Disaster Management

Floods:

• Orissa - Has come out with a Flood Hazard atlas, to help manage floods more efficiently. 
• Assam floods:
• Why is Assam prone to floods:
• River Brahmaputra, is among the world’s top 5 rivers in terms of discharge and sediment. Cold, arid, devoid of plantation Tibetan region, results in highly sedimented river entering India. 
• Assam: river comes from high slope to flat plains, depositing vast amount of silt  => erosion and floods. 
• Earthquake prone region => absence of  stable character to river.
• Bank erosion along barak and Brahmaputra is high in Assam
• Man-made factors - deforestation, habitation, ovulation growth in catchment areas, including China 
• Dams: release of water from dams situated uphill is a key cause. 
• Guwahati’s topography - shaped like a bowl - susceptible to water-logging. 
• What have we done so far?
• Dams: they are double edge swords. (Kerela floods). Also, ecological and displacement issues
• Embankments - are temporary solution, and weak structures
• Dredging - limited effectiveness, as Brahmaputra sediment yield among the highest in world. 
• Damage:
• This year, 85% of Kaziranga got submerged. 
• Unique:
• Floods are actually beneficial for Assam. Have historically rejuvenated croplands and fertilized soil in the state’s alluvial areas. 
• What to do?
• Basin-Wide approach. Collaboration of all basin-sharing countries. Political cooperation. 
• Flood plain zoning, as done in the US. Depending on vulnerability of areas, divide them into categories for land use and mitigation approaches. 
• Sharing water flow info from  China
• Palla floodplain project, Yamuna river:1.5 m shallow pits to be dug on Yamuna floodplain. Sandy recharge be will hold water for 4-5 hrs. water will seep into sandy underground bed of 40-50 m. Excess water can be used after digging 1000 acre to be used in summer. 
• Initiatives:
• International charter on Space and major Disasters: Non binding collab. Satellite stat is made available for benefit of disaster mgmt. Introduced in 1999. During Assam floods, India requested activation, which resulted in several countries including China, Russia, France sharing satellite images on the scale of inundation in Assam. Was also activated during 2004 Tsunami by ISRO. 
• By ESA and French agency
• International coalition for disaster resilient structures:
• Will be launched by PM during UN Climate summit in New York, 2019. 
• Platform for gen and exchange of knowledge on different aspects of disaster, climate resilient infra. 
• Red Atlas Action Plan Map - unveiled for flood mitigation in Chennai, along with CFLOWS-Chennai (Coastal flood warning system app-Chennai). CFLOWS launched by NIOT, GIS-based flood information system. 
• IFLOWS - Integrated flood warning system. Joint of MoES and BMS (Mumbai municipal corp). 
• Mumbai second city after Chennai to get the system. 
• 6-72 hrs in advance
• Kerala floods: Managing Kerala's ecology
• Need: watershed based master planning. 

Drought:

• Drought toolbox launched - during 14th CoP to UNCCD. A webpage that provides stakeholders easy access to case studies and other resources to support action on draught preparedness, and build resilience. 

Cyclones:

• Why the Eastern coast is more vulnerable:
• Bay of Bengal warmer than Arabian Sea - ideal for cyclone formations
• Arabian sea cyclones - also generally move north-west - away from India's west coast
• In addition to Bay of Bengal originating cyclones, breakaway typhoons from North-west Pacific move across outh China sea into bay of Bengal. 
• Naming: Each tropical cyclone basin as own roating list of names. For Arabian Sea and bay of Bengal cyclones, 8 member country group - WMO/ESCAP - formed 2004
• 2019 - Highest number of cyclones in North Indian ocean region in a single year since 1976. (8). Most recent - Pawan. 
• Others-  Bulbul, Fani (Bay of Bengal), Maha, kyarr, Vayu , Hikaa (Arabian), Pabuk
• Arabian sea: Most recent - Nisarga (june 2020, just after Amphan. Pre-monsoon cyclone)
• 5 cyclones in 2019: Vayu, Hikka, Kyarr, Maha, Pavan. Normally, only one or two are formed
• Amphan - second pre-monsoon cyclone in Bay of Bengal in 2 yrs. period is less favorable for  tropical cyclones formation
• 3 major cyclones on India’s coast in 2020 - Nisarga, AMphan and most recent Nivar
• India’s forecast ability:
• Radar - network of 21 Dopplar weather radar in country
• Real time feedback - DWRs enable forecast 4-5 days in advance
• Collaboration with Japan Meteorological agency, US National Hurricane centre
• Technology- like Ocean buoys that track SST

