MPPSC

Mains
Notes -
2021
Paper -1
(Part B)
Unit IV: Water and Disater
Management
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 SYLLABUS
Topic Page no.
1. Drinking-Water, 3-34
Groundwater and water
conservation.
2. Natural and Man-made 35-65
disasters, Concept and
scope of disaster
management, specific
hazards and mitigation.
3. Community planning: 66-79
Resource mapping, relief
and rehabilitation,
preventive and
administrative measures,
safe construction.
Alternative communication
and survival efficiency.

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 1. Drinking Water ; Ground
water, Water conservation
& Water Management
Drinking water
Drinking water is water intended for human consumption for drinking and
cooking purposes from any source. It includes water (treated or untreated)
supplied by any means for human consumption. The quality standards for
drinking water in India is prescribed by Bureau of Indian Standards laid down
IS 10500 : 2012.
Water quality criteria
Designated-Best- Class of Criteria
Use water
Drinking A  Total Coliforms Organism MPN/100ml
Water Source shall be 50 or less
without  pH between 6.5 and 8.5
conventional  Dissolved Oxygen 6mg/l or more
treatment but after  Biochemical Oxygen Demand 5 days 20°C
disinfection 2mg/l or less
Outdoor bathing B  Total Coliforms Organism MPN/100ml
(Organised) shall be 500 or less pH between 6.5 and 8.5
Dissolved Oxygen 5mg/l or more
 Biochemical Oxygen Demand 5 days 20°C
3mg/l or less
Drinking water C  Total Coliforms Organism MPN/100ml
source after shall be 5000 or less pH between 6 to 9
conventional Dissolved Oxygen 4mg/l or more
treatment and  Biochemical Oxygen Demand 5 days 20°C
disinfection 3mg/l or less
Propagation of D  pH between 6.5 to 8.5 Dissolved Oxygen
Wild life and 4mg/l or more
Fisheries  Free Ammonia (as N) 1.2 mg/l or less
Irrigation, E  pH between 6.0 to 8.5
Industrial Cooling,  Electrical Conductivity at 25°C micro

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Controlled Waste mhos/cm Max.2250
disposal  Sodium absorption Ratio Max. 26
 Boron Max. 2mg/l

Water Scarcity in India

India is suffering from one of the world’s worst national water crises. In fact, it
is considered the center of the global water and sanitation crisis. The problem is
so big, our lives, livelihoods, and futures hang in the balance. And no, it’s not a
problem that can be easily resolved by water pumps, a purifier, and retail bottled
water.
More than 50% of the population has no access to safe drinking water and
about 200,000 people die every year for lack of access to safe water. Hard facts
that 20 ltr water cans can’t solve. About 82% of rural households are without
piped water supply. Washing of hands isn’t a luxury million of us can not afford,
nor is keeping ourselves hydrated
Reasons for Water Crisis
Monsoon Dependence:
There is a huge dependence on monsoon rains to replenish most of India’s
important water sources such as underground aquifers, lakes, rivers, and
reservoirs. But monsoon is vulnerable to factors such as climate change, El-
Nino, etc.
Uneven distribution of water and Rainfall pattern:
Certain regions have surplus amounts of water for their need while others face
perennial droughts for most of the year. For instance, Drought is a recurrent
phenomenon in Andhra Pradesh where no district is entirely free of droughts.
Rajasthan is one of the most drought-prone areas of India.
Increasing demand:
Population growth, industrialization, rapid urbanisation, rising needs of
irrigation and increase in domestic water usage have accelerated the demand for
water. Since urbanization increases in India at a rapid pace = water demand will
increase rapidly as city dwellers consume more water than rural people.
Urbanisation & Water scarcity:
 Currently, about 285 million or 33% of India’s total population resides in
urban areas. By 2050 this figure will reach 50%.
 Rapid urbanisation is adding to the water scarcity issue in the country.
 Presence of buildings, tar, and cement roads = even if a city like Mumbai
gets good rains, the rainwater is not retained in the area as the water is not
allowed to percolate underground.

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 Therefore, water required for cities is largely drawn from neighbouring
villages and far-off rivers and lakes = threatening the availability in those
areas.
 Large cities also generate large quantities of urban sewage which pollutes
the freshwater sources and ocean waters. However, only about 20% of urban
wastewater is currently treated globally. In India, the figure is even lower.
Overexploitation :
 In developing countries like India, groundwater fulfills nearly 80% of
irrigation requirement = resulted in a fast depletion of groundwater sources.
 Free power and inefficient utilisation of water by farmers has added to the
issue of groundwater depletion.
 The groundwater and sand extraction from most river beds and basins has
turned unsustainable.
 Tanks and ponds are encroached upon.
 Dug-wells and borewells are carelessly built to slide deeper and deeper to
suck water from greater depths.
Shift to cash-crops:
Water is being diverted from food crops to cash crops that consume an
enormous quantity of water.
Inefficient cultivation practices:
 In India, around 70% of the population is still dependent on agriculture for
its livelihood.
 Since the adoption of Green Revolution in the 1960s, nearly 50% of the food
production comes from irrigated land.
 But inefficient cultivation practices have led to the flooding of fertile land
which in turn has caused salinization, siltation of reservoirs, etc = causing
groundwater reserves of major agricultural states to be depleted at an
alarming rate.
Water Pollution:
 Release of industrial and domestic waste, including urban sewage, into
rivers, lakes, and estuaries has polluted freshwater sources at an alarming
rate in India = those fresh water sources are not fit for drinking or other
activities.
 Eutrophication of surface water and coastal zones is expected to increase
almost everywhere leads to nitrogen pollution.

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 Effects of Water Scarcity in India
Effects of Water Scarcity on Food Security
 74 % of the area under wheat cultivation and 63 % of the area under rice
cultivation faces extreme levels of water scarcity.
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 Expected demand-supply gap of up to 570 Billion m by 2030 in the
agriculture sector.
 Virtual water export adds to the problem, the export of approximately 37
lakh tonnes of Basmati rice alone cost India 10 Trillion litres of water in
2014-15.
Ways to Prevent Risks on Food Security due to Water Scarcity
1. States should start using a water lens while developing agricultural policies
and incentives.
2. India needs to manage its international export of virtual water.
3. Ensure that crop production patterns within the country, across different
states, are aligned to regional water availability.
4. Agriculture policies that limit the export of water-intensive crops or
reduce Minimum Support Price (MSP) and subsidies for water-intensive
crops (particularly sugarcane, cotton and rice) in regions with declining
water tables.
5. Emphasise on the adoption of water-efficient technologies, management
systems, farmer education, and advisory services.
6. Consider developing an agricultural water export index to track virtual
water, to track the amount of virtual water exported by India through trade
commodities to other countries. This can enable better policy and
incentives that support water sustainability.
7. The water footprint network has developed an interactive tool to calculate
and map the water footprint by different users, assess its sustainability, and
identify strategic interventions for improving water use.
8. Invest in scaling up Micro-irrigation. It is a vital solution to make India’s
agriculture more water-efficient, the adoption rate is still small due to
problems in the sustained adoption of micro-irrigation across seasons due to
maintenance challenges and cost pressures. A programme that takes care of
financial support, operational support, and technical support is essential.
The Government of India’s ‘Per Drop More Crop’ component under
the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana promotes the use of drip and
sprinkler irrigation by farmers.

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 Effects of Water Scarcity on the Carrying Capacity of Urban
Hubs
 5 of the world’s largest cities under water stress present in India.
 No Indian city is able to provide 24 hours 7 days a week water supply to its
entire urban population.
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 Expected water demand-supply gap of approximately 50 Billion m for the
domestic sector by 2030, as future demand doubles present use.
Ways to Prevent Water Scarcity in Urban Areas
1. An integrated approach to land-use planning and zoning where water will
be the crux of the planning is the sole way to ensure sustainable urban
development in which the needs of the city’s water needs are met.
2. While creating city plans and providing permits for new establishments,
state and city governments should consider water resource availability in
the region, and resist developmental activities that are not sustainable from
the perspective of water management.
3. The government can take a leaf out of the book from the American
Planning Association (APA) in the United States which has introduced
water-related policy guidelines, which treats water as a critical component
of infrastructure planning.

Effects of Water Scarcity on sustainable industrial activity

 Industries expected to draw 3 times water compared to their actual
consumption by 2030.
 Shutdowns possible as states prioritize irrigation and household needs, and
fail to provide water to industries.
 Water intensive industries such as Food & Beverages, Textiles, Paper &
Paper products are likely to be worst affected.
Ways to Prevent Risks for Industrial Activity due to Water Scarcity
1. Water usage can be optimized by giving permits that put caps on water
consumption by each user.
2. Industrial zoning can restrict water-intensive industries from setting up in
water-scarce regions, this will promote water efficiency amongst small and
large industries.
3. We could take an example of Australia’s Murray-Darling Basin which
supports water trading worth AUD 2 Billion annually. It is a system where
water entitlements and allocations are provided to industrial units annually,
and they are allowed to trade i.e. buy and sell their water quotas amongst

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 different users, to maximize their outputs and income by optimizing water
use.
4. ESG compliance checks by banks can act as an effective tool for adopting
water conservation activities by organisations that seek external funding.
The risks posed to organisations due to water shortages and scarcity will
affect the performance of banks. An Indian bank checks and raises a red
flag if the availability of water in the region is insufficient to support the
business operations of an organisation. Another bank conducts portfolio
analysis and covers water as a key non-financial risk.

Effects of Water Scarcity on Energy Production in India

 40 % of India’s thermal power plants presently located in water-scarce
regions
 70 % of India’s thermal power plants are expected to face high water stress
by 2030.
Ways to Prevent Risks on Energy Production due to Water Scarcity
1. Diversifying to renewable energy sources like Solar and Wind energy, that
are not reliant on water to generate energy. Government has already set
targets of 175 GW of energy by 2022, this will considerably help in
diverting the crisis.
2. Make sure that new Thermal power plants are only established in regions
where there is no scarcity of water availability.
3. Promote the adoption of water-efficient technologies for operation of
power plants and the production of energy.
4. National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) is exploring solutions such
as desalination plants which can create additional water for human use, and
floating Solar PV can reduce the natural rate of evaporation and support
conservation of water.

Effects of Water Scarcity on Biodiversity of India

 Human intervention impacts 35 species on average in biodiversity hotspots
in India.
 The Western Ghats, the Himalayas and North East are amongst hotspots
with threatened species category.
 Dam construction on the Kali river contributed to the Western Ghats
decline in forest cover of 30 percentage points in approximately 40 years.
Ways to Prevent Biodiversity Destruction in India

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 1. Economic policy needs to incorporate economic value of biodiversity,
impact on the environment needs to be evaluated when new development
activities, such as building dams or reservoirs are planned.
2. Explore the possibility of smaller projects in multiple locations instead of
one large project in one geographical location, since the cumulative
environmental footprint of such smaller projects might be lower compared
to one large project.
3. Undertake large scale tree plantation to re-establish habitats and support
resuscitation of bird population and wildlife in the region.

Effects of Water Scarcity on Desertification

 Approximately 30 % of Indian land is degraded or faces desertification
 Water erosion is the largest cause of desertification and is responsible for
approximately 11 % of total desertification.
 Cost of land degradation estimated at approximately 2.1 % of India’s
2014-15 GDP.
Ways to Prevent Risks of Desertification
1. Afforestation is a very effective method, but it must be done strategically
and scientifically so that the right mix of flora is propagated i.e. local
species, drought-tolerant variety of trees etc.
2. Adopt agroforestry, in this method trees and shrubs, are grown next to
crops and pasturelands. It can reduce erosion and even increase
biodiversity in areas currently covered with mono-cropping and without
cover crops and natural barriers.
3. By increasing the green cover it will help in groundwater rejuvenation as
water absorption and retention capacity of soil increases. It is important to
tap into local and grassroots knowledge to select the right trees for the
appropriate geography.
4. China’s ‘great wall’ initiative is a phenomenal example of China making
large scale investments in tackling desertification. The country has planted
66 Billion trees in the arid Northern territory and they claim to have
reduced sandstorms by 20 % and desertification by nearly 5,000 miles in
recent years.

Measures for Preventing Water Scarcity in India

Ministry of Jal Shakti
The Government of India established the Ministry of Jal Shakti to consolidate
interrelated functions pertaining to water management. The Ministry launched
Jal Shakti Abhiyan – a campaign for water conservation and water security.

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Jal Shakti Abhiyan Campaign
Jal Shakti Abhiyan launched in
 1592 water-stressed blocks
 256 districts
The major focus areas of Jal Shakti Abhiyan is given below
 Water conservation and rainwater harvesting
 Renovation of traditional and other water bodies/tanks
 Borewell recharge structures
 Watershed development
 Intensive afforestation
 Block and District water conservation plans
 Promotion of efficient water use for irrigation
 Better choice of crops for Krishi Vigyan Kendras
Jal Abhiyan is a time-bound, mission-mode water conservation campaign.
Hence to make sure that efforts are going in the right direction, The National
Institute for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog has developed a comprehensive
water management metrics named Composite Water Management Index
(CWMI).
The Government of India has announced an ambitious target of providing piped
clean drinking water to all villages by 2024.
Adoption of Composite Water Management Index (CWMI)
The National Institute for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog has developed the
Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) to enable effective water
management in Indian states. The first edition was published in 2018 and
became a very well-received publication inside and outside the country.

Mandate of CWMI
 Establish a benchmark for state-level performance on key water indicators.
 Identify the high performing states and low performing states thereby
inculcating a culture of constructive competition among states
 Identify areas for deeper engagement and investment on the part of the
states.

Kapil Dhara Yojana of Madhya Pradesh

 Develop irrigation facilities on private land of small and marginal farmers,
through the construction of dug wells, farm ponds, check dams etc.
 Focuses on providing financial support to landholders without access to
irrigation facilities and prioritizes marginalized communities to maximize
impact.

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  The program has contributed to improved productivity, intensity, and
diversity of crop production in the region and generates livelihood sources.

Ways Adopted to Prevent Water Scarcity Across the Globe

We need to use a multi-pronged approach to address the matter.
1. Aquifer Recharging
An aquifer is a body of permeable soil or rock that contains or transmits
groundwater. They are usually refilled from rain or melting snow. As per UN
reports groundwater withdrawal has tripled in the past 50 years; areas with
highest groundwater withdrawals include parts of China, India and the United
States. Around 67% is used for agricultural purposes, 22% for domestic use,
11% for industrial use. Aquifer recharge involves injecting excess surface water
into underground aquifers. Water can be treated before injection. Use native
plant species in wetland areas to boost aquifers natural recharge capabilities.
2. Water reuse and Zero-Liquid Discharge Technology
This method can alleviate water scarcity for municipalities and industries. Zero
Liquid Discharge technologies use, treat, and reuse water in a closed-loop
system without release or discharge.
3. Coastal Reservoir Projects
Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan have Coastal reservoir projects that have been
effectively functioning and supplying people with drinking water.
4. Desalination Plants
This is a process of treating saline or brackish water. This process can be used to
treat seawater or groundwater containing salt concentrations that make it unfit
for drinking. Highly saline water contains salt in the concentrations ranging
between 10,000 ppm and 35,000 ppm. Freshwater is defined as water with less
than 1,000 ppm of salt.
Due to growing demands, many nations are investing in this technology. There
are an estimated 16,000 desalination plants in operation around the world. The
largest desalination plants are in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Israel. Unfortunately,
desalination plants are energy guzzlers. It requires 10 times more energy than
that consumed by pumping well water.

