Disaster Management: Making Invisible Visible
Disaster Management (DM) came into picture shortly after 2004 tsunami via executive order on May 30, 2005 and later as Disaster Management Act, on 27 September 2006. DM is looked at from three phases:-
1. Pre disaster phase
1. Identification of impact area
2. Preparedness in terms of minimising loss
3. Awareness to allow citizens to prepare
4. Plan of action in case of eventuality
5. Demarcation of responsibilities and authority to avoid chaos and overlapping of command.
1. Disaster phase
1. Prioritising the evacuation offering alternative routes
2. Public relationship building for panic aversion
3. Law & Order maintenance
4. Streamlining the decision making
5. Assessment of damages on real time basis
6. Anticipation of future course of disaster (in order to warn other areas)
7. First responders on continuous patrolling to provide support
1. Post disaster phase
1. Providing immediate rehabilitation and resettlement
2. Preventing any epidemic
3. Maintenance of law & order
4. Decentralising decision making and resource allocation
5. Assessment of damages in terms of life, property, livelihood, social capital and bio diversity
6. Future preparedness by pointing out the lessons learnt
7. Compensation to the destitute
The above mentioned points have many plans of actions within each point. Before I highlight important aspects to be kept in notice, from an administrators point of view, let look into the functioning and jurisdiction of NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority).
NDMA set up as the Apex Body with Honble PM as Chairperson. National Executive Committee (NEC) - Executive Committee of NDMA.
1. At the Centre Central Ministries will Continue with Nodal Responsibilities.
2. State Level, headed by Chief Minister.
1. State Executive Committee (SEC), headed by Chief Secretary, will coordinate and monitor implementation of National Policy, National Plan and State Plan.
3. District Level headed by District Magistrate.
4. Chairperson of Zila Parishad as Co-Chairperson interface between Govt. and Public.
Supporting Institutions
* National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
* National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM).
Basic Duties of NDMA
1. Lay down Policy and Guidelines.
2. Approve National Disaster Management (DM) Plan and DM Plans of Ministries & Departments.
3. Coordinate enforcement and implementation of Disaster policy and plans.
4. Take Measures for Prevention, Mitigation, Preparedness and Capacity Building.
5. Lay down broad policies and guidelines for functioning of the National Institute of Disaster Management.
6. Exercise general superintendence, direction and control of National Disaster response Force.
Let us now look at our first question why human interference is indeed making disasters more disastrous..!! its the usual development activities conducted on the areas which arent either suitable or safe for example the recent Uttrakhand fiasco, coastal Odisha. Well the reason is usual nexus among policy makers and builders and also the low fear of law. There is no doubt the availability of institutional framework like MoE&F, NGT(National Green Tribunal), Central Committees like one for Western Ghats and so on but implementation fails.
Let us see the jurisdiction and framework of NGT to understand that institutional set up is not the core issue. NGT have following special features:-
1. National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 (NGT) is a legislation enacted by the Parliament of India, under constitutional provision of Article 21, which assures the citizens of India the right to a healthy environment.
2. Its birth could be dated back to Rio De Janeiro summit of United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in June 1992,
3. On 18 October 2010, Justice Lokeshwar Singh Panta became its first Chairman. Currently it is chaired by Justice Swatanter Kumar since 20 Dec 2012.
4. The tribunal itself is a special fast-track having powers of civil court.
5. The sanctioned strength of the tribunal is currently 10 expert members and 10 judicial members although the act allows for up to 20 of each. The Chairman of the tribunal is required to be a serving or retired Chief Justice of a High Court or a judge of the Supreme Court of India.
1. The Tribunal has Original Jurisdiction on matters of substantial question relating to environment. The Bill specifies that an application for dispute related to environment can be filled within six months only when first time dispute arose (provide tribunal can accept application after 60 days if it is satisfied that appellant was prevented by sufficient cause from filling the application).
1. Also Tribunal is competent to hear cases for several acts such as Forest (Conservation) Act, Biological Diversity Act, Environment (Protection) Act, Water & Air (Prevention & control of Pollution) Acts etc and also have appellate jurisdiction related to above acts after establishment of Tribunal within a period of 30 days of award or order received by aggrieved party. The Bill says that decision taken by majority of members shall be binding and every order of Tribunal shall be final. However an appeal against order, award of Tribunal shall lie to Supreme Court provided appellant shall make an appeal within 90 days of commencement of award but Supreme Court can entertain appeal even after 90 days if appellant satisfied SC by giving sufficient reasons.
