relocation schemes in order to construct further dams/embankments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal areas play an important role in the global food and economic system, but are vulnerable to a number of coastal hazards such as cyclones and storm surges. The Sundarban Biosphere Reserve (SBR) is located on the east coast of India and has a rich diversity of aquatic and terrestrial flora and fauna. The region is frequently affected by coastal hazards such as cyclones and storm surges. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of Super Cyclone Amphan on land use land cover (LULC) in SBR. For this purpose, the land use land cover (LULC) map of the study area before and after the cyclone was first constructed using four machine learning algorithms: Support Vector Machine (SVM), Spectral Angle Mapper and Maximum Likelihood Classifier. In addition, the accuracy of these methods was evaluated using the confusion matrix. The result shows that the SVM basis provides better accuracy than the other methods. After evaluating the accuracy, the detection of changes in the LULC was analysed. The result shows that forest cover in the region decreased significantly (about 38.8%) due to super cyclone Amphan. In addition, agricultural land, swamps, sandbanks and beaches increased by 49.51%, 39.57%, 17.40% and 6.93% respectively. The findings of this study can be used by local and state disaster management authorities to prepare the effective disaster management plans for the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of healthcare workers (HCW) toward the COVID-19 pandemic influence their preparedness to accept the preventative measures. This study investigates KAP toward COVID-19 among the HCWs working in two designated COVID hospitals. It was a cross-sectional study. The overall KAP scores were calculated, and the difference in mean scores among various demographic and other variables was tested using t-test and one-way ANOVA. The participants were knowledgeable about transmission modes and disease symptoms and were aware of the preventive measures like hand sanitisations for 96% and 91% for wearing masks. Among the knowledgeable group, 87% were aware of the control measures of COVID-19 infection like isolation and treatment of the infected; quarantine of their close contacts; and 92% had the acquaintance about the avoidance of public transport and crowded places as a safety measure. The HCWs also showed a positive attitude toward keeping distance and staying at home (81.13% strongly agreed) and regularly washing hands (agreed 91%). The mean knowledge, attitude, and practice scores of the study participants were 19.67(±1.85), 27.95(1.81) and 4.61(0.51), respectively. Nurses were found to have significantly better knowledge, attitude, and practice toward COVID-19 than laboratory technicians and pharmacists. HCWs having higher education levels were also found to have better knowledge about COVID-19. The majority of the HCWs who participated in the study also strongly agreed that the referred hospitals are well prepared for infection prevention and control (IPC). Better knowledge, attitude and practices toward COVID-19 may considerably decrease the risk of getting the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Several organizations decided to work remotely after the Indian Government proclaimed a state of emergency on March 24, 2020, to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Employees across all industries, particularly the Generation-Y, were stressed as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The purpose of this study is to fills that gap by looking at the effects of occupational stress factors (such as coworker support, work–life balance [WLB] and role expectation conflict) on Generation-Y employees in the educational sector during COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach: The causes and consequences of the three occupational stresses listed above were investigated. In total, 231 surveys from workers at private and public educational institutions in India were analyzed using partial least square-structural equation modeling analysis. Findings: The results revealed that support from coworkers greatly reduced job stress, the WLB had a positive impact on the work and personal lives, and the lack of role specification in Generation-Y employees had a negative impact on their job performance. Originality/value: This study has considered the occupational stress variables among Generation-Y in the era of COVID-19, which need attention to improve the performance of the academic sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coastal population of Indian subcontinent experience a variety of coastal hazards, of which cyclone is the most destructive one. The paper analyses the vulnerability level of the east coastal districts of Bay of Bengal stretching for 1400 km by adopting an innovative approach to estimate vulnerability index through hazard exposure, sensitivity, and adaptability measures. Findings reveal that northern districts located close to the apex of Bay of Bengal are more vulnerable to coastal cyclones as compared to the southern part. Districts with a higher degree of coastal vulnerability experience markedly higher neonatal and under-5 mortality. Prevalence of diarrhoea among children, unimproved sanitation facility and unimproved sources of drinking water are revealingly associated with more neonatal and under-5 mortality across coastal districts. Women, children, elderly and the agrarian population are more sensitive to the cyclone. Lack of infrastructure, education and poor health care system hinder adaptive capacity. The study propagates strong disaster