MPA- 002: Understanding Man-Made Disasters

(TMA)
Course Code: MPA-002
Assignment Code: Asst/TMA/2019
Marks 50
This assignment consists of Sections I and II. There are five questions in each section.
You have to answer a total of five questions in about 400 words each. It is necessary to
attempt at least two questions from each section. Each question carries 10 marks.
Section-I
1) Discuss the nature and types of man - made disasters. 10
2) What are the major causes and effects of biological disasters? 10
3) ‘Proper preparedness and timely response is necessary in case of chemical disaster
management.’ Elaborate. 10
4) Write a note on urban building fires. 10
5) Explain the causes of coal fire and suggest necessary measures to mitigate disaster. 10
Section-II
6) What are the major causes and impacts of deforestation? 10
7) Discuss the impact of industrial effluents on environment and humans. 10
8) ‘Prevention, detection and suppression are necessary steps to be followed in forest fire
management.’ Comment. 10
9) Evaluate the effectiveness of disaster management practices in case of rail accidents In
India . 10
10) Discuss the causes of air accidents and suggest risk reduction measures to mitigate these
disasters. 10

Answers
Section-I
1) Discuss the nature and types of man-made disasters.
Ans.: When the disasters are due to carelessness of human or mishandling of dangerous
equipment’s they are called man-made disasters. Common examples of these disasters are
train accidents, aero plane crashes, collapse of buildings, bridges, mines, tunnels, etc.
Man-made disasters are the result of carelessness or human errors during technological and
industrial use. The disasters are in the form of accidents, which occur all of a sudden and take

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a huge toll on life and property. Mostly such disasters cause injuries, diseases and casualties
where they occur.
A man made disaster is a disaster caused by human beings. Some examples of man made
disasters include hazardous material spills, explosions, chemical or biological attacks, nuclear
blasts, traffic collisions such as train accidents, plane crashes, etc. Most of these disasters are
in the form accidents (except attacks) and cause deaths, injuries, and loss of property.
For example, the gas leak at an Indian pesticide plant in 1984 , which is commonly known as
the Bhopal gas tragedy, was a man made disaster. This was caused by the leak of toxic
substances including methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas. This disaster affected thousands of lives.
Man-made disasters are mainly of two types:
 Local disasters: These are small-scale disasters such as train accidents, plane crashes
and shipwrecks.
 Industrial and technological disasters: These are much larger in scale and are the
result of technology failures or industrial accidents. Such disasters affect both local
population and may even cover a much larger area. Industrial disasters result due to
accidental leakage of water or air pollutants. Many of the chemicals are extremely
toxic and carcinogenic which affect the human population in an adverse way. Some
people die instantly while others are crippled for whole life in the form of blindness,
paralysis and many other chronic diseases.
Impact on the environment: Leakage of toxic chemicals from the industries and accidents
in the nuclear reactors has short-term and long-term effects on the environment and human
health. Short-term effects on human health relate to casualties and diseases like blindness,
cancer, paralysis, heart trouble, gastric and respiratory abnormalities. Long-term effects
include genetic imbalances in humans and its impact on the future generations. Soil and water
sources also remain polluted for long durations of time.
Man-made disasters can be minimized to a large extent by adopting the following measures:
 Proper training of personnel working in the hazardous industries.
 Proper maintenance and care of safety measures.
 Removing human encroachments around hazardous industries.
 Making the people aware about the first-aid methods in case of accidents.
 Applying wet cloth over the mouth and nose in case of gas leakages minimizes the
health hazards.
 Remaining indoors in case of radioactive accidents.
 Providing the people with proper medical care, in some cases throughout their life.
 Providing adequate compensation to the affected people by way of money and
employment.
2) What are the major causes and effects of biological disasters?

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Ans.: Biological disasters are causative of process or phenomenon of organic origin or
conveyed by biological vectors, including exposure to pathogenic micro-organisms, toxins
and bioactive substances that may cause loss of life, injury, illness or other health impacts,
property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption, or
environmental damage. Examples of biological disasters include outbreaks of epidemic
diseases, plant or animal contagion, insect or other animal plagues and infestation. Biological
disasters may be in the form of:
 Epidemic Epidemic affecting a disproportionately large number of individuals within
a population, community, or region at the same time, examples being Cholera, Plague,
Japanese Encephalitis (JE)/Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES);
 Pandemic Pandemic is an epidemic that spreads across a large region, that is, a
continent, or even worldwide of existing, emerging or reemerging diseases and
pestilences, example being Influenza H1N1 (Swine Flu).
There are number of causes why biological weapons are potentially more powerful agents to
mass casualties leading to civil disruptions. To attract widespread attention and to harm a
selected target, these outfits can utilize possibly any biological material, which fulfils some of
the criteria of bio-weapons.
 Biological agents can be disseminated with readily available technology. Common
agricultural spray devices can be adopted to disseminate biological pathogens of the
proper particle size to cause infection in human population over great distances.
 he perpetrators can use natural weather conditions, such as wind and temperature
inversions as well as existing building infrastructures (e.g. ventilation system) or air
movement related to transportation (e.g. subway cars passing through tunnels) to
disseminate these agents and thus to infect or intoxicate a large number of people.
 The expense of producing biological weapons is far less than that of other weapon
systems.
The methods of bio-logical agent dissemination and delivery techniques include:
 Aerosols - biological agents are dispersed into the air, forming a fine mist that may
drift for miles. Inhaling the agent may cause epidemic diseases in human beings or
animals.
 Animals – some diseases are spread by insects and animals, such as fleas, mice, flies,
mosquitoes, and livestock.
 Ood and water contamination - some pathogenic organisms and toxins may persist in
food and water supplies. Most microbes can be killed, and toxins deactivated, by
cooking food and boiling water. Most microbes are killed by boiling water for one
minute, but some require longer.
 Person-to-person - spread of a few infectious agents is also possible. Humans have
been the source of infection for smallpox, plague, and the Lassa viruses.
4) Write a note on urban building fires. 10

