The Ministry of Home Affairs recently highlighted an alarming statistic: within the span of three years, nearly 6,800 individuals lost their lives across India due to hydro-meteorological disasters namely cyclones, flash floods, and landslides. West Bengal reported the highest number of casualties.
Hydro-meteorological calamities are severe natural phenomena or events characterized by heavy rainfall, tropical cyclones, severe thunderstorms, floods, and droughts. They differ from geological hazards, including earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Landslides and avalanches, however, are caused by a combination of geological and hydro-meteorological factors.
Understanding India’s Vulnerability to Natural Disasters
India’s unique geographical and geological situations make the nation particularly susceptible to natural disasters. Regions like the Himalayan region, the alluvial plains, the hilly part of the peninsula, and the coastal zone each face distinctive challenges.
Frequent disasters like earthquakes and landslides plague the Himalayan region. The plain is consistently affected by floods, and the desert region often experiences droughts and famines. The country’s coastal zone is susceptible to cyclones and storms.
Various human-induced activities escalate the impact and frequency of these disasters. These include environmental degradation, deforestation, improper development, faulty agricultural practices, uncontrolled urbanization, and construction of large dams on river channels.
The Physical and Psychological Impact of Disasters
Disasters affect individuals physically through loss of life, injury, health, and disability and psychologically through displacement. Often, displaced populations face challenges in new settlements, which further exacerbates poverty.
Moreover, disasters can drastically alter the natural environment leading to habitat loss for many plants and animals. This ecological stress can result in biodiversity loss.
Disaster Management in India
In 2005, India established the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) under the Disaster Management (DM) Act. Further, it released the first ever National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) in 2016. The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), headed by the Chief Minister of each state, outlines disaster management policies and plans at the state level. District-level action is taken care of by the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).
Challenges in Disaster Risk Reduction
Despite these measures, many hurdles persist in reducing disaster risks. There is often poor implementation of monitored activity; for instance, risk management plans or risk-sensitive building codes are not enforced due to lack of government capacity or public awareness.
Local capacities to implement disaster preparedness plans remain weak, with climate change issues being overlooked in these management plans. There are also discrepancies in securing political and economic commitments and a lack of coordination between stakeholders. Additionally, investment in building disaster resilient strategies is insufficient.
Initiatives for Disaster Risk Reduction
Many global initiatives aim to address these challenges. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 focuses on risks caused by natural or man-made hazards as well as related environmental, technological, and biological hazards and risks.
The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) supports countries in implementing, monitoring, and sharing effective practices in reducing existing risk and preventing the creation of new risk.
In 2019, India spearheaded the establishment of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) to promote the resilience of new and existing infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks in pursuit of sustainable development.
However, developing comprehensive plans is not enough. These must be translated into effective actions. Contributions from civil society, private enterprises, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are pivotal towards building a safer India.