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 Ground water
Groundwater is used for drinking water by more than 50 percent of the people in
the United States, including almost everyone who lives in rural areas. The
largest use for groundwater is to irrigate crops.

The area where water fills the aquifer is called the saturated zone (or saturation
zone). The top of this zone is called the water table. The water table may be
located only a foot below the ground’s surface or it can sit hundreds of feet
down.
Aquifers are typically made up of gravel, sand, sandstone, or fractured rock,
like limestone. Water can move through these materials because they have large
connected spaces that make them permeable. The speed at which groundwater
flows depends on the he size of the spaces in the soil or rock and how well the
spaces are connected.
Groundwater can be found almost everywhere. The water table may be deep or
shallow; and may rise or fall depending on many factors. Heavy rains or melting
snow may cause the water ater table to rise, or heavy pumping of groundwater
supplies may cause the water table to fall.
Groundwater supplies are replenished, or recharged,, by rain and snow melt that
seeps down into the cracks and crevices beneath the land's surface. In some
areas of the world, people face serious water shortages because groundwater is
used faster than it is naturally replenished. In other areas groundwater is polluted
by human activities.
Water in aquifers is brought to the surface naturally through a spring or ca can be
discharged into lakes and streams. Groundwater can also be extracted through a
well drilled into the aquifer. A well is a pipe in the ground that fills with
groundwater. This water can be brought to the surface by a pump. Shallow wells

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may go dry if the water table falls below the bottom of the well. Some wells,
called artesian wells, do not need a pump because of natural pressures that force
the water up and out of the well.
In areas where material above the aquifer is permeable, pollutants can readily
sink into groundwater supplies. Groundwater can be polluted by landfills, septic
tanks, leaky underground gas tanks, and from overuse of fertilizers and
pesticides. If groundwater becomes polluted, it will no longer be safe to drink.

Ground water quality scenario in India

Indian Sub-Continent is endowed with diverse geological formations from oldest
Achaeans to Recent alluviums and characterized by varying climatic conditions
in different parts of the country. The natural chemical content of ground water is
influenced by depth of the soils and sub-surface geological formations through
which ground water remains in contact. In general, greater part of the country,
ground water is of good quality and suitable for drinking, agricultural or
industrial purposes. Ground water in shallow aquifers is generally suitable for
use for different purposes and is mainly of Calcium Bicarbonate and Mixed
type. However, other types of water are also available including Sodium-
Chloride water. The quality in deeper aquifers also varies from place to place
and is generally found suitable for common uses. There is salinity problem in
the coastal tracts and high incidence of Fluoride, Arsenic, Iron and heavy metals
etc in isolated pockets have also been reported. The distributions of various
constituents present in ground water in different parts of the country is as
follows.
Extent of Groundwater Contamination in India:
1. Arsenic:
 West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Assam and Uttar Pradesh.
 The permissible limit according to the Indian standards for drinking water
is 1.5ppm/l
2. Fluoride:
 Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar
Pradesh and West Bengal.
 Permissible limit according to Indian standards is 50ppb/l
3. Iron:
 Assam, West Bengal, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, and Karnataka. Localized
pockets in Bihar, UP, Punjab, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh,
Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and North Eastern States

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 4. Uranium:
 16 states in north western, southern and south-eastern India. High
prevalence in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh
 WHO and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards for
uranium level for safe drinking water: 30 micrograms of uranium/litre
 However, in India Uranium is not included in list of contaminants
monitored in drinking water specifications provided by the Bureau of
Indian Standards
5. Nitrate:
 Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka,
Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa. Punjab, Tamil Nadu,
Rajasthan, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.
 Permissible level is 45 ppm/l
6. Salinity:
 Inland: Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Gujarat; to a lesser extent in Uttar
Pradesh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra, Karnataka, Bihar and Tamil
Nadu.
 Coastal: Minjur area of Tamil Nadu, Saurashtra Coast, Subarnrekha,
Salandi, Brahamani outfall regions of Odhisa, Pondicherry, Sundarban
region
Hydrological cycle / Water Cycle
 The hydrological cycle is the circulation of water within the hydrosphere of Earth in
different forms such as liquid, solid and gaseous states.
 It also denotes the uninterrupted exchange of water between the land surface, oceans
and subsurface and the organisms.
 The hydrologic cycle begins with the evaporation of water from the surface of the
ocean.
Hydrological Cycle Processes – Components and Processes of the Water Cycle
Components Processes
Water storage in oceans Evaporation
Transpiration
Sublimation
Water in the atmosphere Condensation
Precipitation
Water storage in ice and Snowmelt runoff to streams
snow
Surface runoff Streamflow freshwater storage
infiltration
Groundwater storage Groundwater discharge springs

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 Waterborne Diseases
Waterborne diseases are illnesses caused by microscopic organisms, like viruses
and bacteria that are ingested through contaminated water or by coming in
contact with feces.
If every person on the planet was able to practice safe sanitation and hygiene
and have access to clean water, these diseases would not exist. Governments,
NGOs, and communities themselves have made great strides in the past 20 years
to end waterborne diseases. Still, there is much to be done. Following are few
Waterborne diseases-
1. Typhoid Fever- Typhoid fever is a type of enteric fever, along with
paratyphoid fever. The cause is the bacterium Salmonella enterica subsp.
enterica serovar Typhi growing in the intestines and blood. Typhoid is
spread by eating or drinking food or water contaminated with the feces of
an infected person.
3. Cholera- Cholera is an infectious disease that causes severe watery
diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and even death if untreated. It is
caused by eating food or drinking water contaminated with a bacterium
called Vibrio cholerae
4. Giardia-This waterborne disease is shared through contaminated water,
most often in ponds and streams, but it can also be found in a town’s water
supply, swimming pools, and more. The infection is caused by a parasite
and typically clears up after a few weeks.
4. Dysentery- Dysentery is an intestinal inflammation, primarily of the colon.
It can lead to mild or severe stomach cramps and severe diarrhea with
mucus or blood in the feces. Without adequate hydration, it can be fatal.
Infection with the Shigella bacillus, or bacterium, is the most common
cause.
5. Escherichia Coli (E. coli)- E. coli bacteria is important in creating a
healthy intestinal tract.However, if animal waste has found its way into
farmland where produce is grown or if strains of E. coli are spread through
the process of making ground beef, those who consume these foods could
experience symptoms of the waterborne illness. The bacteria is also found
in unsafe water sources around the globe where human water sources and
cattle coexist.
6. Hepatitis A- Hepatitis A is a liver infection caused by consuming
contaminated food and water or by coming in close contact with someone
who has the infection. People who travel in developing countries often or
work in rural communities with poor sanitation and hygiene management
are most exposed to the disease.

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 Water Conservation
 Water conservation is complex and daunting, particularly in a human
dominated country like India having several competing demands.
 The result of excessive use, waste, pollution and allied activities have resulted
in the current situation with reduced e-flow of majority of the country's dying
rivers and other water bodies, deepening of water table and sites of
unmanageable crowds at water distribution points.
Water conservation primarily involves the following three
objectives:
1. Enhance water availability - This could be mainly achieved by adopting a
mixed strategy focussing on the protection and restoration of natural
ecosystems (forests, grasslands and wetlands including rivers), increasing
green cover aiming at source sustainability, managing riparian forest buffers,
adoption of water efficient diversified agriculture, encouraging rainwater
harvesting, undertaking massive soil and moisture conservation efforts,
storage in reservoirs, water budgeting, recycling and reuse.
2. Improve water quality - This means effective law enforcement and stringent
regulations, pollution control, restrictions on pouring of sewage, urban waste,
industrial effluents and even prohibition on use of toxics (pesticides and
weedicides) in agriculture, establishment of STPs and water treatment plants
and adoption of bioremediation techniques.
3. Reducing water-related risks - Considerable area of the country is being
annually impacted by droughts, floods, long dry. Spells and different health
hazards. Adoption of integrated watershed management programmed, flood
control mechanisms, climate resilient agriculture, promotion of alternate
income generation activities and sustainable livelihoods can minimize risks
and disaster management.
Priority actions are visualised for making water
management sustainable in the country
1. Institutions and Governance: Institutions working/contributing directly or
indirectly towards water management would need strengthening and
augmentation of manpower and financial resources and also a platform to bring
in their efforts together for synergistic outcome. Governance at all levels would
definitely matter to establish judicious water use and prevention and resolution
of conflicts.

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2. Participatory Approach: The National movement certainly requires
participatory approaches seeking involvement and empowerment of people so
they can establish a mechanism to implement and enforce judicious use of
water and efficient management of precious water resources.
3. Knowledge Management: The complex subject of water resource
management calls for collaborations/networking and institutionalising
synergies between various entities for development and exchange of evidence-
based knowledge on ecosystem functions and development of suitable
technologies to improve water resource management to ensure source
sustainability. Development of ‘Nature-Based Solutions’ for various aspects of
water management offer better opportunities and would be of immense help.
4. Ecosystem-Based Management Approach: The move from isolationist
approaches to holistic approaches are desirable on a priority basis. Thereby,
greater focus on river basins and riverscapes for planning, assessment and
interventions are the need of the hour. The awareness and sensitization
campaign on massive scale need to be undertaken for educating the masses on
the significance of maintaining our ecosystem's integrity.
5. Continuous Care: This aspect seeks concerted efforts towards conservation
of existing water sources as well as rejuvenation of
rivers/restoration/recharging of depleted water resources. Utmost care is
required to be taken for retaining the water sources. making them sustainable
and ensuring judicious use thereof.
6. Capacity Development: The task of water management is tricky. Success
towards countering water wastage and degradation of natural ecosystems could
be accomplished by creating awareness and appropriate capacity development
of various stakeholders. Specialised agencies can be deployed fur preparing the
blueprint for budgeting the water resource within the framework of the
legislation on the subject and then formulate strategies for its successful
implementation.
Traditional water conservation systems around India
 Phad – It is a community-managed irrigation system in the tapi river basin
in Maharashtra. It starts with check dam built across a river and canals to
carry water to agricultural blocks with outlets to ensure excess water is
removed from the canals.
 Zing – It is found in Ladakh, are small tanks that collect melting glacier
water. A network of guiding channels brings water from the glacier to the
tank.
 Kuhls – They are surface water channels found in the mountainous regions

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 of Himachal Pradesh. The channels carry glacial waters from rivers and
streams into the fields.
 Zabo or Ruza System– It is practised in Nagaland. Rainwater that falls on
forested hilltops is collected by channels that deposit the run-off water in
pond-like structures created on the terraced hillsides.
 Jackwells - The Shompen tribe of the Great Nicobar Islands uses this
system, in which bamboos are placed under trees to collect runoff water
from leaves and carries it to jackwells which are pits encircled by bunds
made from logs of hard wood.
 Pat system – It is developed in Madhya Pradesh, in which the water is
diverted from hill streams into irrigation channels by diversion bunds.
They are made across the stream by piling up stones and teak leaves and
mud.
 Eri – It is tank system, widely used in Tamil Nadu which acts as flood-
control systems, prevent soil erosion and wastage of runoff during periods
of heavy rainfall, and also recharge the groundwater.
 Johads – They are small earthern check dams used to conserve and
recharge ground water, mainly constructed in an area with naturally high
elevation.
 Panam keni – The Kuruma tribe (a native tribe of Wayanad) uses wooden
cylinders as a special type of well, which are made by soaking the stems of
toddy palms and immersed in groundwater springs.
 Ahar Pynes – They are traditional floodwater harvesting systems
indigenous to South Bihar. Ahars are reservoirs with embankments on
three sides and Pynes are artificial rivulets led off from rivers to collect
water in the ahars for irrigation in the dry months.
 Jhalara - Jhalaras are typically rectangular-shaped stepwells that have
tiered steps on three or four sides in the city of Jodhpur.
 Bawari - Bawaris are unique stepwells that were once a part of the ancient
networks of water storage in the cities of Rajasthan.
 Taanka - It is a cylindrical paved underground pit into which rainwater
from rooftops, courtyards or artificially prepared catchments flows. It is
indigenous to the Thar Desert region of Rajasthan.
 Khadin – Also called dhora, is a long earthen embankment that is built
across the hill slopes of gravelly uplands. It is indigenous to Jaisalmer
region and similar to the irrigation methods of Ur region (Present Iraq).
 Kund – It is a saucer-shaped catchment area that gently slopes towards the
central circular underground well. It is found in the sandier tracts of
western Rajasthan and Gujarat.

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 Water Management
 Water resource management is the activity of planning, developing,
distributing and managing the optimum use of water resources. According to
a recent NITI Aayog report, 21 Indian cities including Delhi, Chennai, and
Hyderabad will run out of groundwater by 2020 if usage continues at the
current rate. This entails immediate action plan for water resource
management in India.
 Water management is the control and movement of water resources to
minimize damage to life and property and to maximize efficient beneficial
use. Good water management of dams and levees reduces the risk of harm
due to flooding. Irrigation water management systems make the most efficient
use of limited water supplies for agriculture.
 Where as drainage management involves water budgeting and analysis of
surface and sub-surface drainage systems. Sometimes water management
involves changing practices, such as groundwater withdrawal rates, or
allocation of water to different purposes.

