End Course Project
K.J Devasia
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Indian sub continent, being the largest democracy in the world with
population of 1047671255, has a very significant role to play in making the modern
world. India ranks the seventh largest country in the world, covering 1,222,559 square
miles. India's frontier, bordered by six countries, is 9,425 miles long; of which 3,533
miles is coastline. The India's territory is surrounded by the Arabian Sea on the west and
the Bay of Bengal on the east; Kanyakumari, the southernmost point of the Indian
mainland marks the dividing line between these two bodies of water. The southeastern
coast is earmarked by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait which separate India from
Sri Lanka.
Indians are basically having moderate life expectancy. The mail life expectancy in
the country is 61.9 where as the female life expectancy is 63.1. The gross national
product (GNP) is 441834. The GNP per capita in US $ is only 450.
The socio economic condition of the country invariably depends on the climatic
conditions resulting better crop in agriculture. Traditionally the country was being ruled
by kings of various dynasties in various parts of the country. But the direct administration
by the British, which began in 1858, effected a political and economic unification of the
subcontinent. It’s a naked fact that the economy of the country is decided by the rural
population as they are basically agriculture oriented.
Vulnerabilities to natural disasters:
Vulnerability of any disaster depends up on the lack of capacity available in a
country to cope up with emergency situation. India is vulnerable to all sorts of disasters.
From the time immemorial, India was the victim of disasters like famine, flood, fire
accidents etc. The recent experiences show that India is highly vulnerable to natural
disasters like Earth Quake, Flood, Heat Wave, Flash Flood, Land Slide, Fire accidents,
Cyclones and even Tsunami.
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TABLE-1, TYPES OF DISASTERS **
Natural Disasters
Meteorological
Hydrological
Man Made Disasters
Cyclone, Storm Surge, Human Induced Nuclear Accident,
Thunder Storm,
Air/Rail Mishap,
Hill Storm, Heat and
Cold Wave, Tornado,
Forest Fire, Tsunami.
Chemical Leakage, War,
Terrorism, Bomb Blast
Flood,
Water Pollution
Draught, Hydro-Human
Earthquake, Volcano.
Rain
Induced
Fall, Meteoro-Human Induced :
Hydro–
Heavy
Meteorological
Desertification
GeoMeteorological
Land Slide, Avalanche
Biological
Epidemic, Famine
Ozone Depression, Air Pollution, Global
Warming, Ultraviolet Radiation
** Classification by K.J Devasia
According to a latest study, 65 per cent of the total Indian landmass is highly
prone to earth quake, where as, 12 per cent is submerged under water, annually (Ministry
of Home Affairs, 2004). The latter alone cost about 40 million hectors of landmass.
Besides, an 8000-km stretch of Indian coastal line affects with the fury of cyclone in two
seasons. That is to say 08 per cent of the land is disturbed biannually with cyclones
ranging from low pressure to super cyclones, like the one which perished decades of
human efforts in Orissa coast in 1999.
The reason may be different, but Earth Quake has become a common
phenomenon in the country today. It is now generally accepted that India's geographic
position, continental outline and basic geologic structures resulted from the shifting of
enormous, rigid, crustily slabs called tectonic plates. These plates, which form the entire
surface layer of the Earth, collide or slip by one another as they move across the
underlying layer of molten material. India forms the northwestern portion of the IndianAustralian Plate. The new mountains were so heavy that the Indian-Australian Plate just
south of the range was forced downward, creating a zone of crustal subsidence.
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India's present-day relief features have been superimposed on three basic
structural units: the Himalayas in the north, the Deccan Plateau in the south, and the
Indo-Gangetic Plain between the two. Perhaps the seismic activities taking place under
Indian soil with the existing structural diversity may be the reason for often happening
disaster like Earth Quake in the country.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SELECTED DISASTER EVENT
Case Study: Land slide in Idukki, Kerala
This case had got a general mention with reference to the previous year
experiences in assignment 3, by the same participants. Fortunately or unfortunately, he
got opportunity to witness such a severe disaster in hisown district Idukki, Kerala most
recently on 27th July 2005.
