Disaster Management in India
Introduction
India has been generally helpless against devastating events by virtue of its exceptional geo-climatic conditions. Floods, draughts, Cyclones, earthquakes and land-slides have been intermittent wonders. At around 60% of the landmass is inclined to seismic earthquakes of different magnitudes, more than 40 million hectares is prone to floods, and nearly 8% of the absolute region is exposed to cyclones and 68% of the space is defenseless to dry spell. In the decade 1990–2000, a normal of around 4344 individuals lost their lives and around 30 million individuals were influenced by debacles consistently. The misfortune as far as private, local area and public resources have been enormous.
Earlier, the approach to Disaster Management has been primarily reactive and relief centric. A paradigm shift has now taken place at the national level from the erstwhile response centric approach to holistic and integrated management of disasters with emphasis on prevention, mitigation and preparedness. These efforts are aimed to conserve developmental gains and also minimize losses to lives, livelihood and property. Prevention and mitigation contribute to lasting improvement in safety.
Initiatives in Disaster Management
Project on the deployment of Mobile Radiation Detection Systems (MRDS) to handle Radiological Hazards in metro cities, different state capitals, cities under in smart cities of India, to detect unclaimed radioactive materials and substances to save the citizens from the hazardous effects, NDMA has chalked out a plan to provide the states and the union territories. Mobile Radiation Detection Systems are to be deployed in metro cities, different state capitals, cities under smart cities of India and also train personnel as ‘Trainer of Trainers’.
Landslide Risk Mitigation Scheme (LRMS): This scheme envisages financial support for site-specific Landslide Mitigation Projects recommended by landslide-prone states, covering “disaster prevention strategy, disaster mitigation and R & D in the monitoring of critical Landslides” thereby leading to the development of Early Warning System and Capacity Building initiatives. This scheme is under preparation.
Figure 2. A recent landslide occurred in a village in the state of Himachal-Pradesh
Flood Risk Mitigation Scheme (FRMS): This scheme covers activities like
a) Pilot Projects for the development of model Multi-Purpose Flood Shelters and
b) Development of River Basin specific Flood Early Warning System and Digital Elevation Maps for preparation of Inundation Models for giving early warning to the villagers for evacuation in case of a flood.
Under this scheme, financial support is to be provided to the Flood prone states for undertaking pilot schemes in respect of the above two activities. This scheme is also under preparation.
Figure 2. Flooding in a village in the state of Maharashtra
Earthquake Risk Mitigation Project (ERMP): The government of India has approved an amount of Rs. 24.87 crore for the National Earthquake Risk Mitigation. This sponsored plan scheme was initiated in a period of two years in 2013–15. The technical and legal regime involves adoption, enforcement and updates in the concerned cities. Institutional strengthening involves the capacity building of education and research in colleges and institutes. The practicing architects, engineers and masons are instructed to follow the advanced techniques and methods, while executing the construction in order to make the structure earthquake-resistant.
This scheme also takes care of public awareness & sensitization at the national level and all vulnerable States. This project was proposed to be implemented by NDMA in coordination with the State Governments and Union Territories that lies in seismic zones IV & V in the country.
Seismic Vulnerability Assessment of Building Types in India
The work for preparing the guidelines for different types of building in various parts of the country and their vulnerability has been assigned to IIT Bombay in association with four different nodal institutions in different parts of the country viz, (1) IIT Roorkee — North Zone, (2) IIT Kharagpur-East Zone, (3) IIT Guwahati-North East Region, (4) IIT Bombay-West Zone, and (5) IIT Madras-South Zone. IIT, Bombay has prepared a Draft Final Report. For the Preparation of Upgraded earthquake Hazards Maps, as per the recommendations of the Working Committee of Experts (Geophysical-Hazards), NDMA has undertaken a project through the Building Materials Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC) for the upgrade of Earthquake Hazards Maps for the country.
Project on Research on soil piping in the highlands and foothills of Kerala to avoid the disaster
Soil piping is a recently noticed phenomenon in Kerala. It is a subsurface soil erosion process which is a dangerous disaster since the soil erosion takes place beneath the soil. This phenomenon is new and requires proper instrumentation for studying this and suggesting measures for mitigation. The Government of Kerala through the Center for Earth Science Studies (CESS) with financial assistance from NDMA is undertaking a Soil Piping Project to study this phenomenon and suggest measures to avoid a disaster.
Early warning systems to avoid the disaster
Early Warning System for flash flood in the rivers Meenachil & Manimala in the state of Kerala: NDMA is financing the proposal of Mission for Geospatial Applications (MGA), Department of Science and Technology for River Monitoring, Modeling and development of Early Warning System for monitoring of Flash Flood in the Meenachil and Manimala river basins in Kerala for Disaster Management Department, Government of Kerala.
A Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for Landslide Mitigation and Management in India has been constituted by the Ministry of Mines on the initiative of NDMA and as per recommendations of NDMA Guidelines on Management of Landslide and Snow Avalanches (2009).
For flood protection, NDMA is coordinating with the Ministry of Water Resources, Central Water Commissions and Survey of India for steering and approval of a project for River Bathymetric Survey and preparation of Digital Elevation Models which will be funded by the Ministry of Water Resources.
Conclusion
Practically disaster management is nothing but preparedness to face any kind of natural or man-made disaster without panic. Disaster management makes a person cautious and alert. A person who can handle the situation and save the lives of the affected ensuring his or her own safety first. Disaster management can make a huge difference in life-saving and recovering from the damages caused in a disciplined and systematic approach.
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