**2. Reviewing livelihood and disaster**

**Livelihood**: the term 'livelihood' as a systematic study developed from basically the rural studies, since then it has been used in various dimensions in academia. The conventional meaning of the term is an economic activity, while in fact, apart from the economic aspect it comprises a wide range of issues such as ecological, political, cultural, environmental and so forth. The formal analysis of the term can be given as "a livelihood comprises the capabilities, assets (both natural & social) and activities required for a means of living; a livelihood is sustainable which can cope with the recovery from and shocks, maintain or enhance its capabilities and assets, both now and in the future, while not undermining the natural resource base" [9]. This analysis primarily consists of three concepts: capability, equity and sustainability; and these are interconnected and interdependent in its proper implication. Scholars emphasize the relationship as "each is also both and means…. linked together, capabilities, equity and sustainability present a framework or paradigm for development thinking which is both normative and practical" [9]. Here, through separate descriptions, the core meaning of the terms can be understood.

**Capability**: in the developmental studies this was firstly used and systematically studied by Amartya Sen as a theoretical foundation to understand human development, he maintains that income, utilities, resources, and wealth act as means towards an end not an end in themselves, further he states that development should be understood as the removal of major barriers to our freedom like poverty, illiteracy, poor economic opportunities and so on [10].

**Equality**: the traditional method of measuring the equity has been concerned with only relative distribution of income, while it keeps a vast meaning like property, opportunity and capability; and avoids discrimination on any ground [9].

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nature [13].

**3. Glimpses of the tragedy**

<sup>3</sup> *World Health Organization, 2002*. World Disaster Report.

*Question of Livelihood in the Light of Disaster: With Special Reference to Flood of Bahraich, India*

Hence, the term 'livelihood' does not merely denote the issue of employment or source of income, but the entire construction of a community viz., polity, society, culture, economy, wherein people live for centuries, comes under the

**Disaster**: The disaster is a natural phenomenon or just a deleterious consequence of human's unnecessary intervention in the natural world, which is a controversial debate across the world. Difficult to conclude that this is an 'act of God' or the human's self-made tragedy, but cannot be denied the fact that modern technological advancement has multiplied the intensity and consistent occurrence of the disaster. The term 'disaster' is derived from astrological science and has been understudies for more than one century, but in terms of its specific academic studies, it has expanded since the 1950s [11]. To formulate the term, the World Health Organization on Emergency and Humanitarian Action (EHA) states that a disaster is an occurrence a level of suffering that exceeds the capacity of adjustment

holds the view as "a disaster is a situation or event which overwhelms local capacity, necessitating a request to a national or international level for external assistance, an unforeseen and often sudden event that causes great damages, destruction and human suffering" [11]. Similarly, "disaster is seen as a process leading to an event that involves a combination of a potentially destructive agent from the natural or technological sphere and a population in a socially produced condition of vulnerability" [12]. There is no major dispute on the character of disaster as 'massive human suffering', but has big dissension over it is either 'man-made' or the 'revenge of god'. Of course, nature naturally generates a number of disasters like cyclones, earthquakes, floods, famine and many more, but the role of modern science and technology should not be overlooked that has escalated the pace of disaster [1]. For instance, the flood of Uttarakhand in 2013, and the Kosi flood of Bihar in 2008 are basically the consequences of unnecessary human encroachment in the domain of

The history of flooding in the region goes back in the deep past. In the known history the region has been gravely affected by flooding from 1922 to 1925. 1946, 1954, 1955, 1960, 1961 and 1963 were also the year of flooding, but the flooding of 1969 was much more devastative than previous years. 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983 were also the year of tragedy. In the year of 1983, the sudden release of water from Girija Bairaj of Nepal caused severe damage to the region, while this was not the year of heavy rainfall. Hundreds of people died due to the sudden release of water without any prior information. 1986, 87 and 1988 were not untouched by the flood. In the year 1990 flood-affected a few pockets of the region. In the year 1991, there was no flood, but the Ghaghara river induced soil erosion. Again, in the year 1992 floods made a catastrophe. In the year 1993, it broke the previous records. The

. The Centre on the Epidemiology of Disaster, Brussels

**Sustainability**: there is a prosperous series of intellectual criticism on the developmental model in which production, employment, and poverty reduction are a key concern. It claims that this is mainly made for the welfare of the capitalism and market, and lesser responsible towards the people of the rural and marginalized communities. In recent decades, the developmental model moved to the diverse framework of the society and inclined towards the social, cultural and political field

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.95287*

of the communities [9].

periphery of 'livelihood'.

of the affected community3

*Question of Livelihood in the Light of Disaster: With Special Reference to Flood of Bahraich, India DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.95287*

**Sustainability**: there is a prosperous series of intellectual criticism on the developmental model in which production, employment, and poverty reduction are a key concern. It claims that this is mainly made for the welfare of the capitalism and market, and lesser responsible towards the people of the rural and marginalized communities. In recent decades, the developmental model moved to the diverse framework of the society and inclined towards the social, cultural and political field of the communities [9].

Hence, the term 'livelihood' does not merely denote the issue of employment or source of income, but the entire construction of a community viz., polity, society, culture, economy, wherein people live for centuries, comes under the periphery of 'livelihood'.

**Disaster**: The disaster is a natural phenomenon or just a deleterious consequence of human's unnecessary intervention in the natural world, which is a controversial debate across the world. Difficult to conclude that this is an 'act of God' or the human's self-made tragedy, but cannot be denied the fact that modern technological advancement has multiplied the intensity and consistent occurrence of the disaster. The term 'disaster' is derived from astrological science and has been understudies for more than one century, but in terms of its specific academic studies, it has expanded since the 1950s [11]. To formulate the term, the World Health Organization on Emergency and Humanitarian Action (EHA) states that a disaster is an occurrence a level of suffering that exceeds the capacity of adjustment of the affected community3 . The Centre on the Epidemiology of Disaster, Brussels holds the view as "a disaster is a situation or event which overwhelms local capacity, necessitating a request to a national or international level for external assistance, an unforeseen and often sudden event that causes great damages, destruction and human suffering" [11]. Similarly, "disaster is seen as a process leading to an event that involves a combination of a potentially destructive agent from the natural or technological sphere and a population in a socially produced condition of vulnerability" [12]. There is no major dispute on the character of disaster as 'massive human suffering', but has big dissension over it is either 'man-made' or the 'revenge of god'. Of course, nature naturally generates a number of disasters like cyclones, earthquakes, floods, famine and many more, but the role of modern science and technology should not be overlooked that has escalated the pace of disaster [1]. For instance, the flood of Uttarakhand in 2013, and the Kosi flood of Bihar in 2008 are basically the consequences of unnecessary human encroachment in the domain of nature [13].