planning and improvement of basic facilities, especially immunization coverages of the vulnerable districts of east coast in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change induced frequent disasters pose severe threats to agro-based rural livelihoods. Perceptions of risks play a critical role in planning and averting disasters. Lack of analytical documentation concerning how vulnerable communities perceive climate risks is a barrier to addressing and averting disasters and maladaptation. Applying a mixed approach, this study examines the perception of households concerning climate change and analyses the impacts of climate change on livelihood in Arunachal Pradesh, the largest northeastern state of India, with severe climate related challenges. Conceptual livelihood vulnerability index (LVI) framework of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is adopted to analyse the climate change induced vulnerability on livelihood. A total 450 households from 18 villages located in the districts of Arunachal Pradesh were surveyed during October, 2021 for retrieving the ground complexities in the region. Decrease in yields, frequent landslides and floods, livestock losses and unpredictable weather condition were perceived by the sampled households. The LVI analysis indicated that households are vulnerable in Arzoo, Perum, Pekong and Amliang villages requiring priority for lessening livelihood vulnerability and increasing coping capacity of the communities. Correlation analysis indicated that climate variability, natural disaster, health, food and social components attributed to livelihood vulnerability in the study area. Alternate livelihood, enhancing preparedness to disasters, inclusion of women in workforce, sustainable livelihood practices and government assistance are some of the suggestions made to enhance the adaptation of local communities in a sustainable way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floods are one of the major natural disasters that are very common in monsoon countries like India. They cause enormous damage, both to properties and to human lives. It is very essential to detect humans in flooded environments, which plays an important role in rescue management, disaster management, flood assessment, etc. Detection in a flooded environment is particularly challenging due to the weather conditions, which affect the efficiency of the detection system. The limited availability of proper datasets with natural weather changes also affects the robustness of human object detection in flooded images. In this paper, data augmentation techniques are introduced in order to mimic the changing weather conditions such as rainy, cloudy, and foggy days during flood times, and a HOG-based Robust Human Object Detection (HOG_based_RHOD) algorithm is proposed and has been demonstrated on the augmented dataset. The proposed HOG_based_RHOD algorithm detects human objects in flood-related images, demonstrating its robustness in a variety of challenging weather conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 2016, the Government of the southern Indian state of Kerala launched the Aardram mission, a set of reforms in the state's health sector with the support of Local Self Governments (LSG). Primary Health Centres (PHCs) were slated for transformation into Family Health Centres (FHCs), with extended hours of operation as well as improved quality and range of services. With the COVID-19 pandemic emerging soon after their introduction, we studied the outcomes of the transformation from PHC to FHC and how they related to primary healthcare service delivery during COVID-19. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using In-depth interviews with 80 health system actors (male n = 32, female n = 48) aged between 30–63 years in eight primary care facilities of four districts in Kerala from July to October 2021. Participants included LSG members, medical and public health staff, as well as community leaders. Questions about the need for primary healthcare reforms, their implementation, challenges, achievements, and the impact of COVID-19 on service delivery were asked. Written informed consent was obtained and interview transcripts – transliterated into English—were thematically analysed by a team of four researchers using ATLAS.ti 9 software. Results: LSG members and health staff felt that the PHC was an institution that guarantees preventive, promotive, and curative care to the poorest section of society and can help in reducing the high cost of care. Post-transformation to FHCs, improved timings, additional human resources, new services, fully functioning laboratories, and well stocked pharmacies were observed and linked to improved service utilization and reduced cost of care. Challenges of geographical access remained, along with concerns about the lack of attention to public health functions, and sustainability in low-revenue LSGs. COVID-19 pandemic restrictions disrupted promotive services, awareness sessions and outreach activities; newly introduced services were stopped, and outpatient numbers were reduced drastically. Essential health delivery and COVID-19 management increased the workload of health workers and LSG members, as the emphasis was placed on managing the COVID-19 pandemic and delivering essential health services. Conclusion: Most of the health system actors expressed their belief in and commitment to primary health care reforms and noted positive impacts on the clinical side with remaining challenges of access, outreach, and sustainability. COVID-19 reduced service coverage and utilisation, but motivated greater efforts on the part of both health workers and community representatives. Primary