Natural Calamities: Essay on Natural Calamities

| Geography
Article shared by : <="" div="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-

size: 16px; vertical-align: bottom; background: transparent; max-width: 100%;">

ADVERTISEMENTS:

Here is an essay on ‘Natural Calamities’ for class 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short essays
on ‘Natural Calamities’ especially written for school and college students.

Essay on Natural Calamities

Essay Contents:
1. Essay on the Meaning of Natural Calamities
2. Essay on the Types of Natural Calamities
3. Essay on the Crisis Relief Plan for Natural Calamities
4. Essay on the Procedure for Extending Financial Assistance to States During Natural Calamities
5. Essay on the District Level Response to Natural Calamities
6. Essay on the Effective Implementation of Relief Measures in the Wake of Natural Calamities

Essay # 1. Meaning of Natural Calamities:

ADVERTISEMENTS:

Natural calamities are the calamities which are inflicted by God, or Nature, or man and his world. At these
calamities, the unseen hand wreaks havoc in the part of the world it chooses to act upon. On these natural
activities of nature no scientific or technological developments can wield any control.

They can occur as and when and where ordains it. Natural calamities can be of many different kinds, but the
similarly in all, is their massive destruction in the area of their occurrence. The natural disasters are of many
kinds, they are drought and famine, flood, earthquake, hailstrom and a cyclone.

In the wake of all these, in one sweep there is complete devastation and destruction, due to which normal life
comes to a standstill. Loss of life is well nigh complete, and belongings of people get lost, blown away or swept
away. The scene is one of the awe, of some unknown power that appears to wreak some revenge on the people of
the area.

One feels that, there will never again be life in the area, there will never again come up any construction in the
area. But, nature plays its part in this also, and even after the most ghastly disaster, life has come up blooming as
ever as before in areas of such devastation.

Essay # 2. Types of Natural Calamities:

Different natural, calamities can be distinguished from each other in terms of their nature and extent of their
impact. Calamities like: earthquakes, hailstorms, avalanches, landslides, etc., occur quite suddenly but they are
restricted in their impact in terms of time and space. Similarly, though floods and cyclones occur with some
element of warning yet their occurrence is confined in duration.

Drought, on the other hand, spans over a much longer time-frame and its adverse impact on the economic
activities and life of an area is of a more lasting nature. The measures required to meet the threats posed by
different calamities, therefore, differ considerably in terms of disaster preparedness and amelioration of the
economic and social life of the affected people.

Major and Minor Calamities:

Natural calamities may be broadly grouped into major and minor types depending upon their potential to cause
damage to human life and property. While natural calamities like: earth quakes, droughts, floods and cyclones
could be regarded as major, hailstorms, avalanches, landslides, fire accidents, etc. Whose impact is localized and
intensity of the damage is much less can be categorized as minor calamities.

Minor calamities like: hailstorms, avalanches, landslides and fires also occur without any appreciable degree of
forewarning and cause damage to properties and lives. However, areas prone to such disasters also could be
identified and certain precautionary measures taken in the context of potential threat requiring general awareness
and an ability to relate to a predefined system of appropriate responses on the part of the local administration.

Essay # 3. Crisis Relief Plan for Natural Calamities:

For ensuring appropriate policy and administrative response to natural calamities, a clear identification of the
nodal organisation and the pattern of inter action between the different Government functionaries would be
necessary.

The Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC) in the Agriculture Ministry is the Nodal Department for
all matters concerning natural calamities relief at the centre. In the DAC, the Relief Commissioner functions at
the nodal officer to coordinate relief operations for all natural calamities.

i. Relief Commissioner:
The Relief Commissioner will be assisted in the discharge of his duties by the Additional Relief Commissioner and
an Emergency Operations Centre (Control Room) in the DAC. The Control Room will function full scale round the
clock after receipt of first information about the occurrence of a major natural calamity for the period specified by
the Relief Commissioner for dealing effectively with the crisis arising out of a natural calamity.