Locusts:

• Permanent Locust Warning Organization, under Agri ministry, Dept of Gari, Directorate of plant protection, quarantine: 1939. Central HQ - Faridabad. Field HQ - Jodhpur
• FAO Desert Locus Commission formed in 1964
• Desert locusts:
• For laying eggs, reqd bare grounds, not dense vegetation. (Rajasthan)
• Hopper - stage between the nymph that is hatched from eggs, and the winged adult moth. Requires green vegetation. 
• India has only one locust breeding season and that is Summer breeding. The neighboring country Pakistan has both spring and summer breeding.
• Arrive in July-Oct, then why early this time?
• Cyclones Mekenu and Luban - Oman and Yemen. Heavy rains transformed desert into large lakes. Locust swarns breed

Lightning:

Lightning strikes have caused atleast 1311 deaths in 4 month period between April and July, 2019

• Mid-monsoon 2019 lightning report - mapped lightning strikes across the country. Prepared by a non-profit orgn climate resilient observing systems promotion council (CROSPC) that works closely with IMD. 
• Odissa - over 9 lakh incidents of lightning (April-July) - max for any state (IMD)
• How:
• Discharges generated by giant moisture bearing clouds that are 10-12 km tall. 
• Their base lies within 1-2 km of Earth’s surface. Temperatures towards the top in the range -35 to -45 C
• Smaller ice crystals moving up, larger ones moving down => collisions - trigger release of electrons
• Top layer gets positively charged, middle layer negatively charged. Huge electric potential between the two layers
• Enormous amount of heat produced, heating the air column between the two layers. 
• Earth, though electrically neutral, in comparison to the cloud’s middle layer, becomes positively charged. => 15-20% current gets directed towards earth as well. 
• Greater probability of lightning striking tall objects. Since air is a poor conductor =>electrons seek less better conducting path

Heatwave:    

• Absolute temp more than 45
• More than 40 for plains, 30 for hills
• When normal max T less than or equal to 40, Departure of 5-6 degree for normal, and 7 degree for severe heat wave
• When normal max is > 40, 4-5 for normal and 6 for severe heat wave

Industrial accidents and safety:

• Fire at ONGC facility in Navi Mumbai, fatalities.
• Firecracker factory, Batala, Punjab - Dozens killed
• Many ILO conventions on workers’ safety not ratified - including the Occupational Safety and health Convention 1981. 
• Conclusion:
• Compromising safety can lead to sequences that go beyond factories, and leave something etched in the nation’s memory, like Bhopal Gas tragedy.
• Explosion Prevention and protection
• 
• Neyveli boile explosion - 17 killed
• Indian Biolers act 1923

Chemical disasters:

