Improving Disaster Resilience in India 1

A REPORT ON IMPROVING DISASTER RESILIENCE IN INDIA

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 Improving Disaster Resilience in India 2

Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................................................... 3
Geography and Demographics of India.............................................................................................................. 4
Hazards threatening India.................................................................................................................................. 4
A disaster risk analysis of India........................................................................................................................... 6
Existing disaster resilience strategies................................................................................................................. 8
Stakeholders for enhancing disaster resilience................................................................................................... 9
Varied perspectives of stakeholders on issues related to disaster resilience....................................................10
Contribution of stakeholders to existing disaster management plans and governance....................................11
Elements of physical, social, economic, and/or environmental perspectives of resilience that apply to India..12
Conclusion....................................................................................................................................................... 13
References.............................................................................................................................................14
 Improving Disaster Resilience in India 3

A Report on Improving Disaster Resilience in India

Introduction

Communities that are adaptable to disasters must be built using practical resilience strategies

that allow for the informed allocation of resources at the regional and sub-national levels

(Rapaport et al., 2018). Societal resilience refers to the capacity to foresee possible dangers,

adjust to ever-changing circumstances, and endure disturbances while recovering quickly.

Resilience-building activities involve emergency preparedness, which covers preventative,

preservation, management, intervention, and restoration.

Societies are highly complicated, but so are the risks they take. Human-related and natural

catastrophes are much more prevalent and extremely expensive. Variables like changing

climate, globalisation, and rapid urbanisation can bring post-disaster dangers to populations

(Matarrita-Cascante et al., 2018). Tackling these dangers demands a strategy that blends what

we understand about planning for catastrophes with just what we understand about measures

that build communities nearly every day. Social sustainability focuses on promoting the day-to-

day health and quality of life of communities to minimise the harmful effects of catastrophes.

The aim of this report is to highlight the vulnerabilities of India, be it social or economic and also

to bring attention to its resilience to severe hazards it faces as a developing country. It will then

suggest the prominent stakeholders contributing or even building this resilience in India and

helping it withstand these catastrophes. Next, it will move on to the variable perspectives of

these stakeholders in terms of disaster management. Later, the report will add

recommendations or elements of disaster resilience that apply to India as a developing

community.
 Improving Disaster Resilience in India 4

Geography and Demographics of India

India is the largest single country in South Asia. Located to the south of Old Delhi, New Delhi has

served as the nation's capital since it was constructed in the 20th century. The government

there is a constitutional republic, and it represents a people with thousands of different ethnic

groups and maybe hundreds of different languages. Approximately one-sixth of the global

population resides in India, making it the world's most populated country. Six nations border

India's perimeter, which has of coastline making up around a third of the country's total area. It

is surrounded by Pakistan to the west, China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north, and Myanmar to

the east (Burma). India borders Bangladesh on three sides: the north, the east, and the west. Sri

Lanka is an island nation located in the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar, around 65 kilometres

(40 miles) from the south-eastern coast of India.

India is a landmass that spans both the Indian and Himalayan oceans. The total land area is

3,287,259 km², and there are 7,000 kilometres of shoreline (4,349.6 mi). This landmass is equal

to around 473 per cent of Texas. India, after China, is Asia's second-largest country and the

world's seventh-largest by landmass. About 65% of the population lives in rural areas. India's

enormous size necessitates the creation of several distinct regions. The typical altitude is 621

metres above sea level. Kangchendzönga is the highest peak, with an altitude of 8,586 metres.

About 1,200 of the islands in the nation are deserted or sparsely populated. Bangladesh,

Afghanistan, Burma, Bhutan, Nepal, China, Sri Lanka and Pakistan are the eight nations that it

has land borders with. About 11,770 kilometres separate the nation's two capitals, New York

and New Delhi (7,314 mi).

 Improving Disaster Resilience in India 5

Hazards threatening India

The livelihoods and prosperity of India's population remain to be threatened by a wide range of

natural and human-caused risks.

According to a new report, Sub-Saharan Africans are the most vulnerable to natural hazards and

will have the toughest time recovering due to political instability, corruption, and insufficient

resources and infrastructure to replenish. In South Asia, earthquakes, flooding, and severe

storms pose the greatest threat to the largest number of people. They found that 1 billion

people in India are vulnerable to natural disasters, followed by 677 million in China, 230 million

in Indonesia, 206 million in the United States, and 174 million in Nigeria (Rana and Routray,

2017). Additional natural catastrophes that have affected India in adding to tremors include

storms, flooding, droughts, viral illnesses, etc. India's ecology is in the spotlight again after the

glacier erupted in Uttarakhand's Chamoli region. India is one of the top three nations on the

globe that has suffered the most from natural catastrophes in recent years.

