Elaborate and enumerate the framework of Disaster Management and initiatives taken in that regard in India respectively.
Disaster management refers to a systematic and strategic approach aimed at safeguarding critical infrastructure from potential damages resulting from natural or human-made calamities and catastrophic events. It involves a continuous and integrated process that includes planning, organizing, coordinating, and implementing measures to prevent, reduce, and respond to potential disasters.
Organisations related to Disaster Management Framework at Global level
- In 1994 the World Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction was held in Yokohama, Japan.
- The conference adopted the Yokohama strategy and declared the decade 1990-2000 as the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR).
- United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) is the successor to the secretariat of IDNDR and was created in 1999 to implement UN Disaster Risk Reduction strategy.
- The Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) is a 10-year plan (2005-2015) to make the world safer from natural hazards. Priorities such as, Disaster risk reduction, identification, assessment through legal and policy frameworks, disaster preparedness and use of innovation was adopted.
- The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, is the successor instrument to the Hyogo Framework. It is a non-binding agreement, which the signatory nations, including India, will attempt to comply with on a voluntary basis.
- There are three international agreements within the context of the post- 2015 development agenda. These are:
- The Sendai Framework.
- Sustainable Development Goals 2015-2030
- The Paris agreement (COP 21) on Climate Change.
Institutions related to Disaster Management Framework in India:
National Disaster Management Authority of India (NDMA)
- It was established in 2005, under the Disaster Management Act 2005.
- The objective of NDMA is, to build a safer and disaster resilient India by a holistic, proactive, technology driven and sustainable development strategy.
- The NDMA is chaired by the Prime Minister of India and has a vice chairman with the status of Cabinet Minister and eight members with the status of Ministers of State.
- The NDMA Secretariat is headed by a Secretary and deals with mitigation, preparedness, plans, reconstruction, community awareness and financial and administrative aspects.
National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP)
- It was released in 2016, it is the first ever national plan prepared in the country for disaster management.
- With National Disaster Management Plan (2016) India has aligned its National plan with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, to which India is a signatory.
- The objective of the plan is to make India disaster resilient, achieve substantial disaster risk reduction. It aims to significantly decrease the losses of life, livelihoods, and assets in terms of economic, physical, social, cultural, and environmental. To maximize the ability to cope with disasters at all levels of administration as well as among communities.
State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA)
- At State level, State Disaster Management Authorities are established under Disaster Management Act 2005.
- SDMA is chaired by the Chief Minister of the State and has not more than eight members who are appointed by the Chief Minister.
- The SDMA prepares the state disaster management plan and implements the National Disaster Management Plan.
District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA)
- Under Disaster Management Act 2005, every State government shall establish a DDMA for every district in the State.
- The DDM Authority shall consist of:
- Chairperson – the Collector or District Magistrate or Deputy Commissioner act as Chairperson of DDMA.
- Co-Chairperson – is the elected representative of the local authority. In the Tribal Areas, the Chief Executive Member of the district council of autonomous district is the co-chairperson.
- There are not more than seven other members in DDMA.
- The Disaster Management Committee governed under District Magistrate will formulate village level disaster management plans for concern villages.
- The DDMA makes District Disaster Management Plan and implements the state Disaster Management Plan.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF):
It has been constituted by up-gradation/conversion of eight standard battalions of Central Para Military Forces to build them up as a specialist force to respond to disaster or disaster-like situations.
State Disaster Response Force (SDRF):
- The response of SDRFs to disasters follows the model of NDRF’s Civil Defence.
- The Civil Defence Act of 1968 was amended in 2010 to align with the requirements of disaster management.
- At the UN Climate Action Summit in 2019, India launched CDRI (Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure) – a global partnership involving nations, UN agencies, multilateral development banks, and the private sector.
Objective: To promote the resilience of infrastructure systems against climate and disaster risks, ensuring sustainable development.
Other Disaster Management initiatives in India:
- India is a signatory to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and is committed to achieve the priorities and objectives through systematic and institutional efforts.
- India is one of the participating countries and works closely with the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR).
- National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) defines the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders including Central Ministries/ Departments, State Governments, UT Administrations, District Authorities and local self Governments.
- Primary responsibility of disaster management rests with the States. The Central Government conducts regular mock drill, community training and awareness programme to prepare the civilian populations for disasters.
- National Disaster Management Services (NDMS) was conceived by NDMA during 2015-16 for setting up of Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) Network connecting MHA, NDMA, NDRF etc. to provide the failsafe communication infrastructure and technical support for Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) operations across the country.
- NDMA has taken an initiative on Earthquake Disaster Risk Indexing (EDRI) for 50 important cities and 1 District in Seismic Zone IV & V areas.
- NDMA through Building Materials & Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC) has prepared Upgraded Earthquake Hazard Maps and Atlases for the country for better planning and policies.
- Leveraging the technology of geographic information system (GIS), NDMA have taken up a project for disaster risk management by establishing GIS Server and creation of database to integrate data obtained from various stakeholders to increase disaster preparedness, mitigation, damage assessment, response and relief management efforts.
- Under the National School Safety Programme (NSSP), 8600 schools (with 200 schools in 43 districts in 22 States/UTs falling seismic zones IV and V) have been selected for providing training on school safety and disaster preparedness.
- The Aapdamitra scheme of NDMA has provision for training 6000 community volunteers in disaster response in 30 most flood prone districts (200 volunteers per district) in 25 States.
- The government has set up National Crisis Management Committee and Crisis Management Group.
- The state governments have set up state crisis management groups headed by chief secretaries, institutes of relief commissioners and state/district contingency plans.
- The disaster management policy of the government stresses on forecasting and warning using advanced technologies, contingency agricultural planning to ensure availability of food grains, and preparedness and mitigation through specific programmes.
- Project on deployment of Mobile Radiation Detection Systems (MRDS) to handle Radiological Hazards in Metros/Capital Cities/Big Cities in India to detect unclaimed radioactive materials/substances and save public from its hazardous effects.
- Landslide Risk Mitigation Scheme (LRMS) envisages financial support for site specific Landslide Mitigation Projects recommended by landslide prone States, covering disaster prevention strategy, disaster mitigation and R&D in monitoring of critical Landslides thereby leading to the development of Early Warning System and Capacity Building initiatives.
Challenges still pertaining related to disaster management:
- Lack of disaster-resilient infrastructure
- Lack of Coordination
- Lack of early warning systems
- Neglecting unnatural disasters
- Undefined role of local bodies and private sector
Way forward:
To achieve our maximum potential of disaster resilience, following principles are ought to be implemented:
- Prioritising Disaster Risk Management as a policy measure
- Political commitment to be built for Disaster Risk management from a multi-disciplinary perspective
- Accountability for losses/ damages due to disasters
- Resource mobilisation for disaster risk reduction measures
- Effective implementation of DRR initiatives
- Community participation
- Gender Sensitivity
News:
India reaffirms commitment to Global Disaster Resilience & Public Health at GPDRR 2025
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