• Styrene leak, VIshakhapatnam, May 2020
• Styrene also naturally found in vehicle exhaust, cigarette smoke and natural foods like fruits and veges.
• Principle of absolute liability: Evolved by SC in Oleum gas leaks case of 1986. Companies cannot claim any exception. PArt of Article 21
• Principle of strict liability evolved in 1868 in Raylands case, allows exceptions from liability in case of escape of hazardous substances, in case of
• Act of god
• act of thri party
• plaintiff’s own fault
• hazardous activity with consent of plaintiff
• In strict liability, compensation commensurate with damage. In absolute, damages be exemplary in nature, as per company’s fin ability
• Element of escape not essential in absolute liability. Even hazardous within premises affeting workers covered,
• India’s aspirations to industrialise should be founded on safety.
• Other recent:
• 2014 Gail pipeline blast
• 2014 Bhilai steel plant gas leak: Methane, Chhatisgarh
• 2017 Delhi gas leak:
• 2018 Bhilai steel plant blast
• Acts:
• Public liability insurance act, 1991: obligatory for user industries handling 179 types of chemicals and others to subscribe a special insurance policy, to cover likely liabilities arising on a ’no fault basis/absolute liability’. Also estb an Environmental relief fund subscribd by all such user industries by an amount equal to annual premium amount of insurance policy. CPCB implements
• Compensation payable, irrespective of company’s neglect
• Collector, after holding enquiry, may make award determining amount of compensation
• Criticisms:
• Compensations are meagre. Max compensation of 25k + 12.5k
• 
  
• National environmental appellate authority Act, 1997: NEAA can hear appeals regarding restriction of areas for industries. 
• NGT Act 2010: expeditious disposal of cases
• Hazardous waste rules 1989
• Chemical accidents rules 1996
• 
  

Forest fires:

• Strengthening forest fire mgmt in India (SFFMI) report - By MoEF and WB, June 2018
• In the year 2000, 20 districts ( representing 3% of India’s land area and 16% of forest cover) accounted for 44% of all fire detections
• FAST 3.0: Upgraded version of Forest fire alert system. Released Jan 2019. 
• ISFR 2019:
• Extremely fire prone: Mizoram > Tripura. Moderately fire prone: Punjab > Nagaland
• Most of fire prone forest areas in NE and Central India

Connectivity:

• C-Sat-Fi - Satellite WiFi, connectivity in remote areas, difficult terrains. Accessible on any WiFi enabled phone. Suited for addressing disasters and 
• GEMINI - device for seamless and effective dissemination of emergency info and communication on disaster warnings, fishing zones for fishermen. 
• Receives and transfers data from GAGAN satellite
• Designed and manu by a pvt company MS Accord, Bangaloe. Developed by INCOIS and AAI. 
• 
  

Disaster governance in India:

• National Crisis management committee - for effective implementation of relief measures. Chairman - Cabinet secretary
• NDRF - headed by a DG - generally IPS
• Defined in DM Act 2005
• Located in Public Accounts of the govt under “Reserve funds not bearing interest"
• Monitoring: Department of Agri and coop for relief associated with drought, hailstorm, pest, coldwave. Rest monitored by MHA
• CAG audits
• Only for emergency relief. For mitigation, National Disaster mitigation Fund be constituted. 
• Source of funding - levy cesses, contributions and donations. 
• Epidemic diseases act: State act, not a central act. 4 sections
• Section 1: Title and extent of the act
• Section 2: Power to take special measures. Empowers states to take special measures. Section 2A empowers central govt to take steps to prevent the spread of the epidemic. Though health a state subject, by invoking section 2, directives of MoHFW will be enforceable
• Section 3: penalty for disobedience as pr Sec 188 of IPC
• Section 4: Legal protection to implementing officers

World:

• UN Office for Disaster risk Reduction- created 1999. Implement International strategy for Disaster Reduction. Support implementation, follow up, review of Sendai framework. 
• Sendai Framework - adopted at 3rd UN world conference on DRR - 2015, Sendai, Japan. 
• Understanding disaster risk
• Strengthening risk governance
• Investing in risk reduction for resilience
• Enhanced preparedness for effective response, “Build back better” in recovery, rehab and reconstruction. 
• Coalition for Disaster resilient infra: Launched by PM Modi in September 2019 at UN’s Climate Action Summit, US.
• Knowledge generated and exchanged on diff aspects of disaster, climate resilience of infra.
• Need: Cyclone fani, Odissa caused economic loss to tune of 4 bn dollar. - WB.  Kerela floods- 4.4 bn
• Asia-Pacific disaster report - UN ESCAP

Humans and disaster:

• UN Office on Disaster Risk Reduction ‘Human cost of disasters 2000-2019’ 
• Climate change largely to blame for near doubling of disasters in past 20 yrs

Sendai - adopted during 3rd UN world conf on Disaster risk redn in Sendai, Japan, 2015. Endorsed by UNGA. 