health care is a shared priority now, with a need for greater focus on systems strengthening, collaboration, and primary prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Natural disasters cause much hardship and suffering, loss of property, and increased morbidity and mortality amongst those affected. Timely and effective response for relief and rescue services go a long way in mitigating these consequences. Material and Methods: This population-based cross-sectional, descriptive study conducted in the immediate aftermath of the catastrophic flood that occurred in Kerala, South India, in 2018, documents the experiences of the victims, the community's preparedness, and response to the disaster. Results: Flood waters reached levels of over four feet within the premises of 55% of the houses and nearly 97% had water flooding inside their homes. More than 93% of the households were evacuated to safer locations and relief camps. The elderly and those with chronic illnesses were the worst sufferers, unable to access medical aid. Many families (62%) received help from neighbors. Conclusion: However, the loss of lives was minimal, and could be attributed to the immediate response of the local community in rescue and relief work. This experience underscores the vital importance of the local community as first responders, and their preparedness for disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bank erosion hazard is a frequent occurrence that poses threats to floodplain ecosystems. This analysis examined changes to the Jia Bharali River channel in India using the GIS-based Digital Shoreline Analysis System [DSAS]. The Jia Bharali's future channel was predicted so as to identify the most erosion-susceptible zones. The rate of bankline movement was calculated using remotely sensed data collected over a period of 45 years (1976–2021). The results show that the river's erosion and deposition rates were higher in the early years than towards the later part of the period under analysis. On the right and left banks of the river, the average shift rate was −9.22 and 5.8 m/y, respectively, which is comparatively high. The chosen portion of the river was evenly divided into three zones, A, B, and C. The most positively affected zone was zone A. The left bank of zone B exhibited a higher rate of erosion than the right bank, indicating that the river was moving to the left [eastward] in this zone. At the same time, the right bank was being eroded faster than the left, indicating a westward thrust at zone C. The predicted result demonstrates that the left bank of zone B and the right bank of zone C would have a higher average migration rate. Therefore, these banks were identified as being the most susceptible to bank erosion. The study evaluates the spatio-temporal change of the river in sensitive regions where neighboring settlements and infrastructure were at risk of changing channel dynamics. Using the actual and forecasted bankline, the degree of accuracy was confirmed. The results of the automated prediction approach could be useful for river hazard management in the Jia Bharali and in similar environmental settings with tropical high precipitation zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Disaster planning is of significant importance for the healthcare professional and the healthcare setting. Hospital-based disaster protocols form the cornerstone of disaster response. There is a paucity of data on disaster preparedness training using the virtual tabletop exercise (VTTX) module for interprofessional education from in-hospital and prehospital settings. With the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we have seen a paradigm shift of education strategies to the virtual realm. Here we attempt to study the impact of an online tabletop exercise workshop on the knowledge and confidence of disaster preparedness among Interprofessional trainees. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Interprofessional trainees from medical, dental, nursing, respiratory therapy, and paramedic domains who consented were included in this study. Institutional ethics committee approval was received and the study was registered with the clinical trials registry India (CTRI), before initiation. The VTTX module has been adapted from the World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 training resources. Three international experts from the disaster medicine domain validated the module, questionnaire, and feedback. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the parameters (Knowledge and confidence level) pre and post-workshop. RESULTS: A total of 76 candidates with a mean age was 21.67 ± 2.5 (range:19-36) were part of the workshop. Comparison of the median scores and interquartile range of confidence level and knowledge respectively before [38 (29.25-45.75), 9 (7-11)] and after [51.50 (45-60), 11 (10-12)] the workshop showed vital significance (p-value < 0.001). All participants gave positive feedback on the workshop meeting the objectives. The majority agreed that the workshop improved their self-preparedness (90%) and felt that the online platform was appropriate (97.5%). CONCLUSIONS: This study sheds light on the positive impact of the online VTTX based workshop on disaster preparedness training among interprofessional trainees. Disaster preparedness training using available online platforms may be effectively executed with the VICTEr workshop even during the COVID-19 pandemic. The VICTEr workshop serves as a primer for developing online modules for effective pandemic preparedness training in interprofessional education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social capital being the network of relationship