Control Room:
The present arrangements in the DAC for receiving massages outside office hours are by way of a Night Duty Cell
and a telex facility, once a major natural calamity occurs, a Control Room with full complement of staff for round
the clock functioning will be brought into operation.

The Control Room is intended to be the nerve centre of all emergencies and will, therefore, be adequately
equipped and optimally located. Immediately on the occurrence of a major natural calamity, the members of the
Crisis Management Group (CMG) and the Control Room first shift functionaries (duly identified in advance)
required for full scale functioning of the Control Room will be got assembled.
The duty officer of the Control Room will be an official of sufficient maturity to grasp the seriousness or otherwise
of the information reports and convey to the Agriculture Secretary/Relief Commissioner/ Additional Relief
Commissioner accordingly.

ii. Duty Officer’s Functions:

The charter of duties of the duty officer will clearly indicate the course of action that he is required to take on
receipt of messages of a particular nature. The duty officer will have in his possession the names, addresses and
telephone numbers of all members of the Crisis Management Group and the essential personnel of the Control
Room. He will also have the particulars of their alternates and also the telephone numbers of the Control Rooms
of all the State Governments with whom he may have to communicate.

Control Room:
The personnel manning the full scale Control Room would be drawn from the DAC for emergency duties. The
officers in charge of night duty and telex facility and also control room staff shall be given advance briefing and
training in the tasks to be performed by them. There will be sufficient sets of telephone lines and wireless
equipment’s available to the control room as also transport.

Control Room Responsibilities:

The control room will:
I. Collect and transmit information concerning a natural calamity and relief;

II. Keep close contact with the Govt. of the States affected by a calamity;

III. Interact with other Central Ministries/Departments in connection with natural calamities and relief;

IV. Maintain records containing all relevant information relating to action points and contact points in Central
Ministries/Departments/State Governments; and

V. Perform such other functions and duties as may be entrusted by the Relief Commissioner;

VI. Dealing with first information.

The Control Room on receipt of the first information with regard to occurrence of any major
natural calamity will immediately transmit the information to the following:
1. Secretary to the Governor

2. Secretary to the Chief Minister

3. P.S. to Agriculture Minister

4. P.S. to Minister of State (A&C)

5. Cabinet Secretary

6. Secretary, Rural Development

7. Secretary, Water Resources

8. Secretary, Power

9. Secretary, Civil Supplies

10. Secretary, Health

11. Secretary, Transport

12. Secretary, Science & Technology

13. Secretary, Home

14. Secretary, Food

15. Relief Commissioner

16. Joint Secretary (Scarcity Relief)

17. Joint Secretary (Policy Planning)

18. Agriculture Commissioner

19. Secretary, Animal Husbandry.

The first information report and the subsequent periodical reports generated by the Control Room will also be
sent to the officers indicated by the Relief Commissioner from time to time.

Designating Nodal Officers:

Every Ministry/Department of Central Govt. dealing with the primary or the secondary relief functions referred to
in ‘National Policy’ would designate an officer not below the rank of a Joint Secretary as the Nodal Officer with an
alternate for dealing with matters concerning natural calamities and relief. These nodal officers shall furnish
information to the Relief Commissioner through the Control Room of the DAC on such periodicity as may be
determined by relief Commissioner.

Traditionally, relief in the wake of natural calamities has been treated as the primary responsibility of the States.
Successive Finance Commissions have also reiterated this position. Even though the States are primarily
responsible for relief activities, the Central Government associates itself with measures aimed at ameliorating the
sufferings of the people on account of natural calamities.

Towards this end, the Central Government, with its resources, physical and financial does provide the needed
help and assistance to buttress relief efforts in the wake of major natural calamities.

