Disaster And Disaster Management In India

18-03-2023

Disaster And Disaster Management In India

Introduction

The Disaster Management Act, 2005 defines disaster as “a catastrophe, mishap, calamity or grave occurrence in any area, arising from natural or man-made causes, or by accident or negligence which results in substantial loss of life or human suffering or damage to, and destruction of, property, or damage to, or degradation of, environment, and is of such a nature or magnitude as to be beyond the coping capacity of the community of the affected area”.
A disaster is an extreme disruption of the functioning of a society that causes widespread human, material, or environmental losses that exceed the ability of the affected society to cope with its own resources.
India’s geo-climatic conditions as well as its high degree of socio-economic vulnerability, makes it one of the most disaster prone country in the world.
Disasters are sometimes classified according to whether they are “natural” disasters, or “human-made” disasters. For example, disasters caused by floods, droughts, tidal waves and earth tremors are generally considered “natural disasters.”
Disasters caused by chemical or industrial accidents, environmental pollution, transport accidents and political unrest are classified as “human-made” or “human induced” disasters since they are the direct result of human action.

Vulnerability Profile of India

India has been vulnerable, in varying degrees, to a large number of natural, as well as, human-made disasters on account of its unique geo-climatic and socio-economic conditions. It is highly vulnerable to floods, droughts, cyclones, earthquakes, landslides, avalanches and forest fires. Out of 35 states and union territories in the country, 27 of them are disaster prone.
Almost 58.6 per cent of the landmass is prone to earthquakes of moderate to very high intensity; over 40 million hectares (12 per cent of land) are prone to floods and river erosion; of the 7,516 km long coastline, close to 5,700 km is prone to cyclones and tsunamis; 68 per cent of the cultivable area is vulnerable to drought and hilly areas are at risk from landslides and avalanches.

Hazard Profile of India

India is one of the ten worst disaster prone countries of the world. The country is prone to disasters due to number of factors; both natural and human induced, including adverse geo climatic conditions, topographic features, environmental degradation, population growth, urbanisation, industrialization, non scientific development practices etc.
The natural geological setting of the country is the primary basic reason for its increased vulnerability. The geo-tectonic features of the Himalayan region and adjacent alluvial plains make the region susceptible to earthquakes, landslides, water erosion etc.
The western part of the country, including Rajasthan, Gujarat and some parts of Maharashtra are hit very frequently by drought situation.
The geo tectonic movements going on in the ocean floor make the coastal region prone to tsunami disaster too.

Climate change and disaster

Climate change is expected to increase frequency and intensity of current extreme weather events and give rise to new vulnerabilities with differential spatial and socio-economic impacts on communities.
There is clear evidence that the observed change in surface temperature, rainfall, evaporation and extreme events and climate change is a significant environmental challenge. The main impact of global climate change will be felt due to changes in climate variability and weather extremes.
Observations during the last decade and projections indicate that extreme events i.e. heat waves, cold waves, more floods, more droughts, more intense cyclones and flash floods will increase. Extreme rainfall has substantially increased over large areas, particularly over the west coast and west central India. There is thus an urgent need for a paradigm shift in disaster management, especially under changing climate.

Poverty and disaster vulnerability

Poverty and risk to disasters are inextricably linked and mutually reinforcing. The poor section of the society is worst affected in case of disaster.
The situation further aggravates due to the compulsion of the poor to exploit environmental resources for their survival, increasing the risk and exposure of the society to disasters, in particular those triggered by f lood, drought and landslides.
Poverty also compels the poor to migrate and live at physically more vulnerable locations, often on unsafe land and in unsafe shelters.

