Disaster Management in Disaster Management in IndiaIndia

Past, Present and FuturePast, Present and FutureN. Vinod Chandra MenonN. Vinod Chandra Menon

Member, Member, National Disaster Management Authority National Disaster Management Authority

(NDMA)(NDMA)Government of IndiaGovernment of India

Disasters in IndiaDisasters in India Moving away from the Great Bengal famine Moving away from the Great Bengal famine

of 1769-1770 in which a third of the of 1769-1770 in which a third of the population perished.population perished.

The Chalisa famine of 1783, the Doji Bara or The Chalisa famine of 1783, the Doji Bara or Skull famine of 1790 to 1792, the North West Skull famine of 1790 to 1792, the North West Provinces famine of 1838, the North West Provinces famine of 1838, the North West India Famine of 1861, the Bengal and Orissa India Famine of 1861, the Bengal and Orissa famine of 1866, the Rajputana famine of famine of 1866, the Rajputana famine of 1869, the famine of 1899 to 1901, the 1869, the famine of 1899 to 1901, the Bengal famine of 1943…Bengal famine of 1943…

The drought years of 1965, 1972, 1979, The drought years of 1965, 1972, 1979, 1987, 20021987, 2002

India’s Vulnerability to DisastersIndia’s Vulnerability to Disasters

57% land is vulnerable to earthquakes. Of 57% land is vulnerable to earthquakes. Of these, 12% is vulnerable to severe these, 12% is vulnerable to severe earthquakes.earthquakes.

68% land is vulnerable to drought.68% land is vulnerable to drought. 12% land is vulnerable to floods.12% land is vulnerable to floods. 8% land is vulnerable to cyclones.8% land is vulnerable to cyclones. Apart from natural disasters, some cities in Apart from natural disasters, some cities in

India are also vulnerable to chemical and India are also vulnerable to chemical and industrial disasters and man-made industrial disasters and man-made disasters.disasters.

Seismic Activity in India Seismic Activity in India 180 AD - 2004180 AD - 2004

Distribution of epicenters of earthquakes greater than magnitude 5.0 for the period 1976-2000, South East Asia and

Indian Ocean

Areas of ConcernAreas of Concern

Activating an Early Warning System Activating an Early Warning System network and its close monitoringnetwork and its close monitoring

Mechanisms for integrating the scientific, Mechanisms for integrating the scientific, technological and administrative agencies technological and administrative agencies for effective disaster managementfor effective disaster management

Terrestrial communication links which Terrestrial communication links which collapse in the event of a rapid onset collapse in the event of a rapid onset disasterdisaster

Vulnerability of critical infrastructures Vulnerability of critical infrastructures (power supply, communication, water (power supply, communication, water supply, transport, etc.) to disaster eventssupply, transport, etc.) to disaster events

Areas of ConcernAreas of Concern Funding : Primacy of relief as disaster response.Funding : Primacy of relief as disaster response. Preparedness and Mitigation very often ignored.Preparedness and Mitigation very often ignored. Lack of integrated efforts to collect and compile Lack of integrated efforts to collect and compile

data, information and local knowledge on data, information and local knowledge on disaster history and traditional response disaster history and traditional response patterns.patterns.

Need for standardised efforts in compiling and Need for standardised efforts in compiling and interpreting geo-spatial data, satellite imagery interpreting geo-spatial data, satellite imagery and early warning signals.and early warning signals.

Weak areas continue to be forecasting, Weak areas continue to be forecasting, modelling, risk prediction, simulation and modelling, risk prediction, simulation and scenario analysis, etc.scenario analysis, etc.

Areas of ConcernAreas of Concern Absence of a national level, state level, and Absence of a national level, state level, and

district level directory of experts and district level directory of experts and inventory of resources.inventory of resources.

Absence of a National Disaster Management Absence of a National Disaster Management Plan, and State level and district level disaster Plan, and State level and district level disaster management plans.management plans.

Sustainability of effortsSustainability of efforts Effective Inter Agency Co-ordination and Effective Inter Agency Co-ordination and

Standard Operating Procedures for Standard Operating Procedures for stakeholder groups, especially critical first stakeholder groups, especially critical first responder agencies.responder agencies.