The dimensions of the response at the level of National Government are determined in
accordance with the existing policy of financing the relief expenditure and keeping in view the
factors like:
(i) The gravity of a natural calamity,

(ii) The scale of the relief operation necessary, and

(iii) The requirements of central assistance for augmenting the financial resources at the disposal of the State
Government.

Types of Response:
The Central response can be:
(i) Policy response, and

(ii) Administrative response.

(A) Policy Response:

The policy response to a natural calamity would be provided by the Prime Minister, Cabinet Committees and the
Agriculture Minister.

The objectives of policy response would be:

(a) To empathize with the sufferings of the people affected by natural calamity, and

(b) To sub-serve long term and short term policy objectives of the Government.

(B) Administrative Response:

The response of the administration to a situation arising out of a natural calamity can be on
account of:
(a) A follow-up of a policy objective of the Government;

(b) The need for an assessment of the situation and for a central response;

(c) States’ requests for central assistance; and

(d) The need for information as a governance objective.

(C) Central Response:

Central Government’s response, at the policy level, to a natural calamity would lead to central
initiatives in the form of:
(a) Visits of the calamity affected areas by President, Prime Minister and other dignitaries;

(b) Activating the administrative machinery for assisting in relief measures; and

(c) Setting up a machinery for implementing, reviewing and monitoring of relief measures.

The administrative response at the Central Government level would broadly relate to:
(i) Operational requirements; and

(ii) Provision of central assistance as per existing policy.

The operational aspects of the administrative response could, further, be classified into:
(i) Primary relief functions, and

(ii) Secondary relief functions.

The primary relief functions of the Central Government would relate to:
1. Forecasting and operation of warning system;

2. Maintenance of uninterrupted communication;

3. Wide publicity to warnings of impending calamity, disaster preparedness and relief measures through TV, AIR
and Newspapers;

4. Transport with particular reference to evacuation and movement of essential commodities and petroleum
products;

5. Ensuring availability of essential commodities at reasonable prices particularly the commodities through the
Public Distribution System;

6. Ensuring availability of medicines, vaccine and drugs;

7. Preservation and restoration of physical communication links;

8. Investments in infrastructure; and

9. Mobilization of financial resources.

The secondary functions of the Central Government which supplement the States relief efforts,
would relate to:
1. Flood/inflow forecasts from the Central Water Commission;

2. Relief, rehabilitation and restoration through military aid to civil authorities;

3. Contingency plans for crops, cattle preservation nutrition and health measures;

4. Technical and technological inputs for provision of drinking water;

5. Technical assistance in the water budgeting and water management for various uses;

6. Coordination of the activities of the State agencies and voluntary agencies.

Essay # 4. Procedure for Extending Financial Assistance to States During Natural Calamities:
The present scheme of financing the relief expenditure arising out of natural calamities has come into force w.e.f.
1st April, 1990, consequent upon the acceptance of the recommendations of the Ninth Finance Commission.
Under this scheme, a Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) is constituted for each state with certain amount allocated to
each state.

75% of this amount is to be contributed by the Central Government in four quarterly installments and the balance
256 is to be provided by the State Governments from its own resources. Following the constitution of the CRF, it
is the responsibility of the State Government to meet all expenditure arising out of the natural calamities.

Monitoring the Progress of Relief Measures:

An Export Group has been constituted on the recommendations of the Ninth Finance Commission to monitor the
relief work done, utilizing the CRF. Further, the State Level Committee(s) are to keep the Ministry of Agriculture
informed of the amount of damage caused due to drought, floods etc., as well as the broad details of relief
measures undertaken by them. The Scarcity Relief Division, in the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation,
the requested the State Governments to furnish the progress of relief measures in the prescribed proforma on
quarterly basis.

State Relief Organisations and Response:

Most of the States have Relief Commissioners who are in charge of the relief measures in the wake of natural
calamities in their respective states. In the absence of the Relief Commissioner, the Chief Secretary or an officer
nominated by him shall be in overall charge of the relief operations in the concerned state. The effectiveness of
communication links with field agencies may be reviewed through periodical exercises.