Major steps and water management strategies adopted by

Government
Ministry of Jal Shakti was formed by merging two ministries i.e. Ministry of
Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation and Ministry of
Drinking Water and Sanitation.
1. River Basin Planning
Central water Commission has divided the country into 20 rivers basins
comprising 12 major and 8 composite river basins. To address the multi-
faceted nature of water management, government has introduced an integrated
approach to water resources management at the national and basin level. This
includes improving institutional arrangements and working practices.
2. Indian Rivers Inter-link
The Indian Rivers Inter-link is a proposed large-scale civil engineering project
that aims to effectively manage water resources in India by linking Indian
rivers by a network of reservoirs and canals and so reduce persistent floods in
some parts and water shortages in other parts of India
3. Watershed management programmes in India
 Prime Minister Krishi Sinchayee Yojna
(Watershed Development Component) (WDC-PMKSY) - The main
objectives of the WDC-PMKSY are to restore the ecological balance by

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 harnessing, conserving and developing degraded natural resources such as
soil, vegetative cover.
 Neeranchal Watershed Program
Neeranchal is a World Bank assisted National Watershed Management
Project. Neeranchal is designed to further strengthen and provide technical
assistance to the Watershed Component of PMKSY, in particular and all
components of PMKSY, in general, to enhance its delivery capacity.
Very Short Questions (3 markers)
Que What do you understand by term water management?
Ans Water resource management is the activity of planning, developing,
distributing and managing the optimum use of water resources under
defined water policy and regulations.
Que What is groundwater table?
Ans The ground water table is an underground boundary between the soil
surface and the area where groundwater saturates spaces between
sediments and cracks in rock.
Que Define watershed.
Ans Watershed is defined as the area of land where all the water drains into a
central point, like rivers, lakes or streams.
Que Name some traditional water harvesting techniques.
Ans Rejwani system, Patalpani, Revival of stepwells like 'Jhalara' of Gujarat
and 'Baolis' of Rajasthan are the traditional water harvesting techniques.
Que Name four states which have over 40 per cent of net sown area under
irrigation.
Ans The states which have over 40 per cent of net sown area under irrigation
are:
(a) Punjab (b) Haryana(c) Uttar Pradesh
Que What is watershed development?
Ans The watershed development is the integrated development of small natural
unit area. It is a holistic approach which includes moisture conservation,
water harvesting, afforestation, horticulture, pasture development etc.
Que What is rainwater harvesting?
Ans Rainwater harvesting is a technique of increasing the recharge of ground
water by capturing and storing rain water to meet the household needs
through storage in tanks.

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Que What are the considerations necessary for watershed development ?
AnsThe plans taken into consideration for watershed development are
(a) The land capability.
(b) The participation of the local people.
(c) The local needs of the people.
Que Define aquifers.
Ans The rocks in which groundwater is stored are called aquifers. These are
typically made up of gravel, sand, sandstone or limestone.
National Project on Aquifer Management : aim to map and manage all
aquifer systems in India
Que What is the role of Central Ground Water Board (CGWB)?
Ans Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), a subordinate office of the
Ministry of Water Resources, is responsible for framing policies and
guidelines related to the exploitation of groundwater.
Que What is Central Water Commission (CWC)?
Ans Central Water Commission is presently functioning as an attached office
Ministry of Jal Shakti. Founded in 1970, headquatered at New delhi.
Que What is the meaning of water budgeting ?
Ans A water budget is a water management tool used to estimate the amount of
water, a landscape will require. It can be calculated for a single irrigation
event on a weekly or monthly basis, or even annually.
Que What is the aim of Jal Jeewan Mission ?
Ans The aim of Jal Jeewan Mission is to provide piped water connection to
every household in India by 2024.
Que Who is the present minister of Jal Shakti ?
Ans Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is the present minister of Jal Shakti.
Que How many ministries merged to form Jal Shakti ministry ?
Ans The government has created a new Ministry called ‘Jal Shakti’ after
merging Ministries of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga
Rejuvenation along with Drinking Water and Sanitation
Que Write some causes of bad quality of drinking water?
Ans a) Water supply line and sewage line runs side by side.
b) Mixing of surface water and groundwater without proper testing.
c) Dissolved solids cannot be removed by chlorination only.

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 Que When and why Atal Bhujal yojana launched ?
Ans On December 25, 2019 prime minister Narendra Modi launched Atal
Bhujal Yojna, to improve ground water management in priority areas in
the country through community participation.
Que What are the priorities areas included under Atal Bhujal yojana ?
Ans Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Karnataka and Haryana are the priority areas of Atal Bhujal yojana.
Que Write a short note on National Water Policy (NWP)?
Ans National Water Policy was formulated to govern the planning and
development of water resources and their optimum utilisation. The first
NWP was adopted in September, 1987. It was reviewed and updated in
2002 and later in 2012.
Que Write a short note on National Rural Drinking Water Programme.
Ans It seeks to provide every rural person with adequate safe water for
drinking, cooking and other basic domestic needs on a sustainable basis.
Que What is a river valley project?
Ans River valley projects are also multipurpose river valley projects. These
projects are meant to tackle various problems associated with river valleys
in an integrated manner. For example, flood control, irrigation,
hydroelectricity,
Que What is Evaporation?
Ans The conversion of water from liquid to gas stage as it moves from the
ground or bodies of water into the atmosphere. The source of energy for
evaporation is mainly solar radiation.
Que What is Transpiration?
Ans Water vapour is also discharged from plant leaves by a process called
transpiration.
Que What is Sublimation?
Ans The process in which solid water such as snow or ice directly changes into
water vapour.
Que What is Condensation?
Ans The transformation of water vapour to liquid water droplets in the air,
forming fog and clouds.
Que What is Precipitation?
Ans The condensed water vapour falling to the surface of the Earth is known as
Precipitation. It occurs in the form of rain, snow, and hail.

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Que What is Runoff?
Ans Runoff is a visible flow of water in rivers, creeks, and lakes as the water
stored in the basin drains out.
Que What is Percolation?
Ans Water flows vertically through the soil and rocks under the effect of
gravity.

Short Answer Type Questions (5 markers)

Que Write down the causes for the crises of goundwater.
Ans. There are following causes responsible for goundwater crises –
 Lack of strong infrastructure and regulating mechanism for recharging
groundwater like (rain water harvesting.)
 Overdepedence and reckless use of ground water in rural and urban
areas.
 Exports of ground water intensive crops
 Example- Karnatakas sugarcane (According to Ministry of urban
development 80% of surface water is pourfed)
 Polluted surface water led to use ground as an alternative.
 Lack of awareness among masses about long term impacts of
groundwater crises and ground water contamination.
Que What kind of mitigation measures should be adopted for water
conservation?
Ans As large population of country is dependent on groundwater. Thus, India is
on the threshold of very serious groundwater crises which need mitigation
both in fields and at the policy co-ordination level.
 There should be restriction to cut off the access to groundwater in area
identified as ‘critical’ and ‘dark zones’ where the water table is
overused or very low.
 Water should be treated as common resource rather than private
property
 Research and scientific evalution should be done before policy
formation over water.
 Factors that contaminate ground water like influx of industrial waste
etc. need to be taken care.
 Promotion of effective water use technical issues for irrigation like drip
irrigation micro sprinkes etc.
 Insentives for individuals installed water harvesting system.
 Electricity subsidies should be restricted.

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Que. What are causes responsible for bad quality of supply of drinking
water?
Ans. The causes responsible for bad quality of supply of drinking water are
given as below
 The quality of water treatment is not upto the mark.
 BIS (Bureau of Indian standared) norms are not implemented properly.
 Sample collected do not reflect true water quality.
 Mixing of surface water & ground water without proper testing.
 Pipeline not maintained propely.
 Water supply line & sewerage line runs side by side.
 The dissolved solids cannot be removed by clorination only.
 Water pollution.
Que Write a short note on Sardar Sarovar Project
Ans The Sardar Sarovar Dam is a gravity dam on the Narmada river near
Navagam, Gujarat.It includes two power houses, the River Bed Power
House (RBPH; 1,200 MW) and the Canal Head Power House (250
MW).Power is shared among Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat in
a 57:27:16 ratio.
Que Write a short note on Jal Kranti Abhiyan
Ans The government is making active efforts to revolutionise villages and cities
through block-level water conservation schemes. For example; the Jal
Gram Scheme under the Jal Kranti Abhiyan is aimed at developing two
model villages in water-starved areas to lead the other villages towards
water conservation and preservation.
Que Write a short note on National Water Mission:
Ans The Government of India has launched the National Water Mission with
the objective of conservation of water, minimizing wastage and ensuring
more equitable distribution both across and within states through
integrated water resources development and management. Its min
objective is to increase the water use efficiency by 20%.
Que. Exlpain Composite water management index (CWMI) of NITI aayog.
Ans Composite water management index:-
• The composite water management index (CWMI) report is a step in a
direction that aims to create awareness among people and governments
about the reality of water crises in the country.
• NITI aayog a in association with jal shakti ministry and ministry of rural
development first first of launched and conceptualized the idea of
CWMI.

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 • This index ranks states/ ut’s on the basis of 9 key themes which are
further subdivided into 28 indicators covering fvarious aspects of ground
water restoration of water bodies irrigation farm practices policy &
governance etc.
• The index is expected to promote the spirit of competitive and
cooperative fedralism in the country and ensure sustainable in the
county and ensure sustainable and effective management of water
resources.
Que. Elaborate National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme
(NAQUIM)
Ans. Water being a State subject, initiatives on water management including
conservation and artificial recharge to ground water in the Country is
primarily States’ responsibility.
The NAQUIM is one such initiative of the Ministry of Jal Shakti
for mapping and managing the entire aquifer systems in the country.The
vision is to identify and map aquifers at the micro level, to quantify the
available groundwater resources, and to propose plans appropriate to the
scale of demand and aquifer characteristics, and institutional arrangements
for participatory management.
Que. Write down the effects of bad drinking water and give suggestions to
counter hese effects.
Ans. Effect of bad quality drinking water-
 Diseases- cholera, diarrhea dysentery, hepatitis, typhoid, polio etc.
 Reduction in tourism inflow.
 Water give rise to plastic pollution.
 R.O. water is devoid of minerals RO purifires waste a lot of water
Solution-
 Compliance to Bureau of Indian standards for water quality should be
made
mandatory for lacal bodies.
 Data based decision making system.
 Sampling methodology must be improved
 Citizen should be sensitized about the issue.
 Long distance supply of water should be avoided.
 Pipelins should be maintained proper treatment plants should be upto the
marks.
Que NITI Aayog Composite Water Management Index.
Ans. With the objective of achieving effective utilization of water, NITI Aayog
has developed the Composite Water Management Index. It revolves

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 around issues ranging from water scarcity and related morass like deaths
due to lack of access to safe water, its projected increase in demand over
the years and finding ways for its effective conservation.
Que What is River Interlinking project?
Ans. The National River linking project is formally known as (National
prospective plan) envisages the transfer of water from surplans basins
where there is flooding to water deficit basins where there is drought
through interbasin water transfer projects. It is being managed by National
water development Agency under Ministry of jal shakti.
Que Write about Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
Ans. The govt. has launched Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), which aims at providing
functional household tap connections to every rural household by 2024 at
the service level of 55 litre per capita per day.This mission will focus on
integrated demand and supply side management of water at the local level,
including creation of local infrastructure for source sustainability like
rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and management of household
wastewater for reuse in agriculture.
Que What are the major sources of water in Madhya Pradesh ?
Ans. According to Census 2001, 48% of the households in the state are getting
water from handpumps for the greater part of the year. The second most
important source of drinking water for the rural households are wells
where 36% of the households in the state draw water for domestic use. Tap
water is available to 11% of the households and 3% of the households are
getting water from tubewells. In terms of surface water sources 3% of
households in the state fulfill their water requirement from rivers, canals or
springs.
Que What is water scarcity and what are its main causes?
Ans. Many of our cities are such examples. Thus, water scarcity may be an
outcome of large and growing population and consequent greater demands
for water, and unequal access to it. A large population requires more water
not only for domestic use but also to produce more food. Hence, to
facilitate higher food-grain production, water resources are being over-
exploited to expand irrigated areas for dry-season agriculture. Irrigated
agriculture is the largest consumer of water. Most farmers have their own
wells and tube-wells in their farms for irrigation to increase their
productivity. This has adversely affected water availability and food
security of the people.

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Que What is The National Perspective Plan?
Ans. The National Perspective Plan was in August, 1980 that the Ministry of
Irrigation prepared a National Perspective Plan (NNP) for water resources
development envisaging inter-basin water transfer in the country.
The NPP comprised two components: (i) Himalayan Rivers
Development; and (ii) Peninsular Rivers Development.
Based on the NPP, the National Water Development Agency (NWDA)
identified 30 river links—16 under the Peninsular component and 14 under
the Himalayan Component. Later, the river linking idea was revived under
the then Vajpayee Government.

Long Questions (11 markers)

Que It is said that the water resources in India have been depleting very
fast. Discuss the factors responsible for depletion of water resources?
Ans (i) Increased population : Demand for water has been increased by the
increased population. As the number of humans increases, the
consumption of water also increases.
(ii) Increasing industries : All industries need water. As the number of
human population increase, the number of industries is also increased
which definitely increases the consumption of water.
(iii) Lack of water conservation techniques : Main source of water on
earth and for the underground water is rain. The water of the rain, if
conserved can increase the groundwater level. But this is not due to lack of
water conservative techniques.
(iv) Agricultural activities : India is a country which depends on
agriculture. The land used for cultivation has increased. So, the
consumption of water for agriculture has increased. Irregular rainfall has
increased the consumption of groundwater. Green Revolution enabled
water intensive crops to be grown in drought prone/ water deficit regions,
leading to over extraction of groundwater.
Que. What is rainwater harvesting? Explain the importance of Rain Water
Harvesting.
Ans Rainwater harvesting : It is a process involving collection and storage of
rain water (with the help of artificially designed system) that runs off

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 natural or man-made catchment areas e.g. roof top, grounds, rock surface
or hill slopes or artificially repaired impervious/semi-pervious land surface
Importance of implementing rain-water harvesting:
A. To reduce Runoff loss: More than 3/4th of the precipitation In India
comes during 4 months (monsoon). A significant part of which is lost in
runoff and evaporation, this can be controlled by rain water harvesting.
B. To meet Rising demand: Rapid urbanization and Industrial development
demands huge water hence severe water crunch can be solved by water
harvesting.
C. For Agriculture & food security: Modern hybrid crops & fertilizer depend
on continuous supply of irrigation water. More than 60% of net sown area
is unirrigated (rising cases of drought in the dry belt of India)
D. Women issues: In dry and hilly areas women face hardship in fetching
water. Rain water harvesting can provide a decentralized source of water.
Que Explain in detail Atal Bhujal Yojna.
Ans. Atal Bhujal yojna
Atal Bhujal Yojna is a world bank funded, central schemed aimed at
improving groundwater management through community participation
capacity building. The scheme was launched on the occasion of 95th birth
anniversary of former prime minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee on 25 Dec.
2019.
Objective- Since ground water contributes nearly 65% of India’s
total irrigated area and 85% of rural drinking water supply.With Atal
Bhujal yojna, the central government seeksto promote panchayat led
ground water management & behavioural change with primary forces on
demand side management. The scheme will also help in supplying water
to every household by 2024.
It envisages:-
1. Community participation. Eg. “Formation of water user associations.
2. Monitoring and dissemination of data.
3. Water budgeting.
4. Panchayat level plans.
5. Information, education and communication activities.

