Discuss the recent measures initiated in disaster management by the Government of India departing from the earlier reactive approach. (UPSC IAS Mains 2020 General Studies Paper – 3)
A disaster is a result of natural or man-made causes that leads to sudden disruption of normal life, causing severe damage to life and property to an extent that the available social and economic protection mechanisms are inadequate to cope. Disaster in India is managed under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
Recent measures in disaster management are a departure from the erstwhile reactive approach wherein authorities acted after a disaster had ocuured. Such an approach used to focus entirely on rescue, rehabilitation and reconstruction. But recent measures, inter alia, also focus on preparedness, mitigation and adaptation.
Recent measures initiated in the disaster management:
- 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 the Building Materials & Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC) has prepared Upgraded Earthquake Hazard Maps and Atlases for the country for better planning and policies.
- The Aapda Mitra 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 a 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 the public from its hazardous effects.
- The Disaster Management Act (DMA) 2005 was invoked by the government to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nevertheless, in India, disaster management is yet to be seen as integral to development planning. The preparedness at various levels is not people-oriented. India’s capacity to manage disaster risk is challenged by its size and huge population. A scientifically planned adaptation is needed, which will require the government support.
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