plays a significant role in managing risk and crisis situation saving human lives from an adverse effect and impact of disasters. The authors and scholars across many countries through their disaster studies show that social capital with the form of bonding, bridging and linking rescued the victims of disasters, evacuated the most vulnerable people to safer places, provided food and drinking water and other basic amenities to the victims of disasters, provided homes to the homeless and solaced to those who were psychologically depressed. However, the literature review further specified that while bonding and bridging social capital extended support to the victims of disasters in abundance, the linking social capital on the other hand supported only to those who are in close contact with the persons and institutions in power and authority. Review of literature is done purely through qualitative research methodology which has had read 86 relevant articles published within the last 10- to 12-year period of time. This review paper both contributes to the social capital literature and helps those responsible for planning and policy framework to effectively manage future disasters and safeguard lives and properties and enhance capacities of the most vulnerable people to absorb shocks and stress successfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating for countries across the world. We propose a novel method for estimating reproduction number (R0) using community mobility to obtain optimal vaccination coverage (OVC). Different scenarios for achieving the desired immunization rates are evaluated using nonlinear regression models. The impact of recovery rates on mobility is also assessed to determine how the economy would have fared in various scenarios. Lockdowns due to COVID-19, which restricted mobility, were the main cause of the decline in GDP. For the city of Mumbai in India, with an increase in recovery rate from 1% to 5%, it was observed that mobility and thus economic activity might have been restored to some extent. The findings presented here may aid the governing bodies in developing more effective emergency response plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regular monitoring of drought events, watershed characterization, management, and development efforts is crucial for future disaster predictions and mitigation strategies. The drought susceptibility investigation has been carried out in the Ken River Basin of Bundelkhand region, one of the most drought‐prone areas in India. Proxies used in the present study are long‐term climatological data (rainfall, standardized precipitation index, and aridity index), satellite data (slope, drainage density [DD], distance to river, and normalized difference vegetation index), lithology, lineament density, and groundwater depth. By the analytical hierarchy process, weightage of each factor is assigned according to its importance. Study shows that nearly 48% of the area of the basin experiences moderate to severe drought conditions. In the last five decades, there have been 22 years of extreme drought, with the most extended period being 1972–1974 and the driest year being 2006–2007. Sensitivity analysis reveals that lithology, slope, and DD are the most significant parameters in the susceptibility analysis. Model validation through an artificial neural network demonstrates the model's high accuracy (0.9) and sensitivity with minor errors. An integrated study of drought susceptibility and morphometry is useful for identifying the drought risk hotspots in the basin. The investigation will be helpful in river basin management and disaster management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smartphones are one of the most affordable and familiar devices available to people that are used for many scientific applications. Thus, implementing a dedicated mobile app for earthquake early warning (EEW) systems is one of the best options to save money and time to achieve dissemination of earthquake warnings to the public at large. This paper describes the development of a Warning Dissemination System comprising field sirens and mobile apps and presents details of developing a smartphone app for Android and iOS operating systems. The app is designed for the EEW system currently operational in the Northwest Himalayan State of Uttarakhand in India. The app named "Uttarakhand Bhookamp Alert" is freely available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store and has already been downloaded more than 10,000 times. This app uses Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) service for sending earthquake early warnings to the users. The user's basic information and FCM token are saved at the warning server in a database during the user registration process. The information will be shared with the disaster response authorities after a damaging earthquake to rescue affected users requiring help. This app also provides online earthquake safety recommendations and guidance, including how to prepare yourself, find a safe hiding place, and do's and don'ts during an earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technologies for disaster management are highly sought areas for research and commercial deployment. Landslides, Flood, cyclones, earthquakes, forest fires and road/train accidents are some causes of disasters. Capturing video and accessing data in real time from the disaster site can help first responders make split second decisions which may save human lives and valuable resource destructions. In this context the communication technologies performing the task should have high bandwidth and low latency which only 5G can deliver. But unfortunately in