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 Nodal Agency- Department of water resources, river development and
ganga rejuvenation (Ministry of Jal Shakti)
Implementation – In identified areas covering 8350 villages in 78 districts
of 7 states. Implementation period is from 2020 to 2025.
Que What is water resource management? Also discuss its significance.
Ans Water resource management is the activity of planning, developing
distributing and managing for the optimum use of water resource under
defined water policies and regulation.
Significance of Water Managment
Water management ensure, optimum utilization of water and its resoures
that will safeguard future need in the form of-
 National food security by providing better irrigation facilities to the
agriculture.
 Energy safety through hydro power generation.
 Better management of ground water table to combet water crises in
urban areas.
 Water self sufficiency provides a strategic hike in foreign policy
development.
For ex.- Indus water treaty, Teesta water treaty (Pending) etc.
 Water self sufficiency in states emureinter-state harmonious relations
so there will be no disputes over water bodies.
 Water can be a source of employment generation. Ex.- Water tourism
(M.P. JalMahotsav), development of inland waterways etc.
 To cater the various needs of households and industries.
 Water management may preserve the spiritual elements of Indian
society linked to water, rivers etc.
Que Explain the methods of water management.
Ans Management of water resources for the coming generations involves the
activity of planning, developing, distributing and managing the optimum
use of water resources. There are different methods through which water
management preservation can be done, some of them are explained
below-
1. INSTITUATIONAL MECHANISM
Water management is carried out by two bodies-

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  CGWB (Central ground water board) is responsible for framing
policies and guidelines related to th exploitation of ground water
 CWC (Central water commission) deals with water in irrigation
projects, reservoirs, flood control, Navigation, drinking water supply
etc.
 Block and district water conservation plans should be framed by local
governing bodies.
2. GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES
 River basin planning:- To divide the country’s water resources into
multiple river basins (20 river basins) for better implementation of water
management practices by decentralising it.
 River Inter-linking Project:- It aimed at effective management of water
resources by linking Indian rivers. It wil ensure reduction in flood prone
areas and availability of water in water scarce areas. Ex. Ken-Betwa
rivers linking project
 Government schemes:- Government has launched various schemes for-
o Water conservation and rain water harvesting- Jal Shakti abhiyan.
o Renovation traditional and other water bodies- Rajwani system,
Patalipani, Revival of stepwells like ‘Jhalara’ of Gujrat and ‘Baolis’ of
Rajasthan.
o Reuse of water and recharging of structures and ground water- Atal
Bhooja lyojna.
o Water shed development- PM Krishi sinchayee yojana, Neeranchal
watershed program.
o Intensive afforestration- National Afforestation mission, National mission
for green India.
3. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND AWARENESS
 Awareness regarding water management at school and college level to
build concerning attitude towards water saving\conservation
 Water conservation to be a Jan andolan by ensuring participation of
NGO’s Civil societies and media through asset creations and extensive
communication. (Water harvesting plants)
4. AGRICULTURE AND WATER CONSERVATION-

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  Promotion of effective water use techniques ofr irrigation like drip
irrigation, sprinkle irrigation system, use of recycled water etc.
 Proper selection of crops as per the soil type through krishivigyan Kendra
helps in enhancing water security
 Schemes – Balram Tal, Khet Talab yojna (M.P.)
5. ROLE OF SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL ELEMENTS.
Spiritual and cultural elements ensures awareness among uneducated
population and sensitise them towards water conservatonllike “Ganga geet” in
Uttrakhand,Bharai Dance of Rajasthan, worships of water body, kalash yatra
of Bhagwat etc.
Que Explain River Interlinking project.
Ans National River Linking Project (NRLP) envisages the transfer of water
from the water-excess basin to the water-deficient basin by interlinking 37
rivers of India by a network of almost 3000 storage dams. This will form a
gigantic South Asian water grid. There are two components to this project:
1. Himalayan Component of NRLP
Under the Himalayan component of the NRLP, there are 14 projects in the
pipeline.
 Storage dams will be constructed on the rivers Ganga and Brahmaputra,
and also their tributaries.
 The linking of the Ganga and the Yamuna is also proposed.
 Apart from controlling flooding in the Ganga – Brahmaputra river system,
it will also benefit the drought-prone areas of Rajasthan, Haryana and
Gujarat.
 This component has two sub-components:
 Connecting the Ganga and Brahmaputra basins to the Mahanadi
basin.
 Connecting the Eastern tributaries of the Ganga with the Sabarmati
and Chambal river systems.
2. Peninsular Component of NRLP
This component of the NRLP envisages the linking of the 16 rivers of
southern India.
 Surplus water from the Mahanadi and the Godavari will be transferred to
the Krishna, Cauvery, Pennar, and the Vaigai rivers.
 Under this component, there are four sub-component linkages:
 Linking Mahanadi and Godavari river basins to Cauvery, Krishna,
and Vaigai river systems.
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  Ken to Betwa river, and Parbati & Kalisindh rivers to Chambal river.
 West-flowing rivers to the south of Tapi to the north of Bombay.
 Linking some west-flowing rivers to east-flowing rivers.
Que Explain Challenges in River Interlinking
Ans Despite the many benefits that are associated with the river interlinking
project, the project is yet to take off because of the many hurdles it is
facing. Some of the challenges in this regard are as follows:
 Project feasibility: The project is estimated to cost around Rs.5.6 lakh
crores. Additionally, there is also the requirement of huge structures. All
this requires a great engineering capacity. So, the cost and manpower
requirement is immense.
 Environmental impact: The huge project will alter entire ecosystems. The
wildlife, flora and fauna of the river systems will suffer because of such
displacements and modifications. Many national parks and sanctuaries fall
within the river systems. All these considerations will have to be taken
care of while implementing the project. The project can reduce the flow of
fresh water into the sea, thus affecting marine aquatic life.
 Impact on society: Building dams and reservoirs will cause the
displacement of a lot of people. This will cause a lot of agony for a lot of
people. They will have to be rehabilitated and adequately compensated.
 Controlling floods: Some people express doubts as to the capability of this
project to control floods. Although theoretically, it is possible, India’s
experience has been different. There have been instances where big dams
like Hirakud Dam, Damodar Dam, etc. have brought flooding to Odisha,
West Bengal, etc.
 Inter-state disputes: Many states like Kerala, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, etc.
have opposed the river interlinking project. Read more on interstate river
disputes in India at the linked article.
 International disputes: In the Himalayan component of the project, the
effect of building dams and interlinking rivers will have an effect on the
neighboring countries. This will have to be factored in while implementing
the project. Bangladesh has opposed the transfer of water from the
Brahmaputra to the Ganga
Que What is the Ken Betwa Link Project?
Ans The Ken-Betwa Link Project is the first project under the National
Perspective Plan for the interlinking of rivers. Under this project, water from the
Ken River will be transferred to the Betwa river. Both these rivers are tributaries
of the river Yamuna.The project is expected to provide annual irrigation of

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10.62 lakh hectares, drinking water supply to about 62 lakh people and also
generate 103 MW of hydropower.
The Project has two phases:
 Under Phase-I, one of the components — Daudhan dam complex and its
appurtenances like Low Level Tunnel, High Level Tunnel, Ken-Betwa link
canal and Power houses — will be completed.
 While in the Phase-II, three components — Lower Orr dam, Bina complex
project and Kotha barrage — will be constructed.
Regions benefitting from KBLP
 The project lies in Bundelkhand, a drought-prone region, which spreads
across 13 districts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
 It will be of immense benefit to the water-starved region of Bundelkhand,
especially in the districts of Panna, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Sagar, Damoh,
Datia, Vidisha, Shivpuri and Raisen of Madhya Pradesh and Banda,
Mahoba, Jhansi and Lalitpur of Uttar Pradesh.
 It will pave the way for more interlinking of river projects to ensure that
scarcity of water does not become an inhibitor to development in the
country.
Expected 3 markers
1. Drinking water
2. Ground water
3. Sources of Ground water
4. Methods of Ground water extraction
5. Gound water depletion
6. Water stress
7. Water pollution
8. Biologigal Oxygen Demand
9. Rainwater harvesting
10. Ground water Table
11. Water budegeting
12. Problems of Water resource in MP
13. Impurities in Drinking water
14. Waterborn diseases
15. Balram tal yojna
16. Chambal valley project
17. Narmada valley project

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 Expected 5 markers
1. Central water commission
2. Water disputes among Indian States
3. Water tribunals
4. Jal shakti ministry
5. National Afforestration mission
6. Give a brief account of the sources and aviliablity of drinking water
in MP.
7. PM krishi sinchayee yojna
8. River basin planning
9. What are the effects of Gound water depletion?
10. How can Urban local bodies solve the water cries in Urban centers ?

Expected 11 markers
1. Give a brief account of National water linking Project also mention
challenges of the project.
2. Discuss the new techniques used in irrigation for prudent use of
water.
3. Write a brief essay on water resource management?
4. Why there is Ground water cries in India?What are the ways to
resolve the issue?
5. Write a essay on water pollution?

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2. Natural and Man-made disasters,
Concept and scope of disaster
management, specific hazards and
mitigation.

Natural and Man-made disasters

Disruption on a massive scale, either natural or man-made, occurring in short or
long periods is termed as Disaster. Disaster management in India has been an
important point of discussion owing to frequent natural disasters ranging from
earthquakes, floods, drought, etc.
Disasters can be defined as a sudden, accidental event of great magnitude that
causes considerable damage to life and property. They are sudden, drastic and
normally occur without any alarm or warning. Some disasters may be short
lived such as earthquakes and some other may be of long duration, such as
floods. However, irrespective of the duration of a disaster, the damage in the
form of deaths, injuries and losses of property is immense. The magnitude of
the disasters can be judged by the fact that only during the past two decades,
occurrences of floods, earthquakes, landslides, cyclones, etc. have killed several
million people.
Most of the disasters have a natural origin, however, some disasters are
manmade as well. On this basis, disasters can be broadly classified
into two groups:

Types of Disaster
Natural disaster Man made disaster.
Geophysical- earthqauke,
vocanic eruption etc.
Fire, road
Hydrologacal- Flood etc. accident, oil spill,
pollution, war,
Climatological - heat and nuclear disaters
cold waves etc etc
Biological- epidemics etc.
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 Natural disasters: When disasters occur due to natural forces they are called
natural disasters, over which man has hardly any control. Some common natural
disasters are earthquakes, landslides floods, droughts, cyclones, etc. Tsunamis,
volcanic eruptions and wildfires are also included under natural disasters. These
disasters cause enormous loss to life and property.
Man-made disasters: When the disasters are due to carelessness of human or
mishandling of dangerous equipment’s they are called manmade disasters.
Common examples of these disasters are train accidents, aero plane crashes,
collapse of buildings, bridges, mines, tunnels, etc.

Causes for Occurrence of Disaster

 Environmental degradation: Removal of trees and forest cover from a
watershed area have caused, soil erosion, expansion of flood plain area in
upper and middle course of rivers and groundwater depletion.
 Developmental process: Exploitation of land use, development of
infrastructure, rapid urbanization and technological development have
caused increasing pressure over the natural resources.
 Political issues: War, nuclear power aspirations, fight between countries to
become super power and conquering land, sea and skies. These have resulted
into wide range of disaster events such as Hiroshima nuclear explosion,
Syrian civil war, growing militarisation of oceans and outer space.
 Industrialization: This has resulted into warming of earth and frequency of
extreme weather events has also increased.

Impacts of Disaster
 Disaster impacts individuals physically (through loss of life, injury, health,
disability) as well as psychologically.
 Disaster results in huge economic loss due to destruction of property, human
settlements and infrastructure etc.
 Disaster can alter the natural environment, loss of habitat to many plants
and animals and cause ecological stress that can result in biodiversity loss.
 After natural disasters, food and other natural resources like water often
becomes scarce resulting into food and water scarcity.
 The disaster results in displacement of people, and displaced population
often face several challenges in new settlements, in this process poorer
becomes more poor.
 Disaster increases the level of vulnerability and hence multiply the effects
of disaster.

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Vulnerability Profile of India
 India is vulnerable, in varying degrees, to a large number of
disasters. Around 59% of the landmass is prone to earthquakes of
moderate to very high intensity.
 About 12% (over 40 million hectares) of its land is prone to floods and
river erosion.
 Close to 5,700 kms, out of the 7,516 kms long coastline is prone to
cyclones and tsunamis.
 68% of its cultivable area is vulnerable to droughts; and, the hilly areas
are at risk from landslides and avalanches.
 Moreover, India is also vulnerable to chemical, biological, radiological
and nuclear (CBRN) emergencies and other man-made disasters.
 Disaster risks in India are further compounded by increasing vulnerabilities
related to changing demographics and socio-economic conditions,
unplanned urbanization, development within high-risk
zones, environmental degradation, climate change, geological hazards,
epidemics and pandemics.
 Clearly, all these contribute to a situation where disasters seriously threaten
India’s economy, its population and sustainable development.

Worst Disasters in India

 Kashmir Floods (2014) affected Srinagar, Bandipur, Rajouri etc. areas of
J&K have resulted into death of more than 500 people.
 Uttarakhand Flash Floods (2013) affected Govindghat, Kedar Dome,
Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand and resulted into death of more than
5,000 people.
 The Indian Ocean Tsunami (2004) affected parts of southern India and
Andaman Nicobar Islands, Sri Lanka, Indonesia etc., and resulted in the
death of more than 2 lakh people.
 Gujarat Earthquake (2001) affected Bhuj, Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar,
Kutch, Surat, Surendranagar, Rajkot district, Jamnagar and Jodia districts of
Gujarat and resulted in death of more than 20,000 people.
 Odisha Super Cyclone or Paradip cyclone (1999) affected the coastal
districts of Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Balasore, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Ganjam etc.,
and resulted into death of more than 10,000 people.
 The Great Famine (1876-1878) affected Madras, Mysore, Hyderabad, and
Bombay and resulted into death of around 3 crore people. Even today, it is
considered as one of the worst natural calamities in India of all time.

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 Coringa Cyclone (1839) that affected Coringa district of Andhra Pradesh
and Calcutta Cyclone (1737) are some other instances of natural calamities
faced by the country in the past.
 The Bengal Famine in the years 1770 and 1943 affected Bengal, Odisha,
Bihar very badly and resulted into death of nearly 1 crore people.
 Bhopal Gas tragedy (December, 1984) is one of the worst chemical
disasters globally that resulted in over 10,000 losing their lives (the actual
number remains disputed) and over 5.5 lakh persons affected and suffering
from agonizing injuries.
Specific hazards and mitigation.
Floods
Floods refer to the ‘inundation of large parts of land which otherwise remain
dry by water for some duration of time’. Floods are one of the most common
natural disasters occurring in many parts of the world every year. Floods occur
due to heavy rainfall within a short duration of time in a particular region which
causes the rivers and streams to overflow. Since most of the precipitation occurs
within span of two to three months during the rainy season, most floods occur
during that time. The floods in the mountainous regions due to cloudbursts or
damming of streams are referred to as flash-floods. In flash-floods, the water
drains away quickly but only after causing extensive damage.
Flood prone areas : About 4 crore hectare area of our country is flood-prone,
which is one eighth of the total area. The most flood prone areas are the
Brahmputra, Ganga and Indus basins. As far as states are concerned, Uttar
Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Orissa are the most flood affected states
followed by Haryana, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh. Now a days Rajasthan and
Gujarat also feel the fury of floods. Karnataka and Maharashtra are no-longer
immune to floods.
Flood control measures
(i) Reservoirs : By constructing reservoirs in the courses of rivers could
stores extra water at the time of flood. Such measures adopted till now
however, have not been successful. Dams built to control floods of
Damodar could not control the flood.

