Disaster management

For ICAR IARI Technician exam

–
Disaster Management in India

By AMIT VARIDHI KILHOR

 . 2.1. Background
Disaster Management in India
2.2. National Disaster Management
Act, 2005

2.3. National Policy on Disaster

Management, 2009

2.4. The National Disaster

Management Plan, 2016

2.5. Disaster Management Cycle in

India
–Disaster management in India has
evolved from an activity-based reactive
setup to a proactive institutionalized
structure and from a relief-based
approach to a ‘multi-dimensional pro-
active holistic approach for reducing risk.
–The Tenth Five-Year Plan document also
had, for the first time, a detailed chapter
on Disaster Management.
–Paradigm Shift in Disaster Management On 23rd
December 2005, the Government of India (GoI) enacted
the Disaster Management Act, 2005, which envisaged
the creation of the National Disaster Management
Authority (NDMA), State Disaster Management
Authorities (SDMAs) and District Disaster Management
Authorities (DDMAs), to adopt a holistic and integrated
approach to Disaster Management.
–This acted as a paradigm shift, from the erstwhile relief-
centric response to a proactive prevention, mitigation
and preparedness-driven approach to minimise loss of
life, livelihood and property
–National Disaster Management Act, 2005 The
National Disaster Management Act, 2005 lays
down institutional, legal, financial and coordination
mechanisms at the National, State, District and
Local levels.
–The Act provides for the setting up of NDMA at
national level, and, the SDMA at the state level
and the DDMAs at the district level.
– The primary responsibility for management of
disaster rests with the State Government
Institutional Framework at National Level
Disaster Management Division, Ministry of
Home Affairs:
The overall coordination of disaster
management vests with the Ministry of Home
Affairs (MHA).
The Disaster Management Division is
responsible for response, relief and
preparedness for natural calamities and
manmade disasters (except drought and
National Executive Committee
It acts as the coordinating and monitoring body for
disaster management.
It is chaired by the Union Home Secretary and
comprises of Secretary level officers from the
Ministries and departments having control of
agriculture, atomic energy, defence, drinking water
supply, environment and forests, finance
(expenditure), health, power, rural development,
science and technology, space, telecommunications,
urban development and water resources.
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) and the National Crisis Management
Committee (NCMC) are the key committees involved in the top-level decision-
making with regard to disaster management.

Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) The CCS deals with issues related to
defence of the country, law and order, and internal security, policy matters
concerning foreign affairs that have internal or external security implications, and
economic and political issues impinging on national security. CCS will be
involved in the decision making if the disaster has serious security implications.
National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) The NCMC deals with major
crises that have serious or national ramifications. These include incidents such
as those requiring close involvement of the security forces and/or intelligence
agencies such as terrorism (counter-insurgency), law and order situations, serial
bomb blasts, hijacking, air accidents, CBRN, weapon systems, mine disasters,
port and harbour emergencies, forest fires, oilfield fires, and oil spills.
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
The NDMA, is the apex body for disaster management, which
has the responsibility for laying down the policies, plans, and
guidelines for disaster management. The guidelines of NDMA
assist the Central Ministries, Departments, and States to
formulate their respective Disaster Management (DM) plans.
The NDMA has the mandate to deal with all types of disasters
– natural or human-induced.
• It approves the National Disaster Management Plans and
plans of the Central Ministries / Departments.
• The general superintendence, direction, and control of the
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are vested in and
are exercised by the NDMA. •
The National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) works within
the framework of broad policies and guidelines laid down by the
NDMA.
• NDMA has the power to authorise the Departments or authorities,
to make emergency procurement of materials for rescue and relief
in a threatening disaster situation or disaster.
• It takes such other measures, as it may consider necessary, for the
prevention of disasters, or mitigation, or preparedness and capacity
building, for dealing with a threatening disaster situation or disaster.
• It oversees the provision and application of funds for mitigation
and preparedness measures.
Other emergencies such as terrorism (counter-
insurgency), law and order situations, hijacking, air
accidents, CBRN (Chemical, biological,
radiological and nuclear) weapon systems, which
require the close involvement of the security
forces and/or intelligence agencies, and other
incidents such as mine disasters, port and harbour
emergencies, forest fires, oilfield fires and oil spills
are handled by the National Crisis Management
Committee (NCMC).
– NDMA Advisory Committee
– The 15-member Advisory Committee under NDMA consists of experts
from various areas of Disaster Management and allied disciplines and
has representatives from academia, governments, Non-Governmental
Organisations (NGOs) and civil society members.
– National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM)
– The National Institute of Disaster Management is the nodal agency
responsible for human resource development, capacity building,
training, research, documentation and policy advocacy in the field of
disaster management. • The NIDM has built strategic partnerships with
various ministries and departments of the central, state, and local
governments, academic, research and technical organizations in India
and abroad and other bi-lateral and multi-lateral international
agencies. • It provides technical support to the state governments
through the Disaster Management Centres (DMCs) in the
Administrative Training Institutes (ATIs) of the States and Union
Territories
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)
The NDRF is a specialist response force that
can be deployed in a threatening disaster
situation or disaster. The general
superintendence, direction and control of this
force is vested in and exercised by the NDMA
and the command and supervision of the Force
vests in the Director General of National
Disaster Response Force.
At present, National Disaster Response Force
consist of 16 battalions from the BSF, CISF,
CRPF, ITBP, SSB and Assam Rifles.. Each
battalion has 18 self-contained specialist search
and rescue teams of 45 personnel each
including engineers, technicians, electricians,
dog squads and medical/paramedics. At
present, each Battalion consists of 1149
personnel.
–The first major test of disaster for NDRF was Kosi
Floods in 2008. The situation was handled by the
NDRF on a war footing by sending flood rescue
trained to the five flood affected districts with utmost
promptitude. As a result, over 1,00,000 affected
people were rescued during the initial stage itself.
–In the 2015 earthquake in Nepal (magnitude 7.8)
India’s National Disaster Response Force made the
headlines by capitalizing the golden hours’ rule of
disaster management by being the first on the
ground
Institutional Framework at State
Level
As per the DM Act of 2005, each state in India
shall have its own institutional framework for
disaster management and shall prepare its own
Disaster Management Plan. The DM Act,
mandates that each State Government shall
take necessary steps for integration of
measures for prevention of disasters or
mitigation into state development plans,
allocation of funds, and establish Early Warning
Systems
The DM Act, 2005 mandates the setting of a
State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA)
with the Chief Minister as the ex officio
Chairperson. Similar system will function in
each Union Territory with Lieutenant Governor
as the Chairperson
– State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA)
– As per the DM Act, each State Government shall establish a State Disaster Management Authority
(SDMA) with the Chief Minister as the Chairperson. In case of other UTs, the Lieutenant Governor
or the Administrator shall be the Chairperson of that Authority. For the UT of Delhi, the Lieutenant
Governor and the Chief Minister shall be the Chairperson and ViceChairperson respectively of the
State Authority.
– Responsibilities of the SDMA include:
– ▪ It lays down policies and plans for Disaster Management in the State.
– ▪ It approves the State DM Plan in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the NDMA.
– ▪ It coordinates the implementation of the state disaster management plan and recommends
provision of funds for mitigation and preparedness measures.
– ▪ It reviews the developmental plans of the different departments of the State to ensure the
integration of prevention, preparedness and mitigation measures.
– State Executive Committee
– The State Governments constitute a State Executive Committee (SEC), headed by the Chief
Secretary, to assist the SDMA in the performance of its functions. The SEC will coordinate and
monitor the implementation of the National Policy, the National Plan, and the State Plans for
disaster management. It will also provide information to the NDMA relating to different aspects of
disaster management.
– . Institutional Framework at District Level
– District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA)
– At the district level, District Disaster Management Authority
(DDMA), headed by the District Collector/District Magistrate, is
responsible for overall coordination of the disaster management
efforts and planning.
– • As per provisions of the Act, each State Government establishes
a District Disaster Management Authority for every district in the
State.
– • The DDMA is headed by the District Collector with the elected
representative of the local authority as the Co-Chairperson. •
– The State Government appoints an officer not below the rank of
Additional Collector/Additional District Magistrate of the district to
be the Chief Executive Officer of the District Disaster Management
Authority
–Local Authorities Panchayati Raj Institutions
(PRI), Municipalities, District and Cantonment
Boards, and Town Planning Authorities, which
control and manage civic services ensure
capacity building of their employees for
managing disasters, carrying out relief,
rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in
the affected areas. They also prepare their
disaster management plans as per the
national and state guidelines.
Disaster
Management Cycle in
India
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