DISASTER MANAGEMENT
1. Context
In a bid to provide relief to the quake-hit Turkey, India is sending an Army medical team, National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) personnel, and medical supplies. The West Asian nation was struck by a series of massive earthquakes on Monday (February 6) killing over 5,000 people and injuring thousands.
2. Disaster Management
Disaster/emergency management is the method of dealing with and avoiding risks. It involves preparation and ways to deal with a disaster before it happens, disaster response (e.g. safe evacuation, mass confinement, and sanitization, etc.), and not only supporting but also guiding and rebuilding society after natural or human-made disasters have occurred.
Disaster Management is a process of preparation, management, planning, and implementation of measures before or during a disaster. These measures are important to
- Reduce and prevent any kind of threats during a disaster
- Implement proper research and planning to sustain any disaster
- Prompt response in any threatening situation
- Evacuation and rescue missions to be carried out efficiently
- Rehabilitation for the affected people
3. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is the apex statutory body for disaster management in India.
The NDMA was formally constituted on 27th September 2006, in accordance with the Disaster Management Act, 2005 with Prime Minister as its Chairperson and nine other members, and one such member to be designated as Vice-Chairperson.
Mandate:
Its primary purpose is to coordinate response to natural or man-made disasters and for capacity-building in disaster resiliency and crisis response. It is also the apex body to lay down policies, plans and guidelines for Disaster Management to ensure timely and effective response to disasters.
Vision:
To build a safer and disaster resilient India by a holistic, proactive, technology driven and sustainable development strategy that involves all stakeholders and fosters a culture of prevention, preparedness and mitigation.
4. Determinants
- The ethos of India’s humanitarian assistance can be traced to its cultural and spiritual values.
- All the major religions - Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam - espouse solidarity with the suffering.
- The government acknowledges the importance of the UN’s four fundamental humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence.
- India is also a signatory to all four Geneva Conventions and participated in the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit.
- The South-South Cooperation(SSC)’s foreign policy principle also informs and prompts India’s humanitarian actions, with India often seeking to respond in accordance with the expressed needs of recipient country governments.
5. Previous instances of India sending aid to natural disaster-hit countries
United States of America
An Indian Air Force IL-76 aircraft delivered 25 tonnes of relief supplies for the Hurricane Katrina victims at the Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas on September 13, 2005. The relief supplies comprised 3,000 blankets, bed sheets, tarpaulins, and personal hygiene items.
Maldives
After the 2004 Tsunami, the Indian government announced a composite package worth five crore rupees. Under "Operation Castor", 50 sorties were undertaken and four aircraft and two Naval ships were engaged in relief operations. Repairing and restoring generators and communication, providing drinking water, and setting up medical camps on ships were also done.
Sri Lanka
India sent its forces to carry out rescue operations, called "Operation Rainbow", in Sri Lanka hours after the Tsunami struck the country on December 26, 2004. Not only this, India provided medical assistance to thousands of victims by setting up medical camps in coordination with the local civil and military health authorities. Preventative medication and vaccines were also supplied.
Myanmar
When cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar in 2008 killing at least 20,000 people, India was among the first countries to send aid to them. It gave 125.5 tonnes of relief material, including medicines, clothing, utensils, water tanks, tents, and tarpaulin.
Japan
The 2011 Tsunami wreaked havoc in Japan. Apart from providing relief materials, India also sent 46 members of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to search and rescue in the town of Onagawa. It was their first overseas Operation. The team included a doctor, three officers, six inspectors, two paramedics, and constables, and carried 9,000 kg of equipment and food.
Nepal
In the aftermath of the 2015 Nepal earthquake, the NDRF deployed 16 of its urban search and rescue (USAR) teams, which comprised more than 700 rescuers in the country. They rescued 11 injured persons and retrieved 133 dead bodies from the rubble. The teams also organized six medical camps and attended to 1,219 persons. Indian authorities sent more than 1,176 tonnes of relief materials to Nepal.
For Prelims
| For Prelims: Disaster Management, National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF), Earthquake, South-South Cooperation(SSC), Foreign Policy, Hurricane Katrina, Air Force IL-76 aircraft, Operation Castor, Operation Rainbow, urban search and rescue (USAR). |
Source: The Indian Express