• 7 targets and 4 priorities.
• 

    

Prelims:

• Hurricane Doria - Bahamas 
• PM National relief fund- created in 1948, to assist displaced people from Pakistan. Not constituted by Parli. Recognized as a trust under IT Act. Managed by PM. Exempt from IT. PM is chairman. Contributions qualify under CSR.
• Accepts only voluntary contributions. Contributions out of budgetary sources, of balance sheets of banks NOT ACCEPTED. 
• National Calamity contingent fund - introduced under Finance act 2001. Imposed on pan masala, cigarette, cellular phones, other tobacco products as a surcharge on excise duty. When the goods are covered under GST, and Excise duty is not levied on those goods; no surcharge can be levied. So, no NCCD on tobacco products under GST. 

NDMA: After  Orissa cyclone and Gujarat EQ

UN_DRR:Defines-DM-as-measures-preparing-for,-responding-to,and-recovering-from-disasters

Current-framework:

Lacunae:

• No-specific-measures-to-deal-with-epidemic-in-NDMA-guidelines
• Conflicting-roles,lack-of-coherence
• ABR-and-DMA mention different range of action for both MoHFW and MHA.
• NCDC-ICMR
• Federal-principles:
• Health-state-subject,but-max-powers-discharged-by-MHFW
• Epidemic-diseases-act,DM-act:overlap-of-centre-state-jurisdictions
• Pro-active-response
• Funding
• Vagueness:
• 'Good-faith'-clause-in-Epidemic-diseases-act:-Immunity-to-authorities

Vulnerability:

• Economic
• Social
• Physical

MGMT:

• Modern:
• Early-warning-Dissemmination-System--Orissa,Fani
• Scenario-simulation:Virtual-reality-training-programme
• Aerial-surveillance,terrain-mapping.2013-Uk-floods
• Tech=t--allow-effective-communication
• Twitter-2015-Chennai-floods
• Predictive-models:AI-based
• Google+CWC-collab
• Satellite-monitoring:TN's-TNSMART-disaster-forecast
• Data-analutics
• Impact-based-forecasting-over-weather-based
• Integrate-hazard+risk+vulnerability-to-predict-impact
• National Disaster Management Information System (NDMIS) 
• to capture disaster damages and the losses effectively
• Death,injury,infra-damage
• Monitor-Sendai-targets

EQ-swarms:

• Sequence-of-many-EQs-in-a-localized-region-over-a-short-period.
• No-clear-seq-of-foreshocks,main-quakes,after-quakes
• Palghar,Mh.Yellowstone,US
• GSI:
• NE,NW-Himalaya,region-around-Delhi-NCR,West-Guj-also-prone
• 30-regions-in-Deccan
• Reasons:
• Hydroseismicity:rainfall-enters-faults.Increases-pressure,released-through-quakes.Hyd
• Intra-plate-tectonics=>stress.Palghar
• Plate-rupture.HP-Rampur
• Dam-induced.Koyna-Mh-due-to-Koyna-reservoir
• 
• 
  

Floods:

• 40% Assam, 70% north Bihar are flood prone
• Orissa - Has come out with a Flood Hazard atlas, to help manage floods more efficiently. 
• Assam floods:
• Why is Assam prone to floods:
• River Brahmaputra, is among the world’s top 5 rivers in terms of discharge and sediment. Cold, arid, devoid of plantation Tibetan region, results in highly sedimented river entering India. 
• Assam: river comes from high slope to flat plains, depositing vast amount of silt  => erosion and floods. 
• Earthquake prone region => absence of  stable character to river.
• Bank erosion along barak and brahmaputra is high in assam
• Manmade factors - deforestation, habitation, ovulation growth in catchment areas, including China 
• Dams: release of water from dams situated uphill is a key cause. 
• Guwahati’s topography - shaped like a bowl - susceptible to water-logging. 
• What have we done so far?
• Dams: they are double edge swords. (Kerela floods). Also, ecological and displacement issues
• Embankments - are temporary solution, and weak structures
• Dredging - limited effectiveness, as Brahmaputra sediment yield among the highest in world. 
• Damage:
• This year, 85% of Kaziranga got submerged. 
• Unique:
• Floods are actually beneficial for Assam. Have historically rejuvenated croplands and fertilized soil in the state’s alluvial areas. 
• What to do?
• Basin-Wide approach. Collaboration of all basin-sharing countries. Political cooperation. 
• Flood plain zoning, as done in the US. Depending on vulnerability of areas, divide them into categories for land use and mitigation approaches. 
• Sharing water flow info from  China
• Integrated approach - wetland mgmt
• dual purpose of dams be realized
• Palla floodplain project, Yamuna river:1.5 m shallow pits to be dug on Yamuna floodplain. Sandy recharge be will hold water for 4-5 hrs. water will seep into sandy underground bed of 40-50 m. Excess water can be used after digging 1000 acre to be used in summer. 
• Initiatives:
• International charter on Space and major Disasters: Non binding collab. Satellite stat is made available for benefit of disaster mgmt. Introduced in 1999. During Assam floods, India requested activation, which resulted in serval countries including China, Russia, France sharing satellite images on the scale of inundation in Assam. Was also activated during 2004 Tsunami by ISRO. 
• By ESA and French agency
• International coalition for disaster resilitent structures:
• Will be launched by PM during UN Climate summit in New York, 2019. 
• Platform for gen and exchange of knowledge on different aspects of disaster, climate resilient infra. 
• Red Atlas Action Plan Map - unveiled for flood mitigation in Chennai, along with CFLOWS-Chennai (Coastal flood warning system app-Chennai). CFLOWS launched by NIOT, GIS-based flood information system. 
• IFLOWS - Integrated flood warning system. Joint of MoES and BMS (Mumbai municipal corp). 
• Mumbai second city after Chennai to get the system. 
• 6-72 hrs in advance
• Kerala floods: Managing Kerala's ecology
• Need: watershed based master planning. 

Himalayan-Dams:Disaster:

• Chamoli-distt-Uk:burst-of-artificial-lakes-in-Nanda-Devi-Sanctuary
• Increased-vulnerability:
• Heat-island-effect
• concrete-has-replaced-traditional-wood-and-stone-masonry
• Deforestation:Soil-loosening
• Chopra-Committee-report-2014:-on-causes-of-floods
• raised-riverbeds-due-to-muck-disposal-at-dam-construction-sites
• Dams-increase-destructive-capacity-of-downstream-water
• Recoss;
• Green-road-construction
• Low-Impact-run-of-the-river-project
• Early-warning,capacity-building
• Strategic-planning:
• Satellite-imagery-by-GSI

Drought:

• Drought toolbox launched - during 14th CoP to UNCCD. A webpage that provides stakeholders easy access to case studies and other resources to support action on draught preparedness, and build resilience. 

Cyclones:

• Why the Eastern coast is more vulnerable:
• Bay of Bengal warmer than Arabian Sea - ideal for cyclone formations
• Arabian sea cyclones - also generally move north-west - away from india’s west coast
• In addition to Bay of bengal originating cyclones, breakaway typhoons from North-west Pacific move across outh China sea into bay of Bengal. 
• Naming: Each tropical cyclone basin as own roating list of names. For Arabian Sea and bay of bengal cyclones, 8 member country group - WMO/ESCAP - formed 2004
• 2019 - Highest number of cyclones in North indian ocean region in a single year since 1976. (8). Most recent - Pawan. 
• Others-  Bulbul, Fani (Bay of Bengal), Maha, kyarr, Vayu , Hikaa (Arabian), Pabuk
• Arabian sea: Most recent - Nisarga (june 2020, just after Amphan. Pre-monsoon cyclone)
• 5 cyclones in 2019: Vayu, Hikka, Kyarr, Maha, Pavan. Normally, only one or two are formed
• Amphan - second pre-monsoon cyclone in Bay of bengal in 2 yrs. period is less favourable for  tropical cyclones formation
• 3 major cyclones on India’s coast in 2020 - Nisarga, AMphan and most recent Nivar
• India’s forecast ability:
• Radar - network of 21 Dopplar weather radar in country
• Real time feedback - DWRs enable forecast 4-5 days in advance
• Collaboration with Japan Meteorological agency, US National Hurricane centre
• Technology- like Ocean buoys that track SST

