End of Course Project

End of course project

Submitted by Tapan Patel

1. Background Information

India is a democratic republic having federal structure consisting of 29 states and 6 Union Territories. It is the largest democracy where powers and responsibilities for governance are shared between Central and State Governments. At district level, Zila Parishad and at local level Panchayats are the forms of self governments. India exhibits striking contrasts with enormous ethnic and socio cultural diversities. There is considerable difference in population densities between the sates, their pattern of development and other socio-economic and demographic profiles.

The geological, broadly following the physical features of the country may be grouped into three parts: the Himalayas and their associated group of mountains, the Indo Gigantic Plains and the Peninsular shield. India has wide range of soils. Two important soil types from point of view of Agriculture are alluvial and black cotton soils. Climatically, India is a tropical country but due to great attitudinal variations, almost all climatic conditions exist in India. It can be broadly described as being mostly tropical, tropical monsoon and temperate climates. The south west or summer monsoon is responsible for 80% of total precipitation in India. Average rainfall of the country is 1200mm/ year but it varies from about 300mm in western Rajasthan to 2000mm in North Eastern states.

Agriculture contributes around 30% of GDP to form major portion of Indian Economy. India supports approximately 16% of worlds population with only 2.5% of worlds geographical area. Population density varies from 43 per sq.km in Andaman and Nicbar Islands to over 650 per sq.km in Kerala.

Vulnerability

Due to its geographical position, climate and geological setting, India is among the top 10 countries in term of life loss due to natural disasters every year. As per the World Disaster Report 2002, during last two decades (1982-2001), around 107813 people were killed due to disasters (on an average 5340 people per year) in the country.

The country is highly vulnerable to droughts, floods, cyclones, avalanches, forest fires and land slides. Out of 35 states/UT, 27 are disaster prone. This sub continent is amongst the world’s most disaster prone areas with more than 55% of land vulnerable to earthquake, 8% area prone to cyclones, 5% vulnerable to flood and 50% forest cover prone to fire. More over large population in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh face recurring droughts.

In recent past the frequency of natural disasters in India has increased drastically. Tsunami in South India, floods in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Orissa, Bihar, West Bengal, earthquake of Gujarat, Chamoli, jabalpur and Latur, landslides in Garhwal and Kumaon, cyclones in Orissa, AndhraPradesh and Gujarat, tornadoes in Balasore and Midnapore, droughts in Rajasthan etc are the examples of recent catastrophes in India.

Gujarat lies in the western part of the country with population close to 50 Million (5 Crore). Most of the parts of Gujarat including North and Central Gujarat, Kutch and Saurashtra come under semi arid to arid climatic zone. The worst drought accounted were of 1986-87 and 1999-2000 Erratic and scanty rainfall results in recurring droughts in the region. Kutch and parts of North Gujarat also fall under Zone V of seismic severity, while major parts of Gujarat including Ahmedabad fall under Zone III – posing moderate threat of earthquake in this region. Devastating earthquake of 2001 was one of the worst disasters in the history of Gujarat and even India. This earthquake claimed more than 13000 lives and damaged more than three million houses. Gujarat also has the longest coastline of 1600Km in India, making the coastal belt and Kutch region vulnerable to cyclones also. In 1998 cyclone devastated Kandla Port (second largest in the country) and lead to loss of hundreds of lives. Gujarat also faced worst epidemic of recent past when much hyped and so called Plague broke out in Surat in 1994. Though there were only 54 deaths in the city due to plague, but it created unprecedented havoc nationally and internationally. Almost 75% of population (then population of 23Lacs) including doctors; fled from the city. Damage to business and image of the country was hard to estimate.

Gujarat is not characterized by frequent and disastrous floods. Though many devastating floods have perished thousands of people and huge loss of property in the history of Gujarat. Disaster of Machchu Dam burst in 1978, frequent floods in Narmada and Tapi before late sixties, deluge in Ahmedabad in 2000 and flash floods of 1998, 2004 and 2005 in South and Central Gujarat are some of the examples of Gujarat’s Vulnerability to floods and deluge.

Thus Gujarat has witnessed an array of disasters over last decades. As if they were not enough, the manmade disasters of riots in 1992 and 2002 added to the agony of people of Gujarat.