About 79,732 people have died, and 108 crores have been impacted by 321 natural disasters in

India over this time period. Each year, almost 34.5 billion people in India are impacted by an

average of 17 floods. In contrast, China has seen 20 annual floods over the past two decades,

impacting 90 crore people. Natural catastrophes, including tremors, warmer temperatures,

extreme weather, and flooding, are common in India (Fahad and Wang, 2019). A wintertime

crisis that affected one million populations in a large portion of the nation's west preceded this.

In January 2020, the administration proclaimed a national emergency due to the largest desert

locust invasion in 27 years. Then, in February 2020, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

epidemic broke out, causing health and financial disruptions, a disturbance in the schooling
 Improving Disaster Resilience in India 6

system, and a rise in food scarcity (Fahad and Wang, 2019).

Large portions of the nation are still seriously threatened by droughts, which pose a risk to

populations' survival and everything they possess. The country, in general, will benefit greatly

from improved irrigation systems and drought-resistant crop development, as any danger to the

country's agricultural production can have disastrous effects. Any incident that increases food

shortages will turn into a problem which will be difficult to readily manage given the locust

epidemic that is ravaging the area and other climate risks. Endurance is put through its paces in

a situation where there is no work and nothing to eat.

A disaster risk analysis of India

1. Hazard Analysis: Numerous natural catastrophes, such as storms, hurricanes, tremors,

collapses, and droughts, can occur in India. 

a. Earthquake occurred: Because India is located in a tectonic area, it frequently

experiences seismic activity of minor to medium size (Sina, Chang-Richards,

Wilkinson, and Potangaroa, 2019). All along Himalayan and Karakorum mountainous

regions, as well as in some areas of Hindu Kush in the nation's northwest, tremors

frequently happen.

b. Cyclones: The 7516.6 km long coastline strip of India is periodically pummelling by

cyclonic storms, inflicting significant deaths and damage to property, particularly in

the coastline of Union Territories of Puducherry and Daman and Diu, States of

Gujarat, Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh,

and West Bengal (Sina, Chang-Richards, Wilkinson, and Potangaroa, 2019).

c. Floods: Amongst the five South Asian nations, India seems to have the greatest
 Improving Disaster Resilience in India 7

estimated yearly total number of people who are seriously harmed by massive

flooding (Mal, Singh, Huggel, & Grover, 2018). The River Indus system's floodplain

lowlands were originally created as flood zones and are still susceptible to frequent

floods. River system flooding takes place during the monsoon season in summer. In

the mountainous regions, landslides and torrential rains are common threats (Mal,

Singh, Huggel, & Grover, 2018).

d. Drought: Dry spell is one of the potential repercussions of climate change that might

cause a dramatic decline in ground water concentrations and the running dry of

marshes. India is among the nations that is anticipated to be most negatively

impacted by the consequences of climate change (Rana and Routray, 2018). Drought

has had a devastating impact on several districts of India.

2. Vulnerability Analysis: A region's possible harm might expand with its density of

population, as well as the combination of poor wage levels and restricted access to

health care can make matters worse. Although the "housing structure" criterion typically

indicates a region's physical fragility, it can also be a good indicator of a society's social

standing. Therefore, a large percentage of squatter settlements could decrease a town's

ability to handle floods, for instance, and raise the risk of damage. The income level is

generally recognized in the literature to be one of the most crucial aspects when

examining vulnerabilities at a community scale (Imamura, Boret, Suppasri, and Muhari,

2019).  The 'literary ratio' gauges a population's comprehension of published

information. It is presumable that individuals with poor educational backgrounds do not

actively seek out, discover, or comprehend information about hazards, which eventually
 Improving Disaster Resilience in India 8

reduces their ability for managing and increases their vulnerability. The capability of

socialized medicine institutions is determined by the "hospital bed per 1000 people"

measure. This is thought to possess a massive effect on a region's ability to respond to

emergencies and engage in catastrophe mitigation strategies (Aslam et al., 2017).

Existing disaster resilience strategies

The government has instituted sufficient measures for flooding prevention and control even to

the local level in light of the regular occurrence of flooding even during rainy season. By offering

humanitarian assistance in impacted areas and conducting search and rescue activities, the

Army contributes significantly to flood mitigation. Each year in April, the Flood Commission

starts making preparations to combat flooding. It also keeps an eye on how much rainwater is

being released from strategically vital reservoirs and barrages, and it regularly communicates

with all regional governments before, throughout, and after flooding. The local, regional, and

provincial governments create flood mitigation strategies every year and make sure that early

warnings are quickly distributed using both traditional and contemporary methods of

communication (Walch, 2019).