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(ii) Embankments : By building flood protection embankments, floods water
can be controlled from overflowing the banks and spreading in near by
areas. Building of embankments on Yamuna, near Delhi, has been
successful in controlling the flood.
(iii) Afforestation : The furry of flood could be minimized by planting trees in
catchment areas of rivers.
(iv) Restoration of original drainage system : Drainage system is generally
choked by the construction of roads, canals railway tracks etc. Floods
could be checked if the original form of drainage system is restored
Earthquakes
An earthquake is the shaking of the earth’s surface caused by rapid movement
of the earth’s crust or outer layer. Ever since it came into existence 4.6 billion
years ago, the earth has been a dynamic, evolving system. The position of the
different continents and oceans that we see today has changed a number of
times in the earth’s history. The earth is primarily composed of three layers: 1.
The outer crust, 2. The middle mantle, and 3. The inner core The Earth’s outer
layer or crust is made up of a number of zig-saw pieces like structures that
interlock into one another. These pieces are called tectonic plates. These plates
are in continuous motion over the mantle, which is known as tectonic
movements. These tectonic processes are also responsible for the mountain
building processes. The plates that are moving past over one another are slowed
by friction along their boundaries. Due to this, the rocks are under strain. When
the stress on the rocks exceeds certain limits, the rocks rupture and form a fault
along which the rocks are displaced during tectonic movements. This sudden
rupture of the rocks releases energy in the form of earthquake waves.
Earthquake Prone Areas-
Bureau of Indian Standard has prepared a map of India, showing earthquake
seisnic zones of different intensity. Its revised edition has been published in
2002. India has been divided into four zones. The intensity of each zone, result
and losses caused by earthquake are described below:
Zone II - The earthquake is felt by all, some people run outdoor. Heavy
furniture may possibly move a little small pieces of plaster fall. Cracks in
chimneys.

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Zone III - Everyone runs out of doors, slight damage is there even in better
designed and strongly built building. More breakage in ordinary bridges houses
etc. Considerable damage to poorly designed and sub-standard buildings
bridges etc.
Zone IV - Slight damage in specially designed and well built building bridges
etc. Heavy damage to poorly designed and badly built structures. Chimneys,
poles, memorials, walls etc. fall down.
Zone V - Severe damage to even well built bridges, buildings, foundations are
displaced. Cracks and fissures develop in the ground. Practically all structures
fall or small are greatly damaged or destroyed.

Drought
According to meteorologists the rainfall deficiency during a long period over a
large area is called a drought. Some times in Hindi language famine Akal and
Anavrishty are also used for drought. Drought can also occur when ground
water level is not within reach of agricultural communities. The government
also declares on area affected by drought, if more than 50 percent crop loss
happens in an area due to meteorological condition
It occurs when the rate of evaporation and transpiration exceeds precipitation
for a considerable period. It is marked by an unusual scarcity of water and food

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for the humans as well as animals. Certain regions of the world, such as parts of
Central Africa, are characterized by low amount of rainfall resulting in
perennial drought-like conditions. Some part of India is often affected by
drought even during the rainy season. As India is primarily an agricultural
country, droughts cause untold miseries to the common people.
Causes of drought
Major cause of drought in India is scarcity of rain. But humans have interfered
in the environment processes by their activities. People have filled up the
natural resources like ponds and lakes. They have destroyed the vegetation
cover. Vegetation cover impedes the flow of rainwater and force it to percolate
in the ground. Humans have dug lakhs of tube wells and depleted the ground
water reservoirs.
Impact of drought : Droughts cause scarcity of food and water. Hungry and
thirsty people cry for help. People die of hunger, malnutrition and epidemics.
People are forced to migrate from their area of residence. Crops fail due to
scarcity of water. Cattle because fodder and water are not easily available.
Farmers are deprived of their employment. People leave their villages with their
families for a long, unknown and uncertain journey in the pursuit of food,
water, green fodder and employment.
Drought prone areas of India - There is a major reason that lies between
South Rajasthan and Tamilnadu. It includes west south Rajasthan and
Tamilnadu. It includes areas of west Madhya Pradesh, central Maharashtra,
Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Measures to cope with Drought
(i) Suitable farming methods for arid areas : By adopting the following
methods it is possible to mitigate the intensity of drought. The methods are:
Production of coarse and hardy cereals; conservation of soil moisture by
deep ploughing, storing water behind small dams, collecting water in ponds
and tanks and use of sprinklers for irrigation.
(ii) Sowing drought resistant crops: By sowing drought resistant crops of
cotton, Moong, pearl millet, wheat etc, the impact of drought could be
mitigated to a certain extent.
(iii) Rain water harvesting : Collection of each and every drop of rain could
help in coping with the drought.

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(iv) By making high bunds around the fields, adoption of terrace cultivation,
planting trees on the bunds of fields, the use of rainwater can be maximised.
(v) Water can also be conserved by taming the irrigation canals with mortar and
bricks.
(vi) Small quantity of water can irrigate comparatively larger area by using drip
irrigation method.
Drought prone area programme - This programme was initiated in 1973. The
objectives of the programme are as follows:
(i) To minimise the adverse impact of drought on crops, domestic animals,
productivity of land, water and human resources. This could be done by
integrated development by using appropriate technologies as it was done
for the natural resources of Gujrat.
(ii) By developing, conserving and suitably using the rainwater, the ecological
balance could be maintained for a longer period.
(iii) To improve the economic and social conditions of the section of society
who do not have access to resources and facilities.
Landslides
Landslides refer to a rapid down-slope movement of rocks or soil mass under
the force of gravity. It is also known as slope failure and mass wasting.
Landslides may be typed as mudflow where there is down-slope movement of
soil and debris flow, which is the down-slope movement of coarse material and
rocks.
Landslide prone areas : The landslides are a common feature in Himalaya,
Western ghats and in river valleys. The state of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal
Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and all the seven states of North East India, are
most vulnerable to landslide. In southern India Mahrastra, Karnataka, Tamil
Nadu and Kerala bear the brunt of landslides. Causes of landslides
1. Heavy rain : Heavy rain is the main cause of landslides.
2. Deforestation : Deforestation is another major cause of landslides. Tree,
brushes and grasses keep the soil particles compact. Mountain slope looses
their protective cover by felling of trees. The rain water flows on such
slopes with unempeded speed.
3. Earthquakes and volcanic explosions : Earthquake is a common feature in
the Himalaya. Tremors destabilize the mountains and the rocks tumble

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 downwards. Volcanic explosions also trigger landslides in the mountainous
areas.
4. Building of roads: Roads are built in mountainous areas for development.
During the process of the construction of road, a large amount of rocks and
debris has to be removed. This process dislodges the rock structure and
changes the angle of slopes. Consequently landslides are triggered.
5. Shifting agriculture : In the North Eastern part of India, the number and
frequency of landslides has increased due to the practice of shifting
agriculture.
6. Construction of houses and other buildings : For giving shelter to the ever-
increasing population and promotion of tourism more and more house and
hotels are being built. In building processes large amount of dibrises
created. This causes the landslides.
Impact of landslide
(i) Degrading of environment : Landslides are degrading the
environment of mountains. Natural beauty is deminishing slowly
and slowly.
(ii) Sources of water are drying up.
(iii) Flooding in rivers is incrasing.
(iv) Roads are blocked.
(v) Life and property are lost
Measures to control landslides and to mitigate their impact
(i) Afforestation : Trees and brushes help in binding the soil particles.
(ii) New technology in road construction : Roads should be constructed in
such a way, that lesser amount of debrisses are generated.
(iii) Ban on quarrying of stones and mining of minerals.
(iv) Instead of exploitation of forests, they should be used scientifically.
(v) Permanent crops like orchards of fruits should replace the seasonal or
annual Drops.
(vi) By controlling the surface flow of water, seepage of water should be
minimised.
(vii) Retaining walls can be built of mountain slopes to stop land from
slipping.

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 (viii) Hazard mapping should be done to locate areas commonly prone to
landslides. Building and construction activities may be banned in such
areas.
Cyclones
Cyclone is an area of low atmospheric pressure surrounded by a wind system
blowing in anti-clockwise direction, formed in the northern hemisphere. In
common terms, cyclone can be described as a giant circular storm system. In a
cyclone, the wind speed must be more than 119 km/hr. Cyclones generate in the
seas and oceans and move with a very high speed towards the land. Cyclones
form when moisture evaporates from the warm oceans during the hot season.
The air rises, condenses and gathers momentum as it moves over the ocean.
Due to the extreme low pressure in the centre, more and more air rushes
inwards and it grows to a considerable size and intensity.
Volcanic eruption
A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth,
that allows hot lava , volcanic ash , and gases to escape from a magma chamber
below the surface. Earth's volcanoes occur because its crust is broken into 17
major, rigid tectonic plates that float on a hotter, softer layer in its mantle.
Therefore, on Earth, volcanoes are generally found where tectonic plates are
diverging or converging. For example, a midoceanic ridge, such as the Mid-
Atlantic Ridge, has volcanoes caused by divergent tectonic plates pulling apart;
the Pacific Ring of Fire has volcanoes caused by convergent tectonic plates
coming together. Volcanoes can also form where there is stretching and
thinning of the crust's interior plates, e.g., in the East African Rift and the
Wells Gray-Clearwater volcanic field and Rio Grande Rift in North America.
This type of volcanism falls under the umbrella of "plate hypothesis"
volcanism.
Tsunami
It is a Japanese term meaning ‘harbour waves’. Tsunamis are massive sea
waves that are mainly caused due to earthquakes in the ocean floor or possibly
due to an undersea landslide or volcanic eruption. When the ocean floor is tilted
or offset during an earthquake a set of waves is created similar to the concentric
waves generated by an object dropped into the water

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 DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Disaster management refers to the conservation of lives and property
during natural or man-made disasters. Disaster management plans are
multi-layered and are planned to address issues such as floods,
hurricanes, fires, mass failure of utilities, rapid spread of disease and
droughts. India is especially vulnerable to natural disasters because of its
unique geo - climatic condition, having recurrent floods, droughts,
cyclones, earthquakes, and landslides. As India is a very large country,
different regions are vulnerable to different natural disasters. For
example, during rainy season the peninsular regions of South India is
mostly affected by cyclones and states of West India experience severe
drought during summer.
Stages in Disaster Management
 Disaster Management efforts are geared towards disaster risk
management.
 Disaster Risk Management implies the systematic process of using
administrative decisions, organisation, operational skills, and
capacities to implement policies, strategies and coping capacities of the
society and communities to lessen the impact of natural hazards and
related environmental and technological disasters.
 These comprise all forms all activities including structural and non-
structural measures to avoid (prevention) or to limit (mitigation and
preparedness) adverse effects of hazards.
 There are three key stages of activities in disaster management:
1. Before a disaster: to reduce the potential for human, material, or
environmental losses caused by hazards and to ensure that these losses are
minimised when disaster strikes;
2. During a disaster: to ensure that the needs and provisions of victims are
met to alleviate and minimise suffering; and
3. After a disaster: to achieve rapid and durable recovery which does not
reproduce the original vulnerable conditions.

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)

 Disaster risk reduction is the concept and practice of reducing disaster
risks through systematic efforts to analyse and reduce the causal factors of
disasters.
 Pre-Disaster risk reduction includes-

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 o Mitigation: To eliminate or reduce the impacts and risks of hazards
through proactive measures taken before an emergency or disaster
occurs.
o Preparedness: To take steps to prepare and reduce the effects of
disasters.
 Post-Disaster risk reduction includes-
o Rescue: Providing warning, evacuation, search, rescue, providing
immediate assistance.
o Relife: To respond to communities who become victims of disaster,
providing relief measures such as food packets, water, medicines,
temporary accommodation, relief camps etc.
o Recovery: This stage emphasises upon recovery of victims of
disaster, recovery of damaged infrastructure and repair of the
damages caused.

The Disaster Management Act, 2005

The Disaster Management Act was passed by the Lok Sabha on 28 November
2005, and by the Rajya Sabha on 12 December 2005. It received the assent of
the President of India on 9 January 2006. The Act calls for the establishment of
a National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), with the Prime Minister of
India as chairperson. The NDMA has no more than nine members at a time,
including a Vice-Chairperson. The tenure of the members of the NDMA is 5
years. The NDMA which was initially established on 30 May 2005 by an
executive order, was constituted under Section-3(1) of the Disaster Management
Act, on 27 September 2005. The NDMA is responsible for "laying down the
policies, plans and guidelines for disaster management and to ensure very timely
and effective response to disaster". Under section 6 of the Act it is responsible
for laying "down guidelines to be followed by the State Authorities in drawing
up the country Plans".

Disaster Management Plan

On 1 June 2016, Pranab Mukherjee, the Ex President of India, launched the
Disaster Management Plan of India, which seeks to provide help and direction to
government agencies for prevention, mitigation and management of disasters.
This is the first plan nationally since the enactment of the Disaster Management
Act of 2005.

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 Agencies involved in Disaster Management
 National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA):- The National
Disaster Management Authority, or the NDMA, is an apex body for disaster
management, headed by the Prime Minister of India. It is responsible for the
supervision, direction and control of the National Disaster Response Force
(NDRF).
 National Executive Committee (NEC):- The NEC is composed of high
profile ministerial members from the government of India that include the
Union Home Secretary as Chairperson, and the Secretaries to the Government
of India (GoI)like Ministries/Departments of Agriculture, Atomic Energy,
Defence, Drinking Water Supply, Environment and Forests etc. The NEC
prepares the National Plan for Disaster Management as per the National
Policy on Disaster Management.
 State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA):- The Chief Minister of the
respective state is the head of the SDMA.The State Government has a State
Executive Committee (SEC) which assists the State Disaster Management
Authority (SDMA) on Disaster Management.
 District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA):- The DDMA is headed
by the District Collector, Deputy Commissioner or District Magistrate
depending on the situation, with the elected representatives of the local
authority as the Co-Chairperson. The DDMA ensures that the guidelines
framed by the NDMA and the SDMA are followed by all the departments of
the State Government at the District level and the local authorities in the
District.
 Local Authorities:- Local authorities would include Panchayati Raj
Institutions (PRI), Municipalities, District and Cantonment 11 Institutional
and Legal Arrangements Boards, and Town Planning Authorities which
control and manage civic services.