Locusts:

• Permanent Locust Warning Organization, under Agri ministry, Dept of Gari, Directorate of plant protection, quarantine: 1939. Central HQ - Faridabad. Field HQ - Jodhpur
• FAO Desert Locus Commission formed in 1964
• Desert locusts:
• For laying eggs, reqd bare grounds, not dense vegetation. (Rajasthan)
• Hopper - stage between the nymph that is hatched from eggs, and the winged adult moth. Requires green vegetation. 
• India has only one locust breeding season and that is Summer breeding. The neighboring country Pakistan has both spring and summer breeding.
• Arrive in July-Oct, then why early this time?
• Cyclones Mekenu and Luban - Oman and Yemen. Heavy rains transformed desert into large lakes. Locust swarns breed

Landslides:

• Pressure on land:
• Kerela-Idukki,Kottayam,Oct-2021
• population density of 860/sq km. All India avg:368
• Census:B/w 2001-11:
• Popn growth:5%, no. of houses: 19.9%
• Demand for construction material:
• Terracing, slope modification, rock quarrying
• Road construction
• Lost water absorbing capacity=>Increased run-off
• Steps:
• Construction-free CRZs
• Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel: Gadgil  committee
• Best practises:
• UNDP's planetary pressures adjusted HDI

Lightning:

2000-2500-deaths-every-yr-on-avg.

• Mid-monsoon 2019 lightning report - mapped lightning strikes across the country. Prepared by a non-profit orgn climate resilient observing systems promotion council (CROSPC) that works closely with IMD. 
• Odissa - over 9 lakh incidents of lightning (April-July) - max for any state (IMD)
• How:
• Discharges generated by giant moisture bearing clouds that are 10-12 km tall. 
• Their base lies within 1-2 km of Earth’s surface. Temperatures towards the top in the range -35 to -45 C
• Smaller ice crystals moving up, larger ones moving down => collisions - trigger release of electrons
• Top layer gets positively charged, middle layer negatively charged. Huge electric potential between the two layers
• Enormous amount of heat produced, heating the air column between the two layers. 
• Earth, though electrically neutral, in comparison to the cloud’s middle layer, becomes positively charged. => 15-20% current gets directed towards earth as well. 
• Greater probability of lightning striking tall objects. Since air is a poor conductor =>electrons seek less better conducting path

Heatwave:    

• Absolute temp more than 45, severe more than 47
• More than 40 for plains, 30 for hills, 37 for coastal
• When normal max T less than or equal to 40, Departure of 5-6 degree for normal, and 7 degree for severe heat wave
• When normal max is > 40, 4-5 for normal and 6 for severe heat wave
• Dealing:
• Local Heat Action plans, better track meteorological data, inter-agency coordination
• Review existing occupational health standards, labour laws, etc
• Traditional adaptation pratises like staying indoors,
• Popularize simple design features like shaded window, underground water storage tanks, insulating housing material
• 
  

Industrial accidents and safety:

• Fire at ONGC facility in Navi Mumbai, fatalities.
• Firecracker factory, Batala, Punjab - Dozens killed
• Many ILO conventions on workers’ safety not ratified - including the Occupational Safety and health Convention 1981. 
• Conclusion:
• Compromising safety can lead to sequences that go beyond factories, and leave something etched in the nation’s memory, like Bhopal Gas tragedy.
• Explosion Prevention and protection
• 
• Neyveli boile explosion - 17 killed
• Indian Biolers act 1923