India's ability to deal handle catastrophes in numerous ways has changed drastically in recent

years. The Western national tragedies in India (Prevention and Relief) and the Civil Defence Act

were passed.  Since 1958 to the 2005 earthquake in Kashmir, no organised emergency

management system existed, housing all of the Emergency Relief Cells at one place (Sina,

Chang-Richards, Wilkinson, and Potangaroa, 2019). Coordinating initiatives were spearheaded

by the Federal Cabinet Secretariat. However, districts obtained their own relief efforts

equipment and handled emergencies. A tremor occurred which was the impetus that led to the
 Improving Disaster Resilience in India 9

creation of National Center for Seismology (NCS) and National Disaster Management Authority

(NDMA) and started a dialogue on establishing a formalized emergency management

organisation (Sina, Chang-Richards, Wilkinson, and Potangaroa, 2019)).

Stakeholders for enhancing disaster resilience

Directly following the Kashmir earthquakes, the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) and

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was founded. The council is the nation's

ultimate authority on catastrophe risk management decision-making and policy. Vulnerability is

multi-sectoral, so it demands for prompt action, so the NDMA was created to act as a central

focus and coordination organisation to make it easier to put emergency preparedness plans into

action. The Provincial Disaster Commission, which is presided over by the Chief Minister, may be

established by the regional government. The Provincial Director General is in charge of the

Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). The Province state offers importance to

establishing District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMA) in threat zones. The district chief

minister will serve as the leader of this organization (Khan et al., 2021). The primary

organisation for catastrophe risk mitigation and management is at the municipality stage.

The bottom layer of management is this one. With the assistance of municipal officers and in

conjunction with DDMA, municipal chief directs the danger and response activities (Walch,

2019). These organisations play a major role in the distribution of funding for regional planning

projects. In campaigning for community needs before district assemblies and emergency

management agencies, community councils can play a significant role. The capability of current

systems to support community - based disaster risk management initiatives. The county and

administrations have the power to enhance local organization.

 Improving Disaster Resilience in India 10

Towns, regional, nationally, and worldwide NGOs, institutions, and governmental entities are

some of the important stakeholders. India is one of those nations that is weak and susceptible

to catastrophes, especially natural tragedies. In order to successfully react, the Indian

government periodically creates new regulations and legislative actions during catastrophes.

The NDMA sets the stage for catastrophe management, which further filters down to the ranks

of the provinces, districts, and states / union territories (Ali et al., 2021). In addition to those

governmental departments and agencies, the full range of disaster risk management in the

nongovernmental Organizations and departments developing the catastrophe risk management

plans.

Varied perspectives of stakeholders on issues related to disaster resilience

Specifically, in the area of community preparedness, that is a fundamental step to reduce

hazards, the involvement of organizations in catastrophe management is vital. Because they are

always the very first rescuers to catastrophes, community movements should tackle flood

hazard approaches and adopt actions for disaster prevention. Also, after experiencing a series of

devastating catastrophes over the past four to five decades, Indian organizations have not

learned any lessons and are unable to offer expertise and competent services in the area of

disaster risk management. The NDMA, which envisioned an institutional framework on both the

state and district levels, to accomplish the purposes and aspirations of emergency preparedness

(Matsuura and Razak, 2019).

However, since it was established, it has now been given priority to create the foundation,

which remains restricted to the government. Although the strategy is a well-drafted and well-

articulated text that stands at the national level, it has not permeated further downwards (area
 Improving Disaster Resilience in India 11

and union council) because it is up to the regional local administration to enact such

regulations. The majority of local administration are not fully aware that such a record exists.

The NDMA ought to specify precisely what each department's and authority's duties are at the

local level. It is both the federal present government and emergency relief organisations' duty to

develop local readiness and coping mechanisms. Providing information to increase awareness in

the community using emergency preparedness programs and administration to expedite

disaster management efforts. A process that is well-synchronized among regional organizations

on a national and regional level, with community engagement.

Contribution of stakeholders to existing disaster management plans and governance

Risk management for disasters necessitates a multidisciplinary approach and quick action. The

NDMA was created to act as the focal point and coordinating body for the project execution.

This calls for direct communication between NDMA and all participants (Fahad and Wang,

2018). Regarding disaster mitigation, readiness, reaction, and rehabilitation following disasters,

all parties have distinct roles to play. Some stakeholders are more involved in emergency

preparedness and response than others, and not all stakeholders have an involvement in every

stage of risk reduction.

