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Home / IAS Preparation / Disaster Management In India

Disaster Management in India - Everything You Need To Know!

Last Updated on Nov 08, 2024
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Disaster management in India is a multifaceted and crucial endeavour to mitigate the impact of natural and man-made calamities on the nation's population and infrastructure. India's geographic diversity exposes it to many hazards, including earthquakes, floods, cyclones, and industrial accidents. To address these challenges, India has established a comprehensive disaster management framework, guided by the Disaster Management Act of 2005. Disaster Management in India is operated by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is led by India's Prime Minister. It serves as the highest authority for disaster management in the country. 

Disaster Management in India is one of the most important topics for the UPSC IAS exam. It covers a significant part of the Disaster Management subject in the General Studies Paper-3 syllabus and current events of national importance in General Studies Paper -1 of the UPSC Prelims Syllabus.

In this article, we shall study in detail the overview, framework, and effectiveness of Disaster Management in India UPSC.

The UPSC aspirants can also take the help of Testbook’s UPSC Free Coaching to boost their UPSC Exam preparation! You can also study other major topics related to UPSC IAS Exams with Testbook!

Download Disaster Management UPSC Notes with the linked article!

Disaster Management in India – Everything You Need To Know: Download PDF here!

What is Disaster?

A disaster is an unexpected, catastrophic event that causes significant harm, loss, destruction, and devastation to both people and property. Disasters create incalculable harm, which varies depending on the location, climate, kind of earth’s surface, and degree of vulnerability. This affects the socioeconomic, political, cultural, and mental health of the area. There are two types of disasters: natural disasters and man-made disasters. Let’s discuss these types in the below section for UPSC exams.

Natural Disaster

All forms of severe weather, which potentially pose a serious threat to property, vital infrastructure, and homeland security, are known as natural disasters. Seasonal and ad hoc natural disasters subject the country to periodic instability, disruption, and financial loss. Natural disasters include volcanic eruptions, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, cyclones, tornadoes, blizzards, wildfires, and pandemics.

Man-Made Disaster

Man-made disasters involve human intention, neglect, or error involving a failure of a man-made system. Some examples of man-made disasters are fire, cybercrime, civil unrest, terrorism, war, biological/chemical danger, cyberattacks, etc.

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Worst Disasters in History of India

Natural disasters have generated a great deal of anxiety on a global scale. The number of lives and property lost as a result of disasters has not diminished despite significant technological and material advancement. Disasters have a long history in India. The list of worst disasters in the history of India is listed in the table below.

Worst Disasters in History of India

SNo.

Disaster

Year

Description

1

Coronavirus Pandemic

2020

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been regarded as humanity’s worst disaster since World War II. It had a financial, political, and social impact on millions of people around the world.

2

Kerala Floods

2018

It was the worst flood situation in Kerala to date which impacted the whole state.

3

Uttarakhand Flash Floods

2013

Uttarakhand suffered from a severer catastrophic natural disaster in the form of large and devastating cloudbursts, and landslides that caused flash floods in the River Ganga.

4

Tsunami in Indian Ocean

2004

After the earthquake in 2004, a major tsunami in Indian ocean caused a lot of destruction in parts of arts of southern India, Andaman Nicobar Islands, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia.

5

Gujarat Earthquake

2001

On 26 January 2001, Gujarat was hit by the huge intensity of earthquake causing devastation in several parts of the state.

6

Odisha Super Cyclone

1999

It was one of the deadliest storms to hit the state of Odisha in 1999. It was also known as Paradip cyclone or super cyclone 05B.

Causes of a Disaster

There are different types of natural disasters and depending on different types of disasters the

causes are also different. Some of the primary causes of the disaster are listed below.

  • Natural Phenomenon: The major causes of catastrophic disasters are natural phenomena occurring in the earth’s crust as well as on the surface.
  • Moon Activities: According to some research the moon’s stress on our planet could result in significant earthquakes.
  • Tectonic Movement: Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are natural disasters brought on by the tectonic movements of the continental plates.
  • Seismic waves are produced by volcanic eruptions, explosions, landslides, avalanches, and swiftly flowing rivers.
  • Soil Erosion: The disaster of soil erosion, mostly caused by human land abuse, can be stopped if land management techniques advance and become more sustainable.
  • Deforestation: It is a man-made disaster that can result in extinction, climatic shifts, desertification, and population displacement.

Impacts of a Disaster

Natural disasters can drastically alter the lives of people and families fortunate enough to survive them. However, the impact of a natural disaster can frequently affect an entire nation as well as communities, cities, and states. Even when human communities are not significantly impacted, natural disasters can have a significant negative influence on the ecosystem.