Chemical disasters:

• Styrene leak, VIshakhapatnam, May 2020
• Styrene also naturally found in vehicle exhaust, cigarette smoke and natural foods like fruits and veges.
• Principle of absolute liability: Evolved by SC in Oleum gas leaks case of 1986. Companies cannot claim any exception. PArt of Article 21
• Principle of strict liability evolved in 1868 in Raylands case, allows exceptions from liability in case of escape of hazardous substances, in case of
• Act of god
• act of thri party
• plaintiff’s own fault
• hazardous activity with consent of plaintiff
• In strict liability, compensation commensurate with damage. In absolute, damages be exemplary in nature, as per company’s fin ability
• Element of escape not essential in absolute liability. Even hazardous within premises affeting workers covered,
• India’s aspirations to industrialise should be founded on safety.
• Other recent:
• 2014 Gail pipeline blast
• 2014 Bhilai steel plant gas leak: Methane, Chhatisgarh
• 2017 Delhi gas leak:
• 2018 Bhilai steel plant blast
• Acts:
• Public liability insurance act, 1991: obligatory for user industries handling 179 types of chemicals and others to subscribe a special insurance policy, to cover likely liabilities arising on a ’no fault basis/absolute liability’. Also estb an Environmental relief fund subscribd by all such user industries by an amount equal to annual premium amount of insurance policy. CPCB implements
• Compensation payable, irrespective of company’s neglect
• Collector, after holding enquiry, may make award determining amount of compensation
• Criticisms:
• Compensations are meagre. Max compensation of 25k + 12.5k
• 
  
• National environmental appellate authority Act, 1997: NEAA can hear appeals regarding restriction of areas for industries. 
• NGT Act 2010: expeditious disposal of cases
• Hazardous waste rules 1989
• Chemical accidents rules 1996

Buildings collapse:

• Recent: Malad, Mumbai monsoons
• Steps:
• Dedicated surveys to Identify dangerous structures
• Better monsoon forecast. (IITM recommended: integrate Sea Surface Temperature studies with monsoon forecast)
• Rejuvenated urban wetlands - as buffer. (Work on Mithi river rejuvenation)
• Mass housing projects for rehab of residents from decrepit buildings

Forest fires:

• FSI:54%-forests-exposed-to-occasional-fires.
• reasons:
• Anthropogenic:
• Safari-cars,cigarette-butts
• Poachers,hunters-Simlipal-Orissa
• Burning-chir-pine-needle
• Slash-n-burn-NE
• Gaps-in-dm:
• No-forest-fire-policy
• Institutional-mech
• State-level-mgmt:
• Cross-border-approach-needed
• Lack-of-fund
• Community-participation-lacking
• Parli-standing-committee:
• National-policy-on-forest-fires
• FAO-preventive-zoning,Early-warning-etc
• Strengthening forest fire mgmt in India (SFFMI) report - By MoEF and WB, June 2018
• In the year 2000, 20 districts ( representing 3% of India’s land area and 16% of forest cover) accounted for 44% of all fire detections
• FAST 3.0: Upgraded version of Forest fire alert system. Released Jan 2019. 
• 
  
• ISFR 2019:
• Extremely fire prone: Mizoram > tripura. Moderately fire prone: Punjab > nagaland
• Most of fire prone forest areas in NE and Central India

COnnectivity:

• C-Sat-Fi - Satellite WiFi, connectivity in remote areas, difficult terrains. Accessible on any WiFi enabled phone. Suited for addressing disasters and 
• GEMINI - device for seamless and effective dissemination of emergency info and communication on disaster warnings, fishing zones for fishermen. 
• Receives and transfers data from GAGAN satellite
• Designed and manu by a pvt company MS Accord, Bangaloe. Developed by INCOIS and AAI. 
• 
  

Disaster governance in India:

