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Chapter 4

Disaster Management
Disaster:- A catastrophic mishap calamity in any area arising from natural or
manmade causes, which results in substantial loss of life or human suffering,
damage, destruction of property environment and is of such nature or magnitude as
to be beyond the coping capacity of the community of the affected area.
The DM act 2005 also gives definition of Disaster, which in simpler form is
mentioned above.
Vulnerability :- Vulnerability means characteristics of a person, group of persons,
(community) on their resources(i.e property, infrastructure, environment or
ecosystem ) and the concerned situation that influences their capacity to anticipate,
cope with, resist, and recover from the impact of a natural or anthropogenic hazard.
It involves a combination of factors that determines the degree to which some ones
life, livelihood, property, ecosystem and other assets are put at risk by a discrete
and identifiable event in nature and in society. Social vulnerability enumerates upon
the fact that in our society some groups are more prone to damage and losses in
context to different hazards.
Disaster Risk:- Risk is indicative function of the probability of occurrence of a
hazardous event and extent of its damageability in terms of lives lost, no of injury,
damage to property, environment, infracture and disruption of economic activity.
Disaster risk is an expression of likely hood that a particular hazard or hazard event
can become a disaster (by causing damage and losses).
Disaster = Hazard risk X vulnerability
Capacity
Risk = Po X Ed
Where Po = Probability of occurrence
Ed = extent of damagability
Type of Disaster
Natural Disaster- Meteorological
- Topographical
- Environmental
Man made

Technological
Industrial accidents
Security related

Disaster Management

As per DM act 2005, Disaster management means a continuous and integrated


process of planning, coordinating and implementing measures which are necessary
or expedient for
(1) Prevent of danger or threat of any disaster
(2) Mitigation or reduction of risk of any disaster or its severity or
consequences
(3) Capacity building
(4) Preparedness to deal with any disaster
(5) Prompt response to any threatening disaster situation or disaster
(6) Assessing the severity or magnitude of effect of any disaster, evacuation,
rescue & relief.
(7) Rehabilitation & reconstruction
Disaster preparedness:- Preparedness means state of readiness to deal with a
threatening disaster situation or disaster and immediate effects thereof. It includes
pre-decided administrative, individual and community actions to minimize loss of
life, rescue, relief and relief & rehabilitation.
Disaster mitigation mitigation refers to sum of human intervention taken for
reducing risk (By preventing or containing the hazard avoiding or reducing
exposure, enhancing tolerance) minimising impact of hazard or threatening disaster
situation.
Mitigation is of 2 types
1) Structure

(2)

Non- structure

Structural measures refer to engineering measures or physical construction to


reduce or avoid possible impacts of hazard.
Non- Structural refers to policies, awareness generation, knowledge development,
legal intervention which can reduce risk.
Broadly there are 4 principal approaches to dealing with disaster risk and its
management
1)
2)
3)
4)

Engineering Centric structural mitigation


Community centric preparedness
Incident command system ( emergency)
Ecosystem approach to disaster risk reduction(Eco DRR)

Definition of Disaster Management:- A continuous and integrated process of


planning, organising, co-coordinating and implementing measures which are
necessary or expected for
1) Prevention of danger or threat of any disaster
2) Mitigation or reduction of risk of any disaster
3) Capacity Building
4) Preparedness to deal with any disaster
5) Prompt response to any threatening disaster situation or disaster
6) Assessing the severity or magnitude of effect of disaster

