Emergency Response and Preparedness

Country  Emergency Situational Profiles

India

PART 2  - HEALTH SECTOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS IN INDIA

      Flood Hazard Map of India

      Cyclone Hazard Map of India

      Earthquake Hazard Zoning Map of India

      EMERGENCY/DISASTER SCENARIO

     High Risk Population -source – Government of India (GOI)

The India is among the world’s most disaster-prone areas with a population of more than one billion. The geographical statistics of India show that almost 57% of the land is vulnerable to earthquake, 28% to drought, 8% to cyclones and 12 % to floods. 12% of land is prone to very severe earthquakes, 18% to severe earthquakes and 25% to damageable earthquakes. Dense population, poverty, deprivation and death due to disasters add to the health, social and economic burden of an already impoverished society.

     Rainy Season(source – GOI)

As per rainfall pattern seen from data for the past 14 years, out of approximately 90 million hectares rain fed areas, about 40 million hectares are more prone to scanty or deficient or no rain during South West Monsoon season which is the main season for rainfall in the country.  Approximately 80% of the total rainfall in the country is precipitated during the South West monsoon in North, North-East, Central and Western India while the southern peninsula receives about 60% rainfall during the South-West monsoon and the remaining during post monsoon and winter season. It is noted that the frequency of deficiency of rainfall in monsoon is mainly in nine meteorological sub-divisions namely Saurashtra, Kutch and Diu; Gujarat Region, West Rajasthan, East Rajasthan, Marathwada; Haryana, Chandigarh and  Delhi; Hills of West U.P; Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura; and Kerala.

Floods in India affect about 30 million people annually and drought about 50 million. Coastal areas experience two or three tropical cyclones of varying intensity each year. The Himalayan regions are prone to earthquakes.

     Emergency management structure (source – GOI)

The Indian government has constituted the' National Crisis Management Committee to deal with different types of crises situations. The Committee consists of nodal and support Ministries to handle them. The list is as follows:

      RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the delegated responsibilities between the central and state governments, disaster management is the responsibilities of the state government which includes disaster preparedness, response and mitigation measures. Responsibility of the central Government is confined to coordination at the national level, lay down policies and guidelines in consultation with the expert committee, finance commission and the state governments.

Coordination structure at the central government level:

      Nodal & Support Ministries:

The Nodal Ministry is mainly responsible for taking all actions to deal with a particular crisis situations. Some situations may require action by more than one Ministry or Department. The Secretary of the Nodal Ministry coordinates activities of all support Ministries/Departments. Each Nodal Ministry has prepared detailed Contingency Plans for dealing with crisis situations falling in the areas of their responsibility. Copies of the Contingency Plans have been furnished by the Nodal Ministries to the CMG and the supporting Ministries and Departments. These Contingency Plans may be revised and updated from time to time. After the 2001 earthquake in Gujarat, the plan has been substantially revised in order to focus attention on disaster preparedness as well as mitigation measures as a comprehensive plan.

      Crisis Management Group:

Each Nodal Ministry has established a Crisis Management Group (CMG) for `dealing with the crises which fall within the ambit of its responsibility. The Crisis Management Group is mainly responsible for dealing with a crisis situation and for reporting all developments to the CMG seeking its directions and guidance as and when necessary:

      Control Room of the Ministry:

By and large each nodal Ministry has established a control room, which is activated immediately after a crisis situation is reported. Senior officer from the existing hierarchy has been designated in charge of the control room who have draw up a plan for its manning during crisis situations, on a 24 hour basis. The control room have adequate communications facilities to communicate with the crisis point, the concerned State Government and with other concerned Ministries: in the Government of India and in particular with the control room of the Cabinet Secretariat. Hot line facilities wherever necessary has been set up in consultation with Department of Telecommunications.

      National Crisis Management Committee:

The National Crisis Management Committee(NCMC) is the apex body of high level officials of the Government; of India for dealing with a major crisis which has serious.-or; national ramifications. The composition of the committee would be as under:

1.      Cabinet Secretary                                             Chairman

2.      Secretary of Nodal Ministries                              Member

3.      Secretaries of Support Ministries                        Member

An officer of the Cabinet Secretariat has been nominated Convenor of the NCMC.

In addition to these, the Secretary of the Nodal Ministry and/ or the Head of the Department directly responsible; for dealing with a particular situation of crisis, are, co-opted as member of the NCMC.

When a situation is to be handled also by^. NCMC it gives such directions to the Crisis Group of the nodal Ministry as deemed necessary. The Secretary of the Nodal Ministry is responsible for ensuring that all developments are brought to the notice of the NCMC promptly.

     District/State Plans:

Most of the actions in a crisis situation are taken at the field/district and state levels for which the district/State Committees has been set up and contingency Plans have been prepared by the State authorities. The Nodal Ministries has issued detailed guidelines to the State Governments for the preparation of local Contingency Plans. State Governments have established a Sate Crisis Management Committee under the Chief Secretary, with Secretaries and Heads of the Concerned Departments/Organizations, as members.

State Governments have established a well-equipped Control Room for quick receipt of information and dissemination of command instructions.

      Response Mechanism:

Immediately on-the occurrence of a crises the local Action Plan is -put into effect by the local/district and the State authorities. If the situation has wider ramifications -and warrants response at national level, the State Government contacts the nodal Ministry of the Central Government and seek the required help. The concerned nodal Ministry activates its control room, summon a meeting of the Crisis Group and put into operation its contingency plan. The Secretary of the nodal` Ministry informs the: Cabinet Secretary about my crisis situation and who if he considers it necessary, calls a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee.

     Natural and State Centres for Disaster Management Program (NCDM) in India:

A centrally funded scheme is in operation since 1992-93 to focus on disaster preparedness with emphasis on mitigation measures and to increase level of awareness of community about disasters, prepare them adequately to face the crisis situation. The following activities under the scheme are in progress;

     Human Resources Development,

     Research and Consultancy Services.

     Documentation of major events,

     Operation of Faculty on NDM in State level training States.

     Operation of National Centre of Disaster Management.

     Public education and community awareness program.

Under this program, following achievements have been made

     Setting up of a National Centre for Disaster Management in the Indian Institute of Public Administration in 1995.

     Setting up of separate Disaster Management Faculties in State Administrative Training Institutes in 18 out of 25 States. These Sates are Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir. Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram Orissa, Punjab. Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

     Documentation of major events like UP. and Maharashtra earthquakes, research studies On land slides in Kerala, Sikkim and Uttar Pradesh, Research study on Drought in Rajasthan.

     Preparation of source book for use of trainees of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration,

     Organised/sponsored about 100 training Programs/workshops on various aspects of Natural Disaster Management

     Public education and community awareness campaign through newspapers, postal stationery, audio-visual media and observation of World Disaster Reduction Day annually.