Annual Damage due to disasters

Source: Ministry of Agriculture

India’s Disaster Vulnerability

(Source; Indu Prakash, Disaster Management)

2) Brief description of the selected disaster event

Deluge in Surat city in 2004-05

Surat is an industrial center of Gujarat located on banks of river Tapi in south Gujarat. It is second biggest city of Gujarat and commerce capital with booming textile and diamond industry. The average rainfall in the district is around 1000mm yearly. South Gujarat is the only water surplus region of Gujarat. Floods in river Tapi were routine phenomenon before construction of Ukai dam in late sixties. There were two noticeable floods in last decade in 1994 and 1998 in the city. However these were due to heavy rainfall in the upstream areas of MadhyaPradesh which brough floods in the river. But 2004 came a s surprise when Surat witnessed widespread deluge without floods in the Tapi river.

Since last two years (2004- 2005), Surat has witnessed unprecedented deluge in areas particularly in vicinity of the (in)famous Khaadi or a natural drain stream passing through the city. These areas are not designated as low lying, as they are not much affected by floods in river Tapi. However from August 1 to August 5 2004, the major parts of city were in crisis with inundation of 4-10feet of water. It affected nearly 4 lac people living in the societies and slums near the drains. The houses, shops and roads were deluged in 4 feet to 10 feet water for almost three days. Infrastructure and services like electricity, communication lines, water supply lines, drainage and roads were badly hit. Gujarat Electricity Board substation of Udhna was completely submerged resulting to power failure in the area for five days. Water supply lines and drainage lines were disrupted for a week. Udhna, Pandesara, Unn, Dindoli, Bhatar, Magdalla, Althan, Varachha and other areas were inaccessible for two days. The current in the drain was so strong that it carried away bikes, hand carts and trees with it. Not even boats of fire brigade and army were able to access some of the areas where people were strangled badly. Food supply was badly hit. Essentials like food packets, water pouches etc were to be air dropped by helicopters. All the families residing on the ground floor of the society had to take shelter on upper floors. Slum dwellers too refuge in government schools. Major evacuation had to be done by administration for those who were stuck in low lying areas. The stinking odour of decayed food materials and wastewater after the water receded was unbearable.

An estimated loss of property was around 100 crores. As Surat is a major industrial center with booming textile and diamond markets, the loss of business was colossal.

The main reason for the deluge was that the stream could not drain off the heavy down pore in the upstream areas and resulted a deluge in city (downstream). The deluge covered the areas which were never affected in floods in Tapi river. These areas were not in particularly the low lying areas but were in the vicinity of the stream. 2004 was the first incident of widespread deluge due to stream running across the city. Mindless construction over the drains and efforts to reclaim the land of the drain resulted in deluge surrounding the areas of this drain in 2004. Epidemic was the major concern after receding of the water from low lying areas, but fortunately with great efforts from corporation and people there was no major out break of epidemic in 2004.

Cash doles were given by administration and relief materials to poor families were given by Ngos and CBOs after these flash floods

3)Overview of the National Disaster Management System

Keeping in view the new developments and initiatives, the disaster management setup in India is trying to orient itself towards a strong focus on preventive approaches, mainly through administrative reforms and participatory methods. Preparedness measures such as training of role players including the community, development of advanced forecasting system, effective communication, and above all a sound and well networked institutional structure involving the government organizations, academic and research institutions, the armed forces and the non governmental organizations have greatly contributed to the overall disaster management in the country. Identification of vulnerable communities, integrating disaster prevention into habitat planning and developing a culture of prevention are new emerging approaches for disaster management and has been propagated by High Powered Committee on Disaster Management. The Government of India, after the Gujarat Earthquake has established a National Committee on Disaster management (NCDM) – now called National Institute of Disaster Management under ministry of Home Affairs, headed by the Prime Minister, to provide a forum to political parties to share and discuss the issues related to disaster management and mitigation. This committee is supposed to suggest the institutional and legislative measures to strengthen the existing disaster management structure of the country. The Planning Commission has incorporated, for the first time, disaster management as one of its areas of concern. A chapter titled ‘Disaster Management- The Development Perspective” has been included in the Tenth Plan document to make whole gamut of planning process sensitive to various dimensions of disaster management. The Tenth Plan also addresses the community based disaster preparedness and management by the way of strengthening and capacity building of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). A special mention has been made about the role of youth in disaster management, not only through educational institutions but through youth movements like Nehru Yuvak Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Bharat Scout and Guides (BS &G), etc.

Institutional arrangements for Disaster Management- India

Central Level

Central Government plays a key role for providing financial and logistic support in case of major disasters and coordinates the effort of Central Ministries/ Departments/ Organisations. Cabinet Committee on Natural Calamities is placed at apex level. The scope of the Committee has also been enlarged so as to address mitigation and preparedness measures also.

National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) headed by Cabinet Secretary gives direction to Crisis Management Group (CMG), Ministries and Departments for specific action needed in mitigating the crisis situation.