7) Evaluation, rescue & relief


8) Rehabilitation & Reconstruction
Bhopal Gas Tragedy:- At about 1.00 AM between 3 rd Dec and 4th Dec 1984, a thick
white cloud of gas escape out of ruptured value from the pesticide plant of Union
Carbide. Winds blow the fumes over 50KM area and cool temperature kept gas
cloud low and engulfed the houses. People woke up coughing and many died on the
bed. Thousands who escape death were treated on make shift medical centre. Many
were temporarily or permanently blinded. There was no warning, no evacuation
plans and no understanding of the nature of the chemicals among local population.
The official death toll reached 3598 in 1989, but it is believed that actual nos are
much higher. A further 50,000 were seriously affected & another 150,000 suffered
from after effect. The seeping gas was highly toxic methylisocynate. Within 45
minutes of rupture the leak had been repaired, but a lethal dose had already
escaped. It is noteworthy that none of the workers at the plant were killed.
National Disaster Policy:- The national disaster management policy 2009,
announced. The policy is made for building a safe and disaster resilient India. It
elaborates importance of Disaster management in to development process, creation
of mitigation reserve, risk assessment and vulnerability mapping and other
mitigation measures etc.
Classification of Disaster:The classification of disaster can be based on originating agent, or the impact, or
whether the disaster is preceded by a warning phase or not. The disaster could be
classified in 2 major categories. Natural & man made with further sub-classification
as major or minor disaster.
Natural Disaster
Major:- Earthquake, Flood,
Drought, Cyclone

Human made disaster


Major:- communal riots,
Ethic conflicts, Refugee
situation, Terrorism

Minor:- Heat wave, cold


wave, Land slide,
Avalanche, Tornado,
Hailstorm

Other disaster
Major:- Epidemics,
Industrial disaster, Fire,
Policy induced disaster
Minor :-Festival &
pilgrimage related
disaster, Food poisoning,
alcohol Tragedy

How Disaster occurs?


Disaster results from vulnerable conditions being exposed to a potential hazard. Any
mitigation measure for a disaster starts with assessment of hazard.
Vulnerable Condition:- Poverty & underdevelopment hazard- natural disaster.
National Disaster Management Policy:-

Indian Disaster Policy is geared to make a paradigm change from response and
relief to disaster, preparation and mitigation.
The great famine of 1876 to 1878 lead to constitution of famine commission
of 1880 and eventual adoption of famine Relief code.
The occurrence of different types of disaster compelled Govt. of India to
establish many different committee and commission to suggest dealing with the
problem. The most recent was established high power committee on Disaster
management, in 1999.
Based on their recommendation, NDMA was formed. The DM 2005 act was passed.
The DM function was transferred from ministry of agriculture to ministry of Home
affairs. 11th Five year plan aims at consolidating the process by giving impetus to
projects and programme that develop & nurture the culture of safety and
integration of disaster prevention & mitigation in to the development process. The
guidance & direction to achieve this paradigm shift will need to flow from NDMA, as
per DM Act 2005.
NDMA has prepared a National disaster management Policy 2009. The themes
under penning this Policy are
1. Community based disaster management including integration of the policy,
plans and execution at the grass route level.
2. Capacity development in all related areas
3. Consolidation of past initiatives and best practices
4. Co-operation with agencies at national regional and international level
5. Compliance and co-ordination to generate a multisectoral synergy
The objection guiding the policy formulation have evolved to include
a) Promoting a culture of prevention and preparedness -By centre staging
disaster management as an overriding priority at all levels and at all times.
b) Encouraging mitigation measures based state of art technology &
environment sustainability.
c) Main streaming DM concerns in to development planning process
d) Developing contemporary forecasting and early warning system backed by
responsive & failsafe communication and IT support
e) Ensuring efficient response and relief
Need for Central Govt. intervention, state DM authority: Disaster management is a state subject. As per the act, A state Executive
committee has to be set up at every state for implementing the national plan and
state plan and act as the coordinating and monitoring body for management of
disaster in State. The state committee has to examine the vulnerability of different
forms f disaster and specify measures to e taken for their mitigation or prevention.
The state executive committee having regard to the guidelines by national authority
after consultation with local authority, district authorities and people representative
and should be approved by state authority. A state plan should include the
vulnerability of different parts of the state to different disaster, measures to be
adopted for prevention and mitigation of disaster in a manner integrated with the
development plans and projects. The state plan should include the roles and

responsibilities of each department of the state govt. in both pre and post disaster
phase.
Similarly at district level the DM plan shall be prepared by district authority
after consultation with local authorities and having regard to state and national plan
to be approved by state authority.