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5) Explain the causes of coal fire and suggest necessary measures to mitigate disaster.
Ans.: Coal fires are also a common problem in India, most notably throughout the Jharia
coalfield. Around “$12 billion in high-grade coking coal, used in steel production, sits below
Jharia,” and the coal fires that burn in the region jeopardize the population of the region. The
Indian government’s response was a relocation plan worth $1.4 billion, approved in 1996.
However, as of 2012, of the 90,000 residents of the Jharia region only 1,150 families had
been relocated. The cause for this slow relocation process is likely due in part to
misallocation of funds combined with diminutive relocation packages.
Understanding the economics of coal fires requires an understanding of their associated costs:
the cost of extinguishing the fire, the value of coal lost, and the cost to the environment, now
directly measurable in carbon credits. Before reviewing the potential costs of coal fires, it is
beneficial to cover the costs of extinguishing fires. Coal fires produce greenhouse gases,
consume valuable resources, and emit pollution which is quite harmful to humans and the
environment in general.
There are many methods for extinguishing coal fires. Many have been attempted. Some have
been successful, and some have been unsuccessful. The successful methods involve adding
solids like sand or fly ash in combination with water. The Coal Fire Gang has demonstrated
that a relatively novel method is very effective for certain, if not many, underground coal
fires. The CFG method injects dry sand into the combustion gas exit vents, followed by
spraying water onto the sand which migrates down through the sand onto the heated Earth
below, vaporizes, and flows back out the air inlet openings. The cavity fills with steam and
the escaping steam velocity, leaving the previous air inlets, prevents air from entering the
cavity. The steam within the cavity extinguishes the fire and keeps it extinguished as long as
the hot earth beneath the cavity supplies sufficient heat to vaporize sufficient steam. The
water vaporization will cool the surrounding soil as long as water is supplied and as long as
there is stored heat in the soil to vaporize the water.
This novel technique has been demonstrated by small-scale test using an apparatus which
simulates a coal fire in a cavity underground. The apparatus was operated in a manner such
that there was a chimney effect for the hot gases exiting the vent opening which induced
airflow for combustion in an inlet opening. When the sand was added, the exhaust gases
ceased almost totally, and when water was added, exhaust gases not only ceased, but were
forced out the air inlet opening.
Section-II
6) What are the major causes and impacts of deforestation?
Ans.: Deforestation means cutting down the trees to a large extent be it forests, any barren
land or trees we see on our way to school every day. Natural forests are being destructed to
use the land for cultivation, building houses, factories, logging, making space for cattle
grazing, extraction of oil, mining, construction of dams or to obtain wood for making
furniture and using it as fuel.

