Here is an essay on ‘Disaster Response in India’ for class 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Disaster Response in India’ especially written for school and college students.
Essay on Disaster Response in India
Essay # 1. Introduction to Disaster Response in India:
Over the centuries, local communities have developed their own indigenous survival mechanisms. This rich storehouse of knowledge is a part of our country’s legacy. The Arthashastra (a treatise on public administration by Chanakya in the 4th century BC), devoted a section to mitigation measures to combat famines. The community is usually the first responder in case of a disaster.
Field level response on behalf of the government in rural areas is provided by the nearest police station and the revenue functionary (patwari/patel/talati/karnam etc); in urban areas the response is articulated by agencies like the civic authorities, the fire brigade and the local police station. At present, panchayats do not have the capacity to react institutionally in any effective manner to such situations and it is the district administration which retains the basic responsibility of handling crises situations, with the Collector playing a pivotal role.
India is fraught with challenges and unique opportunities for low cost, disaster mitigation interventions that would add value to the existing work carried out by government organisations, NGOs and donors. Devolution and decentralisation have created new challenges for the sector, generating renewed scope for action at the grass-roots level where disaster preparedness and planning decisions are most effective. There is a vast pool of experienced organisational, technical and scientific resources and disaster related information and knowledge within the region.
India has integrated administrative machinery for disaster management at the National, State, District and Sub-District levels. The Central Government supplements the State relief efforts by initiating supportive action. An elaborate procedural mechanism and the allocation of resources to facilitate emergency management operations is outlined in relief manuals and codes backed by the Contingency Action Plan (CAP).
The CAP facilitates the relief operations, procedures and focal roles of central ministries and departments. The Crisis Management Group headed by the Cabinet Secretary and consisting of nodal ministries (particularly the Ministry of Home Affairs and Agriculture) oversee response coordination, carry out an assessment and make recommendations for assistance.
State Governments have the responsibility for undertaking rescue and relief measures in the event of a natural calamity through the State Relief Commissioner, Relief and Rehabilitation Department or the Department of Revenue. District Coordination and Review Committee headed by the Collector involves the participation of related agencies, departments and NGOs.
Essay # 2.
Legal Framework for Disaster Response in India:
The Government enacted the National Disaster Management Act (NDMA) 2005 on December 26, 2005 to provide for institutional mechanism for drawing up and monitoring the implementation of disaster management plans, ensuring measures by various wings of the government for preventing and mitigating effects of disaster and for undertaking a holistic, coordinated and prompt response to any disaster situation.
The Act provides for setting up of a National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) under the chairmanship of Chief Ministers and District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) under the chairmanship of District Magistrates. The Act further provides for constitution of National Executive Committee (NEC), National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
It also provides for the concerned ministries and departments to draw up department-wise plans in accordance with the National Disaster Management Plan. In addition, the Act contains provision for constitution of National Disaster Response Fund and National Disaster Mitigation Fund and similar funds at the state and the district levels.
The Act also provides for specific roles to local bodies, including Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in disaster management. The NDMA, NEC and NIDM have since been constituted in accordance with the provisions of the Act to discharge the powers and functions envisaged for them under the Act.
At the district level, the DM Act 2005 provides for the constitution of District Disaster Management Authorities under the chairmanship of the District Magistrate/ Collector while the elected representative of the local authority would be the co-chairperson. In those districts where Zilla Parishads exist, the chairman would be the ex-officio co-chairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority.
The district authority shall act as the planning, coordinating and implementing body for disaster management in the district and take all measures for the purposes of disaster management in the district in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the national and state authorities.
The concept of disaster management plan at different levels has received a new orientation with the passage of the National Disaster Management Act. Earlier such plans were being prepared at the district level only. Under the UNDP-DRM programme, such plans are being prepared at the village level as well.
The planning process has been carried down to the sub-divisional, block and village levels. Each village in multi-hazard prone district will have a Disaster Management Plan. The Disaster Management Committee which draws up the plans consists of elected representatives at the village level, local authorities, government functionaries, including doctors/paramedics of primary health centres located in the village, primary school teachers, etc. The plan encompasses prevention, mitigation and preparedness measures.
The Disaster Management Teams at the village level will consist of members of youth organisations like Nehru Yuvak Kendra and other non-governmental organisations as well as able bodied volunteers from the village. The teams are provided basic training in evacuation, search and rescue, first aid trauma counselling, etc. The disaster management committee will review the disaster management plan at least once in a year.
It would also generate awareness among the people in the village about the dos and don’ts for specific hazards depending on the vulnerability of the village. A large number of village level disaster management committees and disaster management teams have already been constituted.
Long-term planning and preparedness for disaster mitigation form the process of planned development in India. Science and technology inputs constitute its basic thrust, manifested in development of forecasting and warning systems, disaster resistant construction technologies and appropriate cropping systems. India has elaborate cyclone detection and tracking systems, flood forecasting and warning systems.
Essay # 3.
National Disaster Management Act, 2005:
The Act encompasses the following:
i. The Act calls for the establishment of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), with the Prime Minister of India as chairperson.
ii. The Act under Section 8 enjoins the Central Government to constitute a National Executive Committee (NEC) to assist the National Authority. The NEC is composed of Secretary level officers of the Government of India in the Ministries of Home, 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, with the Home Secretary serving as the Chairperson, ex-officio.
The Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff of the Chiefs of Staff Committee is an ex- officio member of the NEC. The NEC is responsible for the preparation of the National Disaster Management Plan for the whole country and to ensure that it is ‘reviewed and updated annually’.
iii. All State Governments are mandated under Section 14 of the Act to establish a State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA). The SDMA consists of the Chief Minister of the State, who is the Chairperson, and no more than eight members appointed by the Chief Minister. State Executive Committee is responsible for drawing up the state disaster management plan and implementing the National Plan. The SDMA is mandated to ensure that all the departments of the State prepare disaster management plans as prescribed by the national and state authorities.
iv. The Act directs to establish District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA). The Chairperson of DDMA will be the Collector or the District Magistrate or the Deputy Commissioner of the district. The elected representative of the area is member of the DDMA as an ex- officio Chairperson.
v. The Act provides for constituting a National Disaster Response Force ‘for the purpose of specialist response to a threatening disaster situation or disaster’ under the Director General to be appointed by the Central Government.
The implementation of the National Disaster Management Act 2005 has been slow, and slack. In 2013, the Supreme Court, in response to a PIL, issued notices to the Governments of Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and the Central Government for alleged failure to implement the National Disaster Management Act 2005.
The Act has been criticised for marginalising non-governmental organisations (NGOs), elected local representatives, local communities and civic groups; and for fostering a hierarchical, bureaucratic, command and control, ‘top down’ approach that gives the central, state and district authorities sweeping powers.