State Crisis Management Group:

There will be a State Crisis Management Group (SCMG) under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Relief
Commissioner. This Group will comprise of senior officers from the Departments of Revenue! Relief, Home, Civil
Supplies, Power, Irrigation, Water Supply, Panchayat (local self-government), Agriculture, Forests, Rural
Development, Health, Planning, Public Works and Finance.

The Chief Secretary/Relief Commissioner may also co-opt on the Group, depending upon the
requirements of the situation, one or more of the following persons:
1. Sub Area Commander/Section Commander

2. Station Commander of Air Force

3. Flag Officer Commander-in-Chief

4. Chairman/Secretary, Indian Red Cross, State branch

5. Representative of Meteorological Department officer-in-charge, Cyclone Warning Centre, CWC and Flood
Forecasting Organisations.

6. General Manager, Railways of the zone concerned

7. General Manager, Telephones

8. Chief General Manager, Telecommunications

9. D.G. of State Police

10. Chief Engineer, Roads and Buildings

11. Chief Engineer, Major Irrigation

12. Chief Engineer, Panchayati Raj

13. Chief Engineer, Urban Water Supply

14. Chief Engineer

15. Director of Agriculture

16. Director of Horticulture

17. Director of Medical Health Services

18. Director of Animal Husbandry

19. Secretary of the State Electricity Board

20. Secretary, Dept. of Women and Child Development

21. P.H.E., Dept./Water Supply and Sewerage Board

22. Station Director AIR/DDK

23. Chief Engineer, Border Road Organisations

24. Director, Civil Supplies

25. Regional Manager, Indian Oil Corporation

26. Director, Local Bodies.

SCMG Responsibilities:
The SCMG will, take into consideration the instructions and guidance received, from time to time, from the
Government of India and formulate action plans for dealing with different natural calamities. The SCMG will also
have the district level plans for relief formulated by Collectors! Deputy Commissioners.

State Level Control Room:

The Relief Commissioner of the state shall establish an Emergency Operation Centre (Control Room) as soon as a
disaster situation develops. The Control Room shall have alt information relating to the forecasting and warning
of disaster, action plans for implementation and details of contact paints and various concerned agencies. It shall
have updated information about the Air Force, the Navy and the Army for quick interaction.

State Level Control Room Responsibilities:

The Control Room will be responsible for:
1. Transmitting to the Central Relief Commissioner information as to the development of a crisis situation as a
result of natural disaster on continue basis till the situation improves;

2. Receiving instructions and communicating to the appropriate agencies, for immediate action;

3. Collection and submission of information relating to implementation of relief measures to the Central Relief
Commissioner; and

4. Keeping the State level authorities apprised of the developments on a continuing basis.

Essay # 5. District Level Response to Natural Calamities:

Focal Point:
The collector or Deputy Commissioner will be the focal point at the district level for preparation of the district
level plans and for directing, supervising and monitoring relief measures for natural calamities.

Contingency Plans:
At the district level, the disaster relief plans shall provide for specific tasks and agencies for their implementation
in respect of the areas given in Annexure in relation to different types of calamities.

A contingency plan for the district far different disasters shall be drawn up by the Collector/ Deputy
Commissioner and got approved by the State Government. The Collector/Deputy Commissioner should also
coordinate and secure the input from the local defence forces unit in preparation of the contingency plans. These
Contingency plans must lay down specific action points key personnel and contact points in relation to mail
aspects.

District Relief Committee:

The relief measures shall be reviewed by the district level. Relief committee consisting of official and non-official
members including the local legislators and the members of Parliament.

District Control Room:

In the wake of natural calamities a Control Room shall be set up in the district for day to day monitoring of the
rescue and relief operations on a continuing basis.

Coordination:
The Collector shall maintain Close liaison with the Central Government authorities in the districts, namely, Army,
Air Force and Navy, Ministry of Water Resources etc., who could supplement the effort of the district
administration in the rescue and relief operations.

