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Disaster management involves addressing the impact of hazards through comprehensive strategies. India faces significant vulnerability due to its diverse geography and socio-economic conditions, necessitating robust disaster management measures. International agreements like the Sendai Framework emphasize disaster risk reduction and resilience-building. Disaster-resilient infrastructure, exemplified by the Coalition for Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), plays a crucial role. India's national framework comprises legislative Acts, policies, and plans, emphasizing coordination, preparedness, and community engagement. Continued efforts in risk assessment, capacity building, and technology integration are vital for enhancing disaster resilience in India.
CDRI stands for Coalition for Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure. It is a platform launched by India to promote disaster-resilient infrastructure development globally.
NCMC, or the National Crisis Management Committee, is responsible for dealing with major crises of national significance in India, coordinating efforts among central ministries and state governments.
The Hyogo Framework primarily focused on minimizing disaster losses, while the Sendai Framework emphasizes reducing the size of disasters by focusing on disaster risk reduction.
The four pillars of the Sendai Framework are Understanding Disaster Risk, Strengthening Disaster Risk Governance, Investing in Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilience, and Enhancing Disaster Preparedness.
India, with its diverse geography and climate patterns, is highly prone to various natural and man-made disasters. From earthquakes to floods, cyclones to industrial accidents, the country faces a myriad of challenges in disaster management. India has made significant strides in disaster management over the years. The Disaster Management Act of 2005 laid the foundation for a comprehensive approach to disaster management in the country. Effective disaster management involves a coordinated effort between government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), communities, and other stakeholders.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority, a disaster is characterized as a catastrophe, mishap, calamity, or grave occurrence arising from natural or man-made causes, accidents, or negligence. It results in substantial loss of life, human suffering, damage to property, or degradation of the environment, overwhelming the coping capacity of the affected community. A disaster results from the combination of hazard, vulnerability, and insufficient capacity or measures to reduce the potential chances of risk.
Understanding Vulnerability: Vulnerability refers to the extent to which a community, structure, services, or geographic area is likely to be damaged or disrupted by the impact of a particular hazard. This vulnerability is influenced by factors such as the nature of the community or structures and their proximity to hazardous terrains or disaster-prone areas.
Based on the extent of vulnerability, areas can be rated from low to high for quicker perception. These ratings are determined by the area's susceptibility and resilience.
A hazard is defined as a dangerous situation which, if not managed effectively, can lead to a disaster. While a hazard represents a potential threat, a disaster is the actual occurrence of an event resulting in severe damage or disruption.
Natural Disasters:
Natural disasters result from natural processes of the Earth, such as earthquakes, cyclones, landslides, floods, and droughts.
Man-made Disasters:
Man-made disasters, on the other hand, are primarily caused by human activities. These include fires, accidents (road, rail, or air), industrial accidents, epidemics, and other incidents resulting from human actions or negligence.
India exhibits significant vulnerability to both natural and human-made disasters due to its unique geo-climatic and socio-economic conditions.
In 2015, the Government of India (GoI) embraced three pivotal international agreements with significant implications for disaster management:
Definition of Disaster Risk:
Disaster risk refers to the potential losses—in terms of lives, health status, livelihoods, assets, and services—that could occur to a particular community or society over a specified future time period due to a disaster.
Components of Disaster Risk:
Disaster risk is determined by multiple factors:
Formula for Disaster Risk:
Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) endeavors to diminish the harm caused by natural hazards such as earthquakes, floods, droughts, and cyclones through a proactive approach centered on prevention.
Key Points:
Objectives of DRR:
Components of DRR:
The Disaster management cycle is divided into 3 stages - Pre-disaster stage, during sisaster and Post-disaster stage. There are 4 phases that are included in theses 3 stages - Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery.
The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, spanning from 2015 to 2030, marks the first major agreement of the post-2015 development agenda of the United Nations (UN). It outlines seven targets and four priorities for action.
Key Points:
Aim of the Sendai Framework:
The primary objective of the Sendai Framework is to achieve "the substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods, health, and in the economic, physical, social, cultural, and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities, and countries."
Priority 1: Understanding Disaster Risk
Priority 2: Strengthening Disaster Risk Governance
Priority 3: Investing in Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilience
Priority 4: Enhancing Disaster Preparedness
Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (DRI) refers to infrastructure that is designed and constructed to withstand the impacts of disasters, minimizing damage and ensuring continuity of essential services during and after adverse events.
Background:
The Coalition for Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) was launched by India at the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit in New York, USA, on 23 September 2019.
Key Points:
The Prime Minister's 10-Point Agenda for Disaster Risk Reduction was outlined during the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) held in New Delhi in November 2016. It was designed to inject a sense of urgency into the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR). This comprehensive agenda adopts a holistic approach to disaster risk management, covering various sectors and issues.
The Disaster Management Act of 2005, enacted by the Government of India on 23 December 2005, established a comprehensive framework for disaster management in the country. Here are the key components:
The Act emphasizes coordination, planning, and response capabilities at various levels of government to effectively manage disasters and mitigate their impact on communities. It also underscores the importance of capacity building, training, and research to enhance preparedness and response efforts nationwide.
The National Policy on Disaster Management, formulated in 2009, aims to build a safe and disaster-resilient India through a proactive, multi-disaster, and technology-driven approach. Here are the key points:
The National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) of 2019 represents an improvement over its predecessor, the NDMP of 2016. It serves as a comprehensive framework and guide for government agencies across all phases of the disaster management cycle. The NDMP is structured around five main pillars:
Disaster management in India is a complex and multifaceted challenge that requires a coordinated and multi-stakeholder approach. While significant progress has been made in recent years, there is still much work to be done to strengthen preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. By investing in risk assessment, community engagement, infrastructure development, early warning systems, capacity building, and technology integration, India can build resilience and reduce the impact of disasters on its people and infrastructure.
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