India, deployment of the 5G mobile communication systems is yet to give a shape and again in remote areas unavailability of 4G signals is still severe. In this situation the authors have proposed, simulated and experimented a 4G-5G communication scheme where from the disaster site the signals will be transmitted by a 5G terminal to a nearby 4G-5G gateway installed in a mobile vehicle. The received 5G signal will be further relayed by the 4G-5G gateway to the fixed 4G base station for onward transmission towards the disaster management station for decision making, deployment and relief monitoring. The 4G-5G gateway acts as a relay and converter of 5G signal to 4G signal and vice versa. This relayed system can be further mounted on a vehicle mounted relay (VMR) as proposed by 3GPP in Release 18. The scheme is also in the same line of context with Verizon's, "Tactical Humanitarian Operations Response" (THOR) vehicle concept. The performance of the link is studied in different channel conditions, the throughput achieved is superb. The authors have implemented the above mentioned system towards smart campus networking and monitoring landslides activities which are common in their regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The areas prone to geological hazards such as liquefaction need special attention with respect to social vulnerability. Though liquefaction by itself may not result in damage, it may trigger a series of ground failures such as ground oscillation, lateral spread, loss of bearing strength, etc., which cause heavy damage. Globally, during the past few decades liquefaction hazard analysis has become one of the important criteria in seismic risk analysis and mitigation management, especially for urban areas. Greater Chennai is one of the million-plus population cities in India. The city also felt earthquakes/tremors in the past history. Method: The present study aims to assess the social vulnerability of the population density of the Greater Chennai area due to liquefaction susceptibility using GIS technology. The liquefaction susceptibility map (hazard) for the Greater Chennai was prepared by integration of geological and geomorphological parameters and analyzed over socioeconomic parameters (exposure) using an integration of GIS and AHP. Results: The result showed that around 53% of Greater Chennai's households and population are very much exposed to liquefaction hazard. Conclusions: This study can be used as a base level study for decision-making during land use planning as well as disaster mitigation planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India has the highest global burden of tuberculosis (TB), accounting for a quarter of the worldwide TB disease incidence. Given the magnitude of India's epidemic, TB has enormous economic implications. Indeed, the majority of individuals with TB disease are in their prime years of economic productivity. Absenteeism and employee turnover due to TB have economic ramifications for employers. Furthermore, TB can easily spread in the workplace and compound the economic impact. Employers who fund workplace, community, or national TB initiatives stand to gain directly and also enjoy reputational benefits, which are important in the era of socially conscious investing. Corporate social responsibility laws in India and tax incentives can be leveraged to bring the logistical networks, reach, and innovative spirit of the private sector to bear on India's formidable TB epidemic. In this perspective piece, we explore the economic impacts of TB; opportunities for and benefits from businesses contributing to TB elimination efforts; and strategies to enlist India's corporate sector in the fight against TB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elango, N. and Arul, C., 2023. Ecosystem-based disaster management planning for the eastern coast of India. Journal of Coastal Research, 39(1), 83–89. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. The coastal zone of India is endowed with abundant coastal and marine ecosystems. India is also highly prone to natural calamities, especially floods, droughts, cyclones, and landslides. This study aims to highlight the importance of the ecosystem services along the east coast of India and incorporate the value of these resources at the planning stage of disaster management at all levels. A survey was conducted with experts at the national level who have an understanding of the existing disaster management plans along the coast of Tamil Nadu state. To understand the importance of ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction at the decision-making and planning level, further analysis was carried out in monetization of ecosystem services. The total value of ecosystem services was obtained as the product of landuse area and the value of ecosystem services. From the overall critical analysis and the initial online survey, it was inferred that ecosystem-based approaches to disaster risk reduction and managing climate change hold much promise and that investing in healthy ecosystems provides a viable route for sustainable development. There needs to be a shift from relying on structural engineering solutions to increased acceptance of social engineering approaches through consensus-building with disaster-affected communities. Despite the structural and nonstructural measures being implemented in lieu of disaster management, there is still a lacuna in effective implementation, as inferred from the study. Robust actions are needed at the planning stage, for which the adoption of ecosystem-based approaches with localised resources and knowledge would be an inclusive approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]