The disaster event occurred in the famous resort town called Munnar in the late
evening and early morning taking lives of 8 innocent people. This was a typical land slide
in which a huge quantity of stones and mud along with powerful water stream went to the
down side of a hill. It was a high hill from where the debris came down following the
torrential rain showed for the last three days. The flow of water with other discharge
destroyed agriculture, properties besides human lives from three families who were
sleeping after the day’s hard work.
During the disaster other than the residential units, total agriculture of more than
40 acres, many shops, school building and a community centre also has been destroyed in
Munnar. Besides the road and electricity network had been destroyed. Government of
Kerala was unable to handle the situation with its local police force; and to speed up the
rescue and relief operations they sought help of the Army. The loss of the disaster is
measured in terms of lives, properties like house, house hold furniture etc and livelihoods
like animals as well as the entire agriculture. The affected area was laying just about 60
degree slope.
Though people had taken precautionary measures like condor bunds and
plantations to prevent soil erosion, the early warning and forecasting is totally invalid in
such type of disasters. Still they could reduce the current of the water and diverted some
stones to the areas where habitation was less. Mainly torrential rain with lack of outlet for
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the rain water creates such disaster. This is a type of discharge of powerful water stream
from within the earth which also includes stones and mud in huge quantity. The burst out
like Larva causes heavy damage to the property, lives and live stocks. In some cases the
water flow remains for months like a pure water source.
This disaster remains only for a few minutes. The only one signal (cannot call
warning) is the sound of the arrival of the discharge just meters away. Usually no one
may be able to escape from the seen. The habitation in Kerala is not as in the case of
North India. One house is located far away from the other in rural areas. This results in
lack of information on the disaster to even the neighbors.
NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
The national disaster management system has been very comprehensive. This has
got transformation time to time, based on the requirements and advanced knowledge. At
present the national Disaster management Division is directly under the Prime Minister
with three Divisions each headed by Directors and joint secretaries. Besides, each type of
disaster has been managed by the respective ministry. National Disaster management
Authority has been formed in the recent past. The vision adopted for Disaster
Management is as follows:
1. Preparedness rather than Crisis Management
2. Coordinated participatory approach rather than only state responsibility
3. Technology up gradation and deployment
4. Information as a tool for disaster management
Different disasters are managed by different ministries. The table below shows the
disasters and the in charge ministries.
Disaster type
Nodal ministry
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Ministry of Home Affairs
Ministry of Agriculture
Ministry of Civil Aviation
Ministry of Railways
Ministry of Environment
Natural Disaster
Drought Relief
Air Accidents
Railway Accidents
Chemical Disasters
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6. Biological Disasters Ministry of Health
7. Nuclear Disasters
Department of Atomic Energy
The same structure has been adopted in state and district level. In states, the Lt.
Governors are the chair of the State Disaster Management Authority where as in district
level the District Collector/ Deputy Commissioner is the chair man. All elected
representatives and line departments as well as the ministers and chief minister are
members of the respective committees.
Similarly a large number of disaster management acts, policies are framed in the
recent past. Different states have completed the formation of state level authority and
even separate department has been formed in a couple of states. The renaming of the
revenue department in to Department of Revenue and Disaster Management will be a
major boost to the activities under the division.
Whatsoever, the ultimate responsibility of disaster management lies with the local
community. The over all disaster management activity should be with a developmental
touch. Disaster management is a cycle in which relief is just a single fetter. If disaster has
been handled professionally with the perspective of long term development and
sustainability, the quantity of relief requirement could be halved.
Community Based Disaster Management (CBDM) is the latest methodology that
is successfully experimented in India. In India, Andra Pradesh experimented first time in
their coastal areas to make the local people cope up with the frequently occurring
cyclones and storm surge. Later, the refined Andra experiment was tested in Orissa coast
though only after super cyclone 1999; it could yield better results in the successive flood.
That is why Orissa is termed as the laboratory of CBDM.
