ABSTRACT
Resiliency has been defined as the “capability of a system to maintain its function and structure in the face of internal and external danger . . .’’. Allenby and Fisk (2005) recommend the development and implementation of dual-use technologies that provide substantial economic benefits in addition to resiliency even if no negative events occur. The developed countries are already highly urbanized, and the developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America are getting rapidly urbanized. It has been estimated that by 2030, 60% of the world’s population will live in cities. Consequently, information-dense urban structures are coming into vogue. Instead of rigid systems (e.g. land phone), more fluid and responsive, network-centric organizational patterns are emerging (e.g. Internet phones). A network-centric society is more equitable (e.g. employment of handicapped persons, housewives), more productive (less commuting) and less fragile. The urban systems have necessitated the development of tools that aggregate and display complex urban systems data. The availability of such a system can serve as a training tool for disaster management, besides being useful in the coordination of disaster management (Allenby and Fisk, 2005). A good example of dual-use technology is “Mission 2007: EveryVillage aKnowledge
Centre’’, launched by the Government of India. The Mission consists of an ambitious plan for establishing Information and Communication Technology based Village Knowledge Centers in each of the 100,000 villages in India. At least two persons, one woman and one man, will be trained to run each of these centers, which will serve a variety of developmental purposes, such as, health, drinking water, agriculture, hazards, guaranteed employment for 100 days for one member of the families which are below the poverty line (one USD per day), etc. The broad-band connectivity of
the Village Knowledge Centre allows these centres to be used effectively in all hazard preparedness, public education, public warning, etc. campaigns.