Emergency medicine, critical care medicine, Emergency medicine, critical care medicine, triage, first aidtriage, first aid

Nodal Agencies for Disaster ManagementNodal Agencies for Disaster Management

Floods : Ministry of Water Resources, CWCFloods : Ministry of Water Resources, CWC Cyclones : Indian Meteorological DepartmentCyclones : Indian Meteorological Department1.1. Earthquakes : Indian Meteorological DepartmentEarthquakes : Indian Meteorological Department Epidemics : Ministry of Health and Family WelfareEpidemics : Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Avian Flu: Ministry of Health, Ministry of Avian Flu: Ministry of Health, Ministry of

Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and Animal HusbandryHusbandry

Chemical Disasters : Ministry of Environment and Chemical Disasters : Ministry of Environment and ForestsForests

Industrial Disasters : Ministry of LabourIndustrial Disasters : Ministry of Labour Rail Accidents : Ministry of RailwaysRail Accidents : Ministry of Railways Air Accidents : Ministry of Civil AviationAir Accidents : Ministry of Civil Aviation Fire : Ministry of Home AffairsFire : Ministry of Home Affairs Nuclear Incidents : Department of Atomic EnergyNuclear Incidents : Department of Atomic Energy Mine Disasters : Department of MinesMine Disasters : Department of Mines

Dynamics of DisastersDynamics of Disasters

There is a high probability of a low There is a high probability of a low probability event happening somewhere probability event happening somewhere sometime soon…sometime soon…

The unpredictability of disaster events and The unpredictability of disaster events and the high risk and vulnerability profiles the high risk and vulnerability profiles make it imperative to strengthen disaster make it imperative to strengthen disaster preparedness, mitigation and enforcement preparedness, mitigation and enforcement of guidelines, building codes and of guidelines, building codes and restrictions on construction of buildings in restrictions on construction of buildings in flood-prone areas and storm surge prone flood-prone areas and storm surge prone coastal areas.coastal areas.

New Directions for Disaster New Directions for Disaster Management in IndiaManagement in India

The National Disaster Management The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has been set up as the Authority (NDMA) has been set up as the apex body for Disaster Management in apex body for Disaster Management in India, with the Prime Minister as its India, with the Prime Minister as its Chairman.Chairman.

Disaster Management Authorities will be Disaster Management Authorities will be set up at the State and District Levels to set up at the State and District Levels to be headed by the Chief Ministers and be headed by the Chief Ministers and Collectors/Zilla Parishad Chairmen Collectors/Zilla Parishad Chairmen respectively. respectively.

New Directions for Disaster New Directions for Disaster Management in IndiaManagement in India

A A National Disaster Mitigation FundNational Disaster Mitigation Fund will be will be administerd by NDMA. States and districts will administerd by NDMA. States and districts will administer mitigation funds.administer mitigation funds.

A A National Disaster Response FundNational Disaster Response Fund will be will be administerd by NDMA through the National administerd by NDMA through the National Executive Committee. States and Districts will Executive Committee. States and Districts will administer state Disaster Response Fund and administer state Disaster Response Fund and Disaster Response Fund respectively.Disaster Response Fund respectively.

8 Battalions of 8 Battalions of National Disaster Response ForceNational Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are being trained and deployed with CSSR (NDRF) are being trained and deployed with CSSR and MFR equipments and tools in eight strategic and MFR equipments and tools in eight strategic locations.locations.

A A National Disaster Management PolicyNational Disaster Management Policy and and National Disaster Response PlanNational Disaster Response Plan will also be will also be drawn up.drawn up.

Lessons LearntLessons Learnt Be Prepared : Preparedness and Be Prepared : Preparedness and

Mitigation is bound to yield more Mitigation is bound to yield more effective returns than distributing effective returns than distributing relief after a disaster.relief after a disaster.

Create a Culture of Preparedness and Create a Culture of Preparedness and Prevention.Prevention.