Some of the severe impacts of disasters are

  • Injuries
  • Death
  • Psychological distress
  • Unemployment
  • Loss of Livelihood
  • Destruction of Physical Capital
  • Loss of Financial Resources
  • Social and economic Disruption
  • Environmental Damage

Study in detail about Biological Disaster Management for UPSC preparation!

Disaster Management in India

India has a history of being extremely vulnerable to natural disasters. Therefore, it is important to have proper natural disaster management in India. The Indian government has changed how disaster management is thought about during the last few years. The new strategy is based on the conviction that disaster mitigation must be included in the development process for development to be sustainable.

Image: Disaster Management Cycle in India

Check out the article on Urban Flooding with this link!

Elements of Disaster Management in India

There are 4 elements of Disaster Management in India: Risk Reduction, Mitigation, Quick Response, and Recovery. These are also known as disaster management techniques in India. Let’s discuss each element in detail.

Risk Reduction

Risk is a measurement of the anticipated losses resulting from a hazardous occurrence of a specific size occurring in a given location over a defined time frame. Disaster risk reduction is the idea and practice of lowering the risks associated with disasters by systematic attempts to identify and reduce the causes of disasters.

Mitigation

Disaster mitigation strategies remove or reduce the consequences and risks of hazards by preventative actions performed before an emergency or disaster happens.

Measures taken to mitigate disasters might be either structural (like flood dikes) or non-structural (e.g. land use zoning). Hazard mapping, Adoption, and enforcement of land use and zoning practices, and Implementing and enforcing building codes are some disaster mitigation strategies.

Quick Response

Quick response is an important element of disaster management in India. It is associated with emergency response systems and reduces or avoids the damages caused by disasters.

Recovery

The implementation of short-term actions that restore essential information and records together with the return of regular business operating procedures and practices is part of the recovery phase. In this phase, the damage is evaluated, stabilisation and recovery methods are used, records, information, and equipment are restored, and operations are resumed.

Disaster Management in India: Stages

Disaster management in India constitutes 3 important phases:

Pre Disaster

to reduce the probability that hazards may cause losses to people, property, or the environment and to make sure that these losses are reduced during a disaster.

During a Disaster

To reduce victims' suffering by ensuring the satisfaction of victims’ needs and necessities.

Post Disaster

To accomplish a quick and lasting recovery that does not repeat the initial vulnerable circumstances.

Frameworks in Disaster Management in India

The government of India constitutes various institutional, legal, and financial frameworks for disaster management in India. The detailed objective of each framework is listed below.

Institutional Frameworks in Disaster Management in India

Since Independence, there has been a well-established national disaster management framework in India for carrying out response, relief, and rehabilitation. In terms of response, relief, and recovery, these processes have proven to be strong and effective. The Ministry of Home Affairs serves as the nodal ministry for all disaster management systems at the national level.

Institutional Frameworks in Disaster Management in India

National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC)

It is constituted under the chairmanship of the Cabinet Secretary and its role is to direct the Crisis Management Group.

Crisis Management Group (CMG)

It evaluates the relief efforts and provides any help needed by the affected States to handle the crisis effectively.

Control Room (Emergency Operation Room)

The function of the control room is to support the Central Relief Commissioner in carrying out his duties.

Contingency Action Plan (CAP)

The CAP specifies the actions that various Central Ministries/Departments must do in the wake of natural disasters, lays out the process, and establishes the administrative machinery’s focal points.

State Relief Manuals

The roles of each officer in the State in managing natural disasters are outlined in the relief manuals or codes that are maintained by each State Government.

Funding Mechanisms

The framework outlines the procedure and the means of financing for providing aid to persons affected by natural disasters. It is examined by the finance commission every five years.

Legal Frameworks for Disaster Management in India

  • Legal framework for disaster management incorporates the fundamental aspects of many kinds of activity.
  • Legal arrangements are the “framework of laws, executive orders, and other legal instruments that provide the fundamental principles for governmental and non-governmental operations linked to disaster mitigation and management.
  • The Disaster Management Act was passed by the Indian Parliament in 2005 to establish the legal framework for the organization and operationalization of the structures, personnel, and activities linked to disaster management in order to make the nation disaster-free.

Financial Framework for Disaster Management in India

  • The Financial Framework for Disaster Mitigation is an integral part of disaster management.
  • The current disaster risk funding has been examined by the 15th Finance Commission, which determined that it is mostly focused on response and relief, rather than taking a more comprehensive approach that includes adaptation, mitigation, preparedness, recovery, and reconstruction.
  • The National Disaster Response Fund (Union Government) was created by Section 48 (1) (a) of the Disaster Management Act of 2005 to help meet the expenses incurred during emergency relief and it will also help the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) (State Government) in the event of a major disaster and a lack of funding.