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Forest wood has been an essential need for us since the time of civilization and still continues
to be the main source for many uses in our day to day life. Trees help to maintain the water
cycle and give shelter to the organisms. It takes place in an area that is densely populated by
trees and is mostly observed in a forest like the Amazon rainforest. Forests cover almost
30% of the earth’s land.
The causes of deforestation are:
 Logging: Illegal logging activities are very common that destroy the livelihoods of
the people depending on forests. Wood-based industries like paper, match-sticks,
furniture need a substantial amount of wood supply. Wood is used as fuel most
commonly and so large amount of trees are cut down for fuel supplies. Firewood and
charcoal are used as fuel.
 Agricultural Activities: The conversion of forests into agricultural land is a big
reason for deforestation. Due to overgrowing demand for food products, many trees
are chopped down for crops and for cattle grazing. Over 40% of the forests are
cleaned to obtain land and meet the needs of agriculture and wood.
 Mining: Oil and mining of coal require a large amount of forest land. Construction of
roads leads to deforestation as they provide the way to remote land. The waste that
comes out from mining pollutes the environment and affects the nearby species.
 Urbanization: As the population grows, the needs of people increases which further
leads to deforestation. Forests shrink to a great extent to meet the requirements like
for construction of roads, development of houses, mineral exploitation and expansion
of industries. Increasing population directly affects forest as with the expansion of
cities there is a need for more land for housing and settlements.
 Timber Production: One of the primary cause of deforestation is the production of
timber. There is a lot of demand for timber and so deforestation increases. It a source
of raw material which is used for the production of paper and also for construction.
 Forest Fires: We lose a large number of trees each year due to fires in the forest in
various portions worldwide. This happens due to extreme summers and winters. The
fire caused, by man or nature, results in huge loss of forest cover.
Some of the effects of deforestation are:
 Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Gases such as methane and carbon dioxide trap heat in
Earth’s atmosphere, leading change in climate. Trees absorb the carbon dioxide and
release oxygen and water into the atmosphere and this contributes to the global
warming. Cutting carbon dioxide adds to the environment and then this lack of the
tree creates an absorption deficit. Deforestation leads to the emission of greenhouse
gas.
 Soil Erosion: Cutting down on trees leads to clearance of forests and so soil erosion
occurs. Exposure of the soil to the sun’s heat dries up the moisture inside the soil.
Nutrients evaporate and it affects the bacteria that help to break down organic matter.
Due to this, rain washes the soil surfaces and erosion takes place. Large amounts of

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 soil wash into local streams and rivers and cause damage to hydroelectric structures
and irrigation infrastructure.
 Biodiversity Losses: Deforestation alters land and so that many of the plants and
animals do not survive. With more deforestation, the entire species can extinct. This is
the ‘biodiversity loss’. Many wonderful species of plants and animals have been lost,
and many others remain endangered. As each species of an ecosystem rely upon other
species, loss of one species can have far-reaching consequences for other species. We
lose about 50 to 100 species of animals each day due to the destruction of their
habitats. Millions of plants and animal species are on the verge of extinction due to
deforestation.
 Floods: Deforestation leads to land erosion because the trees maintain the surface of
the mountains. The water level of the rivers increases suddenly, causing floods. When
it rains, trees absorb and store a large amount of water with the help of their roots.
Chopping down of trees disrupts the flow of water and leads to floods in some areas.
7) Discuss the impact of industrial effluents on environment and humans.
Ans.: Industrialization has become an important factor to the development of a country’s
economy, through the establishment of plants and factories. However, the waste or by-
products discharged from them are severely disastrous to the environment consists various
kind of contaminant which contaminate the surface water, ground water and soil. There are a
number of reasons the waste are not safely treated. One of the reasons is mainly due to the
lacking of highly efficient and economic treatment technology.
The industrial discharge carries various types of contaminants to the river, lake and
groundwater. The quality of freshwater is very important as it is highly consumed by human
for drinking, bathing, irrigation and etc. The presence of contaminants from industrial
contaminant within the water may reduce the yield of crops and the growth of plant and it
will harmful to the aquatic living organism too.
Groundwater is regarded as the largest reservoir of drinkable water for mankind. To many
countries, groundwater is one of the major sources of water supply for domestic, industrial
and agricultural sectors. In India, groundwater supplies more than 50% for irrigation, and
80% for drinking water. It is estimated that approximately one-third of the world’s population
are using groundwater for drinking purposes. Pollution of ground water due to industrial
effluents is a major issue. Poor groundwater quality brings negative impact to human health
and plant growth. In developing countries like India, it is estimated that around 80% of all
diseases are directly related to poor drinking water quality and unhygienic conditions. Human
activities like industrialization are responsible to the groundwater quality and the
groundwater contamination and spread of contaminant are amongst the major factor lead to
human hazards.
Generally, the land is contaminated due to the uncontrolled and unplanned disposal of
industrial waste onto the soil surface. The contaminant will infiltrate to the groundwater. The

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contamination on the soil surface may interrupt human daily activity and bring adverse effect
to the growth of plant as well as human health.
The impact to human health is the utmost important criteria to look into apart from the effect
to surface water and groundwater on the living organism and sediments. Metals, as described
in the above case studies showed the potential for health risk. However, the organic matter
also will bring adverse health impact to human.
There are several ways to solve the environmental problem caused by industrial discharge.
Some of the methods are bioremediation, biosorption, phytoremediation, application of green
chemistry and green monitoring. Many studies have been conducted on bioremediation using
bacteria, fungi and yeast. Bioremediation is the use of microbial in remediating the
contaminant while phytoremediation uses plant. The examples of bioremediation are land
farming, composting, bioreactors, bioventing, biofilters, bioaugmentation, biostimulation,
intrinsic bioremediation, pump and treat of groundwater (Boopathy, 2000). Brown algae and
yeast are examples of the application in biosorption. The examples for phytoremediation
could be the use of plant in surface and submerged aquatic plant. Green chemistry and green
monitoring are alternative option to prevent and to monitor the contamination of industrial
discharge.