Disasters in India

Floods: Twenty-three of the 35 states and union territories in the country are subject to floods and 40 million hectares of land, roughly one-eighth of the country’s geographical area, is prone to floods.
Tropical Cyclones: The major natural disaster that affects the coastal regions of India is cyclone and as India has a coastline of about 7516 kms, it is exposed to nearly 10 percent of the world’s tropical cyclones. About 71 percent of this area is in ten states (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal). The islands of Andaman, Nicobar and Lakshadweep are also prone to cyclones. On an average, about five or six tropical cyclones form in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian sea and hit the coast every year. Out of these, two or three are severe.
Thunderstorm, Hailstorm and Dust Storm: Such hazardous weather affects the central, northeastern, north and northwestern parts of the country. The hailstorm frequencies are highest in the Assam valley, followed by hills of Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Vidarbha, Maharashtra. However, thunderstorms also occur in Kolkata, Delhi, Jaipur and Ahmedabad.
Earthquakes: The Indian sub- continent situated on the boundaries of two continental plates is very prone to earthquakes. Some of the most intense earthquakes of the world have occurred in India. According to latest seismic zoning map brought out by the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS), over 65 percent of the country is prone to earthquake of intensity Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale (MSK) VII or more.
Landslides: Landslides mainly affect the Himalayan region and the western ghats of India. Landslides are also common in the Nilgiri range. It is estimated that 30 percent of the world’s landslides occur in the Himalayas.
Industrial Disasters: Industrial disasters are disasters caused by chemical, mechanical, civil, electrical or other process failures due to accident, negligence or incompetence, in an industrial plant which may spill over to the areas outside the plant or with in causing damage to life, property and environment.
Chemical disaster: Chemical disasters are occurrence of emission, fire or explosion involving one or more hazardous chemicals during industrial activity (handling), storage or transportation or due to natural events leading to serious effects inside or outside the installation likely to cause loss of life and property including adverse effects on the environment.
Epidemics in India: Infectious diseases are a major public health problem in India. While many infectious diseases like tuberculosis and malaria are endemic, some of them occasionally attain epidemic proportion. For example, plague which was not reported from any part of India for almost a quarter of century, caused a major outbreak in Beed district in Maharashtra and Surat in Gujarat in 1994 and resulted in an estimated loss of almost US$ 1.7 billion.

Institutional Framework for DM in India

India Disaster management in India has evolved from an activity-based reactive setup to a proactive institutionalized structure; from single faculty domain to a multi-stakeholder setup; and from a relief-based approach to a ‘multi-dimensional pro-active holistic approach for reducing risk’.
A permanent and institutionalized setup began in the decade of 1990s with set up of a disaster management cell under the Ministry of Agriculture.

Present Structure for Disaster Management in India

In India, the management of disasters is the responsibility of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), which is the primary body for disaster management in the country. The NDMA is responsible for formulating policies, plans, and guidelines for disaster management, and it is also responsible for coordinating with the state governments and other relevant stakeholders in the event of a disaster. The NDMA is supported by various other bodies and agencies, including:

State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) - Each state in India has its own SDMA, which is responsible for managing disasters at the state level. The SDMA works in coordination with the NDMA and other agencies at the national level.
District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) - Each district in India has a DDMAs, which is responsible for managing disasters at the district level. The DDMAs work in coordination with the SDMAs and other relevant stakeholders.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) - The NDRF is a specialized force that is responsible for responding to disasters and providing assistance to the affected population. The NDRF is trained in various disaster response techniques and has the capability to respond to disasters across the country.
Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) - The IMD is responsible for monitoring weather patterns and providing early warnings for natural disasters such as cyclones, floods, and droughts.
National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) - The NRSC is responsible for providing satellite-based information and mapping for disaster management.
National Disaster Management Information System (NDMIS) - The NDMIS is a web-based platform that provides real-time information on disasters and their impact. It is used for coordination among various agencies involved in disaster management.
National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) - The NIDM is responsible for training and capacity building of various stakeholders involved in disaster management.
National Executive Committee (NEC): A National Executive Committee is constituted under Section 8 of DM Act, 2005 to assist the National Authority in the performance of its functions. NEC consists of Home Secretary as its Chairperson, ex-officio, with other Secretaries to the Government of India in the Ministries or Departments having administrative control of the agriculture, atomic energy, defence, drinking water supply, environment and forest, finance (expenditure), health, power, rural development science and technology, space, telecommunication, urban development, water resources. The Chief of Integrated Defence Staff of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, ex-officio, is also its Members.

Disaster Management policies in India

National Policy on Disaster Management, 2009

The Disaster Management Policy of India was first formulated in 2009 with the aim of creating a framework for effective disaster management at all levels in the country. The policy focuses on reducing the impact of disasters and ensuring that the affected communities are provided with immediate relief and assistance.
The key objectives of the policy are:

To minimize the loss of life, property, and damage to the environment caused by disasters.
To ensure timely and effective response to disasters.
To promote a culture of preparedness and resilience among communities.
To strengthen the institutional mechanism for disaster management at all levels.
To promote research and development in the field of disaster management.

