Another disaster that recently hit and completed wrecked a state was the cyclone Fani. Although, relocation minimized the loss of lives, recovering from the damage may take years. Apart from the damage in the form of property loss, Odisha tourism has lost huge figures after the cyclone. But basic facilities like water and electricity were not quickly provided later and led to protests breaking out across the state.
Adding to the woes, multiple cities are facing water crisis, especially Chennai. Proper water conservation and rainwater harvesting methods may reduce the problem but to address the situation and to prevent the same in the future for other cities, we need a larger effective plan before it becomes an uncontrollable problem. The government has planned on making drinking water available for everyone by 2024, but there is no clearly defined procedure known for making this plan effective.
A proper disaster management plan is an immediate need for India, with continually increasing threats. Also, it should be kept in mind that every state should be prepared for all kinds of disaster management, not only the ones that frequently hit that specific state.
Firstly, the warnings for incoming calamities from the meteorological department should reach every person who is potentially threatened, and this communication is to be ensured via proper channels which are available even at the remote locations. Proper communication minimized loss of lives when cyclone Fani hit the state of Odisha.
Secondly, preparedness for a disaster is required and this needs to be continuously in practice. People should be given basic training on managing themselves with the primary survival needs in case a natural calamity hits, or stocking up resources for such a situation.
Thirdly, providing basic services immediately after the disaster hits is a requirement. The state specifically needs to plan the relocation to safer places with adequate help and basic amenities. Also, those people who are stranded or could not be possibly relocated should be reached out to and provided the basic needs or rescued for relocation.
The fourth step is to restore livelihood and living standards to the previous conditions. The state should appoint committees who can chalk out plans, prioritize tasks, calculate financial needs and then determine ETA before the execution happens and also make sure the restoration happens at its best pace. As per the Disaster Management Act, 2005, disaster management plans and mitigation plans should be chalked out at the national, state and district levels. Despite the fact that NDRF i.e. National Disaster Relief Fund and SDRF i.e. State Disaster Relief Funds have been set up, there are no mitigation plans and thereby no funds are available for tackling disasters.
We should learn from our mistakes and experiences in the past and apply them for better disaster management.
Comments
Suvendu Kumar Sahoo
Great work Arghyadeep, keep it up. May your shout reach those who are in power and minimal step should be taken to get some mitigation plan for flood/cyclone relief
23 Jul 2019, 07.57 PM