India is vulnerable, to varying degrees, to a large number of natural as well as man-made disasters. Presently, as we stand at the precipice of climate change and urban expansion, the challenges for disaster management in India are evolving rapidly. Keeping this in view, a major initiative was taken by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government to put in place a holistic capability to handle both natural and man-made disasters in the country. This led to the enactment of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. This Act was a defining step, bringing about a paradigm shift from the erstwhile relief-centric approach to a proactive prevention, mitigation, and preparedness-driven approach for conserving developmental gains and minimizing loss of life, livelihood, and property.
The Disaster Management Act, 2005 provides for an institutional, financial, and legal framework. The institutional framework provides for three-tier institutional mechanisms at national, state, and district levels, comprising the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), and District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), respectively. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is the apex authority with the Prime Minister as its Chairman. The Act provides for the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) for capacity building of all stakeholders in the country in the field of disaster management. It also provides for the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) as a specialist force to respond to any natural or man-made disaster.
In line with its mandate, the NDMA drafted the National Policy and National Plan for disaster management in the country, besides preparing Guidelines for all natural and man-made disasters. As per the vision enshrined in the Act, the National Policy on Disaster Management envisages “to build a safe and disaster-resilient India by developing a holistic, proactive, multi-disciplinary, technology-driven strategy through a culture of prevention, mitigation, preparedness, and efficient response.”
The NDRF is a multi-skilled and multi-disciplinary force trained and equipped as per international standards to respond to any disaster. Over the years, the NDRF has earned a niche for itself for its professionalism in dealing with disasters not only in the country but also abroad. Complimenting the NDRF at the National Police Academy, Hyderabad (31 July 2021), PM Shri Modi mentioned that “the name of NDRF during disasters instils confidence among people. NDRF has created this credibility with its excellent work.” With NDRF’s professionalism and readiness to respond to disaster emergencies in countries like Japan, Nepal, and Turkey, India has gained diplomatic leverage.
In 2014, after Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi took over the mantle of power, he infused new energy into the disaster management system. The Prime Minister’s 10-point agenda for Global Disaster Management provides direction for pre-empting disasters and ways to minimize losses with mitigation and preparedness acquiring the centre stage.
Another significant initiative of PM Shri Modi is the launching of the ‘Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure’ (CDRI) in 2019, with 25 countries and 7 international organisations as members. It was set up with the objective of promoting the resilience of new and existing infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks to support sustainable development.
As we look ahead today, several major challenges stand out. The impact of climate change, with rising global temperatures, is resulting in extreme weather conditions. Increasing incidents of cyclones in the coastal areas and devastating floods in different parts of the country stand as reminders that climate change is not a distant problem but an immediate concern. At the same time, unplanned urban growth, rapid industrialisation, environmental degradation, and inadequate drainage systems add to the risk factors. Moreover, as India continues its technological growth, the risk of man-made disasters, ranging from chemical leaks to cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure, is also on the rise. Since disaster management is a state subject, effective coordination between the centre and the states and also inter-agency coordination is essential for efficient and effective disaster management.
To address the above-mentioned challenges and achieve the vision enshrined in the 10-point agenda of the PM and the national policy, it is imperative to ensure public awareness and capacity building of all stakeholders, particularly the community, which is the first responder. This needs to be done in terms of resources, skill, and information availability. Capacity building is required at all levels: the community needs to be sufficiently aware, administrators need to be sensitive to the vulnerability of disasters, research institutions need to transfer knowledge to the field, corporate sectors need to be made aware of corporate social responsibility, and the media needs to understand its importance in spreading knowledge as a social cause. Integrating technology for real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and communication can drastically enhance response times and resource allocation. Simultaneously, there is a pressing need to invest in disaster-resilient infrastructure.
Significantly, India has made a mark in two areas, namely, cyclone risk mitigation and response mechanisms. Very few casualties in Cyclone Phailin (2013) and Cyclone Fani (2019) in Odisha vindicated the ‘zero casualty’ policy of the Govt of Odisha. Cyclone Biparjoy in the Kutch region of Gujarat in the first week of June this year, with no casualties, was a shining example of India’s preparedness and the spirit of resilience among the people, which was applauded by the PM and also the Home Minister.
While India has made significant strides in disaster management over the past decade, the road ahead presents numerous challenges. Effective planning and a focus on prevention, mitigation, and preparedness would greatly help in ensuring that hazards do not transform into disasters and the coping capacities of the vulnerable population are greatly increased. This would need systematic planning and coordination to ensure that disaster risk reduction is constantly promoted and mainstreamed in the regular programmes of each department. Preparedness, adaptability, and a collective effort from government agencies, civil society, and the public will shape how we face future adversities. With dedicated action, India can lead the way in setting a global benchmark in disaster management.
The author is Vice- President, PPF, Former Member, NDMA