Also green resource becomes important from the point of view of affordability and multi beneficial aspect of it. Like the available green replacement to mitigate disasters are as follows:-
* Afforestation (soil erosion, wind breakers, aquifers refilling, clean air, ecological diversity)
* Geo textiles like coconut coir, jute coir (soil erosion, preventing desertification, dam strengthening, waste management)
* Storage pits acting as check dams (water conservation, flood control, fish harvesting, recreation)
* Plantation agriculture like coconut trees (wind breaker, economic productivity)
* Dunes made up of citys waste like in Delhi (waste management, clean environment, used for afforestation, efficient management of already scarce space, epidemic aversion post disasters)
Tackling disaster mitigation using naturally available resources also becomes crucial because of the tight economic situation of India currently. The surmounting CAD (Current Account Deficit) at 5.3% 2012-13 where target for 2013-14 is 4.8%, which becomes even dangerous when short term debts consist of maximum (70%) share of liabilities accounting to around $172Billion to be paid by march 2014.
NOTE: There has been a decrease in CAD lately because of:-
* Depreciating Rupee has pushed exports
* Demand pull in Europe and US market
* Reforms to woo investment
Such way of mitigating disaster also becomes imperative due to the various social problems prevailing. Few points to be noted in context of social situation are as follows:-
* HDI ranking of India is 136
* 21.9% poor according to Tendulkar committee (Rs 27.5 per day for the rural areas and Rs 33.33 for urban areas)
* According to Global Hunger Index in India the proportion of undernourished is 17.5%, the proportion of underweight children 40% and under-five mortality 6%.
So, the pressure on economic resources is huge and environment has tremendous capacity to share this burden which would benefit multi dimensionally.
It is time to partner with private sector in sharing the work load of DM (disaster management), through CSR (corporate social responsibility) as mandated in Companies Bill 2013. The main provisions are:-
* Every company with net worth of Rs 500 crore or more, or turnover of Rs 1,000 crore or more or a net profit of Rs 5 crore or more during any financial year to constitute a CSR Committee of the Board consisting of three or more directors, of which at least one director shall be an independent director. .
* Least 2% of average net profits are spent on such activity.
* Preference to be given to the local area and areas around the company.
* If a company fails to provide or spend such amount requisite action must be taken.
* Schedule VII of the Companies Bill 2012 prescribes activities that may be included by companies in their CSR policies:
* Eradicating extreme hunger and poverty;
* Promotion of education;
* Promoting gender equality and empowering women
* Reducing child mortality and improving maternal health;
* Combating human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, malaria and other diseases;
* Ensuring environmental sustainability;
* Employment enhancing vocational skills;
* Social business projects;
* Contribution to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund or any other fund set up by the Central Government or the State Governments for socioeconomic development and relief and funds for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, other backward classes, minorities and women.
Along with the use of green resources it is important not to be myopic in vision. Its rightly said that in disaster management, battle is won without it is even fought. What it implies is that one has to be prepared beforehand. For example in the event of earthquake maximum life lost is due to shabby constructions. Despite of guidelines issued by NDMA regarding house and building norms nothing is followed, and rules are bypassed. It is impossible without hand in glove of the administration and local bodies.
Here comes political climate into picture where populist politics strive over development based politics. Political master due to vote bank tends to prefer quantity of construction rather than quality. According to World Bank report it was stated that for every $1 spent on proactive disaster linked infrastructure, $10 are saved in post disaster reconstruction. So its important for policy makers to take serious consideration on pre disaster phase.
Also the authorities need to thoroughly assess the loss, not just in terms of physical and human but also those aspects which are often invisible. Such aspects are like:-
* Livelihood loss
* Social capital loss (study hours, domestic hour, household)
* Soil fertility (salinization, soil division and fertility in India)
* Distress migration (Source:Hindu)
* Law & order fear i.e. psychological dent regarding authorities
Unless we look into disaster from a whole encompassing approach, can the restoration and mitigation work be up to date..!! no it cant be. Disaster brings along with it challenges, hardship, sorrow but most importantly a learning curve which must be utilised to assure that next time the magnitude of loss would be minimal.
Name: Vivek Kataria