Evolve a code of conduct for all stake-Evolve a code of conduct for all stake-holdersholders

Future DirectionsFuture Directions Encourage and consolidate knowledge Encourage and consolidate knowledge

networksnetworks Mobilise and train disaster volunteers for Mobilise and train disaster volunteers for

more effective preparedness, mitigation and more effective preparedness, mitigation and response (NSS, NCC, Scouts and Guides, response (NSS, NCC, Scouts and Guides, NYK, Civil Defence, Homeguards)NYK, Civil Defence, Homeguards)

Increased capacity building leads to faster Increased capacity building leads to faster vulnerability reduction.vulnerability reduction.

Learn from best practices in disaster Learn from best practices in disaster preparedness, mitigation and disaster preparedness, mitigation and disaster responseresponse

Future DirectionsFuture Directions Mobilising stakeholder participation of Self Help Mobilising stakeholder participation of Self Help

Groups, Women’s Groups, Youth Groups, Panchayati Groups, Women’s Groups, Youth Groups, Panchayati Raj InstitutionsRaj Institutions

Anticipatory Governance: Simulation exercises, Anticipatory Governance: Simulation exercises, Mock drills and Scenario AnalysisMock drills and Scenario Analysis

Indigenous knowledge systems and coping practicesIndigenous knowledge systems and coping practices Living with Risk: Community Based Disaster Risk Living with Risk: Community Based Disaster Risk

ManagementManagement Inclusive, participatory, gender sensitive, child Inclusive, participatory, gender sensitive, child

friendly, eco-friendly and disabled friendly disaster friendly, eco-friendly and disabled friendly disaster managementmanagement

Technology driven but people ownedTechnology driven but people owned Knowledge Management: Documentation and Knowledge Management: Documentation and

dissemination of good practicesdissemination of good practices Public Private PartnershipPublic Private Partnership

Invest in PreparednessInvest in Preparedness

Investments in Preparedness and Investments in Preparedness and Prevention (Mitigation) will yield Prevention (Mitigation) will yield sustainable results, rather than spending sustainable results, rather than spending money on relief after a disaster.money on relief after a disaster.

Most disasters are predictable, especially Most disasters are predictable, especially in their seasonality and the disaster-in their seasonality and the disaster-prone areas which are vulnerable.prone areas which are vulnerable.

Communities must be involved in Communities must be involved in disaster preparedness.disaster preparedness.

Best PracticesBest Practices On 12 November, 1970 a major cyclone hit On 12 November, 1970 a major cyclone hit

the coastal belt of Bangladesh at 223 km/hr. the coastal belt of Bangladesh at 223 km/hr. with a storm surge of six to nine meters with a storm surge of six to nine meters height, killing an estimated height, killing an estimated 500,000500,000 people. people.

Due to the Cyclone Preparedness Program, Due to the Cyclone Preparedness Program, the April 1991 cyclone with wind speed of 225 the April 1991 cyclone with wind speed of 225 km/hr. killed only km/hr. killed only 138,000138,000 people even people even though the coastal population had doubled by though the coastal population had doubled by that time.that time.

In May 1994, in a similar cyclone with a wind In May 1994, in a similar cyclone with a wind speed of 250 km/hr. only speed of 250 km/hr. only 127127 people lost their people lost their lives.lives.

In May 1997, in a cyclone with wind speed of In May 1997, in a cyclone with wind speed of 200 km/hr. only 200 km/hr. only 111 111 people lost their lives.people lost their lives.

New possibilitiesNew possibilities

National Urban Renewal MissionNational Urban Renewal Mission for 70 for 70 cities: recent experience of cities: recent experience of “unprecedented” extreme weather “unprecedented” extreme weather conditions in a few major metros and conditions in a few major metros and megacitiesmegacities

100,000 100,000 Rural Knowledge CentresRural Knowledge Centres ( IT Kiosks): Need for Spatial e-Governance ( IT Kiosks): Need for Spatial e-Governance

for informed decision making in disaster-for informed decision making in disaster-prone areas: before, during and after prone areas: before, during and after disastersdisasters

Academic & ResearchInstitutions

NSDISpatial Information

Electronic Clearing House

NATMO

NDMA

FSI

NRSA

NIC

URBANBODIESBSI

NRDMSNNRMS

GSI

PSUs

GoIMinistries

CGWB

NBSSLUP

Census of India

CPCB

Private Sector

IMD

CWC

ISRO

Dept. of SpaceSOI

Knowledge Networking

BMTPC

NGOsPRIs