The development of individual organisational plans and objectives for disaster prevention,

mitigation, and rehabilitation is anticipated from each stakeholder. The specific information

regarding hazard, weaknesses, and funding allotted by regions would be included in these

strategies. To guarantee cooperation, each participant is obligated to submit organisational

objectives to NDMA. The appropriate emergency management organisation will offer expert

advice to contributors in performing their roles. Stakeholders should acquire technological

 Improving Disaster Resilience in India 12

expertise in order to successfully carry out their roles.

Elements of physical, social, economic, and/or environmental perspectives of resilience that

apply to India

India has demonstrated that it is the perfect example of a resilient country in spite of the

enormous obstacles that have been placed in its pathway ever since it was founded in 1947. The

nation and its citizens have endured numerous catastrophes throughout its brief history. The

nation continues to be among the greatest disaster-prone in the world; tremors, flooding,

droughts, storms, blizzards, glaciers outburst river flooding, and locust infestations are all

examples of persistent danger (Ali et al., 2021). Additionally, it is among the top eight nations

impacted the greatest by global warming. Each occurrence places tremendous stress on the

economy and the welfare of the populace, who are frequently driven deeper into poverty and

starvation when disasters happen.

Since 1947, India has fought off numerous dangers to its existence and economy. Military

conflicts in 1948, 1965, and 1971 against Pakistan are among the most severe and potentially

disruptive (Mal, Singh, Huggel, & Grover, 2018). These conflicts set the stage for what remains a

tense and commonly intimidating connection today, as evidenced by Pakistan's increasing

aggression and peace agreement breaches on the Line of Control. As estimated 120,000 people

had serious injuries, and 73,000 people died. There were 600,000 demolished dwellings (Mal,

Singh, Huggel, & Grover, 2018).

A straightforward comprehension of the elements of establishing resilience, particularly

comprehending all hazards, is necessary for all preparation by the Government and relief and

developmental organisations. Hazards include a variety of disruptions that can occur at any
 Improving Disaster Resilience in India 13

time, such as epidemics, warfare, environmental and man-made catastrophes, and economic

instability. In order to do this, a lot of work needs to be done to evaluate threats and risks,

create disaster resilience processes, early detection systems, improved farming techniques,

drought-resistant crop yields, disaster-proof all building and infrastructural facilities, implement

community-based risk mitigation initiatives, ensure social integration and security, and

guarantee livelihood opportunities for everyone. Significant improvements should also be made

in both education and healthcare (Aslam et al., 2017). These are but a handful of the things to

think about. All are expensive to construct, but the advantages will more than offset the effects

of genuine disasters, making India a truly robust country.

Conclusion

Throughout Pakistan, the majority of assistance and rescue efforts are directed on flood-related

catastrophes. Every time there is a crisis, the state spends a lot of money on evacuation, rescue,

and recovery efforts. During catastrophe there exists a lack of knowledge and expertise in

Pakistani management corporation regarding identifying risks, risk evaluation and management,

and connections linking occupations and emergency planning. Reactions to emergency

management policies are still not largely affected by strategies and instruments for affordable,

long-lasting solutions.

There are currently no comprehensive, comprehensive, or long-term organisational frameworks

to deal with emergency challenges over the lengthy period. The procedures of community

projects and planning for alleviating poverty are not considered when disasters occur. For

instance, organizations involved in catastrophe control, development strategies, and

environment protection all work separately, and there is essentially no coordinated planning
 Improving Disaster Resilience in India 14

between such fields.

The ineffective and inefficient disaster planning in the country is a result of the absence of a

centralized government for comprehensive emergency preparedness and of collaboration

between and among disaster-related entities. Emergency mitigation and prevention policies at

the state and local level disproportionately favour underlying barriers while undermining non-

structural factors like knowledge of the area and capacity as well as concerns about protecting

livelihoods.

References

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Research, 27(13), pp.15375-15387.

Ali, T., Paton, D., Buergelt, P., Smith, J., Jehan, N. and Siddique, A., 2021. Integrating Indigenous

perspectives and community-based disaster risk reduction: A pathway for sustainable

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Aslam, A., Ahmad, S., Ahmad, I., Hussain, Y. and Hussain, M., 2017. Vulnerability and impact

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Fahad, S. and Wang, J., 2018. Farmers’ risk perception, vulnerability, and adaptation to climate

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 Improving Disaster Resilience in India 15

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 Improving Disaster Resilience in India 16

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