The policy recognizes the need for a holistic approach to disaster management, with a focus on prevention, mitigation, and preparedness. It emphasizes the importance of involving all stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society organizations, private sector, and individuals in disaster management efforts.
The policy also lays down the role of various stakeholders in disaster management, including the government, civil society organizations, media, and private sector. It emphasizes the need for capacity building and training of all stakeholders to ensure effective disaster management.

National policy on Disaster Management, 2016

The National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) aims to make India disaster resilient and significantly reduce the loss of lives and assets.
The plan is based on the four priority themes of the “Sendai Framework,” namely: understanding disaster risk, improving disaster risk governance, investing in disaster reduction (through structural and non-structural measures) and disaster preparedness, early warning and building back better in the aftermath of a disaster.

Vision

Make India disaster resilient, achieve substantial disaster risk reduction, and significantly decrease the losses of life, livelihoods, and assets – economic, physical, social, cultural, and environmental – by maximizing the ability to cope with disasters at all levels of administration as well as among communities.

The following is a list of the NDMP's objectives:

To work on comprehension of calamity chance, weaknesses and dangers.
To improve disaster risk governance at every level, from national to local.
To invest in disaster risk reduction for resilience through comprehensive capacity development and structural, non-structural, and financial measures.
To make disaster preparedness better so that we can respond to it well.
To promote "Build Back Better" in rehabilitation, reconstruction, and recovery.
To reduce the risk of disasters and the loss of life, livelihood, health, and assets, including physical, economic, cultural, social, and environmental assets, by preventing disasters.
Increase resilience, prevent new disasters from occurring, and lessen existing disasters.
To encourage the implementation of structural, economic, social, legal, health, cultural, environmental, educational, political, technological, and institutional measures that are inclusive and integrated in order to lessen the risk of exposure to hazards and reduce vulnerability to disasters.
To enable communities and local authorities to manage and lessen the risk of disaster.
To support specialized and logical abilities in every aspect of calamity the executives.
To build capacity for community-based disaster management and effective response to multiple hazards at all levels.
To clarify the roles and responsibilities of the various ministries and departments involved.
To cultivate a culture at all levels of disaster risk mitigation and prevention.
To make it possible for disaster management concerns to be incorporated into planning.

Challenges

Unsafe building practices in rapidly growing urban settlements constitute one of India’s greatest challenges for disaster management. A major earthquake in any of India’s densely and heavily populated cities in seismic zones would be catastrophic in terms of fatalities.
Lack of preparedness: One of the biggest challenges in disaster management in India is the lack of preparedness among communities, government agencies, and other stakeholders. Many people are not aware of the risks and do not have a plan in place for emergencies. In addition, there is a lack of adequate infrastructure, equipment, and trained personnel for disaster management.
Limited resources: India is a developing country with limited resources, and disaster management requires a significant investment in infrastructure, technology, and human resources. The government often faces budget constraints, which limit its ability to invest in disaster management infrastructure and initiatives.
Coordination and cooperation: Effective disaster management requires coordination and cooperation among all stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society organizations, and private sector. However, there is often a lack of coordination and cooperation among these stakeholders, which can lead to delays and inefficiencies in disaster management efforts.
Communication: Communication is a critical element in disaster management, and effective communication can help in saving lives and reducing damage. However, in India, communication infrastructure is often inadequate or damaged during disasters, making it difficult for people to access emergency services and for authorities to coordinate relief efforts.
Impact of Climate change: Climate change is causing an increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, such as floods, droughts, and cyclones, in India. This presents a significant challenge for disaster management in the country, as the government and other stakeholders must adapt to these changing conditions.

Way forward

While significant achievements have been made in post-disaster response and reconstruction, there are still formidable challenges to reducing the risk of future disasters.
Disaster management policies must incorporate programs to protect the most vulnerable segments of society—the poor, marginalized, women, children, disabled, and elderly.
Mechanisms must be designed and adopted for transferring lessons learned for pre- and post-disaster management between communities.
Given that natural disasters do not always follow national boundaries, cross-boundary issues of disaster management should be addressed through enhanced regional cooperation. Furthermore, an effective regional response system should be developed to pool capacity for mutual benefit.
Good governance and responsive administration have to be seen as nonnegotiable features of a dynamic process of effective interface with the communities at risk from the devastating impact of disasters.

Conclusion

Addressing the challenges related to disaster management in India will require a sustained effort and investment from all stakeholders, including the government, civil society organizations, and private sector.

Disaster And Disaster Management In India