Bridging the gap: the need for science-based policies to address slow-onset hazards in India

Slow-onset hazards have a long term and pervasive impact on affected communities. This means that policymakers and researchers should also have robust long term plan for tackling the impacts of these hazards. However, research suggests that slow-onset hazards are ofter overlooked and neglected in both academia as well as policymaking, with a significant part of all disaster related resource devoted to sudden events. A major consequence of this can be seen in riverbank erosion affected communities of Majuli island of India. Disaster management laws in India do not generally recognise slow-onset events like riverbank erosion as hazards and therefore, no relief is provided under these laws to those affected by riverbank erosion. Drawing from my own experiences in the field, I will try to show how this policy is flawed and what consequences the people of Majuli and other riverbank erosion affected places in India are facing because of this? Furthermore, the paper emphasises the urgent need for science-based policies to address slow-onset hazards across India. It calls for increased attention from researchers and policymakers to mitigate the long-term impacts of these hazards and to develop inclusive disaster management strategies that encompass both sudden and slow-onset events.

Keywords: Slow-onset hazards, academia, riverbank erosion, India, science-based policies