CMG, chaired by Central relief Commissioner annually review contingency plans formulated by various ministries/departments/organizations in their respective sector coordinates activities of Central Ministries and State Government in relation to disaster preparedness and relief and obtains information from nodal officers. In event of disaster, CMG meets frequently to review relief operations and extend assistance to the affected. State.

It is proposed to create Disaster/ Emergency Management Authorities at State and National level with representatives of relevant Ministries/Departments and experts to have a multidisciplinary team.

State Level

The states have been asked to set upto Disaster Management Authorities under the Chief Ministers with Ministers of relevant Departments as members. 11 States and UTs – Tamilnadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Orissa, Gujarat, Kerala, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Delhi, A&N administration and Chandigarh administration have notified the authority.

At the state level, the work of post calamity relief was being handled by the Departments of Relief and Rehabilitation. The Government of India is working with the State Governments to restructure the Departments of Relief and Rehabilitation into Departments of Disaster Management with an enhanced responsibility to include mitigation and preparedness along with relief and rehabilitation.

The states have been advised to restructure the officers/staff within the department with definite functions to pursue holistic approach to disaster management. The four functional groups to be assigned with specific tasks are

Functional Group 1: Hazard Mitigation

Functional Group 2: Preparedness and Capacity Building

Functional Group 3: Relief and Response

Functional Group 4: Administration and Finance

District Level

At the district level, the District Magistrate who is the chief coordinator will be focal point for coordinating all activities relating to prevention, mitigation and preparedness apart from his existing responsibilities pertaining to relief and response. The District Coordination and Relief Committee is being reconstituted/ re-designated into Disaster Management Committees with officers from relevant departments being added as members. District Disaster Management Committees have been constituted in 256 districts.

Block/ Taluka/ Tehsil Level

Similarly, Sub divisional Disaster Management Committees are being constituted. At village levels such committees and teams will help drawing Disaster Preparedness Plan along with youth organizations, CBOs and NGOs.

Role of Armed Forces

In a disaster situation or an emergency, armed forces are looked upon for the immediate rescue operation and maintaining law and order in the region. India has not been able to develop a separate trained and specialized indigenous groups or teams for rescue operations in case of natural hazards. Though some of the efforts have been made by Central government and some of the state governments to prepare a trained group for such operations, but these are too little to carryout such a specialized job. In case of Gujarat earthquake we have witnessed the expertise and efficiency of foreign rescue teams which are far more and better equipped than their Indian counterparts.

Role of Local Community

Local communities are the first to respond in case of disasters. Locales are the first persons for rescue of people trapped in a disastrous situation. Hence community based disaster preparedness and developing a culture of disaster preparedness will have far reaching implications on disaster management.

Role of NGOs

NGOs play vital role in coping with disasters. They enhance the outreach for relief and rescue immediately after the disaster. They also play crucial role in rehabilitation ensuring participatory methods, community well being and acting as a bridge between the community and the government. In recent years, role of NGOs have become even more proactive and articulate. NGOs have been given decisive roles in some of the government relief schemes ensuring more transparency and effectiveness of the programmes. They are now playing the roles as partners in development and not seen as mere activists to oppose the government.

4) Strengths and weaknesses of the system in light of the catastrophic event

Strengths

1.Panchayati Raj: According to 73rd Constitutional Amendment Panchayat has been given financial and administrative powers to control the emergency situation. This ensures quick decision and help to the worst hit communities.

2.Strong Independent Media: Media and NGOs play an active role in bringing crucial issues like corruption, inefficiency of government systems and concerns of communities to the Government.

3.Communication: Improved communication systems helps in disseminating the information quickly. Set up of state wide network, use of internet, networking all district offices with state capital, e governance initiatives and extensive use of mobile phones have helped in quick and better communication and coordination.

4.Administrative set up: Clear line of information and orders.

5.Funds: with improved economic condition in the country, we have large pool of reserves to cop with huge disasters. A recent rejection of international aid for Tsunami relief is the sign of self confidence and sufficient funds for natural calamities. Multi level funding by Centre and the State also helps.

6.NGOs: There is a conducive environment for NGOs to work independently in the country. Many development programmes focus on promotion of CBOs and youth clubs which can contribute to development as well as disaster management at grass root level. After Gujarat Earthquake, there were around 200 NGOs working in the region, while in event of Tsunami, Andaman and Nicobar Island received aids from more than 50 NGOs.

Weakness

1. Too bureaucratic and long process: As a democracy, we cannot by pass the bureaucracy. The time taken in decision making and passing the needed aid to the disaster victims sometimes takes too much time and proves fatal for the victims.