Household and governmental perceptions of risk: implications for the appropriateness of housing provision in South India

Disasters are increasing, affecting more people globally and imposing larger economic losses for affected areas. Typically, the poorest and most marginalised members of society are disproportionately affected by such events, impinging upon their ability to cope with everyday life and improve their socio-economic status. The outputs from a three-year project in Andhra Pradesh are presented, providing a context specific, but nonetheless important, insight into how risk perceptions can have an impact upon local development. By assessing the disparities between existing risks and the risk perceptions of householders, government and non-governmental officials, evidence is provided that questions the day-to-day suitability of the risk responses. The case study highlights limited risk management strategies due to inadequate availability of insurance cover in the villages while ultimately illustrating the pitfalls of ill-conceived and overly technocratic approaches to housing development.