Image: Disaster Risk Financing Trend from the First to the Twelfth Finance Commissions

Role of Technology in Disaster Management

The role of science and technology in disaster management in India is crucial. Technology can assist in detecting risks before they materialize so that we can take action to stop them from happening. Technology also makes it simple for us to interact with one another in times of emergency so that we can cooperate to discover solutions for problems related to natural disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, etc.

  • Role of Big data in Disaster Management: Big Data technology is a useful platform that has consistently demonstrated its value in disaster relief, prevention, and planning.
    • Big Data assists emergency response organizations by locating and monitoring populations such as elderly groups, areas with a high concentration of children and infants, etc.
  • Blockchain Technologies in Disaster Management: Blockchain technology offers special features to help quick reaction to natural disasters whether it’s a flood or the threat of a contagious disease.
    • Across information systems and geographical boundaries, blockchain provides a shared platform that is widely accessible for transaction recording, immutable records, identity verification, permission data access, monetization, and trustworthy access to crucial data.
  • Robotics Technology: Rescue robots are developed with the help of robotics technology. The purpose of rescue robots is to help in the search and rescue of people after a disaster.
  • Drones Technology: Drones are launched instantaneously without planning for operations or safety and can help remotely cover the affected areas.
    • Employing drones made it easier for rescue workers to find victims of disasters. In recent cases, drones have been used in search and rescue operations.

Effectiveness of Disaster Management in India

According to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, India’s performance in disaster management mechanisms is listed below.

  • The NDMA could not implement the various projects it had started for disaster preparedness and mitigation because it lacked information, control, and oversight over the status of disaster management work in the states.
  • The CAG study also called attention to additional NDMA functional flaws. It claimed that even many years after its inception, none of the significant projects undertaken by NDMA had been finished.
    • Because of initial inadequate planning, the initiatives were either abandoned midway or redone.
  • NDMA has also failed to carry out several functions required by the Disaster Management Act.
    • These include suggesting relaxation in the repayment of loans or the granting of new loans, as well as the release of funds for mitigating purposes.
    •  In addition, the NDMA has several significant vacant positions, still, day-to-day operations were handled by consultants.

Challenges in Disaster Management in India
  • One of India’s biggest concerns for disaster management is unsafe building practices in rapidly expanding metropolitan areas. In terms of mortality, a significant earthquake in any of India’s seismically active and densely populated cities would be disastrous.
  • Given that the frequency and severity of disasters such as flash floods, landslides, droughts, cyclones, and storm surges are predicted to rise in the future decades, climate change has significant implications for controlling disaster risk in India.
  • Insufficient local resources to implement disaster risk reduction. Disaster preparedness strategies cannot be implemented because of local capacity issues.

Way Forward
  • India has made many notable improvements in post-disaster response and reconstruction but there are still challenges related to the likelihood of future disasters.
  • Disaster Management mitigation strategies must safeguard the most vulnerable segments of society such as the poor, marginalized, women, children, disabled people, and the elderly.
  • Develop and implement mechanisms for sharing pre- and post-disaster management lessons among communities.
  • Greater regional collaboration to handle the cross-border challenges of disaster management as natural disasters, frequently crossed international borders.
  • Creation of a strong regional response structure to survive in natural calamities.

UPSC Previous Year Questions on Disaster Management in India

1.Discuss the recent measures initiated in disaster management by the Government of India departing from the earlier reactive approach. (UPSC 2020)
2.Disaster preparedness is the first step in any disaster management process. Explain how hazard zonation mapping will help disaster mitigation in the case of landslides. (UPSC 2019)

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Disaster Management in India FAQs

National Institute of Disaster Management in India is located in New Delhi. It was established in 1995.

The role of the Indian government is to strengthen the country's commitment to lessening the harm and devastation brought on by natural and man-made disasters.

Some of the worst man-made disasters in India are the Bhopal Gas tragedy, Kolkata Flyover Collapse, and the Maha Kumbh mela stampede in Allahabad.

DRR stands for Disaster Risk Reduction program. The Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Programme helps Members create and provide services aimed at safeguarding people's lives, means of subsistence, and property from natural hazards in a practical, methodical, and long-term way.

NDMA is responsible for managing disaster management policies in India. In order to guarantee prompt and efficient reactions to disasters, it also lays out the plans, and guidelines for disaster management.
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