Disaster Management in India

Source-This post on Disaster Management in India has been created based on the article “Cyclone Remal aftermath shows why it’s necessary to build disaster-resilient infrastructure” published in “The Indian Express” on 30 May 2024.

UPSC Syllabus–GS Paper-3– Disaster Management

Context-The article highlights the urgent need to upgrade and overhaul the disaster management system in the wake of rising frequency and intensity of natural disasters. This comes in the wake of recent cyclone Remal that caused devastation in the northeastern India.

What is the significance of National Disaster Management Authority in managing disasters in India?

Background-The creation of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in 2005 was a timely decision, prompted by the 1999 Odisha super cyclone and the 2004 tsunami.

1) The NDMA has done commendable work in disaster mitigation, risk assessment and reduction, and post-disaster response, rescue, and relief.

2) After the creation of NDMA at the Centre, almost every state has created a disaster management agency, albeit with varying degrees of effectiveness.

What is the changing nature of disasters in India?

1) The nature of disasters that India faces has changed drastically in the last 20 years, with disasters becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.

2) Events like heatwaves, which were not considered potential disasters earlier, have emerged as new threats.

3) The rise in multi-hazard disasters, where one event triggers another or a series of disasters, has been a concerning trend. For ex-the recent landslides in the Northeast, which claimed at least 30 lives, were a multi-hazard disaster, triggered by heavy rainfall caused by Cyclone Remal.

What should be the way forward?

1) Upgrading Disaster Management- Disaster management agencies need to be empowered and equipped with more resources. Capacity-building must be focused on dealing with the changing nature of disasters.

Read more-Heat Action Plan

2) Regulation of Construction Activities– It is not possible to prevent natural occurrences like heavy rainfall, cyclones, or heatwaves. Nevertheless, the human-caused effects such as uncontrolled construction must be reduced.

3) Building Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure-India is currently constructing infrastructure for its future, and it’s important to integrate disaster resilience into each of these projects. Additionally, existing infrastructure requires retrofitting.

4) Global Leadership in Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure-India established the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) to advance disaster-resistant infrastructure globally. However, India should develop appropriate models domestically first.

Question for practice

What is the changing nature of disasters in India? What pro-active measures can be adopted to minimize damage to life and property?