Chapter 5
Disaster Management frame work
Case Studies:2012- VSP- happened 13th June 2012, 8.45 PM
19 person including Senior Officers were burnt alive following huge explosion in the
O2 plant of SMS in unit # 3. 20 workers were seriously injured. The explosion
occurred when the officials were conducting a trial run of O 2 Plant.
2010- 14th June 2010-nearly 103 persons fell sick after inhaling chlorine gas leaking
from a cylinder in Bombay Port trust.
2009- 29th Oct 2009- Jaipur Oil depot. Fire broke out on 29 th Oct 2010 at 7.30 PM at
the oil depot of IOCL Tank holding 8000KL of Oil in Sitapura Industrial area on
outskirts of Jaipur, killing 12 people and injuring 200. The Blaze continued to rage
out of control for over a week. Half a million people were evacuated from the area.
The incident occurred when petrol was being transferred from IOC oil depot to pipe
line.
2008-6th June 2008- Nagothane, Maharashtra, IPCL (Indian Petrochemical Limited) 4
dead and 46 injured. Explosion due to Hydrocarbon and welding gas
Vulnerability:- Vulnerability means the characteristic of a person, group of person, or
their resources (Property, infrastructure, environment) and the concerned situation
that influences their capacity to anticipate, cope with, resist, and recover from the
impact of a natural or anthropogenic hazard. It involves a combination of factors
that determines the degree to which someones life, property, ecosystem, and other
assets are put at risk.
The condition determined by physical, economic, and environmental factors or
process which increase the susceptibility of a community to the impact of hazards.
The vulnerability can be due to the following factors.
1) Geographic & Environment
2) Physical
3) Social
4) Economics
5) Systematic
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)

Environmental Vulnerability primarily represents the risk to land &


landscape, land use, existing ecological setting
Physical vulnerability includes the risk to the tangible things having
physical structure ex. House, bridge, amenities, and other assets which
can be directly hit by a hazard event.
Natural resources agriculture, forest, hills, slopes, river systems, ground
water etc. which forms basic and economic activity.
Social Vulnerability- threat to life, children, disable person.

v)

Systematic Vulnerability management and inter relationship between


different levels of Government and within agencies which represents
effectiveness of coordination.

National Disaster Management Framework


The act lays down institutional, legal, financial and co-ordination mechanism at
national, state, district and local levels.
Institutional Framework
National Disaster Management authority is the apex body for disaster management
is headed by Prime Minister. It has the responsibility for laying down policies, plans,
and guidelines for DM. They will also co-ordinate their enforcement and
implementation for ensuring timely and effective response to disaster.
a) NDRF woks under NDMA
b) NIDM works within the framework of broad policies and guidelines laid
down by NDMA.
NDMA will deal with all types of disaster, natural & manmade. Whereas other
emergencies including those requiring close involvement of security forces such as
terrorism, law and order, serial bomb blast, hijacking, air accident, mine disaster,
port, forest, oilfield will be handled by National Crisis management committee
(NCMC), National Executive committee(NEC)
NEC comprises of home secretary as chairman.
NEC
Home Secretary (Chairman)
Secretary- Agriculture
- Atomic Energy
- Defence
- Drinking water supply
- Environment & Forest
- Finance (expenditure)
- Health
- Power
- Rural development
- Science & Technology
- Space
- Telecommunication
- Urban development
- Chief of integrated Defence staff
- External affairs
- Earth science
- HRD
- Mines
- Shipping
- Road transport & Highways

- Secretary NDMA
NEC is the executive committee of NDMA. It will assist NDMA in discharge of its
functions. It will coordinate response in the event of threatening disaster or disaster.
NEC will prepare National plan for disaster management.
State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA)
Headed by CM, will lay down policies and plans for Disaster Management in state. It
will coordinate implementation of state plan, Recommend, provision of fund.
State Govt. shall constitute a State Executive Committee to assist SDMA. SEC will be
headed by chief Secretary. They will coordinate & monitor implementation of
National Policy, plan & state plan.
District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA)
DDMA will be headed by District Magistrate, Elected representative as CoChairperson. DDMA will act as planning, coordinating, and implementing body for
DM at district level. It will take all necessary measures for the purpose.
Local Authority- for this policy, local authority will include Panchayati Raj
institutions, municipalities, and town planning authority.

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