• National Crisis management committee - for effective implementation of relief measures. Chairman - Cabinet secretary
• NDRF - headed by a DG - generally IPS
• Defined in DM Act 2005
• Located in Public Accounts of the govt under “Reserve funds not bearing interest"
• Monitoring: Department of Agri and coop for relief associated with drought, hailstorm, pest, coldwave. Rest monitored by MHA
• CAG audits
• Only for emergency relief. For mitigation, National Disaster mitigation Fund be constituted. 
• Source of funding - levy cesses, contributions and donations. 
• Epidemic diseases act: State act, not a central act. 4 sections
• Section 1: Title and extent of the act
• Section 2: Power to take special measures. Empowers states to take special measures. Section 2A empowers central govt to take steps to prevent the spread of the epidemic. Though health a state subject, by invoking section 2, directives of MoHFW will be enforceable
• Section 3: penalty for disobedience as pr Sec 188 of IPC
• Section 4: Legal protection to implementing officers
• NDMA:
• SDRF-Under-S48
• Centre-contributes-75%-for-general,and-90%-for-special-category-states.
• Only-for-providing-immediate-relief
• Annual-contri:released-in-2-equal-installments-by-FC
• State:May-use-upto-10%-funds-for-immediate-relief-for-'disasters'-considered-within-local-context
• Disaster (s) covered under SDRF: Cyclone, drought, earthquake, fire, flood, tsunami, hailstorm, landslide, avalanche, cloudburst, pest attack, frost and cold waves.
• Heat-waves-not-included

World:

• UN Office for Disaster risk Reduction- created 1999. Implement International strategy for Disaster Reduction. Support implementation, follow up, review of Sendai framework. 
• Sendai Framework - adopted at 3rd UN world conference on DRR - 2015, Sendai, Japan. 
• Understanding disaster risk
• Strengthening risk governance
• Investing in risk reduction for resilience
• ENhanced preparedness for effective response, “Build back better” in recovery, rehab and reconstruction. 
• Coalition for Disaster resilient infra: Launched by PM Modi in September 2019 at UN’s Climate Action Summit, US.
• Knowledge generated and exchanged on diff aspects of disaster, climate resilience of infra.
• Need: Cyclone fani, Odissa caused economic loss to tune of 4 bn dollar. - WB.  Kerela floods- 4.4 bn
• Technical-support-and-capacity-building
• enable Small Island States to adapt to
  sea level rise and tropical countries to cyclones.
• Works-at-intersection-of-Sendai-and-paris-climate-agreement
• Measurable-info-on-data-and-redn-in-infra-losses-from-disasters
• Challenges:
• Overcoming-resistance-of-developed-countries-to-transfer-state-of-the-art-tech-to-developing-countries
• 
  
• Asia-Pacific disaster report - UN ESCAP

Humans and disaster:

• UN Office on Disaster Risk Reduction ‘Human cost of disasters 2000-2019’ 
• Climate change largely to blame for near doubling of disasters in past 20 yrs

Sendai - adopted during 3rd UN world conf on Disaster risk redn in Sendai, Japan, 2015. Endorsed by UNGA. 

• 7 targets and 4 priorities.
• 

    

Conclusions:

• UN-Agenda-2030:
• Leaving-no-one,no-place-and-no-ecosystem-behind
• 
  

Prelims:

• Hurricane Doria - Bahamas 
• PM National relief fund- created in 1948, to assist displaced people from Pakistan. Not constituted by Parli. Recognized as a trust under IT Act. Managed by PM. Exempt from IT. PM is chairman. Contributions qualify under CSR.
• Accepts only voluntary contributions. Contributions out of budgetary sources, of balance sheets of banks NOT ACCEPTED. 
• National Calamity contingent fund - introduced under Finance act 2001. Imposed on pan masala, cigarette, cellular phones, other tobacco products as a surcharge on excise duty. When the goods are covered under GST, and Excise duty is not levied on those goods; no surcharge can be levied. So, no NCCD on tobacco products under GST.