Challenges in Disaster Risk Reduction

 There are insufficient levels of implementation for each monitored
activity. For example, Disaster risk management plans or a risk sensitive
building codes exist but they are not enforced because of a lack of
government capacity or public awareness.
 There is lack of local capacities to implement disaster risk management.
Weak capacity at the local levels undermines the implementation Disaster
preparedness plans.

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  Absence of integration of climate change into Disaster risk
management plans.
 There is divergence of obtaining political and economic
commitments due to other competing needs and priorities such as poverty
reduction, social welfare, education etc. require greater attention and
funding.
 Due to poor coordination between stakeholders, there is inadequate
access with respect to risk assessment, monitoring, early warning, disaster
response and other Disaster related activities.
 Insufficient investments in building disaster resilient strategies, also
private sector are least contributors in the share of investment.
Disaster is a development issues. It needs to be addressed with much
importance. It has a sudden and long term impact on economy. So policy shift is
needed to ensure the stability of economy. There must be plans for long term
recovery. Assessing the available financial tools and innovating new funding
mechanisms are required. Funds must be designed and planned on risk
assessment and risk exposure assessment. Risk reduction and sustainable
development must be seen in an integrated format. Therefore, new funding
options are to be developed.
The 73rd and 74th amendments paved the way for constitutional status for the
urban local bodies and Panchayat institutions to play a greater role in matters of
immediate concern. They can give awareness and ensure participation of the
common people in mitigating the effects.

Very Short Questions (3 markers)

Que Define disaster.
Ans. Disaster is an undesirable occurrence resulting from forces that are
largely outsie human control, strikes quickly with little or no
warning, which causes or threatens serious disruption of life and
property including death and injury to a large number of people, and
requires therefore, mobilization of efforts in excess of that which are
normally provided by statutory emergency services.
Que What do you understand by disaster management?
Ans. Disaster management is a method of mobilization of resources and
responsibilities in order to deal with humanitarian situation of
emergency in order to reduce its will effects . In particular, it deals
with preparedness , response and reconstruction .

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Que What is the aim of Disaster Management in India?
Ans. In India, the main objective of disaster management is to reduce or
avoid the potential loss which may be caused due to a hazard or
disaster. Also, so that quick, apt and prompt steps can be taken for an
effective recovery.
Que What is Disaster Risk Management?
Ans. Disaster Risk Management is the preparedness to prevent a disaster
that may happen or to reduce the loss that may be caused by it. There
are certain stages of disaster risk management. These include
prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.
Que In how many categories can disasters be classified?
Ans. Disaster can be classified into the following categories:
 Water and Climate Disaster
 Geological Disaster
 Biological Disaster
 Industrial Disaster
 Nuclear Disasters
 Man-made disasters
Que Which body is responsible for Disaster Management in India?
Ans. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is the apex
body that is responsible for disaster management in India. NDMA is
headed by the Prime Minister of India.
Que What is the Disaster Management Act 2005?
Ans. The Disaster Management Act, 2005 defines Disaster Management
as an integrated process of planning, organizing, coordinating and
implementing measures for effective management of disasters.
Que Mention three causes due to which flood affected areas have
increased in India.
Ans. Three causes due to which flood affected areas have increased in
India:
(i) Deforestation
(ii) Barrier in flow of water by means of transport and buildings.
(iii) Construction of dams.
Que Define Landslides.
Ans. A form of mass movement in which rock and debris moves rapidly
downslope under the influence of gravity as a result of failure along a
shear plane.

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Que Define Tsunamis.
Ans. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that cause the sea-floor to move
abruptly resulting in sudden displacement of ocean water in the form
of high vertical waves are called Tsunamis (harbour waves) or
seismic sea waves.
Que Define drought.
Ans. The term 'drought is applied to an extended period when there is a
shortage water availability due to inadequate precipitation, excessive
rate of evaporation and over utilisation of water from the reservoirs
and other storages, including the ground water.
Que What is landslide?
Ans. Rocks, soil or heaps of debris which slide by their own weight from
the slopes oaf the mountains and come on the ground or on the banks
of the rivers are called landslides.
Que Define Flood
Ans. When a river bursts its banks and the water spills out onto the
floodplain, it is called Flood.
Que Which natural disasters occur abruptly ?
Ans. Natural disasters that occur abruptly are earthquake, tsunami waves,
volcanic eruptions, landslides, flood, cyclone, cloud burst, avalanche
etc.
Que What is COVID-19?
Ans. COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently
discovered coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown
before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.
COVID-19 is now a pandemic affecting many countries globally.
Que Why do more earthquakes occur in Himalayan and North Eastern
regions of India?
Ans. Himalayan regions are young fold mountains. Yet now the formation
of Himalayan mountain is going on. So there are still movements of
the earth's crust which may be possibilities of eruption of volcano.
Que Name flood prone areas of India.
Ans. Assam, West Bengal and Bihar are among the high flood-prone states
of India. Apart from these, most of the rivers in the northern states
like Punjab and Uttar Pradesh are also vulnerable to occasional
floods.
Que How earthquake occurs?
Ans. Occurrence of earthquakes are unpredictable. It is believed that earth
surface is need of big plates these plates shift towards each other due

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 to Earth's internal heat they are shifting or expanding cause
earthquake.
Que Define Flash floods.
Ans. Flash floods is a very fast rise and recession of flow of small volume
and high discharge of water which causes high damage because of
suddenness hilly and slope areas are prone to it.
Que Differentiate drought and grave drought.
Ans. 25% of less average rainfall – Drought
50% or less average rainfall or doesn't get rainfall for two consecutive
years - Grave drought
Que National disaster Management Authority 2005
Ans. National disaster Management Authority 2005
 It aims to build a safer and disasters resilient India
 Chaired by prime minister and cabinet minister as the Vice chairman
 It has 8 members
 Function- to formulate National disaster management plan
Que State disaster Management Authority 2005
Ans. State disaster Management Authority 2005
 Chaired by chief minister
 It has 8 members
 Function- to formulate State disaster management plan and
implement National disaster management plan.

Short Answer Type Questions (5 markers)

Que Why is disaster management important ?
Ans. Disaster is a sudden, calamitous and unfortunate event that brings
with it great damage, loss, destruction and devastation to human life
as well as property. Disaster management is very important to
survive in case of natural or man-made disaster. Disaster
management activities are aimed to minimize loss of life and damage
in the event of disaster. Disaster management measures can help
removing people and property from a threatened location by
facilitating timely and effective rescue, relief and rehabilitation at the
place of disaster thereby reducing loss of property, protecting people
and reducing trauma among people.
Que Why droughts are more frequent in the Western region and
Madhya Bharat ?

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Ans. Scanty and unequal distribution of rainfall is the main cause of
drought. Rainfall is uncertain in Western region and Madhya Bharat.
Here there is rainfall only during rainy season. Therefore it is scanty.
Sometime monsoon winds exhaust before the definite time, due to
which there are droughts in Western region and Madhya Bharat.
Que What is a coronavirus?
Ans. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which may cause illness
in animals or humans. In humans, several coronaviruses are known
to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to
more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome
(MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The most
recently discovered coronavirus causes coronavirus disease COVID-
19.
Que. Write a note on the safety measures to lessen the impact of
droughts.
Ans. Safety measures to lessen the impact of droughts are :
1. Using water sources such as rivers, lakes and ponds carefully and
maintaining them is important to tide people over during times of no
rain.
2. Rainwater harvesting goes a long way in replenishing the depleting
supply of groundwater. The government and social welfare
organizations should teach and enable people to harvest rainwater to
restore their water reserves.
3. Building of check dams also helps to collect run-off water in hilly
areas.
4. We should stop cutting down trees along river banks and other water
bodies. Instead, we should plant mare trees. Trees help in drawing
moisture and rainfall to a region.
Que. Why are there more droughts in Central and Western India?
Ans. In central and western India less rainfall takes place. Due to this,
water
scarcity takes place. Less rainfall, excessive evaporation, scarcity in
ground water and water bodies create conditions or drought. Western
India consists or deserts and central India has plateaus and in both
regions ground water level is less. It creates drought conditions.
Que. What is the meaning of disaster management. Explain main
elements of disaster management?
Ans. Disaster management is a chain of activities which are carried out not

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 only before and after the disaster but carried out during the period of
disaster also. This arrangement is something more than the expansion
and contraction model under this system. It is believed that disaster
management is efforts to prevent the calamity, minimise its effects,
timely action and activities to bring the situation to normalcy; these
activities are expanded and contracted as per the emergency, sense of
insecurity in the society etc.
Four Main stages of disaster management
(1) Advance preparation
(2) Action at the time of disaster
(3) To restore normalcy and rehabilitations.
(4) Plan for preventing the recurrence of the disaster and minimise the ill
effects of the disaster.
Que. Write About PM CARES Fund.
Ans. The Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency
Situations Fund (PM CARES Fund) were created on 28 March 2020
following the COVID-19 pandemic in India.
The fund will be used for combat, containment and relief efforts
against the coronavirus outbreak and similar pandemic like situations
in the future.
The PM is the chairman of the trust. Members will include the
defence, home and finance ministers.
The fund will also enable micro-donations. The minimum donation
accepted for the PM CARES Fund is ₹10 .
The donations will be tax-exempt and fall under corporate social
responsibility.
Que. When can a hazard become a disaster?
Ans. A hazard becomes a disaster when either there are no mitigating
circumstances to prevent the disaster from happening or the
mitigating circumstances fail. For example, if there are floods which
lead to great loss of life and property, it will be called disaster. But if
through GPS, it was pre-informed and evacuation was successful, it
will be a hazard but not a disaster.
Que. What is difference Between Endemic, Epidemic, Outbreak and
Pandemic.
Ans. An EPIDEMIC is a disease that affects a large number of people
within
a community, population, or region.

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 A PANDEMIC is an epidemic that’s spread over multiple countries
or continents.
ENDEMIC is something that belongs to a particular people or
country.
AN OUTBREAK is a greater-than-anticipated increase in the number
of endemic cases. It can also be a single case in a new area. If it’s not
quickly controlled, an outbreak can become an epidemic.
Que. How are the floods in Eastern India different from the ones in
Western India?
Ans. Important rivers of Eastern India are Brahmaputra, Ganga, Damodar,
Mahanadi, Krishna, Kaveri, Godavar. In western India, important
rivers are Luni, Mahi, Narmada and Tapti. In eastern India floods
occur more frequently as compared to western India because more
rainfall takes place in eastern India as compared to western India.
Moreover, foods of eastern India are more severe in comparison of
western India floods.
Que. Name the states of India having high risk of earthquake.
Ans. Areas of North-eastern states, Darbhanga and Araria along the Indo
Nepal border in Bihar, Uttarakhand, Western Himachal Pradesh and
Kashmir Valley in the Himalayan region and the Kuteh (Gujarat),
Northern parts of Punjab, Eastern parts of Haryana, Delhi, Western
Uttar Pradesh, and Northern Bihar fall under the High Damage Risk
Zone.
Que. How can people survive during earthquakes?
Ans. People can survive with earthquakes by taking following precautions:
 When earthquake occurs we should leave the house. If it is not
possible to go out of the house stand in four corners of the walls or
get inside bed, table etc.
 Switch off all electricity connections in the house.
 There should not be any fire.
 All types of fire like gas stove must be switched off.
 Never drive any vehicle during earthquake.
Que. Discuss the measures which are helpful to minimize the effects of
cyclones.
Ans. Following are the measures which are helpful to minimize the effects of
cyclones-
 Multipurpose cyclone Shelters with suitable designs need to be
constructed in appropriate locations in coastal areas.

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  Engineered structures that can withstand wind forces need to be built.
Good construction practices should be adopted such as-
o To construct houses or buildings on stilts or on earth mounds
o Large overhangs for roofs should be avoided and projection should
be tied down.
 Human settlements should be inhabited on the leeward side of hills or
mounds not on the coastal areas.
 Coastal belt plantation will weaken and mitigate the impact of strong
winds
 Construction of elevated roads like Kolkata to Kanyakumari.
 Hazard mapping helps in identifying the vulnerable areas to cyclones.
 Vulnerable areas should be kept for least critical activities like grazing,
parks playgrounds etc.
 Satellite tracking can track the movement the build-up and likely part of
the cyclone warning and evacuation can be done along the projected
path.
Que. Discuss the measures which are helpful to minimize the effects of
earthquakes.
Ans. Following are the measures which are helpful to minimize the effects of
earthquakes-
 Architectural and engineering inputs need to be put together to
construct building that can withstand ground shaking.
 Soil type must be analysed before construction and structures must
not be built on soft soil.
 The Bureau of Indian standards has published building codes and
guidelines for safe construction to reduce the impact of earthquakes.
 The municipality must inspect building plans before construction that
these building structures is in accordance with the guidelines set by
government
 Important buildings like hospitals schools fire stations government
offices need to be retrofitted with safety devices based on the
government guidelines.
 Reduce possible damages from secondary effects like fires floods
landslides etc by identifying potential vulnerable sites and restricting
construction in those areas.
Que. Differentiate Tropical and Temperate Cyclone.
Tropical Cyclone Temperate Cyclone
Tropical cyclones, move from east to These cyclones move from
west. west to east

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 A tropical cyclone has an effect on a Temperate cyclone affect a
comparatively smaller area than a much larger area
Temperate cyclone.
The velocity of wind in a tropical The velocity of air is
cyclone is much higher and it is more comparatively lower
damaging.
Tropical Cyclone forms only on seas Temperate cyclones can be
with temperature more than 26- formed on both land and sea
27degree C and dissipate on reaching
the land.
A tropical cyclone doesn’t last for more Temperate cyclone can last for
than 7 days a duration of 15 to 20 days
Que. Discuss the classification of disasters.
Ans. Disasters are catastrophic situations causing severe damage to life
and property due to natural and man-made factors which can be
beyond bearable capacity of the affected society.
Classification of disasters
The classification of disaster can be broadly done on the following two
basis
1. NATURAL DISATERS – When disasters occur due to natural
forces,
are called natural disasters.
 Geo- physical – Eathquakes, volacanic eruptions etc.
 Hydro logical – Floods, Tsunamis etc.
 Meterological – Hurricanes etc.
 Climatalogical - Heat and cold waves, Drought etc.
 Biological – Epidemics.
2. MAN-MADE DISASTERS - When disasters occur due to
carelessness of human or mishandling of dangerous equipments, are
called man made disasters.
 Hazardous materials spills
 Fires
 Groundwater contamination
 Transportation accidents
 Structural failures
 Mining accidents
 Explosions
 Act of terrorism

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Que. How are disasters classified?
Ans. The High Power Committee on Disaster Management of 1999 had
identified 31 disaster categories.
This committee organised these categories into 5 major sub-groups,
(i) Water and climate related disasters
(ii) Geological related disasters
(iii) Chemical, industrial and nuclear related disasters
(iv) Accident Related Disasters
(v) Biological related disasters, which includes epidemics.
Que. Write some ways in which the government can tackle man¬made
disasters.
Ans.The government can tackle the man-made disasters in many ways :
1. Government of developing countries should allot a substantial sum of
money from their budget to set up special disaster management
departments.
2. Efficient forecasting and warning systems should be installed.
3. Modern tools of information technology must be used for managing
such situations.
4. The government should set up organizations to coordinate relief work
and give top priority to rehabilitation and reconstruction plans.
5. The communication network should be strengthened to ensure that
entire regions do not get cut off in the eventuality of disasters like
earthquakes and tsunamis.
6. Inspection team should be send regularly to check safety regulations at
public places like hotels, malls, theatres, etc.
Que. Describe causes for Occurrence of Disaster.
Ans.
 Environmental degradation: Removal of trees and forest cover from
a watershed area have caused, soil erosion, expansion of flood plain
area in upper and middle course of rivers and groundwater depletion.
 Developmental process: Exploitation of land use, development of
infrastructure, rapid urbanization and technological development have
caused increasing pressure over the natural resources.
 Political issues: War, nuclear power aspirations, fight between
countries to become super power and conquering land, sea and skies.
These have resulted into wide range of disaster events such as
Hiroshima nuclear explosion, Syrian civil war, growing militarisation
of oceans and outer space.