The Collector/Deputy Commissioner shall take all steps for enlistment of voluntary efforts and channelising the
non-Government organisations response to natural calamities.

The Collector shall closely interact with different implementation agencies and furnish information on a daily
basis to the State Relief Commissioner on the implementation of rescue and relief measures.

Review of Contingency Plans:

The district level contingency; plans and the State Actin Plans should be reviewed annually and updated in the
light of lessons learnt in dealing with natural calamities from time to time. Copies of the revised/updated
contingency plans at State and district level should also available in the Ministry of Agriculture (Control Room).

Essay # 6. Effective Implementation of Relief Measures in the Wake of Natural Calamities:

For effective implementation of relief measures in the wake of a natural calamity, the Cabinet may set up a
committee. On the constitution of such a committee of the Cabinet, the Agriculture Secretary shall provide all
necessary information to and seek directions if any, of the Cabinet Committee in all matters concerning relief in
the wake of natural calamity and take steps for effective implementation of its directions. In the absence of such a
Cabinet Committee, all matter relating to relief shall be reported to the Cabinet Secretary.

National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC):

A National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) has been constituted in the Cabinet Secretariat.

The composition of the Committee is as under:

1. Cabinet Secretary Chairman

2. Secretary to Prime Minister Member

3. Secretary (MHA) Member

4. Secretary (MCD) Member

5. Director (IB) Member

6. Secretary (R&AW) Member

7. Secretary (Agri & Coopn.) Co-opted Member

8. An officer of Cabinet Secretariat. Convener

When a situation is to be handled also by the NCMC, it will give such directions to the Crisis Management Group
of the Ministry as deemed necessary. The Secretary (A&C) will be responsible for ensuring that all developments
are brought to the notice of the NCMC promptly.

Crisis Management Group:

There shall be a Crisis Management Group (CMG) for dealing with matters relating to relief in the
wake of major natural calamities, consisting of the following:
1. Relief Commissioner Chairman

2. OSD, Cabinet Sect, or a Representative of the Cabinet Sect.

3. A representative of PMO.

4. Joint Secretaries in the Ministries/Depts. of Finance, Food, Civil Supplies, Power, Urban Development, Rural
Development, Health, Petroleum, Planning Commission and Deptt. of Women & Child Dev.
5. Director General, India Meteorological Department.

6. Senior officers of the Ministry of Railways/Railway Board and Ministry of Water Resources.

7. A senior officer from the Ministry of Communications

8. A senior officer from the Ministry of Transport dealing with road communication

9. Director General, Civil Defense

10. Joint Secretary, Ministry of Defense

11. Joint Secretary (SR) and Addl. Relief Commissioner

The Resident Commissioners of the States affected by major natural calamity may be coopted on the CMG during
the period of crisis.

The names, addresses of office and residence telephone Nos. of all the members will be maintained by the Scarcity
Relief Division and the Control Room.

CMG-Meeting:
The CMG will meet atleast twice in a year in the months of December/January and May/ June and as often as
may be required by the Relief Commissioner. The CMG will meet in the Chamber of Relief Commissioner in
Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi unless otherwise indicated.

The CMG will:

1. Review every year Contingency Plans formulated by the Central Ministries/Departments,

2. Review the measures required for dealing with a natural calamity,

3. Coordinate the activities of the Central Ministries and the State Governments in relation to disaster
preparedness and relief, and

4. Obtain information from the Nodal officers on measures relating to the above.

The nodal officer of each Ministry/Department would be responsible for the formulation of a Detailed Action Plan
(DAP) clearly laying down the channel and manner of interaction, between agencies engaged in these functions,
details of the contact points, and the specific measures and time-frames for their implementation.

The specific action plan of individual Ministry/Department shall be submitted to the Central Relief
Commissioner. The CMG will review these action plans every year and get them updated from time to time.