Creating Resilient Community in Disaster Prone Geographies: Should AAGAAS Turn For-profit or Remain Not-for-profit?

It was a dark and rainy morning on June 16, 2013. Jagadamba Prasad Maithani (Maithani), chairperson and founder of Alaknanda Ghaati Shilpi Federation (AAGAAS), was in his house in Dehradun, reading the newspaper. The weather forecast for the region was heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next 48 hours. The pre-monsoon showers had started on the night of June 10, 2013, and had continued till the morning of June 11, 2013, bringing down temperatures. The rains had brought a welcome respite from the hot and humid weather conditions that had prevailed in the region for several days. However, now, after two days of incessant rains, Maithani felt restless and uneasy. Just then, his phone rang. It was Jaswant Negi (Negi), his associate, calling from the Pipalkoti office of AAGAAS, located some 250 km away from Dehradun. Negi’s voice was thick with fear. And as Negi’s words sank in, Maithani too stood horrified, clutching his phone. Negi told him that the torrential rains had caused flooding and widespread devastation in Kedarnath valley. With the tourist season in full swing, the situation had become all the more alarming. The people had been caught unawares in the absence of any strong weather warning by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). Maithani immediately switched on the television.