NGOs and other voluntary agencies also have a very significant role in relief
distribution, rescue, rehabilitation and ever more the preparedness activities. The
community many be directed, guided on preparedness with the help of the NGOs and
other parallel agencies.
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STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES OF THE NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
The national disaster management system is one of the best in the developing
world. While considering the enormous number of disasters, our system has numerous of
short comings.
Preparedness
In respect to the land slide in Kerala, the disaster management system in the state
which is the clone form of the national system could not do much in preparedness. Kerala
model land slides are very common in the state especially in the monsoon season.
Monsoon reaches India via Kerala coast and once the rain starts, unlike to the other parts
of the India, it goes one for days and weeks. Also the rain is usually of severe; in such
situation some part of the state could be expected land slides, specially the hill stations
like Idukki, Kottayam, Waynadu etc. Still no warning, preparedness measures etc are
taken by the government or any authority. Community based preparedness such as
making the land in different layers with the help of bonds, resettling the houses from very
sloppy area or at least shifting the population to the safe area during rain etc could be
done.
Rehabilitation
In terms of relief the government is very fast in relief measures. Using the advantage that
the state is small in nature, relief measures could be done in fast pace. But the
rehabilitation phase takes too much time in Kerala, creating in convenience to the local
residents.
Lack of a strict enforcement team in disaster management in Kerala is the basic reason
for the high vulnerability. Since the state is away from other types of disasters the disaster
management authority is not much serious on the issue. Beside the disaster mangers in
the state government are not well trained in the modern techniques and methodology of
disaster management. Community Based disaster management needs to be stressed in the
state.
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Adding to this fact the hilly nature of the disaster prone districts is not well
connected by road, rail, or air. The Idukki district where the Munnar lies and the
Waynadu are the only two districts which are not connected with rail or air. Even better
roads are lacking in this area creating delay in relief and rehabilitation measures.
STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES OF THE NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Government of Kerala has to take a lot of steps to improve the disaster
management system in the state. Some of the important steps for improvement are like:
creating of separate port folio and authority for disaster management to make it more
efficient, appointment of full time disaster managers, identification of helipad and open
spaces for evacuation, rehabilitation etc. Enacting laws on disaster management and
policy formulation and creation of master plan for rail-road network with each district
especially the disaster prone districts will do a lot in disaster management.
Also the community based disaster management process needs to be initiated in
the state especially in hilly district, so that they can prepare themselves prior to monsoon
season. Regular with mock drills will help them to learn techniques to protect their lives
and property as well as livelihoods.
1.
MHA-NDMD: Disaster Management In India: A Status Report, New Delhi 2004
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2.
Parasuram. S, Unnikrishnan P V, (Ed): India Disaster Report: Towards A Policy Initiative, Oxford
University Press, New Delhi, 2000
3.
The Institution Of Engineers: World Congress On Natural Disaster Mitigation: Proceedings, Vol-1,
Kolkota, 2004
4.
The Institution Of Engineers: World Congress On Natural Disaster Mitigation: Proceedings, Vol-2,
Kolkota, 2004
5.
Lok Sabha Unstarred Questions No. 354, December 23, 1998
6.
Lok Sabha Unstarred Questions No 158, December 09, 1998
7.
NIDM: Cyclone Preparedness In Andra Pradesh: Policy Recommendations, New Delhi, 1998
8.
Agarwal C M: The Great Natural Calamities, Indian Publishers Distributors, New Delhi, 1998
9.
UNDP: Crisis Prevention And Recovery In Orissa, New Delhi, (Undated)
10. Government Of Orissa-UNDP: Orissa Super Cyclone: State Level Workshop On Strategic Planning In
Rehabilitation And Development, Bhubaneswar, 1999
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11. Indian Meteorological Society: Tropmet-2002-Lecture notes, Bhubaneswar, 2002
12. The Deepika Malayalam News paper, published from Kottayam, Dated July 27-31, 2005
13. NSC: Guidelines for the preparation of Cyclone Emergency Management Manual for Coast Based
Industrial Installations, National Safety Council, New Mumbai, (Undated)
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