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  Industrialization: This has resulted into warming of earth and
frequency of extreme weather events has also increased.
Que. What are the impacts of Disaster?
Ans.
 Disaster impacts individuals physically (through loss of life, injury,
health, disability) as well as psychologically.
 Disaster results in huge economic loss due to destruction of property,
human settlements and infrastructure etc.
 Disaster can alter the natural environment, loss of habitat to many
plants and animals and cause ecological stress that can result in
biodiversity loss.
 After natural disasters, food and other natural resources like water often
becomes scarce resulting into food and water scarcity.
 The disaster results in displacement of people, and displaced population
often face several challenges in new settlements, in this process poorer
becomes more poor.
 Disaster increases the level of vulnerability and hence multiply the effects
of disaster.
Que. What is Chemical Disaster? Explain Bhopal Gas tragedy.
Ans. A chemical disaster is the unintentional release of one or more
hazardous substances which could harm human health and the
environment. It could occur under certain circumstances such events
include fires, explosions, leakages or release of toxic or hazardous
materials that can cause people illness, injury, or disability.
On the night of December 2, 1984, chemical, methyl isocyanate
(MIC) spilt out from Union Carbide India Ltd’s (UCIL’s) pesticide
factory turned the city of Bhopal into a colossal gas chamber. It was
India's first major industrial disaster. At least 30 tonnes of methyl
isocyanate gas killed more than 15,000 people and affected over
600,000 workers. Bhopal gas tragedy is known as world's worst
industrial disaster.
Que. What is Disaster risk reduction ?
Ans. Disaster risk reduction is the concept and practice of reducing
disaster risks through systematic efforts to analyse and reduce the
causal factors of disasters.
Pre-Disaster risk reduction includes-
 Mitigation: To eliminate or reduce the impacts and risks of hazards
through proactive measures taken before an emergency or disaster occurs.

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  Preparedness: To take steps to prepare and reduce the effects of
disasters.
Post-Disaster risk reduction includes-
 Rescue: Providing warning, evacuation, search, rescue, providing
immediate assistance.
 Relife: To respond to communities who become victims of disaster,
providing relief measures such as food packets, water, medicines,
temporary accommodation, relief camps etc.
 Recovery: This stage emphasises upon recovery of victims of disaster,
recovery of damaged infrastructure and repair of the damages caused.
Que- What is the institutional set up under National Disaster Management
Act
Ans- National Disaster Management Act came into force in 2005 It Classifieds
three authorities to formulate disaster management plans and to implement
them at district, state and central levels.

Que. Describe Disaster Vulnerability Profile of India

Ans India is vulnerable, in varying degrees, to a large number of disasters.
Around 59% of the landmass is prone to earthquakes of moderate to very
high intensity.
About 12% (over 40 million hectares) of its land is prone to floods and
river erosion.
Close to 5,700 kms, out of the 7,516 kms long coastline is prone to
cyclones and tsunamis.

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 68% of its cultivable area is vulnerable to droughts; and, the hilly areas are
at risk from landslides and avalanches.
Moreover, India is also vulnerable to chemical, biological, radiological and
nuclear (CBRN) emergencies and other man-made disasters.
Disaster risks in India are further compounded by increasing
vulnerabilities related to changing demographics and socio-economic
conditions, unplanned urbanization, development within high-risk zones,
environmental degradation, climate change, geological hazards, epidemics
and pandemics.
Clearly, all these contribute to a situation where disasters seriously
threaten India’s economy, its population and sustainable development.

Long Answer Type Questions (11 markers)

Que. “Development can help in disaster management as well as cause
management.” Justify the statement.
Ans. Efforts to build upon and improve the social and economic engines,
infrastructure, and institutions within a country can either increase or
decreasehazard exposure, hazard vulnerability and risk.
 Practices that incorporate risk reduction methodologies, such as
stringent building codes, resistant materials, proper land use planning,
and other important mitigation measures and practices, often reduce
the likelihood of disaster events or the consequences that result when
an events do occur.
 Unwise, uncoordinated, or unsafe development can quickly and
dramatically increase the disaster risk faced by the people of a
country.
 Mass urbanization and coastal migration which occur with little
regard to wise building practices as is often seen in the megacities of
the developing world is a primary contributor to increased risk of
development.
Que. Explain flood, its causes and mitigation measures. Also discuss the
beneficial effect of flooding in brief.
Ans. Flood are temporary inundation of large regions as a result of an increase
in reservoir or of rivers flooding their banks because of natural (heavy
rains cyclones etc.) or manmade ( unplanned urbanization etc.) factors.
12% of the total land area prone to floods in India.
There are following causes that are responsible for flooding –

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  Natural causes Tsunami heavy rainfall cyclones cloud birds high winds
melting of snow silting of rivers
 Man made causes are - planned urbanization, encroachment of
riverbanks, dam burst, deforestation, global warming etc.
Mitigation measures
The mitigation measures can be classified into two categories –
A)Structural Mitigation measures -
 Cleaning, desilting and deepening of water reserviors and drainage
channels before the monsoon season
 The buildings in flood prone areas should be constructed on an elevated
platforms
 Natural water retention basins like ring burns dams and levies should be
constructed as temporary storing space which will reduce the chances of
floods
 Flood control measures like reforestation, protection of vegetation,
cleaning of debris from streams should be adopted.
B) Non-structural Mitigation measures -
 Mapping of floodplains to identify flood prone areas through remote
sensing satellites.
 no major development should be permitted in flood prone areas and
important buildings like hospitals schools should be built in safer and
elevated areas.
 flood forecasting and warning for running through television all India
radio, press, social media, mobile SMS etc.
Beneficial Effect of flooding
 Recharging groundwater making soil
 Making soil more fertile and increase nutrients in soil.
 The viability of hydropower is also higher in flood prone areas.
 Rejuvenation of river ecosystem.
Que. What measures should we adopted to mitigate drought conditions?
Ans. Drought is a slow onset disaster and it is difficult to demarcate at the time
of its onset and its end. That’s why preparedness leads to greater
institutional capacity to cope with drought events through the creation of
an organisational structure that improve information flow and
coordination between and within levels of government.
Following measures should be adopted to mitigate drought conditions
-
 Revival of traditional water harvesting structures like canal tanks. Eg-
Gujarat ‘Jhalara’, Rajasthan ‘Baolis’.
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  Construction of water harvesting structures in houses and farm areas.
 Drought monitoring and early warning provides detection of droughts
slow onset conditions which helps in policy formulation and timely
decisions making at all levels.
 Government, NGOs, local corporate and other key players should take the
initiative to bring in awareness on water conservation livelihood planning,
land use planning, traditional water conservation strategies etc.
 Land use planning helps in optimum use of land and water and can
prevent undue demands.
 Through livelihood planning in drought prone areas livelihood such as
collection of non Timber forest products carpentry raising goats etc. can
be promoted.
 Since drought conditions lead to crop failure so crop insurance should be
provided to farmers like - Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.
Que. Explain Disaster management in brief.
Ans. Disaster Management refers to the series of actions undertaken due to
cyclones, unlike the ones caused by earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic
eruptions are more predictable in terms of the time and place of their
occurrences.
Moreover, with the help of development of techniques to monitor the
behavior of cyclones, their intensity, direction and magnitude, it has become
possible to manage the cyclonic hazard to some extent. Construction of
cyclone- shelters, embankments, dykes, reservoirs and afforestation to reduce
the speed of the winds are some of the steps that can help damage in minimising
the damages.
 Pre-disaster management involves generating data and information
about the disasters, preparing vulnerability zoning maps and spreading
awareness among the people about these.
 During disasters, rescue and relief operations such as evacuation,
construction of shelters and relief camps, supplying of water, food,
clothing and medical aids, etc. should be done on emergency basis.
 Post-disaster operations should involve rehabilitation and recovery of
victims. It should also concentrate on cap building in order to cope up
with future disasters.
Que. Explain landslides, its causes and mitigation measures in detail.
Ans. Landslides are slippery masses of rock, earth or debris which move by
force of their own weight from the slopes of the mountains and come
on the ground or on the river banks.

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 Causes
 Associated with mountainous terrains mainly.
 Activities such as surface excavations for highways, buildings and open
pit mines.
 Natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, tornado etc.
 Construction of roads and preparing fields of vertical slopes for
agriculture.
Mitigation measures –
Since, landslides occurrence is unpredictable there is a need to be better
prepared and carry out certain mitigation measures.
A) Structural mitigation
 Drainage correction –
o It involves maintenance of natural drainage channels both micro and
macro in vulnerable slopes.
o It can be done by reducing water infiltration and allowing excess
water to move down without hindrance.
 Engineered structures with strong foundations and flexible underground
installations (like pipes, cables) should be made that can withstand forces
caused by the landslide.
 The retaining walls can be built to stop land from slipping as long roads in
hill station.
 Increasing vegetation cover is the cheapest and most effective way of
arresting land slides.
B) Non structural mitigation
 Hazard maps should be prepared to avoid construction in the landslide
prone areas.
 Land use practices such as preserving existing natural vegetation should be
adopted and avoiding such constructions that block natural drainage.
 Public should be aware about the personal safety measures and indigenous
methods to reduce the impacts of landslides.
Que. What is forest fire and what are its causes and impacts?
Ans. The National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), India defines
forest fire as an unclosed and freely spreading fire that consumes the
natural fuels. When a fire burns out of control it is known as Wild Fire.
There are two types of forest fire:
 Surface Fire– A forest fire may burn primarily as a surface fire, spreading
along the ground as the surface litter on the forest floor and is engulfed by
the spreading flames.

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 Crown Fire- The other type of forest fire is a crown fire in which the
crown of trees and shrubs burn, often sustained by a surface fire.
Causes of Forest Fire:
Natural Causes
 Many forest fires start from natural causes such as lightning which set trees
on fire
 High atmospheric temperatures and dryness (low humidity) offer
favourable circumstance for a fire to start. In dry season, friction leading to
sparks by rolling stones in the mountainous areas may lead to forest fires
 In bamboo areas, forest fires may occur by the rubbing together of clumps
of dry bamboos.
 Volcanic eruptions also lead to forest fires naturally
 In the past twenty years, the fire events in India have strongly been linked
with the presence of El Nino conditions affecting the monsoon movements.
Anthropogenic:
 Negligence: negligent use of fire (during agricultural burning of on
farmlands near forests, clearing of paths through forests, burning weeds and
bushes on privately-owned lands next to reserved forests) is one of the prime
reason for forest fire. Further, accidental fires break out due to campfires and
cigarette butts
 Collection of non-timber forest products (NTFPs): According to the
World bank report collection of NTFPs was the main cause of forest fire
Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Telangana. People in
Central India burn to aid in the collection of flowers from the mahua plant,
during collection of tendua leaves for bidi making etc.
 Shifting Cultivation (Jhum): Jhum cultivation is the primary reason for
forest fires in north-eastern states of Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura, and
also in Odisha.
 Burning to Deter wildlife:People burn pine needles, cones, weeds, and so
on during the dry season to keep away wild boars, birds, and leopards which
may ignite forest fires.
Impacts of Forest Fires on Environment
 Invasive species: forest fragmentation, along with forest fire make forest
ecosystems more vulnerable to invasion by alien species; e.g., lantana which
in turn, fuel further fires.
 Loss of forest cover, timber resources and associated economic cost.
 Degradation of water catchment areas.
 Loss of wildlife.

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 Leads to climate change.
 Loss of livelihood for tribal people and the rurals .

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3. Community planning: Resource mapping,
relief and rehabilitation, preventive and
administrative measures, safe construction.
Alternative communication and survival
efficiency.
Community planning
Community planning involves the formulation of long range visions, goals,
policies and strategies for achieving social, economic and environmental
sustainability within a community in order to guide future community
development.
Community-based disaster management (CBDM) is an approach to building the
capacity of communities to assess their vulnerability to both human induced and
natural hazards and develop strategies and resources necessary to prevent and/or
mitigate the impact of identified hazards as well as respond, rehabilitate, and
reconstruct following its onset.
Community-Based Disaster Management (CBDM) initiates a process involving
sequential stages that can be operationalized to reduce disaster risk. Processes of
CBDM are guided by principles of subsidiarity, economies of scale, equity,
heterogeneity, and public accountability. The different stages in CBDM are
disaster/vulnerability risk assessment, risk reduction planning, early warning
systems, post-disaster relief, and participatory monitoring and evaluation.
CBDM by its very nature demands a decentralized bottoms-up approach with
intensive, micro interventions at the local Panchayats, ward or village level with
the intention of generating confidence, awareness, knowledge, partnership, and
ownership for planning and rolling out local disaster management plans
encompassing all levels of disaster management continuum.
Role of Community
The importance and need for community planning for any hazard that is
likely to occur in an area. During and immediately after a disaster. It is most
often the neighbours or people of the community who respond first. They are
normally with ‘first responders’ before the affected the people can seek any
support from the local authorities of any Non-Governmental Organizations
(NGOs). The first few hours before and after a disaster are critical and precious
to save lives and reduce further injuries. Often, external help may take time to
reach the disaster site. It is in this situations that well trained community
members play a vital role and are considered as lifesaving assets. Further
communities play a vital role in risk reduction, without whose education and
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involvement, a disaster management could not be complete. Mitigation measures
that can be taken for various hazards. But to effectively mitigate hazards that are
prevalent in a particular locality, there is need for the community to join hands
and take up initiatives along with the government. The Government of India
strongly advocates the building of community capacities in various aspects of
disaster response and urges community to develop disaster management plans to
prevent, mitigate and better to combat various hazards. Teachers as educated
members of the society play a crucial rule on guiding and facilitating the process
of Planning in Communities, to reduce disaster risks.
2) First Responder: Since the community is at the site of the disaster, it is
first one to respond to it.
3) Source of Maximum Information: When a disaster occurs in an area, no
one will have better or more comprehensive and ‘up to date’ information on
the people living there and its resources than the inhabitants of that area.
4) Local Coping Mechanisms: Most disasters are recurrent; hence there is
always a traditionally established coping mechanism that is handled down
over the generations. This would ideally be the most immediate response
measure for the local environment though it could be the most immediate
response measure for the local environment though it could be improved
through technical baking.
5) Self-help is in self interest: It would be the natural Instinct of the
community to respond quickly on such occasions since over dependence on
external resources may be time-consuming and even ineffective.
Components of Community-Based Disaster Management
The Components of any CBDP Plan necessarily include:
I. Community Profile: This includes the community characteristics including
its physical, administrative, geographic, demographic, socio economic, and
infrastructure profile. Its development position and the context upon which
disaster will impact the area, should also be included in the profile
II. Resource Inventory: Involves analyzing the local resources available within
the community, which can be harnessed and enhanced for disaster
preparedness and response. It shall include a listing of trained manpower,
livelihood activities, health, education, water, sanitation, electricity,
communications, and transport facilities. It shall also include information a
local committee task forces and emergency directory.
III. Risk map through Community Maps: This shall include the Open spaces,
Medical Facilities, Communication Facilities, Transportation Facilities,
Water Facilities, Temporary Shelters, Sanitation Facilities, and Search and
Rescue Operation facilities.

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IV. Future Mock drill: this is a list of dates when the periodic mock drill in the
community will be conducted.
V. Final community plan: a one-page pamphlet detailing out the main CBDP
components
Role of Village Disaster Management Committee:
The BDO that is the main responsibility would be create awareness amongst the
community members so as to reduce the impact of any hazard and also guide the
community in the preparation of the village Disaster management Plan. We also
need to have skilled people who are trained in First aid and search and rescue.
We need to enhance our skills to be also to respond better in case a disaster
strikes. The BDO that is need to form Village Disaster Management Teams
(VDMTs). The team should have volunteers who can be trained in basic
functional areas that are critically required in that situation. There is a bit of
serious discussion within the villagers as to what were the different Disaster
Management Teams that were likely to be formed in the Village. The Doctor
would need help in the PHC to ensure that he can concentrate on critical cases
while First Aid can be handled by others.
It is Possible that a group can do to come up with a set of names for each of the
following teams:-
 Early warning and communication team.
 Evacuation and Temporary Shelter management team.
 Search and Rescue Team
 Health and First Aid team
 Relief Co-ordination team
 Water and Sanitation team
Resource Mapping
 Resource Mapping focuses on what communities have to offer by identifying
assets and resources that can be used for building a system.
 It is, generally, a methodology used to link community resources with an
agreed upon vision, organizational goals, strategies, or expected outcomes.
Important aspects of resource mapping
 First, mapping strategies focus on what is already present in the community.
The idea is to build on the strengths within a community.
 Second, mapping is relationship-driven. Key to mapping efforts is the
development of partnerships–a group of equals with a common interest
working together over a sustained period of time to accomplish common
goals.

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 Third, mapping embraces the notion that to realize vision and meet goals, a
community may have to work across programmatic and geographic
boundaries.
Role in Disaster Management
 Unless there is a complete inventory of resource organizations, plus clear
allocation of roles and responsibilities to those organizations, gaps
or overlaps in preparedness arrangements are likely to exist.

Relief & Rehabilitation

Role of Local bodies and community
 Local government agencies.
 Local authorities with capicity building can play important role in relief and
rehabilitation but because of lack of infrastructure and resources, they cannot
play their role.
 At district level, collector oversees all the operations related to relief and
rehabilitation and work as per the guidelines provided by state and union
government.
 District collector can also call armed forces if need arises.
Role of NGOs, donor agencies etc.
 Provide support to local communities
 With their flexible structure, they generally reach to venue faster than
government agencies.
 Maintain pressure on government to take necessary action.
Role of State Goverment
 Basic responsibility related to rehabilitation lies with the state.
 Crisis Management Committee headed by Chief Secretary review, plan,
coordinate and regulate all the operations in the state
Role of Union Goverment
 Union Government plays key supportive role with all its resources and
functionaries.
 The cabinet secretary heads National Crisis Management Committee
oversees all the operations.
 Central Relief Commissioner in Min. of Home Affairs is chairman of Crisis
Management Group reviews annual contingency plans and coordinates
activities with state and union governments.

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 Alternative Communication & Surviving Skills
During an emergency or disaster, several communication system failed, that is
why we need some alternative ways to communicate during disaster. They
should be easy to use, affordable and should be available during the disaster.
There are several alternative communication methods, includes-
 Ham radio – not dependent on electricity but rather on batteries.
 Social networking sites – if internet is available, can be a great help.
 Emergency alert systems – works through digital, satellite and cable
television providers to communicate disaster warnings.

Very Short Questions (3 markers)

Que- What is the importance of community in Disater manamnet?
Ans- Since community is the prime victim and first responders to any disaster.
Hence community planning plays an important role in disaster managment
to mobiline the resources and build stratagies to mitigate and leave the
impacts of disaster. Through community plannign, taditional based local
coping mechanism can be efficiently utislised/practised against disaster.
Que. Define resource mapping.
Ans. Resource mapping – It can be defined as practice of identification and
marking of potentials and vulnerabilities of a community. It can be used
during disaster for timely and accurate planning.
Que. Define Mitigation
Ans. To eliminate or reduce the impacts and risks of hazards through proactive
measures taken before an emergency or disaster occurs.
Que. Define Preparedness:
Ans. To take steps to prepare and reduce the effects of disasters.
Que. Define Rescue:
Ans. Providing warning, evacuation, search, rescue, providing immediate
assistance.
Que. Define Relife:
Ans. To respond to communities who become victims of disaster, providing
relief measures such as food packets, water, medicines, temporary
accommodation, relief camps etc.
Que. Define Recovery:
Ans. This stage emphasises upon recovery of victims of disaster, recovery of
damaged infrastructure and repair of the damages caused.

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Que. What makes the Satellite based communication system more reliable
in case of large scale natural/manmade emergencies?
Ans. Satellite based communication system is reliable during disasters .
Communication satellites are in orbit in space and are not vulnerable to
natural disasters on earth. Global communication links can be established
with very small satellite antennas.

Short Questions (5 markers)

Que. What do you understand by community planning?
Ans. It is an approach of building the capacities of communities to assess their
rehabilitations to both human induced and natural hazards and develop
strategies and resources necessary to prevent and to mitigate the impact of
identified hazards as well as response, rehabilitate, and reconstruct
following its onset.
Que. Discuss the Elements of Community planning.
Ans. Following are the Elements of Community planning
1. Resource mapping of community
2. Capacity building of community
3. Safer construction.
4. Early warning and communication
5. Evacuation and temporary shelter management
6. Search and rescue
7. Health and first aid, water and sanitation
8. Rehabilitation and reconstruction.
Que. Define resource mapping and its importance.
Ans. Resource mapping – It can be defined as practice of identification and
marking of potentials and vulnerabilities of a community . It can be used
during disaster for timely and accurate planning.
Importance
 Used in developing strategies for disaster management.
 Used to identify polentials and vulnerabities of any area .
 Used to mobilise resources.
Que. Why should the alternative communication systems be installed?
Ans. Normal telecommunication networks usually get disrupted or jammed
during a disaster. Earthquakes, cyclones, floods and landslides severely
damage the infrastructure of the network.
Cables or the transmitting towers are damaged or the power supply is
disrupted during a disaster. When this happens the telephone fails to

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 function. Even the wireless telephones get disrupted as they also depend
on the transmitting towers. During a disaster, as many people want to use
the telephone line to that particular area, the cables get jammed and the
communication system fails to work. As there is a possibility of the
existing communication system to fail during a disaster, it is very
important to have an alternate system of communication that can be used
during disasters, as we know communication is very important during a
disaster.
Que. Name two prime communication networks of the government of India
and explain their functions.
Ans.There are 2 major networks run by the government of India. They are
NIC –National Informatics centre
BSNL – Barath Sanchar Nigam limited
NIC –National Informatics centre
NIC is a premier Science and Technology organization of the Government
of India. It functions through a nation wide information and
communication technology network called NICNET. The Secretariats of
all the States and Union Territories and all the District Collectorates are
connected through this network
Barath Sanchar Nigam limited
The BSNL is a leading telecommunication company and the largest public
sector undertaking of India. It has a network of 45 million telephone lines
covering 5000 towns. BSNL provides telecom services.
Que. How is Amateur radio (HAM) different from the common radio
communication?
Ans. Amateur radio is also known as ‘Ham radio’. The Ham radio works
on the same principle as the ordinary radio, the only difference being the user of
this mode of transmission has to follow certain frequencies as defined by the
International Telecommunication Union. In India the ‘Ham radio is controlled
by the Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing of the Ministry of
Telecommunication.
Rules to be followed by Ham radio operator
The frequencies can be used only for research, education and personal use.
The frequencies cannot be used for commercial purposes
HAM radio does not use ground based infrastructure. As it requires limited
power supply it runs on batteries. Hence during disasters the HAM radio is
used.

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 Long Questions (11 markers)
Que. What is the importance of community in disaster management?
Ans. Importance of community in Disaster Management-
1. Community is first responder to any disaster.
2. Communities have better and more abut resources and vulnerabilities of
that area.
3. Communities have traditional coping mechanism for recurring local
vulnerabilities which could be improve through technical assistance.
4. for any community self help is in self interest because dependence on
external help may be time consuming in emergency situations
Any community is the prime victim as well as the first responder to
any disaster. That’s why community planning resources and
responsibilities are organized of mitigate local problems and lesser its ill
impacts. Community can be self sufficient to deal with pre, during and post
disaster phase through such planning.
Que. Write the feature of emergency Communication System
Ans. The best Emergency Communication System or ECS must have the
following attributes:
 Time efficiency and speed – when a catastrophe takes place, people need
to take immediate action. In order for this to happen they must be
informed in time about emergencies and bad situations. That’s why a good
ECS must be able to transmit clear information in a very fast manner;
 Affordability – people would never invest their money in an expensive
ECS unless they want to join a rescue team (and maybe not even then). A
good communication system must be affordable for the large public in
order to be useful. In an emergency situation, it’s no help to know that
there is a very good, high-tech ECS on the market when you don’t own
one.
 Everyone can use it – let’s say that you made the investment and bought
the latest ECS on the market but you didn’t have the time to read the
manual. Now there are no instructions and you can’t figure it out how to
use it. A good ECS must be intuitive and easy to use.
 Sender and receiver – When in an emergency situation, one needs not
only to send out notifications but also to receive instructions via the ECS.
We know that this may seem totally outdated, given the era we live in, but
some early ECS only had the ability to send out emergency notifications.

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Que. Discuss the concept of community-based Disaster Management and
highlight
its principles and challenges.
Ans. Community-Based Disaster Management is an approach of of capacity
building of
community to enable them to identify the risk form the natural as well
man made hazard and making strategies to mitigate the risk also to
rehabilate, respond after math of disaster.
Principle:
1. It allows the community to make their own preparedness to deal with
any disaster rather then depending on the support of government or NGOs.
2. It enables community to use the indigenous and local skills gained from
the past experience to respond the diaster.
3. It also allows the community to accept the new technical input from
outside to assimilate in the local condition.
4. It facilitates the bottom-up approach for disaster management rather
than conventional approach of single policy application for all.
5. It enables the efficient and faster utilization of locally available sources
for rescue and shelter.
6. Allows them build community infrastructure for mitigation based on
past experience of hazards.
Challenges:
1. Lack of funds- availability of funds to create the infrastructure.
2. Lack of social capital- low understanding among people of benefit from
collective approach.
3. Lack of training- awareness about preparedness and management
practice is missing.
4. Lack of communication from the authorities towards capacity building.
5. No institutional mechanism to convene on the matter regularly.
Government should facilitates the training of the communities and provide
them early warning about impeding disaster to enable the prompt
preparedness.

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Que. What is the role of Administration in disaster management?
Ans. Administration has a role at each step of disaster management.
Administration can help communities to become self sufficient and
empower the first responders administration has a role in implementing all
norms to reduce risk of disaster.
During disaster they can mobilise resources and ask government for help
in terms of providing urgent resource for rescue and search operation.
Administration has more rote in phase because they have to minimize life
and property loss after disaster they have role in reconstruction,
rehabilitation as well as in assessing the damarge.
Administration cannot stop natural disaster but can work over stoping man
made disaster as well as on reducing impacts of disaster with peoples
participation and good governance.
Que. How to communicate during a natural disaster?
Ans. Natural disaster preparation is very important and it has to be done in
advance especially when it comes to communication. You need to prepare
a communication system that will hold during disaster. For example, if you
have Voice over IP (VoIP) that will definitely won’t work.
 Make sure you know what type of landline phone service you are
using. The modern ones need power to work and if there is a power
loss it, obviously, won’t work. Most phone companies gave up their
copper wiring and that’s why you have to make sure that your phone
will work even in extreme cases. You can contact your phone company
and ask them what type of landline you have.
 If you have a battery operated phone or one that has a back-up system
that works with batteries your problem is solved. If you don’t have one,
ask your service provider if it can deliver one. Also make sure that the
batteries are charged and keep a spare in the house for emergency
cases. Check them periodically to make sure everything is in order.
You wouldn’t want to find yourself in the middle of a hurricane, with a
battery operated phone, and no usable batteries.
 There are situations when the power goes off but secure Wi-Fi is still
available so you can get online and read news about the disaster or send
e-mails and chat with loved ones. That’s why it is important to charge
your tablet and your laptop too. In case of need, you can recharge your
phone battery from your laptop using an USB cable.

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 A simple radio device can save lives. So if you have one, regardless of
its power source (battery, solar or hand-cranked) you must keep it
close. News agencies and radio channels broadcast during a natural
disaster in order to keep people informed. This way you know if the
danger is over or if you should continue to stay in the shelter.
 If there is a natural disaster and you still get network and Internet, don’t
occupy the line with voice calls unless you have an emergency. During
times like this people need to call emergency services and lines become
extremely crowded. If you have service and Internet send a text or an e-
mail to your loved ones and leave the voice line free.
 Make sure you’re not crowding the network. If you want to redial a
number wait at least 10 seconds. Constant redialing in short periods of
time may increase network congestion and this way no one gets to
make a call.
 If you have a landline at home that supports call forwarding you should
consider forwarding calls to your smartphone. This way, even if you
have to evacuate you can take on calls from your home.
 In case the power is down and your smartphone just died you can
charge it from your car if you have a car charger.
As you can see, a communication system during disaster is extremely
important and if you are lucky enough to have a working phone don’t
waste it’s battery on activities that are not important like games and
watching videos.

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